How to choose the best cruise line for your family

If you're planning a family cruise, it can be overwhelming with all of the different cruise lines, ships and itineraries. Here's a breakdown of the most popular cruise lines so you can narrow down which ones might fit your family best for your next vacation.

A general rule of thumb is that older ships cost less and newer ships will have a higher cost for the same itinerary. Depending on the cruise line, the older ships may not have many activities for kids compared to the newer ships that have multiple water slides, sports and other activities.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is by far the most popular option for families. Their ships are designed to have activites for all ages, and they currently have the largest cruise ships in the world. Larger ships can also feel crowded, which is a drawback for some. The shorter sailings can have more of a party atmosphere.

They have their private destination Coco Cay in the Bahamas which has food, pools, beaches and a waterpark (which is an extra cost).

They do charge extra for wifi, soda and alcohol. Those are additional packages you will need to purchase. Depending on the ship they have multiple specialty restaurants for an additional cost.

Depending on the ship they have smaller splash pads specifically for babies and toddlers still in swim diapers.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line is another family favorite, however they overall have a higher price point than Royal. However in our opinion, you pay more but you get more. All beverages are included except for alcohol and specialty coffees. So no added cost for soda packages. They do not offer an alcohol drink package but do have deals daily.

Dining is done on rotation, where you change what themed restaurant you eat dinner in but you have the same wait staff every night. Room service is also included, you just have to tip.

For Disney fans, you have opportunities to meet different characters on board during the cruise and at their private destinations. Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay are DCL's two destinations, where the food is included and they have beaches and waterslides along with adults only areas.

There are multiple adults only locations on the ships, some are adults only at night and others are adults only all the time. They have adults only restaurants that are very popular for brunch or dinner (Remy & Palo). The kids club is highly rated if you're wanting some solo time.

They offer splash pads for younger kids 4 & under who are still in swim diapers.

Carnival

Carnival sometimes gets a bad rap as a party ship, and it can be on the shorter sailings (3 or 4 days) but that doesn't mean it isn't a good fit! They are more of a budget option compared to Royal and Disney. Their newest ships are still very nice and have lots of activities.

The big things that separates them from other cruise lines for families is that their kids club starts at 2 and they do not have to be potty trained. They will change them if they are under 5 and less than 50lb. Over that they will provide you with a phone to call you when they need a change.

On some ships they have the Family Harbor staterooms which are near the kids club and have access to the Family Harbor Lounge. The lounge offers a smaller breakfast buffet, snacks in the afternoon, and late night cookies and milk. They also have their own ice cream machine. The lounge also has board games, video games, and space to hang out.

Carnival has thier private destination Celebration Key which opened in July 2025. While it has a splash pad, big pool, and beaches - there are some downsides. The food is not all included. You are given one credit for a food truck meal (and as of fall 2025 there are no options for those with food allergies or sensitivities). Or you get 25% off a meal at a sit down restaurant. The beach is also rocky.

Princess

Princess isn't out top choice for Caribbean cruises for families just based on what the 3 above offer, but they are super popular for Alaska cruises. They are one of the few cruise lines that are able to go into Glacier Bay National Park. When they do, park rangers come on board the ship and do educational sessions and they even offer the Jr. Park Ranger program where they have activities just for them and can earn badges.

They have a kids club, and offer many options for dining. If you have kids that want more excitement in the activities onboard you'll want to likely look at other cruise lines.

Celebrity

Celebrity cruises are also not our recommendation for families going on a cruise as they are more of an older demographic. They do have a kids club but that's about it for specific activities for kids. If you have a choice, check out itineraries you like with Royal Caribbean who owns Celebrity.

Other cruise lines for families

There are other cruise lines still like Norwegian, and some ships do have splash pads or waterslides but they usually trend with older adults. Holland is another cruise line with an older demographic - if you have older kids it may work for an Alaskan cruise but we recommend going with one of the other cruise lines listed above.

If you want support booking your family cruise let us help! It's a no cost to you and it is the same price as booking direct (or sometimes less). We save you hours of research time or just guessing which ship is best for your family. We can guide you with the best options so you can feel confident you are going to have a great vacation. Fill out our inquiry form to get started.