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10 Things You Need to Know Before Cruising with Kids
Written by Chris Stead
Before you plan your first family adventure at sea, these are your essential tips on cruising with kids from a father of three who’s done it all before.
Are you a parent thinking about a cruise? Packing up the kids to head down to the port, herding them up the gangway and into the belly of a magnificent floating resort? If you’re not convinced, here’s a piece of advice: do it! You’ll have so much fun. My wife and I – with our three kids, aged 11, 9 and 7 – recently returned from our inaugural voyage and we can’t wait to say “bon voyage” to Sydney again.
If you’re considering cruising with kids, here are 10 things you need to know.
1. It’s perfectly safe
You won’t stress about the kids. Doors leading to balconies have high locks, preventing the vertically challenged from making sneaky escapes. Lifeguards patrol the pools, and friendly staff at every corner keep a watchful eye on the little ones. Plus, there are plenty of other kids running around seeking new friends.
2. Choose the right cruise
Some cruises are designed to be family-first, some are adults-only and others straddle the line between the two. Do your research and make sure you choose a ship that’s well-stocked with facilities for kids. Think sports centres, waterparks, laser tag, trampolines, arcades, ping pong, kids’ clubs and rock climbing. We quickly fell into a pattern where the kids would scurry off after breakfast and have the time of their lives. On more than one occasion, I wouldn’t see them until dinner!
3. Be proactive
Cruises offer endless activities during the day – as well as shows during the night – but they’re so much fun that seats and programs fill up fast. We had to keep on our toes, making sure we arrived at shows early enough to get five seats in a row with a good view; likewise with activities like sports contests or trivia. Plan out what shows, activities and entertainment your family isn’t going to want to miss and make sure everyone is out the cabin door with plenty of time to spare.
4. Manage your shore days
Port days are so much fun but be careful not to cram your time on the ground with non-stop exploration when you have kids in tow, especially in humid locations. Kids love swimming, activities and souvenirs –not history, culture and landscapes – so I learned that a healthy mix is the key to shore day success. Be aware that chances are you’ll disembark later than anticipated and the kids may want to return to the ship earlier than you hope. Top tip: don’t rely on cruise towels either, they’re heavy and bulky – bring something light.
5. Choose the right bed configuration
Different cruises have different cabins and staterooms and different bed configurations. Sometimes kids will end up in bunks; at other times they may have to sleep on a sofa bed. I’m thankful we didn’t have a bunk (which would have started fights), but a sofa bed can take up a lot of your cabin space, including any room for a cot.
6. Have a communication strategy
Cruises are massive ships, jam-packed with activities that appeal to different age groups. A good communication plan allows you to easily split up and reconvene with ease – our strategy was to set regular meet-up times throughout the day, usually around a family meal or activity, so everyone could check-in. For the time in between, my wife and I also used WhatsApp; some families resorted to walkie-talkies, while others had post-it notes, so kids could leave location information in the room.
7. Aussie kids are swimming kids
If you’re anything like us, a huge portion of your cruise will be spent in the water. We planned to grab two sun lounges on the way to breakfast as our ‘spot’ for the day: between the five of us, someone was always there. If your family is similarly inclined, make sure you choose a cruise with plenty of pool space, taking note of areas reserved for adults. And give your kids the heads up that diving, flipping, dunking and similar tomfoolery is prohibited.
8. Bring basic medicine
It’s comforting to know there’s a doctor on board every cruise, but the sick bay shouldn’t be treated like a chemist. Medicine is expensive, so stock up on essentials beforehand. In particular, I recommend carrying a vial of Sofradex or equivalent, as ear infections can be picked up easily. It’s good to remember that ships do have a subtle sway. We were unaffected, but sea sickness tablets are wise to have on board just in case.
9. Don’t let great offers sail away
A favourite offer among the cruise lines is incredible sailing prices for children. If you have larger families like us, you may need two rooms so playing it smart on leveraging any discounts or added-value offers is key. We got connecting balcony rooms, but in hindsight could have saved money by getting one balcony room and one inside room directly opposite used solely for sleeping.
10. Prepare to be nagged forevermore
The undeniable fact about cruising with kids is that you’ll all have tremendous fun. You won’t regret it – we sure don’t! Just get ready for incessant ‘can we go on another cruise?’ pleas at every turn. I thought they couldn’t get any worse, but then my wife started, too! Just quietly, I can’t wait either.
Looking for more travel inspiration? Find How to Pick Between an Ocean or River Cruise.
