Thought cruising was just for couples? Think again! Today’s cruise ships are wonderfully family friendly and offer an incredible range of kid’s activities that are guaranteed to keep the brood happy. Want to know more? Check out our top 10 cruise ship activities that your little ones are sure to love!
Theatre and Dance
From full scale theatre shows to dynamic dance workshops, cruise ships are a fantastic place for kids to get their groove on. Disney is one of the leaders in child friendly theatre, showcasing an impressive bill of productions featuring all of your favourite characters. For older kids, ships such as Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess house an outdoor teens only dance area complete with a DJ booth and hip hop classes. Royal Caribbean puts on a spectacular ice skating show as well as regular H2O spectaculars at the Aqua Theatre. The line also hosts family disco nights and under the star pool parties!
Rock climbing
What better way to wear out the kids than with a pulse pumping rock climbing session? Adrenalin seeking youngsters will jump at the chance to scale simulated rock faces on ships such as the Norwegian Breakaway. Selected members of the Royal Caribbean fleet also feature rock climbing walls that will keep the kids entertained for hours on end.
Water parks
When the sun is shining the draw of an on-board water park is hard to resist. Norwegian Breakaway has one of the best water parks in the business, featuring speed slides, loops, mini rivers and shallow pools for the little ones. Just don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!
Ice skating
Who would have thought that you could ice skate at sea? Royal Caribbean is turning dreams into realities with its incredible on-board ice skating rinks where kids and adults alike can take a spin. For those that want to refine their skills, classes are available for all ages and levels. Perfect for escaping the hot sun of the Caribbean and Med!
Shore excursions
As well as on-board activities, cruise holidays also offer a huge selection of family friendly on-shore experiences. From kayaking and snorkelling to zip lining and dog sledding, there’s something for kids of all ages and interests.
Cooking classes
While some cruise ships shine the spotlight on adult cooking classes, MSC pays ample attention to its junior master chefs! The line runs a series of child friendly cooking classes where kids can learn to whip up pizza, cookies and even sushi. The Princess Cruises teen programme also offers mocktail mixology sessions.
Surf simulator machine
When it comes to child friendly on-board entertainment, Royal Caribbean is at the forefront of the pack! The line has rolled out FlowRider surf simulators in what can only be described as an innovative at-sea first. And the best thing is that trying your feet at hanging 10 is 100% free and supervised by a certified FlowRider expert!
Movies
Movies are always a great way to keep the kids entertained on-shore and now cruise lines are offering a great selection of at-sea screenings. Most family friendly vessels will feature at least one cinema, with some boasting exciting extras such as 3D glasses and poolside screens.
Kids clubs
When you’re cruising as a family, kids clubs are a fantastic way for the little ones to socialise, make new friends and enjoy themselves. As expected Disney is one of the leaders in kids club facilities, running a huge range of on-board programmes. The Royal Princess features a specially allocated kids club area while Royal Caribbean is also renowned for its dedication to child friendly zones, activities and events. When you need some time out some lines even offer an at-sea sitter service.
Sports
Kids are notoriously full of energy and at-sea sports centres are the perfect way to wear them out! From basketball and volleyball to table tennis and Nintendo Wii, the options are endless.
Are you ready to choose a cruise getaway for your next family holiday? Cruise 1st has a fantastic range of family friendly package deals from all the leading lines. Whether you’ve got one week or one month, the friendly team of experts will help you plan the perfect family cruise that the kids are guaranteed to love.
Discover your perfect cruise adventure
Images sourced via Flickr Creative Commons. Credits: Peter Dedina, gator, Zippo S
