Have you ever been on a cruise?

[Afternooninthepark]

And what was your experience/thoughts on it?
I hate flying but really would like my kids to experience some holidays abroad (we usually always stick to the U.K.).
I am wondering if a family cruise from somewhere like Southampton to the med would be a good experience?
My dc are 13 and 11.
I’m wondering if they may get bored though?
And (a weird question I know) but do you feel like you are actually on the water? Do you get that weird wobbly feeling when back on land? (I’ve only ever been on small boats before!)

I have (not with kids though!) and it was fantastic. We had a very calm sailing and the boat was so big it didn't feel like you were on the water. I don't remember ever having that wobbly feeling when on land. Loads to do on board and here are always excursions so you can go and explore. I loved it and would do another one tomorrow.

We went on a cruise with our kids. if you choose the right ship, the kids will have an absolute blast. Kids were occupied all the time and loved every minute of it and always ask to go again. DH and I enjoyed it, but wouldn’t be in a rush to go on a cruise again. Took us a day to get our sea legs.

We did last month I enjoyed it but wouldn’t do it again. I felt quite hemmed in and disliked set mealtimes, sometimes being sat with strangers etc. It was like a very posh caravan or upmarket all inclusive resort.

That being said, when DC were little we did a lot of caravan park and all inclusive resort holidays so I can see that with older children a cruise could be great. If you pick the right boat with lots of pools and activities they could have a blast in a very safe environment.

Yes 3 (2 with child!) and we love them (thinking of booking another for next year!) I have a 5 year old who absolutely loves the kids club though so a slightly different experience but if you pick the right ship older kids are catered for too (dj equipment, consoles, films at the club etc as well as range of activities )

Exploring the ports would also be a lot more fun with older kids depending on what they are into (ds mainly likes beaches, aquariums and trips on tourist trains/trams!) Have a look at the itinerary before booking because some of the ports will involve long coach journey to get to somewhere interesting.

On the first cruise we did get the wobbly feeling at first with but the other 2 (much bigger ship) not all all. Bear in mind the Bay of Biscay can be pretty rough though but we have been mostly pretty lucky with that.

Ds is absolutely hooked on cruises now and can't wait to go again!

Thanks all. I do worry about the sea legs thing and not sure if I’d like that hemmed in feeling. Might try a mini cruise first to get a feel for it.
Vanilla my mil actually slid out of bed and landed on the floor when their cruise ship went through a rough storm in the Bay of Biscay 😄

We went on a cruise to Norway at Easter with a 6 and 11 year old also from Southampton. Loved it! They had lots to do - younger one enjoyed the kids club older one loved chilling out in the cabin with us on sea days reading books or playing games. We did freedom dining which meant we could have a table just for us every night (sometimes needed to wait a few minutes). Beautiful place to see. Our last night aboard was the only night we had some movement and that was because we had to sail through storm Hannah! Wasn’t bad but did give us a feeling of needing to get landlegs back for a few days once home. Would love to do it again especially as we got a great deal where kids travelled for £1 each!

The Bay of Biscay can be horrendous. I spent the first 2 days of my first cruise throwing up all day but cruises are FANTASTIC.

Look at the big RCI ships if you have kids. Phenomenal and I was last on one when Independence was the biggest. It’s a baby now and they’ve only improved them.

I have been on four cruises and loved every minute of them. Cruises get a lot of sneering and shuddering at - usually from people who have never been on one - but we love them. My children started going at similar ages to yours and didn't get bored at all. There's just so much to do and the constant ocean view is something I never tire of, plus pulling into somewhere new and exciting every day. Go for it!

Oh and never experienced any wobbly feelings

I have but not with kids (although my kids would have loved our ship-we went for our tenth wedding anniversary and left them at home)
If you are taking kids you need to be looking at Norwegian Cruise Line or royal Caribbean-their ships are mega, kid friendly and quite relaxed

Yes we've been on 4 with DS. Grist one he was 4 years old - he's loved every one.

We go with P&O and sail from Southampton. It's so relaxing - luggage gets taken out the boot, it goes up into the ship and delivered to your cabin!

There's great kids clubs and the pool and obviously the stop offs at various places. We did the Med for 12 days first time and it was lovely.

He's been again age 6,11 and 12 and enjoyed them all.

Do it, I love cruises but I'm childless and go on my own so my experience will be a bit different :)

Bay of Biscay can be a bit lively but the ships are built to deal with this. One tip the crew gave me on my first cruise: don't drink lots with an empty stomach - even if it's just water. If its wavy you'll feel more ill as the liquid will slosh around in your stomach.

