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Which “family friendly” cruise line is the best fit for your family?

Ellen Quicksell

If you ask me, any cruise is the best cruise for your family. As an avid theme park goer the slower speed of a cruise vacation was a shocking delight the first time I stepped foot on a ship. I firmly believed the misconception that I would be bored after years of the hustle and bustle that comes with going to your favorite theme park destinations.


That being said, while any cruise is a good cruise, not all cruise lines offer the same amenities for families traveling with all ages of children.


Disney Cruise Line  

This is the natural jump for most theme park goers to another kind of vacation, all of the magic, none of the lines (well really only some of the lines). Disney Cruise Line is fantastic for those traveling with younger kids. The top tier kids clubs, nursery availability, splash areas for diapered children, and character meet and greets all mean that your young kids will be immersed in the magic from embarkation on. Foodies will delight in both the Main Dining Room offerings and the adult exclusive offerings at Palo, Remy’s, and Enchante. All day complimentary room service, including Mickey Bars, is also included in the cruise fare. Disney Cruise Line also offers incredible entertainment.


While Disney Cruise Line is an amazing experience, it does have its draw backs for the adventure seeking family. The on board entertainment options are all centered around Disney, trivia, nighttime shows, movies, etc., that can be boring for older kids and teens. There is less to do on the ship. While other lines offer go-karts, rollercoasters, rocket climbing and more, Disney Cruise Line’s ships are more traditional with a handful of pools and a small sports deck. Disney Cruise Line includes slight more amenities with your fare, it does come in at a higher price point than other lines on the list.  

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line  

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line offers 65 different ships ranging from small ships to the brand new Icon class mega ships. With over 10 departure ports in the United States, Royal Caribbean is also accessible by car to many people meaning that your cruise vacation comes with a little less stress and travel. Royal Caribbean also offers amazing kids clubs, with certified counselors who all have a four year degree or international equivalent in education, recreation or a related field. Royal Caribbean counselors have also received training in autism awareness (for more information about how Royal Caribbean is making sailing more autism friendly click here). Activity offerings do vary by ship, but on many ships you’ll find more activities for your thrill seeking cruisers. Rock-climbing walls, The Ultimate Abyss, complimentary zip-lines on Oasis class ships, and the Flow Rider surfing are all great offerings. For the family with younger children you’ll find daily arts and crafts, open play in the Living Room, and even a carousel on board some ships!  

 

However, not all Royal Caribbean ships are created equal. Some of the smaller, older ships are missing amenities for the youngest cruisers that are standard on other lines. There’s not always a nursery or a diaper friendly splash area and some itineraries just aren’t designed with kids in mind. While the mega ships have a ton of specialty dining, some of the smaller ships only have one or two additional restaurants. Royal Caribbean also charges a fee for room service outside of the standard continental breakfast offerings.


Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line refers to their ships as Fun Ships for a reason. They are jam packed with entertainment and amenities to keep you busy your whole cruise. On board certain ships you’ll find ropes courses, SkyRide a suspended bike high over the deck of the ship, or Bolt: The Ultimate SeaCoaster, the first roller coaster at sea! Food network fans will delight in the included Guys Burger Joint (yes that Guy Fieri), or Guys Pig and Anchor Smokehouse/Brewhouse where they brew the beer right on some of the ships. For a fee you can dine with Thing 1 and Thing 2 for their birthday breakfast. In fact, Carnival exclusively has Seuss at Sea! This includes a Seuss-a-Pooloza parade and story time, as well as a reading room dedicated to Dr. Seuss’ beloved classics. Your teens will enjoy hanging out in their exclusive club or you can catch an Imax movie with the whole family. Some Carnival ships even feature a Build-a-Bear location. Carnival also is one of the more cost friendly lines on this list.


The other side to Carnival is they do have a bit more of a reputation for being a party ship. While that may be fun for certain people, it may not being appealing for people with young kids who like to see the nightlife die down earlier in the evening. Carnival also does not offer the same caliber of family friendly entertainment as Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line do in the evenings. Carnivals stage shows show case music and don’t always have the cohesive story of a play like production which can make it harder for the young ones to follow along. Carnival Cruise lines main dining rooms also do not carry the reputation that some of the other lines do.  


Norwegian Cruise Line  

With the first and only race track at sea Norwegian Cruise Line is a great option for families who love to have a lot to do on their sea days. With tons of water slide options, kid friendly aqua parks, and family friendly entertainment like Wheel of Fortune you definitely won’t be bored on Norwegian Cruise Line. Another great feature that Norwegian Cruise Line offers is group babysitting in the evenings so parents can take advantage of those adult only amenities. Also unique to Norwegian Cruise Line is the ability to book Free Speciality Dining as part of their Free at Sea promotions meaning that you can experience all the food on the ship without having to worry about paying extra fees. Norwegian Cruise Line also has great family shows in the evening including Jersey Boys and Beetlejuice (depending on the ship).


Norwegian Cruise Line, however, is another line with a lot of different ships meaning that some ships are going to be more family friendly than others. Smaller ships may lack the adventure seeking amenities or entertainment for younger cruisers. Personally the biggest drawback of Norwegian Cruise Line is the lack of nursery level child care. They offer programming for children younger than three but a parent is required to attend with them, meaning it is hard to get some time out as just mom and dad. Evening kids club hours also come with a fee.


As you can see there are many pros and cons to the major cruise lines when selecting which one is the right fit for your family. Since experiences vary so greatly between lines and ships within the individual lines I always recommend reaching out to your preferred travel planner. With Carry on the Magic, your planner will do all the leg work to ensure they are matching you to the ship and line that best fit your family’s interests!  

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