Why To Choose A Family Cruise
Trying to go on a family vacation can sometimes lead to more stress than fun. Cranky kids, disappointing attractions, too much travel and god only knows what else can go awry, turning the best laid vacation plans into a complete nightmare. That’s why the fastest route to family fun is choosing the right kind of trip. If no one in the family has a real problem with motion sickness, then a family cruise should be at the top of your list for consideration. Cruises are not only a relatively inexpensive, mostly inclusive way to travel, but they offer a number of options which are perfect for a wandering brood.
Family Fun
Cruises are notoriously packed with things to do. From on-board scavenger huts, to trivia nights to lazy days by the pool, if anyone is bored while on-board, it’s their own fault. Cruises in general are aiming to be a family vacation destination and have built in a number of shipboard attractions designed to appeal to the kid in everyone.
Many cruise ships even come equipped with water slides and video arcades to keep kids and parents having fun together for hours on end. Some cruise lines like the Disney ships actually cater specifically to children and families, bringing some of the kid’s favorite characters along for the ride. Most ports of call as well include several family oriented excursions. Day trips can be as simple as shallow water snorkeling or as adventurous as zip-line canopy tours.
Child Care
On the flip side of the cavalcade of family fun available on board; when mom and dad are ready for a little break from family time, cruise ships are unbeatable. The majority of cruise lines are now offering some form of on-board child care. The options range from day care for the little ones to teen camps for older kids. Kids are given the chance to play and explore all while making friends and doing activities targeted to their individual age group. Large cruise lines like Royal Caribbean hire trained child care givers and partner with major corporations like Crayola and Fisher Price to create environments that are so enticing to kids that mom and dad might have to pry them away to do a little bonding.
While the kids are busy, parents have ample opportunities to lounge in the sun, enjoy spa services, gambling or romantic dinners. A lot of family vacays lack opportunities for moms and dads to enjoy some private time, but on a cruise ship, not only is romantic alone time easy to come by, it is available in abundance.
Food
Any mom knows that dinner time can be a stressful time with a picky eater or multiple kids with divergent appetites. Fortunately none of that is an issue on a family cruise. Cruises are perhaps best known for their bountiful banquets and buffets. But not only is there high class cuisine in the dining rooms, most ships come equipped with a poolside grill that specializes in kid-favorites like hamburgers, hot dogs, French fires and pizza.
Kids are also infamous for wanting a snack at the most inconvenient time. While the phrase “You’ll spoil your supper” may come into play, saying yes is just as easy. On a cruise ship, food of all kinds is available pretty much around the clock thanks to plentiful eateries, and room service of course. Even the most finicky eaters on the most unusual hunger time-tables will be happy with the multitude of options.
A Few Tips
When planning your family cruise it’s important to remember that you are most likely going into international waters, which could mean tying up some loose ends. Make sure to have passports and birth certificates available. Also some cruise lines, particularly those that are not based in the US may have drinking ages that start at 18 so if you’d rather your high school senior not have access to booze, make sure to choose a line that sets the bar at 21. Also, if you are a traveling single parent, it never hurts to have a letter of spousal permission. Other documents, pardons, proof of citizenship or letters of good standing are always a smart touch. Just in case.
If you’ve never considered a cruise as a family vacation, it’s time to pick up some brochures hit the up Google for some cruise research. For these, and many other reasons, taking a cruise together could easily turn into a family tradition that lasts from pre-school to grad school.
Leslie is an avid travel writer for a site that specializes in pardons and US Waivers, documents which help make international traveling easier for Canandians.
Related posts:
Every
few days I will review my favorite apps or plugins. The reviews will apply to the web industry.
Marc is currently obtaining a Masters Of Arts in Religion. Although not considered well read by a friends wife and a conversation hog by another friends wife, Marc spends hours wasting time on political/news websites, blogging, and reading religious books. Lastly, he quintessentially defines football fanatic. 
