Tips For Smooth Sailing When Cruising With Kids

Cruising is one of the most popular choices for a family vacation, and for good reason. It offers variety and adventure in one convenient package. You can sample multiple locations and cultures in one trip without the inconvenience of having to pack up and change hotels every few nights!

Cruising is an ideal way to travel for families with children. And staying in a floating resort with little ones doesn't have to be an exhausting experience either!

Preparation and planning is the key to a perfect family vacation with the kids to will avoid any bumps on the way.

Here are some tips to ensure smooth sailing with the young ones:

Pick a Cruise with Clubs for Kids

Whether you go for a mega-ship on a well-known, popular cruise line or a small luxury ship, the cruise experience will be much better if you make sure you select a ship with a kids' club that meets your needs.

Having a dedicated program to keep your kids busy makes the experience exciting for them and gives you the time to relax and enjoy a little bit of "adult time" on your own, something parents don't always get enough of at home! Kids' clubs provide you with a great way to balance fun family time and quality couple time on your vacation.

Oceaneer Club onboard the Disney Magic photo ©Disney. All rights reserved

While deciding on a cruise ship, take the time to look at the age requirements, kids programming schedules, and how the different age groups are organized. These details vary from one cruise line to another, so be sure you are selecting one that will work best for your family. Many kid programs require children to be entirely potty trained so check out the restrictions on the ship you choose.

Think of Sleeping Arrangements in Advance

If you're taking a family room, chances are you'll have a bunk bed in the cabin.  While top bunks always have safety rails in place, if you don't want to put your little one up top, a good solution might be an inflatable airbed for kids. Keep in mind you won't have a lot of floor space in your stateroom so the smaller, the better, and don't plan for anything larger than a twin!

Research the Ports of Call and Pre-Plan Activities for the Family

When it comes to cruising with kids, not all ports of call are created equal! While most will have a variety of excursions available for all ages, a few have very limited options for young children.

Your family can always choose to skip organized excursions all together and either stay on the ship or opt for a relaxed "beach day" instead.

 For clients who want to spend the day kicked back with their toes in the sand, I often suggest hotels in the area that allow you to book a day pass to use their private beach, pool, and facilities. Some even offer an all-inclusive option with food, beverages, and water sports included. I can also arrange for private tours and family-friendly activities other than those available from your cruise ship.

Use a Baby Carrier When You Get Off on Ports of Call

An umbrella stroller is great for when you're on board, but you need to prep for when you stop at ports of call. The basket under the umbrella stroller is not going to hold everything that you'll need. Gone are the days where you could head out with your sunhat, towel, and book. But no need to become pack mules yet!

If your little tot is tiny enough, take a baby carrier, and then carry your bags.

If You have a Toddler, Plan for Pool Restrictions

Cruise ships have pool restrictions for children that aren't potty-trained. The pools on board are salt-water. Without chlorine in the water, they are very sensitive to kids who are not yet potty-trained. If you are traveling with toddlers, look for a ship with water play areas they can enjoy even if they cannot go in the pools.

H2O zone on board the Freedom of the Seas photo ©Royal Caribbean International

Try Your Best to Keep Your Packing (and Unpacking) Compact

Space is limited, and within a few days, your living space can get chaotic pretty fast. Don't over pack and keep things organized while unpacking. Clean up every night before going to bed, no matter how tired you are from the day's activities, so you can rise to a new day of adventures without worrying about where the sunscreen is.

Also, plan on bringing a good umbrella stroller, a shoe organizer for the back of the cabin door to organize gear, and consider packing some snacks just in case indigestion or opposing food preferences.

Have a Contingency Plan to Deal with Motion Sickness

Keep salty snacks at hand and sea bands that use acupressure to alleviate nausea on hand for when seasickness strikes. Check the bar for ginger ale, which is excellent for stabilizing the digestive system. All ships will have a medical clinic on board for minor illnesses or injuries. They will usually have seasickness meds readily available to hand out (complimentary!) as needed.

If you love traveling with your family, or haven't taken a trip in a long time, a cruise is a great way to bring everyone together and have a blast while you're at it. It's great value for money and can be a new, exciting experience for you as well as the kids. I'd love to help you plan one!

go-kart track on the Norwegian Bliss photo ©NCL Holdings

The perfect family cruise starts with a vacation consultation. Just click here to visit my online calendar and find a time for us to chat. We'll talk about what kind of cruise you are looking for and how I can help. After that, I'll put together a no-obligation quote for you to review and we can get started planning!