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Mega cruise guide to family cruise vacations

March 3, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

Wondering how to pick the right cruise? Our cruise guide will steer the way! A cruise is a great way to enjoy multiple destinations while only unpacking once. Cruisers combine the convenience of an all-inclusive resort with the adventure of ports of call and international experiences. However, planning a cruise involves a special set of considerations that planning your average trip does not. How will you get to your departure port? Should you book excursions ahead of time? What does your ship include in the fare? Here’s what you need to know to plan the perfect cruise, using our cruise line comparison chart and more!

Cruise Guide: What Type of Cruiser do You Want to be?

The first decision to make in the cruise planning process is to pick the type of cruise that’s best for you. If budget is a primary factor, a large, budget cruise ship will work nicely. Most sail for 5–7 days to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Central America, and Alaska. Large cruise ships mean bigger crowds but they offer more onboard amenities, like multiple restaurants, pools, rock-climbing walls, and bigger gyms and spas. If budget is not a concern but onboard amenities are still important, opt for a mid-sized luxury ship, which will be more personalized with great service and (usually) true all-inclusiveness, with drinks and exercise classes included in your fare.

If unique ports of call and an active itinerary are more important to you than onboard amenities, consider a small cruise ship. These ships, which hold fewer than 200 passengers in most cases, are highly personalized, and they can stop at smaller ports off the beaten path. Many small cruise ships include daily opportunities to snorkel, kayak, hike, and photograph wildlife, but they will cost more than traditional cruises.

Once you’ve decided on the type of cruising that works for you, it’s time to pick a cruise line. Compare lines by looking at their destination ports (where do you want to leave from?), the itineraries they offer (this is where you’ll choose between tropical cruises, Alaskan cruises, and European cruises, for instance), and their levels of inclusiveness.

The best way to compare cruise lines, prices, itineraries is to check a reputable cruise agency with years of experience in organizing cruise trips. Your best bet for finding early birds and simply enjoying the trip goes for Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises.

Note that while virtually all cruise lines include room and board in their fares, some are truly all-inclusive, including alcohol, all excursions, and activities. Most charge extra for drinks, some onboard activities, and all excursions. Almost all lines prohibit bringing your own liquor or beer onboard, though most allow up to two bottles of wine. Ships store wine and liquor purchased at ports until disembarkation. Cruise lines that do not include alcohol in their cruise fares offer alcohol packages; do the math to determine whether such a package makes sense for you.

Planning Your Cruise Transportation and Getting Settled

Once you’ve settled on a cruise, it’s time to figure out how you’ll get to your embarkation port. One thing all cruises have in common is that they will leave without you. Therefore, plan to arrive the day before your departure if you’re flying to your port and plan to arrive several hours before boarding time if driving. You can even plan to drive the day before and stay the night at a port-side hotel (many will allow you to park your car there instead of at the port for less money).

If you’re flying to your port, look for a pre-cruise hotel that offers a shuttle service to your cruise or that is within an easy Uber fare. Check in online before you arrive to the port for ease of boarding; almost all cruise lines offer this service. Be sure to bring the paperwork that your cruise line requires, including your passport. Most cruise lines allow you to start the embarkation process by 11:30 am on the day of departure, which gives passengers time to eat a leisurely lunch while waiting for their staterooms to be ready.

Tip: Pack a day bag with swimsuits and essentials so you don’t have to wait for your bag to be delivered before enjoying the pool. Consider booking a massage or other spa service for your embarkation day to get you into “cruise mode.” These services are usually discounted on the first day.

Making the Most of Cruise Excursions

While onboard amenities are fun, you probably aren’t going on a cruise just to stay on the ship at every port. To avoid long lines at guest services during your cruise, book your excursions online before departure if you’re booking them through the cruise line. If you’re booking excursions independently, plan to book them for mid-morning on your days in port since many large cruise ships give priority disembarkation to passengers booked on cruise-specific excursions. Booking independently has its perks, however – you’ll usually save some money, you’ll help the local economy by paying tour operators directly, and you’ll avoid crowds of cruise passengers. To find safe, reputable excursions on your own, contact the local tourism board before your trip and make arrangements with verified businesses ahead of time. However, it’s important to remember the first rule of cruising: your cruise WILL leave without you if you’re not back on time. If your ship has limited time at a port (under 6–8 hours), it’s usually safest to book official cruise line excursions that guarantee your prompt return to the ship.

Planning to Disembark

At the end of your cruise, you’ll likely have an early-morning disembarkation. The process is known to go slowly since all passengers need to go through customs, but you can make it go faster by hanging onto your carry-on luggage (instead of putting it out the night before). Have your paperwork ready, and schedule a late-afternoon or evening flight home to be on the safe side.

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Source: Fix.com Blog

On a budget? Cruise tips for saving money!

July 25, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Cruise vacations remain some of the most budget-friendly family vacation options available. While I admit to being quite picky about cruises, experience has taught me that cruises make for excellent multi-generational trips, allowing diverse family groups to have a great time together without extensive effort, stress, time, and, if you do it right, money.

