Cruises are the best family holiday experiences to do together. Gone are the days when cruising was perceived as something you did when you have retired. Cruise ships are bigger and better than ever before offering guest experiences such as shopping arcades, water slides, acrobatic shows, extravagant theatre shows and incredible dining options.
And while there is so much to do on board the ship, cruises also offer guests the opportunity to visit many ports of call on various itineraries. Setting sail for distant shores from the comfort of your cruise cabin is one of the most memorable holidays your family can take. As a family, we have cruised several times with our three daughters and highly recommend it as a great holiday experience!
Here are 8 reasons that I recommend taking a cruise:
All Inclusive holiday
What’s better than knowing that your food and beverage costs are taken care of in the cruise fares when you book. Typically a cruise includes all day snacks and meals and some drinks on-board at no additional cost. This can mean savings for the family making the cruising experience, value for money. Pizzas, burgers and hot dogs are available all day while fresh meals are served all day long and late into the evenings as well.
More to Explore
Cruises start from 3 nights and can extend to 5,7,9,11,14 nights. You will find round the world cruises that span months at a time. When you have these many options available, cruising itineraries become extremely interesting. Being able to stop at a new port of call each morning and watch the ship moving into the harbor of a new country is very exciting!
This is possibly the best perk in taking that cruise you’ve always wanted to take. Mediterranean cruising itineraries include Italy, Spain, France, Croatia, Turkey, Greece and more. You could spend one day on the island of Palma Mallorca and the next in Barcelona. It’s a great way to pack in and visit several destinations on a single trip.
On board activities for all the family
From my experience as a travel writer and consultant with Travel Counsellors, families tend to plan their vacation time around activities for their children. Keeping the little ones or teenagers occupied becomes the main focus and can sometimes be very tiring for the parents involved. Cruises have varied activities on board that ensures that the entire family has a great time! And parents don’t have to think about where to take their children for entertainment.
Cruises like the newest and largest ship sailing the seas – the Symphony of the Seas has activities that include Laser tag games, Flowrider, Rockwall, Iceskating, walking area like the Central Park, Boardwalk or the Royal Promenade.
Norwegian Epic as a ship is very popular with families as they have rock climbing walls, water slides, mini golf, parties and snacks are just some of the day time activities for children of all ages.
World Class Evening Entertainment
Entertainment on board a ship is of world class quality and theatres are regularly filled with guests watching shows such as Hairspray, Grease, Mama Mia! Cats and more. The best part? No extra charge to watch the shows…it’s all part of the cruise fare booking!!
And that’s not all! Themed nights and special night time culinary events such as Midnight Chocolate Festivals or 70s dance nights keep guests entertained well into the night!
Entertainment managers make it their job to keep their guests happy and having fun all the time!!!
Ease of holiday stay
As any travelling mum and you’ll find that this one’s a winner! Imagine a holiday for 7 or 14 days where you don’t have to pack and unpack between destinations!! Once you’ve boarded the ship you can enjoy the activities and facilities of the ship without the worry that you need an hour or two to pack for your next stop! It’s definitely an advantage that makes me want to cruise more with my family.
Special islands visits
This is always a favorite with the Disney cruisers – Castaway Cay. The Disney ships dock at the island and guests can explore this special island with its fabulous white beaches and beautiful waters. A great experience on the island is to send a postcard from the Castaway Cay post office to your friends and family.
What makes it so special is that you can visit this island only when on a cruise with Disney cruises.
Spend family time without gadgets
A cruise gets the family to spend hours having fun together while staying off the gadgets such as phones and Ipads. Internet and wifi is available on board the ships for the times when it’s required but in general you will spend more time creating memories and that’s always a good thing!
Make new friends
Enjoy time in the gym class, dance classes, scrapbooking classes or other special interest sessions around the ship and make new friends while you’re at it! One of the perks of being on a cruise is finding and making new contacts and friends that you can meet and keep in touch with for life.
Some recommended cruise companies are Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruises.
4 Recommended Cruising Itineraries
Mediterranean Itineraries:
Western Mediterranean cruises will typically call at ports in Spain, France and Italy, and may also visit ports in Portugal, Monaco, Tunisia or Morocco.
Eastern Mediterranean cruises may include Italy, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria or the Ukraine.
The Mediterranean cruise season is from late April to October, although now a few ships cruise this region year-round. Cruise duration varies from 7 to 14nights.
Check out9 useful tips when planning your next holiday
North Europe and Baltic itinerary
Norwegian Fjords:
Norway is the Land of the Midnight Sun and one of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world. This cruise departs from Copenhagen and the ports of call are Bergen, Aalesund, Stavanger and Geiringer.
Departing from Copenhagen and heading to Tallinn, Helsinki, Stockholm and St. Petersburg. Balcony cabins are recommended for spectacular views of the stunning ports each morning.
Caribbean Cruises:
The islands of the Caribbean need no introduction. Be prepared to be amazed with each stop on the fabulous itineraries that include Jamaica, George Town, Cozumel, Key West, Aruba, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and more!
Alaska Cruises:
Alaska remains one of the world’s most popular summertime cruise destinations. View dazzling glaciers, snowcapped peaks, steep fjords and wildlife such as whales, black bears, brown bears, bald eagles, sea otters and seals.
The Alaska cruise season is from May through September. Cruises are 7-nights duration with a choice to include 3 to 5 nights cruise tours covering Denali National Park and Yukon gold rush country and give you the best of Alaska by ship, rail and lodge.
Contact Andrea Bailey for more information – andrea.bailey@beyondavisit.com
Phone: +97155 9569502
