Family Cruising

The simple answer to this question is yes! Family cruises are among the best ways relatives can spend quality holiday time together, offering parents, children, siblings or cousins an excellent opportunity to travel the world as a unit.

Why are family cruises so great? Here are just a few reasons:

• Accessible for All: Cruising makes travel simple for young children and elderly grandparents, ensuring that every generation can come along for the fun.
• No Need to Fly: Flying isn’t for everyone, and family cruises from the UK allow young children and parents to travel without the stress of an early-morning flight.
• Unrivalled Convenience: With children, holidays can offer their share of challenges. Finding activities and dining venues that please everyone isn’t easy, but cruises provide a variety of options to satisfy every idea of a great day at sea.

Most cruise lines impose a minimum age for children to sail, so it’s essential to know what rules are in place before booking a family cruise. Infants are typically required to be at least six months old on the first day of the cruise or 12 months old for transatlantic voyages.

Restrictions are also in place for pregnant travellers, with women who have reached 24 weeks typically not allowed to travel. Check the guidelines from your specific cruise line before booking.

Age restrictions are also enforced in several areas on board, including bar and casino areas. These restrictions are dependent on which cruise line you are travelling with and where in the world the ship is sailing.

Booking the right family cabin on a cruise ship can be difficult, so it’s important to know all the available options. To make the right decision, important factors to consider include the size of your family, the age of your children and the facilities you might like or need.

Many cruise lines offer staterooms large enough to accommodate the entire family, with room for up to four passengers, sometimes even six. Cabins accommodating four passengers usually feature twin beds that can be pushed together, along with an additional sleeping area of two upper berths that fold down from the wall or a pull-out sofa bed. 

Some suites are specifically designed to accommodate families, featuring two or more bedrooms, two or more bathrooms and additional showers. Whilst more costly than standard staterooms, suites are great if you have older children or would prefer your own privacy while still keeping the family close.

Booking adjacent or interconnecting cabins is another popular option. Featuring a central door that effectively creates one large stateroom, interconnecting cabins can sleep up to 10 passengers.

Family holidays are all about spending precious time together, and cruise lines offer so much on board entertainment that every member of the family will find something fun to do. Those who love an adrenaline rush can find facilities like rock climbing walls, surfing simulators and ziplines to get their heart racing, while those who like friendly competition can enjoy sports courts, arcades and laser tag arenas.

When it comes to keeping the whole family happy in the sun, nothing beats the splash-happy water parks found on board family ships. From infant pools to rapid slides, there’s aquatic fun to be found for everyone.

Kids’ clubs provide children of all ages the opportunity to meet, play, and laugh with others their own age. From toddlers to teens, these clubs offer everything from supervised play sessions to relaxed arcade hangouts.

When night falls, cruise ships typically offer entertainment shows to keep families laughing, singing and dancing all night long. Gather the whole clan together for Broadway-style musicals, circus shows and live comedy acts, or cuddle up with your little ones for a family movie night under the stars.

Taking kids on holiday is never simple, and that’s why there are plenty of facilities and products on board to help you keep on top of things. Nappies, baby wipes and baby food are usually sold on board, and some cruise lines also offer nappy disposal units and bottle warmers in cabins.

For parents looking for a few precious baby-free hours, babysitting and night nursery services are also popular. Celebrity Cruises, for example, offers both group and in-cabin babysitting, and P&O Cruises offers a Night Nursery so parents can enjoy a few hours of fun, safe in the knowledge that their little ones are in good hands.  Fees may apply for these services.

Family cruises are the ideal way for parents and children to experience the world together. From glittering cityscapes to pristine beaches, cruises access destinations across every continent and climate, but which are the most suitable for families? Here are some of our top picks:

• Northern Europe: Explore history and local cuisine on educational tours of some of the world’s most iconic cities with Northern Europe cruises, perfect for enriching family holidays.
• Mediterranean: Combining cultural sightseeing with some of the best beaches in the world, Mediterranean cruises offer fun for kids and authentic wine and dining experiences for adults.
• Canary Islands: Easily accessible from the UK, Canary Islands cruises make relaxing holidays in the sun simple for young families.

Get ready to book your next cruise getaway with all of the major cruise lines available here at Bolsover Cruise Club. If you need help booking a cruise, please don’t hesitate to contact us. A member of our team will be happy to assist you.