A Friendly Guide for First-time Cruising with Kids

If you’re a perfectionist and want everything to go as planned, organising holidays is probably a challenge because you do have to go with the flow a little more. Especially if you are travelling with kids. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. We have always enjoyed family holidays and exploring new places with the girls. So have you ever thought about cruising with kids?

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There are so many ways to go out on a cruise with children and have fun, you just have to keep a few things in mind when you’re planning things. To make things a bit easier, we’ve got a few tips that should help you enjoy your cruise a lot more, so read on!

Opt for a Small Ship Cruise when Cruising with Kids

You might be tempted to go on a large cruise ship with your kids, especially when you see all those pools and theme parks that are part of those ships, we know. But that’s actually not that good of an idea, for a few reasons, and small ships and private charters are a much better choice.

The first, and most obvious one is the fact that keeping your kids in check is much easier on a small ship than on a large one. They can’t get lost, there’s always a staff member nearby, and they’re always within walking distance, wherever you are.

The second one is that the staff to passenger ratio is very close to one-to-one, so if you or your children need something, you’ll be able to get it rather quickly, as opposed to waiting for quite some time until someone is available.

And here’s a great idea if you’re doing research on which ship to head out to – show your kids what you’re considering. Not only will they feel more included in everything, but they’ll also be able to tell you if there’s something they don’t want, or let you know what they would prefer. Consider it a family bonding activity, even before you go out on the cruise.

Set Ground Rules

If you’re cruising with children for the first time, it’s understandable that a lot of things will be new, they’ll want to explore and have as much fun as possible. But when they’re out on the water or exploring a city they’ve never been to before, that can get them in trouble pretty quickly.

That’s why it’s very important that you set some ground rules, and have everything be clear before you embark. Cruises do have their own rules, so make sure you introduce those to your kids and tell them how they should behave and what they can and cannot do.

The end goal for both you and your kids is the same – have fun, enjoy the cruise, and explore some new destinations. And making sure you both have the same expectations and respect the rules laid out goes a long way towards this.

Pick the Right Rooms when cruising with children

This is a lot easier if you’re on a small ship, but if you’re a family, chances are you might need more than one room. Some ships might offer a large stateroom, but if not, you should talk to your cruise provider and let them know you’d like to have rooms that are next to each other. Oh, and an inside cabin is preferred.

If you are in a single room, you should try to get one that’s large enough for everyone. Extra bathrooms are a great idea and will save you a lot of time when you’re about to go on a shore excursion and everyone needs to get ready.

How do you decide on what the right room size is? Well, you should be able to have a family get-together when you want, but you should also have enough room for each family member to be able to get a bit of privacy. That’s the perfect room.

Be Careful With Excursions

Last but not least, when you’re with children, excursions should be chosen carefully. This ensures that one, your kids are always close to you and safe, and two, you’re all having fun with whatever you’re doing.

Again, this is a lot easier with smaller ships, because the staff can help you get a tailored excursion that you’ll all love. But in any case, you should have a few options when it comes to choosing an excursion, so make sure you pick something you all like. For example, visiting a wildlife resort will leave kids in awe, and they’ll always be close to you.

A thing to note is that this should be done as early as possible during your research. Some excursions have limited slots available, so the earlier you book, the better. Like picking the cruise itself, letting your kids in on the fun goes a long way towards getting them excited for the cruise!