A cruise can be a great family vacation and something kids of all ages can enjoy. Before you take a child on a cruise consider the following:
Some cruise lines are more child-friendly than others
Disney is very much geared towards kids, but you are probably going to pay a lot more to bring a kid on a Disney cruise than you would on a similar cruise on another line.
Kids can get seasick
It's probably a good idea to go prepared with childrens dramamine if you don't know how your kids handle being on the ocean. While modern cruise ships are very stable, there is still some rocking and some people still do get seasick.
Childrens programs are available
Before you book a cruise we recommend checking the ships you are considering for what type of child programs they offer. Each ship can vary with what they offer, what they charge, and what ages they accept. Some ships offer free child programs but only for kids 3 and older who don't wear diapers, for example.
Price
The prices for bringing children on a cruise can vary greatly from one cruise line to the next, and from one cruise to the next even on the same line. When you are booking a cruise and researching cruises it is important to factor in the costs. Norwegian Cruise Line often offer the best prices for bringing kids along, although some lines like Costa sometimes allow kids to cruise for free. On many other cruise lines, the price for kids in your room can be almost as much as the first and second adult, which really adds up.