The number of passengers hitting the seas is on the upswing, according to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s 2012 State of the Cruise Industry report. The study revealed that a record number of travelers — more than 16 million — boarded ships in 2011. In the past, cruising was often associated with older retired people who liked to play shuffleboard and enjoy formal dinners with the captain. Today’s cruise ships, however, are quite different. Many now offer a slew of activities that are geared to attracting families like yours — younger, active passengers with children.
Preparing to Cruise with Kids
Although most ships today welcome children, some do have age restrictions. For example, on Carnival Cruise Lines, the minimum age for a baby to cruise is typically six months. However, the age limit rises to 12 months for the line’s Transatlantic, Hawaii and South American cruises. Blount Small Ship Adventures, on the other hand, asks that children be at least 14 years of age.
- Bring items to entertain your children during downtime. While it’s great that many ships feature waterparks and kids clubs, you also need to plan for some downtime for your children. Otherwise, you could end up with cranky, tired, overstimulated children. Bring a tablet or laptop and download a few new hidden object games at iWin.com to help keep your children entertained during down times or on rainy days. It’s also a good idea to bring books as well as some arts and craft supplies.
- Go over the excursions your ship offers at the ports of call. Decide as a family which ones you definitely want to do and those that are maybes. Before making a final decision on an excursion, go online and take the time to read reviews on each. You might learn that an excursion that sounds absolutely wonderful in a brochure has received poor ratings from passengers or that the activity may not be suitable for your children.
- Have important documents. If your cruise ship will be traveling internationally, even to Mexico or Canada, make sure that all of your passports are valid. Most cruise ships recommend that passports be valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date.
What Families Should Look for When Booking a Ship
It’s natural that families like yours will automatically think of Disney ships when they begin to look for cruises. While Disney certainly offers ships that cater to families, there are a lot of other cruise lines to consider, as well. The following are things you should look for when comparing ships for a family cruise.
- Type of pools. Many cruise ships now sport water parks that are replete with water slides, kiddie pools and surf simulators. Looking for the fastest slide on a ship? Then book a cruise aboard a Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Ship. The Free Fall, which made USA Today’s 10 Best Cruise-ship Water Slides list, is just one of a collection of five slides that you can find on board the Breakaway Cruise ships.
- Kids and teen clubs. Face it. Most teens don’t want to be caught dead with their younger siblings, so make sure that the boat you choose offers separate areas for children and teens or tweens. The Princess line, for example, offers Remix, a club designed specifically for tweens and teens.
- The wow factor. Ice skating on a ship? Ziplining or rock wall climbing? Believe it or not, a number of ships now offer these type of “wow” activities that will keep your children busy and active for many hours during their cruise.
