Photo by Matthew Barra from Pexels
Do you look forward to vacations all year long? You’re not the only one! Work and other obligations take up most of the year, so getting those precious weeks together to kick back and relax feels amazing.
But sometimes, vacations are the exact opposite of relaxing! Especially with young kids. Do you ever get back from a vacation and feel like you need another one to recover? Time off is meant to be relaxing. With all the travel, last minute stresses and keeping the kids entertained, it can feel daunting.
If you’ve never tried a cruise, it could be the answer to your vacation woes! A cruise is the perfect family holiday. Relaxed and stress-free for the adults, but still packed with fun and excitement for the little ones. Plus, you get to catch the sun and see all the sights, without having to handle any travel stress. Sign us up!
Here are some of the reasons why cruises are the most vacations ever, especially when you have a family.
Have everything taken care of for you
If you’re a parent, you’ll know what it’s like to run a home and care for kids. It’s exhausting and an endless cycle of chores and to-do lists! Sometimes when you go on vacation, some of those chores remain. Especially if you go self-catered, where you’ll still be cooking and cleaning up. But even if you’re going on an all-inclusive holiday, chances are you’ll spend a lot of time planning your itinerary and other tasks that can stress you out when you’re meant to be chilling.
On a cruise, everything is taken care of for you, so your only job is to kick back and relax. Cruises pride themselves on excellent service. You’ll have housekeeping so you won’t ever have to lift a finger. There’s also usually a whole range of food and drink outlets available so you can dine like kings without having to work out where to go or how to get there. There may even be a gourmet room service!
Childcare can be arranged so easily and you can rest assured your little ones are in the hands of childcare professionals. You also have a host of activities right on your doorstep so there’s no need to stress about keeping the kids (or the adults) entertained…
Activities for all ages and interests
It can be hard enough keeping the kids entertained, but what if you’re traveling on a big family vacation with grandparents, friends, aunties, and cousins in tow? That’s when it’s almost impossible to settle on something that everyone will enjoy.
When you’re on a cruise, all of that type of stress flies out the window. When you’re aboard the ship, you don’t have to worry about all doing the same thing. You don’t need to worry about sticking together for safety in an unknown city or coordinating travel to make sure you all get back to the hotel in time for meals.
There’s such a variety of entertainment on board that everyone is happy. Does Grandma want to play bingo? Cousins into karaoke? Do the little ones want to splash in the pool? Everyone can do as they please, with no hassle at all. There’s often a really good balance of sports, classes, and quality entertainment for all ages. And there’s also the option to just grab a drink and relax on the deck with a good book, knowing that everyone is happy.
You’ll most likely find kids camps on board too. They offer a variety of fun activities and sometimes run into the evening so parents can have a nice date night enjoying the entertainment onboard. The best kids clubs are divided by age group so you can be sure that your children are getting the most appropriate and fun activities for their age. It’s a good idea to check in advance since older kids won’t appreciate being left with the ‘babies’. It’s also a great idea to check for cruises that offer onboard childcare options while you’re in port, so you can choose to enjoy an evening on land while the kids are entertained hassle-free.
Photo by Juan Salamanca from Pexels
Value for money
Vacations can get pricey, especially with a family. With a cruise, it’s much easier to know how much you’ll be spending in advance. This can make it much easier to budget ahead of time. You can also usually book cruises well in advance, so you might find some savings there. If you’re travelling as a large group, it’s worth checking for group discounts. You might be able to get adjoining rooms for you and the kids, or family rooms with multiple beds, which could be a cheaper and easier option if you don’t mind being all together in the same room.
Cruise deals are easy to find. Getting the perfect itinerary, length of cruise, and price range should be easy enough. Some companies offer a cruise rebate when you book directly with them, so you can save even more money on whatever deals you find. On certain cruise itineraries, kids can even cruise for free!
Of course, you’re saving a load of money on top quality entertainment and childcare, as this is usually included in the price of your cruise. Another way you can save by choosing to cruise? You probably won’t have to pay for airfare to get to the ship. There might be a port you can drive to and even though this might take a bit longer, it’s worth seeing if you could save money this way.
Final thoughts
Taking your family on a cruise could completely change the way you see vacations. You’ll experience first hand how going away with kids doesn’t have to be more stress than it’s worth. The perfect cruise will keep you all entertained, sharing smiles and making memories for years to come. It’ll also see you as parents completely relaxed, stress-free and ready to take on the world. As a cost-effective, fun and completely relaxed vacation, you couldn’t do much better than a cruise!
Leave a Reply