People often ask, can large families go on cruises and if so how do can you make it work? There are a few ways to make cruises work for large families but just remember where there is a will there is a way.
As a whole, large families can go on cruises. Whether you are a family of 5, 6, 7 or more a cruise is the perfect vacation for families of all sizes. There are always easy accomodations that can be made for large families.
Cruises are one of the best family vacations around. We have been on multiple cruises and every time we get off we are already thinking about our next cruise. Once we hit four kids however things became a little more difficult because most cruise lines don’t have single rooms for more than five guests. If they do they are usually very very expensive or they are so limited that you need to book quite far in advance. We are not big planners and we don’t like to spend a lot of money so that doesn’t work well for us. We love the spirit of the moment holiday plans and being able to grab cheap prices when they come up.
Book Connecting Rooms
Booking connecting rooms is one of the easiest ways to solve the problem of can large families go on cruises. This is our usually go to solution and something we have done several now. Connecting rooms often need to be booked through an agent or directly with the cruise line.
Cruise lines are very accomodating and understand that families come in all sizes and actually put aside connected room for families who require them.
What we love about these rooms is that there is a lot of extra space to spread out. We tried to squish into a single cabin with 3 of our children and it was just utter chaos. There was not enough room at all and it was very uncomfortable with children sleeping on almost every inch of floor and ceiling space avaliable. We decided that week that we would not do that again even if we had the option of all fitting into a single cabin.
Connected rooms are fantastic if you have multiple aged children including little ones who still need to nap. One of the best vacation tips for traveling with kids is to keep them on their regular napping schedule as best you can. Having two connecting rooms meant that we could put the napping toddler down for a sleep but still be nearby to hear him but not so close that the other children would wake him.
As a parent I loved that my kids were just on the other side of the door not down the hall. As they get older I wouldn’t worry so much but when they were still little it was just a lot more reassuring knowing they didn’t have to go into the hallway to come find me.
Book a Suite
Suites are another option for larger families to consider when cruising. Suites offer a higher occupancy limit usually 6 – 8 people per suite. This is a great option if this is your family size that you are cruising with.
Suites are usually priced in the same vicinity of two single cabins, sometimes a little more costly. However you do get a vast amount more room and benefits with a suite. On some cruise lines suites come with a personal attendant to help you throughout your cruise.
A cruise suite offers more room including living areas and separate bedrooms. Like connecting rooms, this is great for being able to separate living space and sleeping space for naps.
Suites are usually located in the most desirable areas of the ship with expansive balconies. We really love having a balcony on our cruises. It offers a great place to relax and enjoy the surrounds in a bit more privacy. Once our youngest children are asleep we go and get some dessert to eat on the balcony and play cards or talk into the night.
Book Multiple Rooms
As our children get older we are more inclined to simply book multiple rooms. It should be noted that most cruise lines require an adult 18 years and older to be assigned to each cabin booked. Since we have two adults in our family it is fesible to book two rooms.
When you are booking your rooms online you can select the option to pick your own rooms. When you do this simply select rooms that are close to each other. This may be opposite each other or next to each other whatever your preference is.
The option of multiple rooms is great for families who have teenagers. They are responsible enough not to get lost in hallways and usually comfortable to sleep alone. Each cabin has a phone so it is easy to communicate between rooms and check in on each other.
Travel In Larger Groups
It seems a little crazy to suggest cruising with an even bigger group when you are already asking if large families can go on cruises.
Cruising with multiple families can be a lot of fun. On every cruise we have been on we have seen large extended families enjoying themselves together and having brilliant vacations.
Cruising in large groups has many advantages.
Split The Cabins Up
One benefit of larger family cruises is that you can mix families up to make cabins work better. This can sometimes be a lot cheaper in the long run. For example instead of one family of 6 needing two cabins they can have a couple of kids bunk in with cousins or grandparents at a reduced price.
You may also choose to put all the older cousins into cabins and adults in separate cabins with the younger children. This will make for some memorable late nights and you wont need to be constantly telling those teenagers to be quite!
Shore Excursions By Age
Many of the shore excursions have age limits which can be difficult to navigate with large families. Most large families have a range of ages. Finding an excursion that everyone wants to do can be a huge headache.
When you are traveling in a larger family or friends group you can split into groups. This gives you the option of being able to do multiple shore excusions with everyone being able to choose one suited to them.
For example our daughter really wants to swim with the turtles on the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately this excursion is only for kids aged 8+. This excludes our two youngest boys. Our solution is to have my husband and dad take the older kids on that excursion while my mum and I take the other kids on a more kid friendly excursion. The next day we will switch and Mum and I will take the big kids.
