As a family, we have done 4 cruises. Over that time my kids have varied in age from very young to 19. On our first cruise, my youngest had just started school.
Use kids club. While the kids may object at first they eventually come around and realise just how much fun they are having. Kids club for the young ones is a little more structured they do activities and play games. My kids even took part in a talent show. Some of them danced some of them performed skits. It was a bit of fun and a chance for the kids to have their own 15 mins of fame and as adults, we get to be entertained by the show as well as it is performed in the main show lounge in front of passengers.
Another note when it comes to food. Don’t be scared to take the kids to an early dinner in the buffet and then enjoy yourself at a sit-down dinner childfree in the main dining room or one of the specialty dining venues. Some of the cruise lines offer a kids dinner on a couple of nights during the cruise. This is usually a limited children’s menu and takes place in the buffet area.
Kids clubs on ships also often offer after-hours service. Giving the parents a little bit more time to enjoy themselves. Maybe a chance to see the adults-only comedy show? This generally comes at a cost per hour per child and will vary depending on the cruise line.
The kids are welcome to join in for theme nights on board. It really is a family affair so don’t forget them when buying pieces for Gatsby or 80s night.
Another question I get asked often is around safety on board the ship. Never for a second did I feel it was an unsafe environment for the kids. When they are younger they are either in a kids club or with you. As pre-teens and teens, they can come and go as they please from the kids club, however wandering the ship (and you don’t really see them) are security guards. They are carefully watching everything that goes on. This meant that as a parent I was confident that even if I couldn’t see them I knew everything was ok!
Don’t be afraid of booking a balcony cabin with young children. The doors are ridiculously heavy and lock at the top. Unless you have wedged the door open there is no way that even the best little climbers are getting out the balcony door.
The information in this post has come from our experiences on both P&O (Pacific Dawn and Pacific Pearl) and also on board Carnival Spirit.
I would love to hear about your experiences cruising with your children. What did you find were some of your must do’s or don’ts. Let me know in the comments.
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