Family-friendly luxury cruises on the ocean or rivers are possible with these high-end cruise lines that welcome (much) younger travellers onboard.
Karryon recently reported on adults-only luxury cruises – now we’re shining a spotlight on those brands that welcome even the youngest little cruisers.
Ultra-luxe cruise lines are not traditionally known for offering family friendly luxury cruises, but as the typical age of cruisers keeps getting younger, the industry is keen to attract a new cohort of well-heeled young families and multi-generational groups.
Spacious, mid-size ships operated by lines such as Crystal and MSC Cruises’ luxury brand Explora Journeys offer everything for the sophisticated adult cruiser as well as family-friendly facilities such as interconnecting suites, kids’ clubs, age-appropriate activities and excursions.
It’s important to bear in mind that luxury cruise ships, even those that welcome children as young as six months old, are not designed with kids in mind. There are no adventure parks, waterslides or cartoon characters, and some only run kids’ programs during (northern) summer holidays and around Christmas.
Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are among the lines that offer limited programs for children and teens on select itineraries. Oceania’s Alaska Youth Program is designed for children aged five to 12, and Regent’s Club Mariner program offers children from five to 17 a range of supervised activities such as mini-putt tournaments, dance parties and movie nights.
A handful of European river cruise lines offer family-friendly luxury cruises and itineraries, and most lines require children to be eight to 12 years old, whether or not they offer special family-friendly itineraries. Because of their size and layout, river ships have few if any interconnecting staterooms and no whiz-bang onboard activities – the destinations and excursions are the attractions.
Bottom line: it’s all about good old-fashioned family time – or maybe bringing the nanny along, too!
Here is Karryon’s round up of some of the best family-friendly luxury cruises.
Crystal
The revamped cruise line’s two sumptuously refurbished ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, have a selection of connecting staterooms and suites and provide a range of activities for young cruisers between the ages of three and 17 on select itineraries.
During the (northern) summer and the Christmas season, each ship has a Junior Activities Director onboard to host an array of daily activities. These include arts and crafts, pool parties, meetups coordinated according to age range, baking workshops, video game tournaments, Lego/block projects and movie parties.
Fantasia is a space where kids can do arts and crafts, play board and PlayStation games, and Waves is a teens’ video arcade. Both ships also provide pickleball, padel tennis, pool, board games, and arts and crafts – for kids of all ages.
Babysitting is available on request for an additional fee.
Crystal says it “prides itself on being an inclusive cruise line where families of all ages are welcome aboard”. Its two new 690-guest ships, due in 2028, will also feature dedicated kids’ spaces.
Explora Journeys
The luxury line’s two identical new ships, Explorer I and Explorer II, welcome families who cruise together – infants from six to 23 months even sail free of charge, and fares for children aged two to 17 are up to 50 per cent of the adult fare.
Both ships have 82 multi-generation-friendly connected suites in Ocean Suite, Ocean Penthouse and Ocean Residence categories that cater for a variety of group sizes. A lovely touch: the line provides toys in the suites for the under-twos.
Their Nautilus Clubs are open from 9am to midnight and offer an extensive range of games, sports and activities for kids aged six to 17, under the guidance of qualified hosts. Three- to five-year-olds can visit the club with a parent or guardian in time slots dedicated to their age group.
Shore excursions are equally well thought-out for family groups – Explora Journeys goes above and beyond in the family-friendly luxury cruises space.
Paul Gaugin Cruises
French Polynesia is not just a paradise for swooning honeymooners. Ponant’s 330-guest ship Le Paul Gauguin sails year-round in French Polynesia and runs a popular conservation-based program for six- to 15-year-olds on a selection of its cruises.
In partnership with Te mana o te moana, a South Pacific marine education foundation, the Moana Explorer program offers a combination of naturalist-led island and/or beach excursions, science activities, crafts, games and other adventures.
Several staterooms and suites accommodate up to three guests and children must be a minimum of 12 months old to cruise on Le Paul Gauguin.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Children as young as six months old can sail on Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s super-glam superyachts (with their parents, of course). Several categories of suites, all of which have balconies (“terraces”), are interconnecting and are exceptionally spacious – the Owners Suite on Ilma, which sets sail in September 2024, is a massive 96 square metres and the terrace 67 square metres, so there should be no problem fitting in a family of four (or more). A limited number of cots are available on request.
Children aged between four and 12 have the run of the Ritz Kids club, which provides a variety of activities ranging from educational to arts and crafts. Babysitting is not on offer. RCYC says it offers an “enhanced program” for kids during the (northern) summer.
River cruising with kids
All-inclusive Tauck and Uniworld are two luxe river cruise lines that both offer family-friendly luxury cruises in Europe during the northern summer and Christmas season.
Families with children aged four and over can join the Tauck Bridges program, which provides dozens of age-appropriate activities onboard and onshore on cruises along the Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Seine and Douro Rivers.
Similarly, Uniworld’s Generations itineraries are specially tailored to families and multi-gen groups with children from the age of four.
