We are always looking at trying new cruise lines and ships. Looking for ways to keep our busy toddler entertained, plus somewhere that offers entertainment for the adults too.
We’ve recently sailed a lot with MSC, P&O and Princess and used the kids clubs and everything the ships have to offer for families onboard.
We have cruised a lot with NCL prior to Warren’s arrival and we loved the entertainment onboard, so are looking at itineraries onboard to cruise again with them. We’re also very keen on trying Royal Caribbean as we have heard only really positive things from families for this cruise line.
Activities onboard
If you’re looking for a holiday which will definitely keep the kids entertained and considering a cruise, you will not be disappointed.
Newer cruise ships are made for entertaining families with both young and older children. Most ships offer countless pools, plus most also offer dedicated water parks and slides kids can enjoy. Not only this, but there is almost always other activities onboard. From bowling to arcades, high ropes courses, climbing walls, wave pools, mini golf and some newer ships even have roller coasters and go-kart tracks for the thrill seekers. The list really does go on and on.
Make sure you check what each ship offers before booking your family cruise, as the variety of activities really is very different between cruise lines and ships.
We love MSCs water parks on the lines newer ships, Virtuosa, Grandiosa, Euribia World Europa, Seaview, Seashore and Meraviglia. located at the back of the ship, these are guaranteed to entertain from the youngest cruisers, right up to the adults. With slides and splash areas galore, we have spent days enjoying what MSC has to offer.
Almost all cruise lines and even older ships, such as Princesses’ Royal Caribbean boasts a splash area for younger children to play in. Many of the older ships have been renovated to contain these areas as they’re forever popular with younger guests.
If you’re headed for a cooler climate, it’s worth checking whether your ship offers an indoor solarium and pool. So you can still take a dip, even in the cooler climates.
Ontop of all of the areas and activities designed for little ones, all cruise lines offer entertainment for children. We loved some of the shows and sessions P&O did for the youngest cruisers. From sensory and music sessions to children’s music and movement.
P&O’s Arvia and Iona also have small cinema screens and regularly play films suitable for children. Perfect for a rainy or relaxing day.
Baby and kids clubs
We love MSC and they’ve been one of the main cruise lines we’ve traveled with in recent times. In the last 3 years, Warren has sailed with them 7 times from 7 months old to 3 yrs. We’re also back with MSC in the next few months and taking one of Warren’s best friends for the ride!
We have loved MSC baby and kids clubs, however we have found that other cruise lines seem to offer a lot more themes and activities. The toys on offer, are mostly aimed at younger children so between age 2 and 3, we found there were bits Warren enjoyed playing with, but they could definitely benefit from a few more toys and activities, for those a bit older. However I will add, we’ve had a few sessions in the room for children age 3+ years and we had to literally drag Warren out.
Warren has had a super time each trip with MSC kids club staff, we’ve had no complaints from him, and he would definitely let us know. More information on MSC baby and kids club and session times.
P&O offer theme based days with loads of activities for younger children. All there youth staff also hold a level 3 childcare qualification or educational degree, which we thought is great. We also love that Iona has a small soft play in the kids club, we’re also sailing on the sister ship Arvia in October, who has something similar too.
We recently traveled on the Caribbean Princess, the oldest and smallest ship we’ve ever sailed on. We were definitely a bit nervous of this, but we loved the itinerary of Norway and the Fjords, right up to North Cape, so couldn’t say no. There were only around 40 children on our sailing, so we weren’t sure what Warren would think. However Princess had some of the most amazing games and activities planned, plus some trips up to a reserved section in the buffet for cookies and milk, which he loved.
Always remember
Check what’s suitable for babies and toddlers onboard before you book the cruise, not all ships are the same and some definitely offer more than others for different ages.
We love P&O for babies and toddlers, the night nursery allows parents to settle children, then leave qualified staff look after children whilst parents can enjoy a well earned rest, or a sit down meal and show together.
MSC definitiely win in terms of outside areas and water parks for babies and toddlers. We have loved the splash areas and Warren is starting to get more confident with the water slides.
We love that Princess is not just packing new ships with bags of entertainment, but also retrofitting it’s older ships to include more dedicated spaces for children. We loved the interactive water play table, where Warren could catch fish and sea animals, along with building dams to control the flow of water.
Unfortunately when we were on Caribbean Princess during our 16 night sailing, the new splash pool was only open twice due to techincal problems. However I will say, we raised this with Princess, as we were really disappointed and they were really apologetic and also gave us some future cruise credit, we will definitely be taking advantage of.
