What is the best cruise to take?

Question

What is the best cruise to take with children ages 3 1/2 and 16 months?

Answer 1

Disney may be the best.... 16 months probably is younger than any cruise line is ready to handle in their "mainstream" program, but Disney offers a group babysitting program... it is $6/hr additional ... Royal carribbean has a program for little (>3y/o) too but a parent must be present. your 3 and 1/2 will have a blast in disney's programs above 3 is usually ok for all cruise lines kids area....
Disney Cruise Line is hard to beat for babies, offering a full-service Little-Mermaid-themed nursery at sea (for ages 12 weeks - 3 years old) complete with a boatload of toys and special porthole windows for parents to peek at their children (price: $6 per hour for the first child, $5 per hour for the second, minimum of 2 hours). Even if you don't need the nursery, Disney provides parents with everything from Diaper Genies, cribs and strollers, to milk and fresh pureed vegetables delivered right to your cabin.

Another baby-friendly line is Cunard, with a nursery for children age 1 and up. Plus, Carnival and Norwegian offer children under 2 the opportunity to play in the playroom when accompanied by a parent.

In some cases, cruise ships will loan out key baby equipment, such as bouncy seats, cribs, strollers, books and toys. Check with the line you choose to see which of the above they provide.


Is it important to you to have a pager while your child is in the youth program? Disney and Princess provide pagers for parents; other lines have you sign your children in and write down where you expect to be on the ship.

If you have firm rules you'd like followed about television and computer time, ask how much time kids spend parked in front of these massive video walls, about the type of shows shown, and if there are any restrictions when selecting appropriate video games.

One of the biggest advantages -- these days -- of family cruising is the industry's embrace of U.S. homeports. Ships are increasingly establishing bases of operation on a seasonal or year-round basis in drive-to ports of call, ranging from San Francisco and San Diego to Galveston, Mobile, Charleston and Baltimore. The best news? The homeporting option eliminates both the additional cost and the extra bother of flying to traditional embarkation cities like Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.

And there's a caveat to note for the small and/or luxury lines (like Crystal, Regent and Windjammer). Since they offer relatively small children's play areas (if any at all), you'll want to be sure that you're on one of the holiday or other selected sailings where children's activities are in full swing.

What's Your Idea of Family Fun?
Are you sports enthusiasts? Artsy-craftsy? Do you prefer a vacation with plenty of educational or cultural offerings? Or an outdoorsy voyage on a tall ship where almost every day is spent in port? You'll see as you investigate cruise lines that each one has its own vibe and particular strengths.

For example, Royal Caribbean is a sports lover's cruise paradise complete with full-court basketball, mini-golf, ice-skating and volleyball courts along with health clubs so well-equipped you'll wish you had one like it at home. Princess offers activities with a brainy bent for all ages, from financial workshops and photography classes to interactive science activities where children can study corral reefs and dissect a squid. And on Windjammer, families can partake in a summer-camp-style vacation at sea.

Family Time
There are two types of activities to look for in a family cruise. The first: What can we do and enjoy as a family? Carnival offers waterslides and craft nights; Disney, a nightly stage show that is entertaining for the whole family. And Royal Caribbean hosts game shows, shipbuilding regattas, and (via its new Fisher Price partnership) music and art oriented "play-groups" for parents to join with their 6-month to 3-year-old children.

And the second? What's fun for kids to do with like-minded peers (see below for more detail under "children's programs").

Baby on Board?
First and foremost, check the minimum age required to sail. It varies from as young as 12 weeks (Disney) to 4 months old (Carnival), to 6 months old (Princess) and even 6 years old (Windjammer).

Disney Cruise Line is hard to beat for babies, offering a full-service Little-Mermaid-themed nursery at sea (for ages 12 weeks - 3 years old) complete with a boatload of toys and special porthole windows for parents to peek at their children (price: $6 per hour for the first child, $5 per hour for the second, minimum of 2 hours). Even if you don't need the nursery, Disney provides parents with everything from Diaper Genies, cribs and strollers, to milk and fresh pureed vegetables delivered right to your cabin.

Another baby-friendly line is Cunard, with a nursery for children age 1 and up. Plus, Carnival and Norwegian offer children under 2 the opportunity to play in the playroom when accompanied by a parent.

In some cases, cruise ships will loan out key baby equipment, such as bouncy seats, cribs, strollers, books and toys. Check with the line you choose to see which of the above they provide.

