Travel Tips

Cruising doesn’t have to be just for singles or adults.  There are many cruise lines that offer many amenities geared towards families with children, and even some cruise lines (like Disney) that are especially geared to children.

In fact, most cruise lines welcome families with children.  Cruise ships can be an ideal setting for a family vacation.

Be aware, however, in some cases, traveling with infants or pregnant women may be subject to some restrictions.  Some cruise lines may require a physician’s letter to state that the mother-to-be or baby are in good health and fit to travel, or that the pregnancy is not high-risk.

Other cruise lines may have age restrictions for infants, or restrictions on the mother’s gestation time.  It is best to check the guidelines for the ship you wish to travel on before booking.

Cruising today can offer families a lot of bang for their buck while vacationing.  Many ships are designed with kid-friendly facilities and services in mind.

Kids events on board a cruise

Many have supervised activities for children, dedicated children’s areas, children-only swimming pools, and special counselors and babysitting services that allow parents kid-free time for themselves.

Some ships even have youth programs for older children, with planned activities to help them meet other children their own age.   Some ships even have special age-appropriate discos for traveling youth.

The cruise ships of today have numerous activities aboard that children love.  They have swimming pools and water slides, movie theatres, bowling alleys, skating rinks, rock climbing walls, etc. as well as games, craft lessons, and other activities for children.  Parents will not find it difficult to keep their children happy and occupied on any cruise ship.

Kids Food on Cruise

Food aboard a cruise ship is also family and kid-friendly. While parents can enjoy a gourmet filet mignon and a vintage glass of wine, it isn’t hard for a child to find a slice of pizza or a plate of French Fries to munch on.  Food variety onboard a ship is indeed vast. And, children can eat as much or as little as they want—good news for a growing young teenager!

There are also special cruise lines that especially cater to children. Disney has a line that provides activities for kids from sun-up to sun-down, with everything to entertain them from craft lessons to magic shows and everything in between.  They also offer adult only areas for parents to seek refuge. These areas have adult-only pools or include activities like wine-tasting sessions.

Planning Your Family Cruise

Things to look out for when planning a family cruise? You may need to do a little research, however, as not all ships offer programs for children and youth.  Although they may still allow children to cruise, parents may need to be prepared to look after and entertain their own children.

Also you should find out about children’s discounts, how many children are allowed in a room with the parents, extra beds, cribs or cots, adjoining cabins, safety and security issues, and ratio of staff members to children. All of these could affect the cruise line you choose.

There are so many activities that children can enjoy aboard ship, and parents can also enjoy their own relaxing kid-free times as well. On the whole, a cruise can be a great way for a family to enjoy their vacation time.

There are two types of dinner arrangements when it comes to your cruising experience. The first is the typical arrangement where you choose a set dinner seating time and you also choose how many people sit with you at your table.

The second type of cruising offers what is referred to as ‘freestyle cruising’.  This arrangement allows you to be free to choose when you want to eat, and with whom. There are no rules or schedules that you have to follow.  You can eat at any time in any given restaurant on board the ship.

If you choose the traditional cruise type that have set dinner arrangements, when you book your cruise, your travel agent will probably ask you what your preference is for your dinner seating.  Within this arrangement, you have a couple of choices to make.

The first thing you need to decide on is the time you wish to eat.  Most cruise lines offer at least two dinner sittings (in order that they can accommodate all the cruising guests).  They may offer an early dinner time, for example, at 6:00 p.m. with a later seating at, say, 8:00 p.m.  There are pros and cons to each seating time.

At home, if you are used to eating at a set time, you may choose to eat at your traditional dinnertime on the cruise ship.  It may just suit your ‘constitution’ better.  If however, it doesn’t matter much what time you eat, here are a couple things to consider:

If you plan on taking any of the on-shore excursions, an early dinner sitting may not be wise.  Some of the excursions run past the time of the earlier dinner sittings and you may just miss out on your place at the main dinner.  Of course, you can always eat in one of the buffet restaurants (you never have to fear that you will go hungry on a cruise ship!), but you may want to indulge in the gourmet dinner provided each night.

You may also not want to rush to get ready for dinner after you have been having fun at one of the swimming pools or engaging in one of the ship’s many activities. What about that all-important before dinner nap?

The advantage of choosing an earlier dinner sitting would be that you will be able to have a leisurely after-dinner drink before attending the floor show, or before going to the casino. In essence, you will have more time for after-dinner fun.  And, by being there earlier, you may be able to get a better seat at the floor show extravaganza.

Another thing your travel agent will ask you at the time of your cruise booking is what size of table you wish to eat at.  Typically you can dine at a table for four, six, eight or even ten people (depending on the ship).  A table for four may seem more intimate, but you may not get to choose who the other diners will be.  It may then be wiser to choose to sit at a larger table, so that if you do not really hit it off with the couple you are seated with, there will be others there who you may like better.  And, the more the merrier.  After all, you are there to have fun!

No matter which dinner time or size you do choose to suit you, rest assured that your dining experience aboard your cruise ship will be excellent.  Cruises are well-known for their excellent service, and the food will be second to none.

When it comes to vacationing aboard a cruise ship, many individuals consider preparation to be the luggage that they plan to bring with them.  Packing for your cruise ship vacation is important; however, it is not the only preparations that you should make.

Preparing for your cruise shouldn’t wait until the week before your trip either.  Rather, it should begin as soon as you book your cruise ship reservation.

What kind of cruise do you want?

The type of cruise that you will be taking is vital to your preparations.  A large number of cruise ships travel on international waters.  In addition to being on international waters, many dock at international ports. [Read more…] about How to Prepare for Your Cruise