First time cruise with young children

[RiverFlowers]

I am considering booking a cruise for August or October this year, two adults and two children who will be seven and four.

After having a really crappy year with medical issues, we want to have a big special holiday after years of not doing anything more exciting than Butlins and Haven!

Budget is up to £5k for 14 days and we would want to sail from Southampton just so we don't have the hassle of flying out as well.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a cruise that would be family friendly?

Also in terms of rooms, I noticed some have pull down bunks which look quite high up so is there any cruises that have more suitable bedding?

Thanks

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MNHQ update: If you’re short on time, here’s a summary of the best cruise lines Mumsnetters are recommending on this thread:

⚓Celebrity Cruises

⚓Holland America

⚓Disney Cruise Line

⚓MSC Cruises

⚓Royal Caribbean

⚓P&O Cruises

For more inspo, check out our guide to the best family cruises, featuring more recommendations from Mumsnetters.

Hmm. Have you been on a cruise before? Are you sure you’ll like it?

We have been on a cruise with similar ages and absolutely hated it. The rooms are very cramped and tiny, especially if you’re used to holidaying in a lodge or apartment with separate bedrooms.

Pools are v small because water is heavy, extra activities booked out quickly, horrendous queues everywhere.

We've been on several cruises, admittedly in term time so virtually no children aboard and no visible entertainment laid on for children. Certainly the evening shows were geared up for adults. I think you'll be disappointed.

Ah I disagree, we took our 10 and 4 year old on a cruise last year and loved it.
Yes the room was small and the ship was busy but there was so much to do.
They both loved the evening entertainment, there was ice skating, arcade games, quizzes, pools, hot tubs. It was great.

We have done about 14 with the kids from age 3 onwards, they loved it.
Avoid P&O ( Its a grubby Butlins at sea)
Royal Caribbean cater well for kids as do Celebrity, Holland America are also great, Cunard are very snobby.
Check on Cruise critic Forum its great full of ideas.
Plan your days as you can save a fortune by planning your own trips, it can be as tranquil or as busy as you want it to be,
Take any medication you need or may possibly need we urgently needed Calpol but another family came to the rescue. Keep an eye on the sun as you may not realise how strong it is with the sea breeze.
Our kids got to love the dressing up for the formal evenings, but if its not your thing you can choose another place to eat.
Rooms can be small but the whole idea is its for sleeping in you should spend the rest of your time on the ship they will have loads going on but also plenty of quiet areas.

We cruise every year and love it.

MN is generally snobby about any holiday that doesn't involve a National Trust Cottage in the middle of nowhere, camping in the middle of nowhere or if one must go abroad it has to be somewhere like Nepal or Cambodia.

There are kids clubs on every ship I've been on and loads for DCs to do of every age. I would go for it.

Thanks.

I did notice the rooms are quite small but as mentioned, it's only for sleeping really. I just wanted to try and avoid those that had the pull down bunks as they are quite high up, I would prefer to go for one that had a sofa bed.

We haven't done a cruise before, in fact we have never taken the kids abroad before - but after having a rubbish time recently, we want to have a big holiday and a cruise seems like a nice way to visit lots of places without too much hassle.

We aren't really into beach holidays, we would rather see lots of things so a cruise that stops off various places seems perfect.

As long as whatever one we go with has a kids club and a pool, they will be happy. We just want to relax and have a nice time!

I have heard P&O aren't great and although I have been to Butlins a few times, I don't fancy 14 days of it so will look at others. I am quite drawn to Royal Caribbean!

Have a good root around on Cruise critic you will find so much info
Dont dismiss flying as sailing from Southampton limits your choice
Royal Caribbean are great but Celebrity is better but its down to best value we where very lucky and have had some last minute bargains

We went with royal Caribbean and loved it. Everyone was great with the kids despite us going out of normal school holiday time in uk.

I don't have kids so can't really comment on that, but we did an 8 night cruise around the med with royal Caribbean, on odyssey and it was fab!

Lovely ship, and it was great to go to a different place nearly everyday, and the excursions we did with RC although pricey were really good too.

you can’t beat Disney cruises for being family friendly though I don’t think you’ll get 14 days for £5k with them

I have been on two cruises, we just wanted to try it. We had done all sorts of holidays, DS was a teen by then. Our two week med cruise cost 7k for the three of us. You have limited time ashore so if you are an organised type that can be out and ready to get off the boat as that gangplank is down then it’s fine. The boat does not wait for any late returners either. We did enjoy both cruises the first was a week along the Norwegian coast as a fjord cruise. We did a week to see if we liked it first.

We have done 5 cruises from Southampton with P and O with children from 6 months to 14 and have loved them. We don’t use the kids clubs but I have heard a lot of good about them. We are looking at princess for next year (but that will be with one 15 year old who doesn’t like people at all!)

that said if they are children who want lots of activities then other lines like RC may be better as they have more onboard activities - it wouldn’t be my cup of tea but I can see why it appeals to people who like it like that!

you need to decide what is important to you and then look which line best fits that. We went for a balcony cabin last time for the first time and as much as inside wasn’t an issue I wouldn’t go back to it now!

