Are you taking your first cruise with kids? It can be exciting, but a little stressful if you aren't entirely sure how to prepare. Cruises can be an easy, low-stress family vacation option because everything is in one place and there is so much to do. If you prepare in advance, you can really sit back and relax.
Here are our best tips for your first cruise with kids. There are a few things you can do to make sure you have the best vacation possible.
Disclosure: We have received some complimentary cruises but have also sailed at our own expense. All opinions are my own.
Tips for Your First Cruise With Kids
Find the Best Cruise Line
Start out by choosing the best cruise line for your family. Consider your children's ages and how you want to spend your vacation. Some cruise lines, like Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and MSC, offer fantastic kids' clubs, water slides, kids' shows, and so much more. Do some research before deciding which cruise line to sail.
These posts can help you compare options:
Disney Cruise Line vs. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean vs. MSC Cruise Line
In addition to choosing the right cruise line, you'll also want to consider the different ships within that cruise line. There can be some big differences, even within the same cruise line.
Pick the Right Itinerary
There are many different itineraries, including Caribbean, Canadian, European, and Alaskan. In my opinion, for a first-time family cruise, it's best to choose a shorter itinerary. Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean offer some great 3- or 4-day itineraries that can be a great way to "decide if "dip your toe" into the world of cruising to decide if it's for your family.
Consider sailings on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas or Disney Cruise Line's Disney Wish, two newer ships that offer short itineraries from Florida's Port Canaveral. The MSC World America, another fantastic family-friendly ship, only offers 7-day itineraries.
Booking Tips for First-Time Cruise Families
When you book, you'll need to consider the following:
- There are several stateroom options, depending on the cruise ship. Make sure you consider the options and choose the best option for your family.
- Look at the available excursions, restaurants, and on-board activities that should be booked in advance. You can often get a sale price, and items sometimes sell out before the sailing.
- Develop a packing list and ensure you pack everything you need. While you won't want to overpack (staterooms are typically small), it can be tough to replace items that you forget while sailing.
- Look at any of the onboard traditions for your cruise line, including decorating your stateroom door, fish extenders (on Disney Cruise Line), and cruise ducks (not allowed on all cruise lines).
- If you are flying in for your cruise vacation, fly in at least the day before your sailing. That way, if your flight and/or luggage are delayed, you'll have a time buffer.
Embarkation Day
Embarkation day can be exciting, especially for a first cruise. This is the first time your family will see the ship, including all of the fun activities. There's always an energetic feel to the day.
However, there are some logistical steps that need to be completed before you are fully on vacation. First, you'll have to hand over your checked bags, go through security, and check in to the ship. Sometimes, you'll have to wait in the terminal until your boarding group is called.
Once on board, you'll have to go through the muster station process. Some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean, let you watch a video and just check in to your muster station. Others, like Disney, require you to participate in a live muster drill at a scheduled time. Either way, this is just one obstacle to enjoying your vacation.
Typically, your staterooms won't be available until early afternoon. So, you'll want to pack everything you need in your day bag. Here's a post that explains how to pack your day bag.
Checked bags are delivered directly to your stateroom. However, they are delivered throughout the afternoon, and there's no guarantee of the exact time of arrival. Make sure you have everything you need for the day, as well as any valuables and medications, in your carry-on bag.
Once your luggage arrives, I recommend unpacking it and storing your bags under the stateroom bed. Then, you can enjoy your vacation.
Read more of our embarkation tips here.
Visit the Kids' Clubs
The kids' clubs on a cruise can be so much fun. Some cruise lines, like Disney, offer open house hours so that you can tour the youth clubs before your kids go. Let your kids explore the clubs before you need them to (like if you have a special dinner reserved). That way, they'll already be comfortable spending time there.
Dining With Kids on a Cruise
Cruises offer many dining options, from the main dining room to quick service options to the buffet. Depending on the ship, there may also be kid-friendly specialty restaurants.
Don't let dining stress you out. Choose an early main dining room time so your kids aren't tired. Most family-friendly cruise lines will have servers who are used to dealing with families, and dining can be a fun, easy experience.
Choosing Excursions
Choosing excursions on your family cruise can be challenging, especially if you aren't familiar with the ports of call. Do some research in advance to see what is offered and what other families recommend.
While you may find some excursions are offered outside of the cruise line, it's easiest to book from the cruise line. That way, they take care of transportation and make sure to get back to the ship on time. In addition, if you have to miss a port for any reason, the cruise line will refund you for an excursion booked through them.
Look at the excursion description to see if there are recommended/minimum ages listed. Don't book anything that seems too advanced for your kids. When going on a longer cruise, consider booking a variety of excursions (educational, adventure, culinary, etc.).
Have you been on a cruise with kids? What would you recommend?
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