Cruises are incredibly popular with families for a reason. Many ships include kids’ and teen clubs so parents can have a break. There are activities for all ages, making cruises an ideal choice for multi-generational trips.
Plus, they are the only way to see several different places in a single trip without having to change rooms. Moreover, parents don’t need to think about meal planning since meals are included in most cruises.
Yet, for those of us living in the Baltimore area, booking a cruise can seem daunting since many of the best cruises leave from far away ports like Galveston, Texas, or Cape Canaveral, Florida. Just getting to many cruises involves additional time and expenses. For my family, this added barrier meant that I never took the plunge.
However, that changed once I learned that Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas was going to start sailing from Bayonne, New Jersey, with a new Carribean itinerary.
This port just outside of New York City is about three and a half hours away. That meant I could drive to the port rather than having to fly into a far-flung port the day before my cruise was set to leave.
It wound up being the perfect family vacation with very little hassle. Although I had initially been skeptical about whether my family would enjoy being on a ship for a week, I walked away dreaming about taking an extended family cruise with my kids, partner and parents.
On my cruise, I saw so many families aboard, including multigenerational trips with grandparents tagging along.
Here are several reasons why a cruise is the ideal family trip:
There Are Activities All in One Place
On the Symphony of the Seas, there are activities galore. My family played mini-golf and laser tag, went ice skating, tried rock climbing and surfing on a Flow-Rider, went down water slides, zipped over the ship on a zip line, saw great shows and more.
I loved that there were so many activities to keep families busy, but there were also plenty of opportunities to lounge by the pool or on the deck.
There are also adult-only activities, including a casino, card games, a spa and an adult-only pool and solarium. That means there is something for everyone, making it easy for families to do some things together and some things apart all in the same location.
There Is Built-In Child Care
Royal Caribbean cruises are known for their incredible kids’ clubs, which are included in the price of the cruise. There are several clubs for kids based on their age, from babies through teens.
Not only is it nice for kids to be able to make friends they can hang out with all week on the cruise, but it’s nice for parents to get a break.
For families taking a multi-generational cruise, this allows grown kids to spend some quality time with their parents without being interrupted by little ones.
Port Stops Are Easy and Interesting
Before taking a cruise, I had not truly appreciated how nice it is to stay in one room for an entire trip, even when multiple stops are involved. After taking a cruise, I now realize how valuable it is to be able to go out and explore different places and come back to relax instead of packing up and finding your way to somewhere new. That removed so much stress from the trip.
On the Symphony of the Seas itinerary, the ship makes three stops: Port Canaveral, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas, and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
As much as my family liked the ship, it still felt good to get off and explore. There are a variety of activities to choose from at each stop. My family went to Gatorland in Florida and took a tour of Nassau in the Bahamas.
At Perfect Day at CocoCay, we got tickets to the island’s fantastic water park and then lounged on the beach. Extended families sometimes choose an activity that appeals to everyone, and sometimes they split up.
Most shore excursions are an extra charge, but cruisers are also welcome to get off the ship to do their own thing or stay on the ship and enjoy thinner crowds. That makes it easier to book a cruise if you are on a budget.
Meals Are Covered
One of the hardest things about being a parent is making sure kids have three meals a day. On many vacations, this doesn’t change since parents need to find restaurants with kid-friendly food, find snacks and make sure the kids have access to water all day long.
On my cruise, like most cruises, all meals were covered, with snacks and some drinks available all day long, even without a drink package.
My son was in heaven knowing he could get pizza any hour, day or night, but there was a huge variety of food available at the ship’s many restaurants. Anything from chicken nuggets to gourmet Mediterranean fare was available at no extra cost.
The Symphony of the Seas also has several premium restaurants. On my cruise, we enjoyed a whimsical meal at the Alice-in-Wonderland -themed restaurant, Wonderland, and a feast at Jamie Oliver’s onboard Italian restaurant.
However, my family also would have been happy sticking with the many included restaurants as well.
Stateroom Options for Every Budget and Family Size
Symphony of the Seas also has great stateroom options for families. My family had a comfortable room for four with a balcony. It was perfect for us, but I was envious of the extended families I saw sharing the ship’s spacious suites.
Whichever rooms a family chooses, it’s great that there are so many options, from interior rooms to over-the-top accommodations that include a private slide and climbing area. The variety of rooms makes it possible for many extended families to take a cruise together no matter what their budget is.