I'd probably go with Royal Caribbean for that age group, the other option is MSC who aren't as good a quality but you're more likely to get a suite etc for your money. We went MSC at Christmas and they were fine. clean and comfortable but the food was a bit hit and miss. Royal do do rooms with pull out sofa beds. it is a bit of a squeeze but if just used for sleeping, it's fine. they currently also have a kids sale for £99 sale so deff worthwhile looking now.

Out of southampton their only ship is Anthem. We went on it last year. it's lovely - staff were great and v clean. For medical they are great and there's a special needs email you can email and ask for any specific accomendations. We asked for sharps bins and were quickly provided. if you do need medications that need refridgeration you may have to ask for one as in the rooms its a "cooler" rather than a fridge.

Food was great. My sister goes a lot with her kids and my niece is ceoliac and they're very accomendating.

The kids clubs are amazing - they also have things like rock climbing and indoor sky diving. They also have an adults indoor pool area which is amazing.

If you are willing to wait you will get a better deal for 2025 at the moment. 14 days for £5000 for four is going to be tricky, especially from Southampton. Royal Caribbean are great for kids.

We love NCL, but have only done it as a couple, or with teenagers.

For younger kids, I'd say Royal Caribbean is your best bet, on one of the larger ships. There's so much to do, they'll never be bored. But you might struggle to get a 14 night cruise within budget, especially as drinks and service charges are not included in the base price with RC, and can really add up.

That said, almost all cruise lines offer kids clubs, so if your kids are happy to go to those, and don't really need entertainment at other times, then this will open up your choices in terms of budgets/cruise lines

You are severely restricting yourself by only considering Southampton. That includes cruise lines, how many days at sea v port days plus the choppy waters.

I would seriously recommend not discounting a quick flight to somewhere like Barcelona and joining a ship there. You will have a much wider variety of ships, facilities, cruise lines and better ports of call.

I don’t think you’ll get 14 nights for 4 people though in that budget. Likely a week. May be 10 nights.

Don’t let this put you off OP. If you’re going in the holidays there is a lot of activities and clubs for kids. They will make friends too. Things like movie nights, outdoor cinemas at night etc when you are at a show or just having dinner if the kids have been to the Buffet earlier in the evening.

If you are flexible with October dates there is a 12 nights from 2nd October this year to the canaries on Anthem. Guaranteed interior for £2482 for four sharing. You could choose a balcony for £4766 (and anything in between). Alternatively have connecting interior rooms for more space at £5296.

there would be tips to pay as well.

For young children especially I would go for less days if I meant I could go with Disney. Other liners don't even come close in my opinion.
Royal Caribbean were OK, but I had problems with customer service, and it was very American. It was a lovely holiday but I wouldn't sail with Royal Caribbean again.
Re beds, Disney I didn't consider it a high bunk (the second bunk was low down underneath). Royal Caribbean they were reasonably high BUT the double bed was underneath in the middle. Or we could convert the sofa into a sofa bed.
Re sailing from Southampton, maybe meet half way and fly one way? Our Disney cruise went Southampton to Barcelona so flights back were very reasonable

I've been on MSc with older children in the fold down beds. Means less room for the normal bed underneath when they're in place, but the steward puts them down and away every night and morning.

They also have rooms where the additional beds are sofa bed and/or bunk beds. You just need to select the type you think will work best

Disney is the best cruise line for children that age but you won't get even 7 nights for £5,000. I'd be surprised if you get 14 nights for £5,000 tbh with any cruise line.
You will however get a week, maybe 10 days for your budget if you go with P&O from Southampton. You could compromise on your cabin space to stay in budget? Not sure I'd want to with young kids. Any where that you have to fly to the ship will eat into your budget.

With Royal Caribbean, I'm sure there's a way to figure out whether beds 3 and 4 are Pullman (from the ceiling) or sofa beds. Have a look at the deck plans or Google the room categories. The minimum age for the Pullman beds is 6, so you might find they don't even show up as an option on your booking.

I completely disagree with all the people saying don't limit yourself to Southampton: for me, one of the best things about cruising is that it avoids all the hassle of flying! It's literally around 20 minutes from arriving at the port for embarkation, to being on the ship enjoying your holiday. And unlimited luggage.

We did a P&O cruise last year with our toddler and really enjoyed it. We picked somewhere with lots of city stops so we could regularly get off the boat and easily find things to do that were suitable with a child. We did 2 weeks and I personally think a week or 10 days would have been a little better as towards the end I our toddler was getting a bit worn out by the end l

We hadn't been on a cruise before but found it so easy not having to fly and are looking to do one again this year

I think if you want something easy (as in no airports, not having to think about where you are eating each mealtime etc) then it's a pretty good option.

Does anyone know of any cruises that don’t have the ‘shows’? Or could say what’s available as an alternative in the evenings?

I’m after minimal formality, good food and zero musical theatre/songs from the shows but don’t want to spend all my evenings in the cabin with my kindle

12th May 2025, spacious panoramic room 1864 (much bigger than the others for the same price, definitely a sofa bed). Independence of the Seas from Southampton to the Canaries, 12 nights. £4870 for four sharing. I am getting too invested here but that is honestly an amazing room for a reasonable price 😃.