Shore excursions are great chances to try out water sports you have been itching to have a go at. Paddle boarding is a great one you can try at places such as Coco Cay. Coco Cay is Royal Caribbeans own private island and full of amazing adventures. It is pretty high on our must do cruising list.
Via Royal Caribbean
Make A Plan
Each morning you will recieve a cruise intineray so to speak. This will list all the activities happening on the ship that day. If it is a sea day then the list of activities can be extensive.
There will no doubt be some activities that not everyone wants to participate in. But there will also be some activities that other members of your large family will not want to miss out on. My husband and I love going to the quiz competitions and our older kids have recently started wanting to join us. This is particularly fun for them when they are based on topics they love like Harry Potter for example.
If we find an activity that only a few people really want to do we try and work around that and make a plan. For example if there is a quiz on at 11am we might send the little ones off to Kids Club while we go to the quiz. After the quiz we can pick up the littles before heading down to lunch.
Taking 20 minutes in the morning to go over the activities that you want to do that day can really make a huge difference for a large family cruising. There are so many people to worry about that it is important that everyone gets a say in what they would enjoy. Hopefully with a little planning everyone will be able to make it to their activities.
Do Laundry
Can large families go on cruises AND deal with all the laundry?! Just because you are on a cruise does not mean that laundry stops. I wish it did I really do. All ships have laundry facilities on board and it is easy to get your laundry done. Big families as I am sure you are aware, create a lot of dirty laundry.
It can become overwhelming if it isn’t kept on top of especially on a cruise. It is definitely one of the issues families are thinking about when they ask “can large families go on cruises?”
Since you will have a decent amount of laundry to do it is best if you can do it regularly so you only need to do one load at a time. It is easier to grab one machine rather than needing to find multiple machines or worse spend half the night waiting for your machine to finish to add more loads.
I found that the best time to do laundry is early morning. I am generally awake early so it isn’t a problem. If you are on a port day you can often find plenty of machines available if you happen to head back to the ship early.
Set Times To Reunite
As our children have gotten older we understand that they want a bit more independence. Our kids a very responsible. We don’t have any concerns about them running amok or getting into trouble on the ship. So we allow them a little more freedom to do their own thing every now and then.
We always require them to be together and always check in at the required time. These are usually meal times or times where we want to do an activity together.
This gives everyone the opportunity to do different things that interest them. As parents we enjoy being able to have little dates while on board the ship and meet up with the kids after a few hours.
Since cellphone reception is sporadic at best onboard, walkie talkies can be a really great investment. However many ships are coming up with new ways to communicate with other passengers onboard. If your ships doesn’t yet have this technology walkie talkies are a great alternative. This is particularly useful for families who are asking can large families go on cruises. One concern large families have is how will they keep track of everyone!
Best Large Family Cruise Lines
Disney
A Disney cruise is probably one pinnacle childhood experiences for kids. We have not yet been on a Disney cruise as our cruise in 2020 was cancelled. We do hope to be able to reschedule soon once life resumes to a level closer to normal.
Disney is the place that most certainly answers the question “can large families go on cruises” with a resounding yes! Disney cruise lines are dedicated to families. Everything about a Disney cruise is centred around children and family fun which is exactly why it is the ultimate cruise for families.
It can be a little more pricy than some cruise lines but the experience is totally unique. There is even a private Disney island that you can cruise to that is not accessible by any other cruise ship.
If you are Disney fanatics like us you could make it a total Disney vacation by adding in a trip to Disney World too.
Check out this cruise of one of Disney’s ships
Carnival
We have used Carnival Cruise Lines many times before and it is actually our preferred cruise ship for families. It is totally budget friendly and the food is exceptional. We have found that food on other fancier and more expensive ships is nice but it isn’t very child friendly. The Carnival ships offer great food options for kids that aren’t just fries and chicken strips which I really appreciate.
The kids club and activities are well planned and our kids love attending. The age groups are well distributed and the activities are engaging for all the kids.
Carnival Panorama is Carnival’s newest ship you can see its tour below
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean is a step up in the fancy level but it is still an affordable cruise for large families. They offer a lot of extra activities such as onboard surfing, rock climbing and ziplining. You can even go ice skating.
Royal Caribbean is a fantastic choice if you are wanting to spoil yourselves a bit more. I love the layout of their ships a lot better as they are larger ships. There are a lot more options for balcony cabins due to their unique design.
The central park element is really neat also. I would definitely check out Royal Caribbean for a great family cruise experience.
Okay, after watching this tour you are going to feel like you just went on vacation!