Cruise With Kids?

My first cruise was with my three daughters who were 8, 8, and 10 at the time.  (Yes, I have twins.)  As a single mom, it made the most sense.  But like some, I thought cruising was going to be too expensive.  I was right about the sensibility; but wrong about the cost.


From the kids' perspectives, here is why they liked to cruise:

1. Soft serve ice cream is available 24-hours a day.
2. Pizza is available 24-hours a day.
3. The pool, the slides, the need to pack multiple swimsuits.
4. Hot cocoa for breakfast and chocolate milk for dinner.
5. Riding in the glass elevators.
6. Watching the singing and dancing shows.
7. Putt-putt golf.
8. Seeing the ice sculptors work their magic.
9. Wondering what towel figure would be waiting in the cabin.
10. Air-boating in Belize.
11. Exploring the Tulum ruins in Playa Del Carmen.
12. Whale-watching in Cabo San Lucas.
13. Frolicking on the white sandy beaches in the Bahamas.
14. The turtle farm in Grand Caymen Islands.
15. Getting their hair braided.
16. Buying souvenir t-shirts.
17. Their own bunk.
18. Cookies and pretzels delivered by room service.
19. Discovering every interesting feature of the ship.
20. The big red tail fin and blow horn.

From my perspective, here is what I liked about cruising with kids:

1. We spent quality time together.
2. Cruising is affordable...$409 ea for two and $159 ea for other two.
3. Shore excursions were unique and interesting experiences for them.
4. The kids were able to visit several countries in a short period of time.
5. Talking with them about different cultures and geography.
6. Ordering whatever they wanted at meal time - trying new foods.
7. They learned proper table etiquette.
8. Seeing their faces in awe of the size of the ship.
9. Lots of activities to choose from that we all could do.
10. Safety - we felt safe on the ship...didn't feel alone.
11. No figuring out how to get anywhere or worrying about getting lost.
12. We got to dress up for dinner.
13. Our waitstaff really took interest in the kids and the kids looked forward to seeing them at mealtime.
14. Camp Carnival had a lot of cool kids activities for all age levels.                       (I escaped for a massage.)
15. We had several family photos taken on the ship by the crew.
16. They enjoyed seeing the different crew members introduced at the Captain's Reception.
17. It was easy getting around the ship with the kids in tow.
18. The kids wrote in a journal about everything they did each day at bedtime.
19. The kids were worn out at the end of the day and fell asleep quickly.
20. We had so much fun!

When my oldest daughter graduated from high school, my husband and I chaperoned a small group for their Senior Spring Break....it was another smart decision and probably another blog.

I would say that if you are still in doubt, then select a shorter cruise the first time.  To this day, the girls ask me when are we going on another cruise?