Cruises are a great way to vacation for families with children because they offer a variety of entertainment options for children of all ages. Cruises also take the hassle out of packing and unpacking and moving between destinations that can be a nightmare task with young children in tow. Once you board the ship, you don’t have to leave, unless you want to explore the various ports of call. There are many activities to keep Mom, Dad, and the kids fully occupied and entertained.

Realizing that families are a high-interest demographic, many cruise lines have implemented special clubs and activities for supervised and age-appropriate children and teens. Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Celebrity Cruises are three cruise lines that offer special programs for children. Additionally, most cruise lines also offer family-oriented activities that can be enjoyed outside of specialized children’s clubs or groups.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

The Royal Caribbean cruise line is especially kid-friendly, with programs for all age groups. It begins with its Aqua Babies (6 – 18 months) and Aqua Tots (18 – 36 months) programs, which were developed by Fisher-Price exclusively for Royal Caribbean International. In these programs, trained youth staff supervise activities with the presence of parents or caregivers.

Children ages 3 and up move on to Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean youth program. This program combines fun with educational activities adapted to different age groups. Activities range from coloring and arts and crafts to sports and music. The program serves kids up to 17 years old, though older kids may prefer to just hang out at the ship’s teen-only nightclub. Best of all, parents can feel safe dropping off their children in these programs, as Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean staff is comprised of only counselors with a college degree in education or a similar field, or with qualified experience. at work with children.

If you are looking for a family cruise, one to check out is Royal Caribbean’s 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise. The ship is the Liberty of the Seas and departs from Miami, Florida, with stops in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Labadee, Haiti. In addition to the Adventure Ocean youth program, family activities on board include an ice skating rink, a climbing wall, a surf park and the H2O Zone water park.

Carnival cruise lines

Another cruise line with a great activity program for kids is Carnival. Their Camp Carnival, Circle C, and Club O2 programs are known for their enthusiastic advisors, interactive programs, and good old-fashioned fun.

Camp Carnival is the cruise line’s annual program for children ages 2-11. Activities include finger painting, storytelling, and crafts for toddlers (ages 2-5). For young people (6 to 8 years old), there is creation of volcanoes, fun and games in the open air and the Night of the Knights. Intermediates (ages 9-11) can play sports, board games or PlayStation2. There are also family activities like making ice cream, a children’s talent show, and a scavenger hunt.

Older children, ages 12 to 14, move to Circle C, where they have supervised activities such as dance parties, outdoor movies, and nighttime swimming. They also have special shore excursions like Dolphins Encounter and River Tubing.

Teens, ages 15-17, move on to Club O2, where they can watch movies, listen to music, play video games, sing karaoke, or just hang out with friends. There are also supervised excursions for teens only, such as horseback riding, the America’s Cup Regatta (St. Maarten) and Dunn’s River Falls (Ochos Rios).

Families looking to cruise on Carnival should check out their 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Pride. The ship departs from Baltimore, Maryland, and makes stops at Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport. The Pride has amenities for the whole family, such as the Camp Carnival Fun Club, a children’s pool and a game room.

Celebrity Cruise Lines

On Celebrity Cruises, there are several programs available throughout the year for children 17 and under. Children under the age of 3 have Toddler Time, where they can play with their parents and other children their age with age-appropriate interactive toys and games. Children over 3 years old move to the Fun Factory category, which has different levels geared towards specific age groups. Those 3 to 5 years old have shipmates. Boys ages six to eight move on to Celebrity Cadets. Those 9-11 years old are heading to Ensigns. For every age group, the Fun Factory entertainment center is where kids can enjoy crafts, music, karaoke, scavenger hunts, theme parties, movies, and video games.

Cruise kids, ages 12-17, have Admiral Teens – the ultimate teen-only hangout with games, sports, and dancing. Celebrity Cruises also offers babysitting services, so parents can enjoy some alone time. Babysitting services cover children 12 months and older for stateroom childcare. For group babysitting at Fun Factory, children must be between the ages of 3 and 11.

A good celebrity cruise for families is your 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the Infinity. The ship departs from Seattle, with stops at Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Inside Passage, and Victoria. On board, kids can take part in the Celebrity X-Club youth program, where they can try their luck at activities such as talent shows, scavenger hunts, dinner parties and nightly sleepovers.

If you’ve ever felt like you need another vacation to recover from a family trip, then it’s time to consider a cruise for your next vacation. No matter how old your children are, today’s modern ships are packed with comforts and group activities that will please everyone from the smallest to the most tenacious teenager. With today’s cruises, parents can look forward to a family vacation that keeps kids happy and gives them the opportunity to enjoy much-needed rest and relaxation without worry.