Cruise with children: important information – tips

Cruise with children: important information & Tips

Almost all cruise ships now offer childcare, often for toddlers. Most ships are also prepared for their youngest guests with a special meal for children. Medical care is guaranteed, especially on the larger ocean-going vessels, but is often somewhat overpriced. So talk to your international health insurance about the treatments that will be paid for on board. It is best to have any necessary vaccinations in Germany before departure and then never forget your vaccination certificate. You should also not be stingy with special medications and home remedies such as fever suppositories, travel sickness remedies, caraway oil for constipation or skin ointments.

Many shipping companies have now specialized in family cruises, as these are becoming increasingly popular.

What are the formalities to be followed when cruising with children??

Children also need a passport with a photo that is electronically readable. In most countries, it must be valid for at least six months after the end of the journey upon arrival. A required visa or electronic entry permits such as the eTA to Canada or ESTA to the USA are required as well as for adults. If children and adolescents are not accompanied by both parents on the trip, a written declaration of consent from the parents who are not traveling may be required. You can find this out on the website of the Federal Foreign Office for the respective country of entry. Sample letters are also available for download here.

Which shipping companies / cruise ships are particularly suitable for cruises with children?

Disney Cruises

Disney Cruises is a shipping company specially designed for families with children when traveling. Even the cabins are larger and more family-friendly than on ships from other shipping companies. Shared bathrooms, additional seating areas and plenty of storage space ensure a pleasant journey with children. As a Disney fan, you will get your money’s worth here, because you will see the unique characters everywhere in the ship. You can watch the Walt Disney films in 3D and visit numerous play areas on the ship. Broadway musicals on board are a very special highlight for slightly larger children and adults. On the private Disney island of Castaway Cay in Bermuda, it looks like a Disney park. The four ships of this shipping company not only go to destinations in the Caribbean. There are also trips through the Mediterranean, to Western or Northern Europe.

TUI Cruises

The shipping company TUI Cruises offers on the trips with My ship a kids club that Island of the pirates. It is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. if there are more than 150 children on board, even until 10:30 p.m. Childcare is provided in three age groups by trained child carers. The group of 3-5 year old children is called crabs. The children between 6 and 8 years are in the Anglerfish group and the older children from 9 to 11 years are in the Piranhas group. Lunch and dinner are taken together in the kids club. In addition to a pirate boat, there are climbing walls, themed trips and exciting workshops. Even shore excursions are part of the program. Children under the age of three are in the Baby room nest In good hands. From the age of 12 the kids can go to the Teenslounge storm-free let off steam by their parents in workshops or on excursions.

MSC Travel

There are also special menus for children at MSC Travel. In addition, entertainment and children’s clubs are offered for the little ones. Special excursions are organized for teenagers.

Norwegian cruise line

The Norwegian Cruise Line divides the children’s groups up to 12 years into four groups. The smallest group of guppies is from six months to less than three years. One parent must be present in this group, in the other case the childcare will be charged. The turtle group includes children aged 3-5 years. In the groups of seals (6-9 years) and dolphins (10-12 years), great value is placed on sporting and team-oriented activities. Joint activities or just meetings can take place in youth centers. These are not supervised, but they are definitely under video surveillance.

Almost all cruise ships now offer childcare. You can obtain precise information on the scope and the existing play and sports areas on the website of the respective shipping company. There are detailed plans and information for each individual cruise ship.

There are cheap tariffs for children or families?

Children travel with several shipping companies free of charge. For example, at AIDA Often children up to 15 years travel free of charge, in other cases they get a 35% discount. There is a 25% discount for teenagers, except in suites.

at MSC Travel children and young people up to the age of 17 can travel free of charge on certain trips. It will be cheaper for children up to the age of 29 if they are in the parents’ cabin.

The shipping companies Hansa Touristik, Plantours & partner such as TransOcean allow children up to the age of 18 to ride in the parents’ cabin free of charge Phoenix travel even up to and including 19 years. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises grants free ride up to 11 years.

The Norwegian cruise line offers a fixed price for children between the ages of two and seventeen, starting at 99 euros. TUI Cruises has not offered free child transport since 2018, but gives discounts up to the age of 14.

The shipping company Costa cruises generally allows two children or teenagers up to the age of 17 to travel free of charge in the cabin of two people paying the full price. But there are exceptions. For example, tours to the Caribbean, South America or Dubai are excluded. Even trips with ships from the neoCollection do not have these concessions.

Grant up to the age of two Cunard Line and FTI Cruises free ride, up to and including the age of 17 there is a discount. There is also a discount for river cruises, for example VIVA Cruises very family friendly.

For solo travelers with children, for example, AIDA Reisen, MSC Reisen, Phoenix Reisen, Plantours offer & Partners and, in exceptional cases, FTI Reisen also offer cheap tariffs. Many shipping companies have fixed prices for children and young people. This can also apply to cabins with a connecting door. Other shipping companies always give discounts from the second person, regardless of age. Shipping companies like AIDA offer cheaper flights to ships for young people. Sometimes it is not easy to find your way through the maze of exceptions and regulations. It is best to have concrete shipping offers sent to you by several shipping companies that fall into your shortlist.

Which areas are not suitable for small children?

In general, areas are not recommended for very young children in which malaria prophylaxis or vaccinations are advisable, which the very young cannot yet receive. Not every toddler can tolerate the tropical climate. School children also experience the special vacation much more. A consultation with the family doctor or pediatrician will help you make your decision.

What belongs in the suitcase for a toddler?

Small children in particular generally need a lot of laundry. However, you can wash or have the laundry washed on almost all cruise ships. So it is enough even for multi-week cruises if you pack a maximum of laundry for one week. You should schedule complete laundry changes once a day. Three to four times swimwear and headgear, sunscreen and two or three sunglasses make sense, depending on the intensity of the sun at the holiday destination, a protective T-shirt for bathing. Toys and possibly even a tablet with videos already downloaded are helpful if your child is used to this at home. A small, handy and light buggy can be very helpful when you are out with your child. Separate laundry bags for clean and dirty laundry make your everyday life easier.

Are trips with small children useful??

Mostly trips for very small children are more stressful and at some point it becomes stressful for the parents too. However, there are also excursions that you should take with your offspring. Disney parks, animal parks and similar destinations are also interesting for the little ones. A stroll through the old town with a visit to museums, churches or other sights less enthuses the children. If the little ones feel comfortable in their children’s groups, they will experience the day much more relaxed there.

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Christina Cherry
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