Children's Programs
One of the great things about these programs is that your children get to hang out with others their age and do cool kids' stuff for as little as one hour to several hours a day, depending on your family's preferences. It also gives you a chance to hit the gym, attend a cooking class or read a book at an adults-only spa pool for a bit.

Here are a few important strengths and weaknesses to consider when sizing up the programs:

Unique Offerings: While most lines offer video games, scavenger hunts, and arts and crafts projects, several cruise companies have developed one-of-a-kind partnerships that allow them to offer a little something extra. Princess leads the pack in this arena, calling their programs "Edutainment" and offering children a chance to meet U.S. National Park Service Rangers in Glacier Bay as well as a marine life program through the California Coastal Commission. On Disney, kids can learn all about animation. And on Norwegian Cruise Lines and Celebrity, future theatre buffs can learn how to act or produce a show in "star seekers" and summer stock theater programs.

Age Groupings: Some cruise lines (Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean) group children in only two- to three-year spans (for example: 2- to 5-year-olds, 6 - 8, etc.). Others have broader groupings (for example: ages 3 - 7, 8 - 12, and 13 - 17, which is the case on Holland America, Princess and Crystal). If you have a bashful 3-year-old, he or she might feel intimidated in group activities with older children and prefer being in a program that offers a 2- to 5-year-old group, whereas a 12-year-old who thinks she's going on 20 might feel too cool to be hanging out with youngsters, and be better suited amongst the 12- to 14-year-old set.

The Plight of the Un-Potty-Trained: On a recent cruise with my 2-year-old I was surprised to discover that he wasn't allowed to play in the playroom, even if I stayed with him the entire time. Why? It is against Royal Caribbean's (and Celebrity's) regulations to allow children in who are not "completely toilet-trained." However, on Carnival and Norwegian this is not an issue since parents have the option of enrolling 2-year-olds in their programs (Norwegian will beep a parent when it's diaper-changing time). And younger toddlers are allowed in to play when accompanied by a parent.

Tweeners and Teens: Several cruise lines now offer at least some of the following for teens: teen-only hot tubs, private sunbathing decks with pool, teen nightclubs and even spa services tailored to teens (Carnival and select Princess ships). Depending on your teen's level of independence you'll want to look at the type of supervision, if any, that exists and whether or not teens are broken down into smaller groups with activities geared to the younger 13- to 15-year-old set. A few unique offerings for teens include Princess's special evening for teens to have dinner together in the main dining room complete with photographs and a group night out at one of the line's stage shows. And Holland America is in the process of revamping their ships (Ryndam completed in late 2004) to include a special passageway to a secluded deck where teens can cool off in a waterfall and cave.

Best Bets in Babysitting
If you'd like to hit the casino or head to a show sans kids a night or two, a line's babysitting policy will be high on your priority list. Certain lines prohibit in-cabin babysitting (Carnival and Princess) and instead offer a slumber party type of atmosphere in their children's center (not the best situation for younger children). Other lines (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian and Crystal) allow you to hire sitters that come to your cabin.

Best bet: head to the front desk on arrival day and ask about the experience of the sitters (many aren't from the children's programs) and if they're English speaking (if that's your preference). Then schedule your in-cabin sitting times for the week so that you'll have the same person throughout the cruise. Pricing typically ranges from $5 per hour to over $12 an hour, depending on the cruise line and the number of children you have.

Answer 2

I too am a big time cruiser! With children that young, I'd really look at a Disney cruise they really cater to families and have excellent "youth" counselors and activities.

I've cruised Disney (as an adult, no kids.... but went with other family members who had kids) and even as an adult had a wonderful time.

Carnival - I'm too old now for them... don't like the music, know all the jokes! (OK, so I've been on 7 or 8 Carnival Cruises).

Tried Holland America - too young for them. Had to dodge wheel chairs and walkers. But the service was incredible.

Been on Royal Caribbean - very nice middle of the road, seem to cater across ages.

This year we're looking at NCL.

You might check out "cruiserport.com" for some reviews of cruise lines and ships. I LOVE to cruise... I mean, where can you unpack once, and every morning wake up in a different country?

Have fun!

Answer 3

Most likely a cruise on a Disney cruise line. They cater specifically to kids and families with kids. But, other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, NCL and Princess also have programs and staff assigned for kids activities. The web sites for these cruise lines have links that describe very briefly their kids programs.

You do want to stay away from Holland America as it generally has a very old crowd of people. Carnival, on the other hand has a young crowd, but more a 20's to 30's crowd who want to party, party, party.

Answer 4

For small children, The Disney Cruise is the best.

Answer 5

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