The best family cruises take into consideration the age of each child and the expectations of parents and children. Kids' programs are offered on family cruises as a free complimentary service and usually operate from morning until evening. Some ships offer private or group babysitting services as well. Certain ships occasionally offer sleep-overs or late-night teen entertainment free-of-charge on designated evenings, allowing parents free time to explore the ships casinos, dance clubs and more.
The best cruise ships for younger kids and their parents, are operated by Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Royal Caribbean is one of only a few cruise lines offering activities for children under the age of three. Some start at six months old in a specially designated nursery. Group and private babysitting services are available for a fee from 10 p. m. until 1 a. m. on some ships. Carnival also accepts little cruisers not yet potty-trained in its fun kids' program known as Camp Carnival. Additional babysitting services are available for a fee from 10 p. m. until 3 a. m.
Many family cruises offer fun activities for specific age groups. However, if you want to partake in onboard activities with your children, then set sail on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Both offer scheduled activities to help kids and parents bond on the high seas.