How to Enjoy a Cruise with Your Kids

Family travel is back! In the post-pandemic world, research by Hilton showed that British holidaymakers were looking to spend a cumulative £83.6bn on trips during 2022, with 77% of those surveyed saying family time was their main motivation in getting away from it all. However, almost a third (31%) described the process of planning a family holiday as ‘frustrating’, with more than 20% feeling it was ‘painful'!

We sympathise! While we're big fans of city breaks with the kids, they do involve lots of logistics (and usually a fair few compromises) to ensure everyone gets to do what they'd like to. If you want to involve a resort break into the trip, say a holiday split between Miami and Orlando, then that involves more travel, likely car hire, booking yet more hotels; getting into a traffic jam on I-95 at 35C is a fairly obvious stress point.

However, taking a cruise may offer the best of both worlds. Cruising has changed, a lot. The old image of the endless sunloungers on deck drifting around the Med has long gone. The modern day ship resembles a floating town, with amenities and activities catered to all sorts of clientele. So, without further ado, here's some tips on how to get the best out of cruising with kids.

Location, location, location

Cruises can be a great way to see the world. Northern Europe is fast catching the traditional Mediterranean destinations as the most popular cruise journeys. You're as likely to see a ship moored in Reykjavik as Rhodes. Even winter cruising to the north has become popular as passengers look forward to seeing the Northern Lights from on deck.

For the truly adventurous, Argentina down to Antarctica has found its way on to many bucket lists. Similarly, activities when disembarking have broadened vastly in their horizons. For some, a quick stroll around the port town will suffice. For teenagers, the opportunity to walk polar ice caps or raft through fast-moving canyon rivers may sound a lot more exciting.

Making new friends

One commonly heard grumble from teenagers and older kids when proposing a holiday is that they'll 'miss their mates' for the duration of the break. For some teenagers, having to spend a whole with their parents sounds like a nightmare!

While most cruise ships will have at least a babysitting service for small kids, so parents can enjoy an entertaining evening, some are a bit more comprehensive and creative than that. Royal Caribbean's Symphony Of The Seas has teen and tween clubs on board. Explora Journeys have a special Young Explorers programme during school and seasonal holidays (and also offer reduced fares for under 18s, which can be valuable).

Meanwhile, P&O Cruises have bought big into Barbiemania and have dress-up boxes for kids to dress up as their favourite characters.

Culinary choices

Meal times can be an ordeal on holiday, particularly with younger kids. The chances of everyone agreeing about which restaurant they'd like to go to can sometimes be low, let alone what they'd like to eat. Cruising scores a big win here as there's no driving across town or having to separate deliveries to a hotel room.

If kids want to pick for themselves from a buffet while mum and dad fancy something a bit more, well, fancy, then the choices are all in the same place. Plant-based menus have become as mainstream on cruises as they have on dry land over the last few years, although for more specialised diets it's advisable to consult the operator or travel agent at time of booking.

A whole family holiday

photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/drtiacrooms/

Multi-generational family trips have been common in the US for some time, and the trend seems to be catching in the UK, reports The Guardian. In 2022, 23% of British travellers (over 18) planned to travel with their parents and 11% with their grandparents.

What better venue for the whole clan than a cruise? Gran and Grandpa will love being able to spend time with (and spoiling) grandchildren, while parents may appreciate some time to chill out, given that any holiday with kids inevitably becomes an 'activity' one! It's an ideal way to spend some quality time together, and can build memories that will last everyone's lifetimes.