I've been on several with teenage DC. Loved it.
I hate the idea of formal dining and dress codes so chose a cruise with plenty of restaurants to choose from and no fancy dress.
Days on land were just the right amount of sightseeing.
We flew so didn't go from UK but we did hit a storm on our first cruise in the med. It was pretty tough but didn't put us off.
Never felt any seasickness apart from that one day and I'm usually I'll on a small boat or ferry.

i used to work in the industry and spent a lot of time on cruise ships. i miss it - i miss being at sea, and being somewhere different every day, and i have never slept better. it’s like a giant cradle if the weather’s right.

i was lucky enough to do some amazing things - i have walked underneath a cruise ship in a dry dock, i once spent 5 days on a ship in Southampton with only around 15 other people on board, and i was once up on the bridge at 4am as we sailed into St. Petersburg under the midnight sun.

(fun fact: older ships are ‘steered’ from the bridge with a little tiny steering wheel, like on a dodgem. this allows for incremental changes to the heading, and is obviously safe but looks very weird the first time you see it. there is also a big red STOP button, but i wasn’t allowed to press that!)

if you have kids, look at the more child-friendly lines. during the summer months, most ships, even those that don’t usually cater to families, will have Children’s Hosts/Hostesses on board to keep little, medium and bigger ones amused.

it isn’t for everyone, but i love it. beware Bingo time though - it can get a bit lively if there aren’t enough seats...

Cruises are great holidays. Took my daughter for her 18th and 21st birthdays. The Bay can be choppy but if I lie flat the nausea goes away. Thoroughly recommend them for being on holiday as soon as you unpack. Nothing to do then but enjoy.

I find the sea days a bit boring, but some people love them. It’s nice to visit lots of places and not have to pack or unpack each time. There are places I’d like to spend longer in and sometimes it’s a short time in port.

There’s a certain pressure to get you to join the tours, but lots of places are accessible on your own.

Going on our first Med cruise in the summer, can't wait! Like you, don't like flying so this is a Southampton to Southampton cruise. Hoping we really like it as it will be the only way of seeing other parts of the world when we retire.

We’ve been on many, it’s my teenaged son’s favourite type of holiday.

Love waking up in a new port, love relaxing on sea days.

Choose your ship carefully, make sure it matches your family’s holiday style. You can think of it like a hotel - do you like an extra large hotel, do you like to have loads of entertainment on tap, you you like small, boutique hotels or maybe a medium sized one with understated entertainment?

Love cruising, have been going since our DD's were the same age as yours and they're now 16 & 18.

I love that we can all do our own thing during the day, but meet up regularly, certainly at mealtimes.

I think the cruise line you choose has a big impact - we go with Disney and have never shared dining tables etc. I think also the fact that it's all inclusive except alcohol (which isn't too expensive) is great - food, ice creams, soft drinks all covered, and without people being silly on free booze.

Disney customer service is fab, and you really feel special - but it's easy it avoid being Disney-fied, the mouse isn't in your face all the time.

On port days we tend to just wander on our own, we did trips one year but wouldn't bother again unless there was something you particularly wanted to see.

Kids clubs are great and vary activities depending on the attendees. For example, my DD's both prefer arts and crafts to sport, and they've always been able to do that.

Cinemas, theatres, Pools, slides and splash zone, language lessons, cooking demos, family games, quiet areas, adult only areas including pool, shops... can't beat it for a family IMO.

@diddlydooo we go with Disney too. They're the best, they really are.

CarolDanvers

Just back from my first (and probably last!) cruise, and hated it. Luckily, we were off the ship most days, sightseeing 5 different countries round the Baltic, which was wonderful - especially the art treasures in St Petersburg.
The ship was American. The decor was blingy, the noise of pop music relentless, the food aimed at the largely US clientele, so piles of burgers, pizzas, cookies etc. I hardly saw a green vegetable all week. There was forced jollity at the “entertainment” - hosts continually exhorted us to “make some noise”, to which the Americans responded with whooping and shouting.
Karaoke and bingo (!) were inexplicably popular, as were casino slot machines.
I’m autistic, and the sheer sensory overload of tasteless shiny decor and utter racket nearly gave me a meltdown.
If you or your DC are on the spectrum, don’t touch cruising with a barge pole!
However, if you like crowds, noise, bling, full size cinema screens blaring in your face when you’re trying to sunbathe quietly by the pool, go ahead - fill your boots.

Oops name changed!

Would you do one with a short flight first? We flew to Barcelona and then cruised from there for 10 days around the Mediterranean, we stopped somewhere different every day so didn't feel couped up at all. Daughter was an awkward age to go in hindsight (2) but would definitely go again now that she's older (4).

If you or your DC are on the spectrum, don’t touch cruising with a barge pole!

BOTH my children are autistic and love cruises.