Which Cruise Lines Are Best For Families?

• Built for Fun: Discover how newer, larger ships are designed specifically for families, offering spacious cabins and mind-blowing facilities.

• The Top 5: We break down the best options for your next holiday, including Disney, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, and P&O Cruises.

• Expert Advice: Get answers to the most common family cruising questions, from minimum sailing ages to the rules on swim nappies in pools.

As with most things cruise-related, there are many options when choosing the best cruise lines for a fun-filled family holiday.

However, a good rule of thumb is that the newer, larger ships tend to offer better options for cruising with children. If families form part of their target market, their ships will have been designed from the outset with this audience in mind – think more creative and exciting facilities and more spacious cabin designs.  

Designed with hosting children of all ages and families in mind, these voyages come with no shortage of entertainment options to keep smiles wide and excitement levels high. You won’t believe how much you’re able to pack into a day onboard one of the incredible cruise lines!

To help you navigate which cruise line may be best for you and your family’s next holiday, we’ve put together our definitive guide to the best, most family-friendly cruise lines:

1. Disney Cruise Line

Perhaps an obvious choice to start, but you can't beat Disney when looking to delight young children and add a touch of magic to your holiday. One of the cruise line’s larger ships, Disney Wish, uses innovative digital technology alongside well-loved Disney characters to bring fantastical worlds to life. 

• Children’s activities: Disney-themed pools and waterslides, live Disney shows and movies, themed dining and interactive experiences.

• Best for: Magical entertainment.

• Kids’ club age range: 3-12 years, with a nursery for the under 3s.

2. Royal Caribbean

With the biggest cruise ships in the world, there is plenty of room onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise for imaginative, fun features to keep children of all ages amused. While their more spacious cabins cater excellently for families.

• Children’s activities: Exact features are dependent on the specific ship class, varying between rock climbing walls, ziplines, ice skating, surf simulators and bumper cars, and Broadway-style shows.

• Best for: Impressive facilities and overall space.

• Kids’ club age range: Different groups for ages between 3 and 17 years.

• Family-friendly Royal Caribbean ships: Anthem, Symphony, Harmony, Allure, Oasis & Icon of the Seas.

3. Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its more relaxed approach to cruising, with no dress code or set dining times - which can be great for young families. And with their colourful ships and excellent kids’ features, this cruise line can be a popular choice for all ages.

• Children’s activities: Activities vary between ships but feature rock-climbing, bowling lanes, water parks with thrilling slides and features, light-up dance floors and jungle gyms.

• Best for: Relaxed family fun.

• Kids’ club age range: Different groups for ages 6 months to 17 years.

• Family-friendly ships: Joy, Encore, Epic, Escape, Breakaway, Bliss.

4. MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises are one of the leading cruise lines in providing family-friendly cruise holidays, offering family dining and activities, a dedicated baby area, as well as some exciting ship features and an attractive ‘Children Cruise Free’ promotion.

• Children’s activities: Dependent on the ship but includes games arcade, bowling, 4D flight simulator, and plenty of Lego-themed fun! 

• Best for: Action-packed kids’ club programme.

• Kids’ club age range: 5 dedicated clubs for ages ranging 0 to 17 years

• Family-friendly ships: Seaview, Opera, Meraviglia, Preziosa, Magnifica, Virtuosa.

5. P&O Cruises

Of P&O Cruises' fleet, five ships are family-friendly with a great programme of kids’ activities for different ages. A unique feature is their children’s Cookery Club, which runs hands-on family classes, where kids cook for free and can learn valuable skills in the process.

• Children’s activities: Soft play area, games room with air hockey, pool and video games and an open-air cinema. Best for: Young children’s kids’ club facilities and programmes

• Kids’ club age range: Different groups for ages 2 to 17 years.

• Family-friendly ships: Britannia, Ventura, Azura, Iona, Arvia.

So, there you have it! Cruise holidays can be the perfect choice for quality time with the family, and can make keeping the young ones entertained while away an easy task. 

With so much to fill the days, completing all of the fun activities onboard becomes a genuine aspiration, meaning the kids may actually be glad to get to bed and recharge as the evenings draw in!

While this article details some of the standout cruise lines best suited for families, there is no shortage of great family-friendly cruises out there.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the minimum age for a baby to cruise?

Most cruise lines require infants to be at least 6 months old on the day of sailing. However, for transoceanic crossings or cruises with more than 3 consecutive sea days, the minimum age is often raised to 12 months.

2. Are kids' clubs free?

Yes! Generally, youth programmes for children aged 3–17 are included in your cruise fare. Late-night group babysitting (often after 10 pm) or nursery care for babies under 3 usually incurs an hourly fee.

3. Can babies in swim nappies use the pools?

On most cruise ships, children who are not toilet trained are not allowed in the main swimming pools, even in swim nappies, due to health regulations. However, many family-friendly ships (like P&O, Disney, and Royal Caribbean) have designated "splash zones" or baby pools specifically designed for little ones in swim nappies.

4. Do cruise cabins fit families of 5 or more?

Standard cabins usually sleep up to 4 people. For larger families, you can look for "Family Oceanview" cabins or suites (available on Royal Caribbean and MSC) which can sleep 5 or 6. Alternatively, booking two connecting cabins is a popular choice for extra space and privacy.

5. Is the food suitable for picky eaters?

Absolutely. Cruise ship buffets are a paradise for picky eaters, offering everything from pizza and chips to pasta and fresh fruit. Main dining rooms also offer dedicated kids' menus with favourites like chicken nuggets and mac 'n' cheese, and staff are usually very accommodating with special requests.

6. Do I need to bring a travel cot?

No, cruise lines can provide travel cots (often Pack 'n Plays) for your cabin free of charge. Just make sure to request this at the time of booking to ensure availability.

7. Is there in-cabin babysitting available?

This is becoming rarer. Most lines now offer group babysitting in the kids' club for a fee rather than private in-cabin sitters. Royal Caribbean is one of the few that still offers limited in-cabin sitting (subject to staff availability and fees), while P&O Cruises offers a free "night nursery" for under-4s until late/midnight.

8. Do children pay the full adult fare?

It varies. MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises often have "Kids Sail Free" promotions (you just pay port taxes). Other lines like Royal Caribbean and NCL frequently run "3rd and 4th guest sail free/reduced" offers, meaning if two adults pay full fare, the children sharing the same cabin pay significantly less.