Cruise with 3 and 5 yr old - good or bad idea?

[smilesandsun]

Hi
I'm wondering if anyone has done a cruise with young children? I've been looking at one that has kids club and pools with slides etc and seeming loads of on board entertainment for kids.

My thinking is that it might be a good way to see lots of places without having to keep packing and unpacking and the pain of travelling. On the other hand I've never done a cruise and am not really sure what to expect.

What do you think?

thanks!

We have only been on one cruise (with Costa). We had no children with us and were grateful that there were child free areas, no tired children being dragged about in the evenings, etc. OTOH when we did explore the ship there were loads of children, having a whale of a time in their kids clubs and own pool. Costa is Italian and therefore make a huge fuss of the children.

I would think a cruise is a great way of having family time AND some time alone with DP. Very few children went on shore excursions (Istanbul, Olympia, Ephasus, etc.) so I imagine they stayed behind on the ship or went to the beach with their Club.