Why Cruises Continue to Grow in Popularity With Families

According to statistics from travel agents and holiday companies, cruises are the latest trend for family holidays, and continue to grow in popularity. Where once cruises were strictly aimed at couples and the older generation, the market has evolved, and now more families choose to take to the seas for their vacation.

When you consider that many cruise lines are designing their new ships with families in mind, it is hardly surprising that the target audience seems to appreciate the results. We have been on two cruises as a family, and if our experience is typical, I can understand why this trend is taking off.

The first major difference that we discovered with family orientated cruise ships is an overall increase in size and variety of facilities available. Many cruise-liners now feature family suites which cater to the extra needs that anyone who has travelled with kids will understand. Our room featured a bathroom-and-a-half, which was invaluable when we were rushing to get everyone ready for an on-shore excursion!

Dubbed “floating resorts” by some, the latest family cruise ships offer almost everything you could wish for in terms of comfort, entertainment and attractions. In the past, we'd stayed at holiday parks and hotels with our kids, and at some point boredom would always raise its ugly head – while cruising, I don't think we heard one complaint about there “not being anything to do”.

In addition to the usual facilities such as swimming pools, health spas, play areas and games rooms, family cruise companies usually have a full programme of activities going on throughout each day. On both the cruises we went on, there was a good mix of supervised activities, where the kids could be left in the hands of reassuringly professional trained staff, and activities that the whole family could join in with. We really enjoyed participating with our children and felt that it was preferable to sending the kids off to amuse themselves!

Family cruises also lean towards a less formal atmosphere than you might expect, especially in the dining areas. Casual eateries and dining areas made it possible to avoid “dressing for dinner” and with menus tailored to small and sometimes fussy appetites, this was an all-round pleaser for our family.

Some cruise companies have also changed the minimum age for child passengers, most accepting kids aged 2 years or over, while some are happy to take passengers from the age of just 2 months. This is, of course, attractive for the growing family who needs to fit holidays into maternity or paternity leave, and makes it possible to include even the youngest children in your holidays. One of the cruise companies we travelled with also offered a babysitting service during the evenings, which allowed us a couple of hours of “us-time” and proved that family holidays can be romantic too!

The appeal of cruises for family vacations appears to be one which will continue to grow, as cruise companies work harder to provide for the needs of everyone in the family – from the smallest child to grandparents. Asked to choose between a hotel break or family cruise, I'd always plump for the section option – and the kids would agree!