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Hosting a live band every night that delivers a hip-swinging medley of sultry salsa, samba and merengue classics, Boleros also mixes legendary mojitos. Water babies will make a break for the Pirates Cove Aquapark, with slides, a splash zone and a rope bridge. Other kids might spend their parents' money on more virtual fun, indulging in F1 race car simulators, VR motorcycle racing, a 4D movie theater and a video arcade. Family groups can split into teams for sports court competitions or participate in organized games that rely on the latest technology to challenge guests of all ages. Traverse the world on the Norwegian Encore, traveling from Alaska to Seattle or from the Caribbean to Miami. Adventure calls on the Encore, including many of the fun activities for families featured on other Norwegian cruise ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Carnival Mardi Gras also offers a variety of shore excursions for all ages. Royal Caribbean International has big ships with non-stop activities for children and teens. Some of the ships have those famous rock-climbing walls, ice skating rinks, FlowRider, and ziplining. The RCI supervised year-round youth program, Adventure Ocean, is targeted to kids 3 to 17 in five age groups, but the company also has a nursery program for ages 3 months to 36 months. Below, we’ve selected the world’s best cruises for all kinds of families, from those with younger children to expedition-minded voyagers and groups with a wide variety of interests. Whether you’re looking for top-notch luxury, nonstop entertainment or simply something for everyone, these are the cruises to book in 2024.
The 11 Best Cruise Lines and Ships for Families and Kids in 2024
Uniquely themed centers host engaging activities specially designed to help them play, huddle, create and discover. Lindblad has partnered with National Geographic for a kid-friendly adventure program. I'm a writer, editor and consultant who has covered luxury travel and cruising for the last ten years. Formerly, I was an editor at Departures, Travel + Leisure, Glamour and more, and I now contribute regularly to both Forbes and Forbes Vetted.
The Best Cruises For Families
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The cruise line’s Adventure Ocean youth programs offer both fun and education in age-based groups. For Aquanauts (ages 3-5 years), experiments lead to becoming Certified Jr. The Explorers program for 6-8 year olds includes exciting activities and themed parties, and Voyagers (9-11 years) participate in a range of enjoyable learning events. Family movie time, a library, poolside games, parties, and family dining provide lots of opportunities to enjoy the cruise together. The new Wonder of the Seas is the world’s largest ship with plenty of ways to play — for everyone in the family.
Wonder of the Seas
Casual all-day options suit fussy eaters who need unfussy dining areas. Outside of the kids club, families can race in a Formula One simulator, experience virtual reality, get soaked in a water park or brave their fear of heights on a suspension bridge. A variety of short-cruise destinations, affordable-yet-spacious inside cabins (they can sleep four) and lots of onboard attractions and restaurants included in the fares combine to make it one of the best-value cruise lines afloat.
Fun interactions with peers
Kids’ and teens’ clubs, pools, and water slides are just a few of the kid-specific amenities that you’ll find on a lot of the cruises on this list. Speaking of kids clubs, MSC's ships offer play spaces for babies, kids, tweens and teens. Its ships not only offer a drop-off Baby Club with educational toys by Chicco but also a special baby laundry service to take care of that pile of dirty onesies. Royal Caribbean family cruise packages include free daytime and early evening access to its popular kids’ clubs. A sizable amount of real estate is dedicated to them, with separate areas for toddlers, kids and tweens/teens.
Best Cruises for Kids: The 6 Most Kid-Friendly Cruise Lines and Cruise Ships
In addition to the incredible onboard activities and restaurants Utopia of the Seas℠ offers cruisers of all ages, the ship's accommodations show a clear family focus. There are staterooms on board to suit groups and families of all kinds, including plenty of options for connecting rooms. You can take your pick of spacious staterooms with stunning views and upgraded amenities, like a sprawling Ocean View Large Balcony or an Ultra Spacious Ocean View Balcony. Norwegian Encore has a more grown-up vibe than many of the family-focused ships on our list, but its onboard attractions make it a huge hit with teens. Its top decks lure older kids with one of the biggest go-kart tracks in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet and an open-air laser tag arena ideal for shooting matches under the stars. A huge virtual reality playground features rides and games that blow the standard cruise ship arcade out of the water.
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Best for International Cruising
Whether you prefer nonstop energy and lots of things to do or a more laid-back and low-key vibe with luxury amenities and excursions, there is a cruise line for you and your family. The cruise line claims to pay the same amount of attention to the children and teenagers onboard as the adults. Cap’n Knof, Hapag-Lloyd’s mascot, welcomes each family on board every sailing and participates in games with guests. All 3 of the dining venues aboard The Gauguin offer a well-thought-out menu with both formal and informal dining options. Lindblad Expeditions ships carry as few as 28 guests and at most 148. It’s a little difficult to find out on your own which suites would accommodate more than 2 people or if you can get connecting cabins, though they do exist, as well as standard double-occupancy suites.
Best Cruise Lines for Families (and Their 12 Most Kid-Friendly Ships)

There are even kids’ clubs to give parents a break to enjoy nightclubs, fitness facilities, or the adults-only pool. With planned itineraries and excursions, a range of activities for all ages, and the ease of unpacking just once while visiting multiple destinations, cruises are a great option for family vacations and multi-generational travel. From poolside games and movie nights to dance classes and educational programs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Let’s take a look at some of the best cruises for families done in no particular order.
Its National Geographic Global Explorers program offers exclusive and family-friendly programming for kids and teens. Royal Caribbean also has a private island exclusively for its guests. Coco Cay is located in the Bahamas and features a 13-slide water park as well as the region’s largest wave pools and freshwater pools. If you and your family want to make the most of a Royal Caribbean cruise, you’ll want to check out Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class and Amplified ships.
Here are seven of the best cruise lines for families, with itineraries that kids and adults will love. For starters, the ship has a waterslide park with two slides, a pool, and a splash pad for kids. Families can also enjoy the ship’s mini-golf course, zip line, rock-climbing wall, and sports court. Whether you’re looking for a short getaway or a longer vacation, they have options that will fit your needs.