Family cruising

Cruise ships now offer a vast array of facilities for the whole family.  So if you previously thought that a cruise holiday was for the wealthy or the elderly, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that the latest generation of cruise ships have first-class family and children facilities to rival any land-based resort.

On the larger ships there are dedicated children’s areas, with their own pools and a range of age-related activities which include talent shows, face painting, treasure hunts and on-deck fun and games.  Many ships now offer slumber parties and night nurseries, so that parents can enjoy the evening entertainment, knowing that their children are being well supervised in a safe environment.  A cruise ship is ideal for teenagers with up-to-date modern facilities to keep them fully entertained.  Most of the larger ships have teen-only discos, video arcades, games rooms, and activity clubs.  There is also the option to take their own land based excursions, specially designed around beach barbeques and sport activities.

Which Ship?

There are many different types of cruise ship to choose from, all offer a vast array of different facilities to keep the whole family fully entertained.  One question you need to ask yourselves is whether you would prefer a modern ‘floating resort’ on a larger vessel, or a smaller more traditional cruise ship.  If you are looking for the best children’s facilities then the new mega-cruise ships offer the most up-to-date and advanced activities at sea.

When booking a family cruise, always check that all the facilities and activities are available, as this can vary on some ships.  For instance some children’s programmes are only offered during the school holidays.  It is also important to note that if you have children under the age of 4, many cruise lines ask that an adult accompany them to the children’s club.  If you book a days excursion and have young children most cruise lines insist that a member of the family stay with the child on the ship in case a child becomes ill or distressed.

Ship Facilities

• Carnival Cruise Line offers a wealth of fun with their three onboard clubs, Camp Carnival, Circle C and Club O2.  Camp Carnival is for children aged between 2 - 11, they have their own designated space with pool area, where there are lots of pool games and activities.  In the evening from 10 pm to 3 am there is also a babysitting service. Circle C is for ages 12-14 and offers the ultimate chill-out zone to make new friends and join in a host of activities including, dance parties, outdoor movies and lots of supervised games.  Club O2 offers the best onboard facilities for 15-17 year olds, with lots of music, parties and time to mingle and make new friends.  Club O2 has been described as the ultimate teen party onboard a cruise ship.


• Celebrity his well known for their American-style slumber parties and fun onboard activities.  Expect to find a wide range of age-related entertainment including, T-shirt designing, treasure hunts and the famous Fun Factory.


• Holland America Line pprovides an exciting and varied programme of teenager friendly activities for all children aged between 3 and 17.  Club HAL for kids aged between 3 - 17 offers a supervised fun atmosphere with a list of activities such as ice cream sundae parties, private treasure hunts, storytelling, indoor games, arts and crafts, drawing competitions, fabric painting, theme parties and a farewell pizza party.  Club HAL - Tweens is for children aged 8 - 12, where they can enjoy discos and theme parties, learn golf putting or compete in on-deck sports and scavenger hunts.  The Loft and the Oasis are specifically designed for teenagers 13-17, where they can enjoy movies and videos, teen discos, karaoke, sports tournaments, trivia contests and fun filled theme parties.
  
  
• Princess Cruises latest and most advanced ship the Grand Princess offers children the opportunity to enjoy the first virtual reality centre at sea, which includes a variety of theme-park style rides on the amazing 12-man hydraulic stimulator.  On Princess Cays the company’s Private Island in the Bahamas, children can enjoy the fully supervised Pelicans Perch a play area constructed around the theme of a pirate ship.


• NCL offers all the family whatever the age lots of fun and facilities.  There is a list of complimentary activities published each day which include face-painting taking part in onboard shows and on deck family competitions.   The Norwegian Dawn, Star and Spirit have splash pools with its own Wet and Wild fun area which include a range of water slides.  The Norwegian Jewel, Spirit, Star, Dawn, Pride of America and the Pride of Hawaii also offer lots of fun in their jungle gyms with tunnels and ball pits.


• P&O offer a British atmosphere onboard the Ventura, Oceana, Oriana and Aurora.  Children’s playrooms are called Peter Pan’s, with designated play areas, teenagers also have their own area called Decibels.  P&O also have clubs for ‘Tweens’ age between 10-13, on the Oriana and Aurora there are children’s pools and discos for teenagers.  There is a nursery that offers child-minding facilities from 6pm to 2am, the Oriana also has in-cabin baby listening facility.


• Crystal Cruises invite children to join their ships the Crystal Symphony and the Crystal Harmony.  Onboard are a selection of three-berth staterooms and rooms allocated for children’s entertainment which include video games, choice of outdoor and indoor pools, and informal dining which includes Ice Cream parlours and Burger Bars.  If more than 15 children are travelling then special children’s programmes are arranged.  There is also a baby-sitting facility onboard.


• Costa Cruises offer excellent facilities for children. More families than ever are realising the ease and enjoyment of family cruising with Costa. The youngest guests and their parents are invited to participate in the Costa Kids Programme. Indeed, some of the best things do come in small packages - and that's certainly the case with our Costa Kids Programme. From pizza parties and pirate treasure hunts to face painting, masquerades, and even Italian language lessons, supervised activities like these are all in a day's play for kids lucky enough to cruise with Costa.
  
  
• Fred Olsen Cruise Lines have a fleet of four family oriented ships, the Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and Boudicca, all are perfect for travelling with children.  Their family cruises always coincide with Easter, summer and Christmas holidays and offer experienced children’s host, alongside a playroom full of fun activities and entertainment.  Excellent discounts for children up to 16 years old are available when they share a cabin with two full-fare paying adults.
  
  
• MSC organise different events every day and encourage children to join in with all the fun activities onboard.  MSC Mini-club hosts sports competitions, swimming pool games, treasure hunts and with onboard entertainers you can rest assured that your children will be having lots of fun.  MSC also recommend their great Value Solutions for children such as Teen Cards, which can be used to save money on beverages and soft drinks.


• Royal Caribbean International operates four fantastic kids clubs called ‘Adventure Ocean’.  Each club is specifically designed with lots of fun activities and facilities.  On the six Vision-Class ships there are two specially designed children’s club rooms, one for younger children and a ‘teen-lounge’ which has its own Juice Bar and disco.  The fun children’s ‘Adventure Science’ programme is designed to make onboard education fun, with lots of opportunities to make bubbling potions and rockets.
  
  
• Thomson Cruises are well known for their fun-filled family holidays, with an array of activities to keep the kids entertained all day long.  All children’s entertainment if free of charge and includes the imaginative Kidzone, which offers Junior Cruisers a safe place to play and make new friends.  All Thompson staff are fully qualified according to UK legislation, so you can rest assured your children are being well looked after.  Child prices apply up to the age of 16 when sharing a cabin with 2 adults.

If you need any further information please don't hesitate to call our friendly and helpful staff.