On a budget: cruise tips! How to save money (and when it’s worth paying full price):

In travel, just like in anything else, you get what you pay for. However, whether you’re springing for a exotic small-ship adventure cruise or a mega-ship family cruise, within your budget category, it’s absolutely possible to save money. Here’s how:

Cruise in the off-season:

Is there still an off-season in cruising? Yes. Families willing to avoid the busy holiday and summer break periods will snag deals on cruise lines across the board, especially if they’re willing to cruise to the Caribbean or Bahamas during September through mid-November. While this time period sees primarily adult travelers without kids in tow, families able to break free from the traditional school schedule will be rewarded with deals and less crowded ships. While I realize this is not always possible, it’s a great strategy to have in parents’ back pocket.

Take a weekend getaway cruise:

Obviously, the longer your vacation, the more it is apt to cost. Consider a land-cruise combination holiday, or a shorter, weekend-long cruise of 2-3 nights. Cruise lines such as Royal Seas Cruises regularly offer 2-3 night cruises to the Bahamas, which can either whet the appetite for longer journeys or simply serve as a short trip that doesn’t have to break the bank. Naturally, weekend-length cruises are easiest to manage if you live near a cruise port in Florida, where most of these shorter trips depart.

Cruise from a port within driving distance:

You don’t have to live in Florida to take advantage of longer cruise itineraries that depart from cities as diverse as Galveston, New York City, Seattle, Vancouver, and Los Angeles. Additional ports on the eastern seaboard host shorter cruises into the waters of eastern Canada and Europe as well. Picking a cruise based on the port can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in airfare, and had the added benefit of causing less stress pre-cruise: there’s no worry about missing your cruise due to airline delays or cancellations.

Find the most inclusive cruise in your budget category:

Unless you have incredible will power, it can be hard to resist the many, many upgrades sold on cruise ships. Start fighting this battle by picking the most inclusive cruise you can afford. For instance, many cruise lines charge extra per person for all types of drinks, including soda and tea, while only a handful include these beverages in their base rate (and even fewer include alcoholic drinks). If you must cruise on a less-than-inclusive cruise line, and you can resist these types of packages, bring your own travel water filter along and filter your own drinking water to use in a reusable water bottle (the water in buffets and restaurants onboard cruise ships is potable, but sometimes not very tasty).

Set a daily budget for extras onboard cruise ships, to be put to use at cruise ship arcades, casinos, dining upgrades, and bars. Decide before your trip what extras you won’t be paying for, and then stay away from those areas of the ship. If you enjoy spa treatments, consider booking on less desirable days, such as port days, when discounts are offered on most cruise lines, or the same day you embark on the ship.

Opt out of cruise line excursions:

Booking your excursions via your cruise line is convenient, but more costly than booking them on your own, and almost always a less satisfying travel experience, too. Unless you are very tight on time at your port (in which case only the cruise line’s excursions guarantee you’ll be back in time), book your own getaways off the ship. Read through the cruise line’s offerings, then do some research on your own, finding reputable companies offering similar excursions for less. TripAdvisor and your favorite travel blogs are a good place to start. Often, booking solo will result in a more personalized tour or experience for less money. If you don’t want to plan ahead, exit the port and simply find a local taxi, and ask for a rate for half a day. You may end up with a local tour guide for a personalized experience. If in doubt about reputable taxis or guides, as the tourism police who are almost always stationed at cruise ports.

Should you take a ‘budget’ cruise?

I personally believe that we all get what we pay for, which is why I’d rather take a shorter cruise or watch my budget more closely on a quality cruise line than take a chance on a budget or bare bones cruise line. That said, I know travelers who have had good experiences on cheap cruises by managing their expectations, being flexible, and enjoying the ride.

Need more tips? Check out our mega guide to cruise vacations!

This story was sponsored by Royal Sea Cruises but the opinions are the author’s own.

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Why we picked a small ship cruise: Small ship cruise Alaska booking tips for families

October 2, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

Yes, families can and should book a small ship cruise Alaska!

The day we disembarked from our Alaskan Dream Cruises small ship cruise, we toured a museum of SE Alaska in Ketchikan. It took my kids about 15 minutes to view the entire facility, so I stopped them at the exit to ask why they’d spent so little time inside.

My oldest replied, “We already saw everything in this museum in ‘real life’ during the cruise, Mom.”

He didn’t realize it, but he’d summed up the reason for booking a small ship cruise. During our nine days on Alaskan Dream Cruises’ Baranof Dream family cruise, we visited Tlingit villages, kayaked amid sea lions, jumped into the frigid water of the Inside Passage, watched glaciers calve, stomped our feet to Norwegian folk dancing, eaten king salmon and crab, seen humpback whales breaching, made native crafts, and the list goes on. The entire time, we were surrounded by multiple expedition leaders (for both adults and youth) who pointed out sights, taught us scientific and cultural facts, showed us which berries to sample off the bushes, found eagles nests and bears fishing for salmon, and helped our kids paint, sew, and carve.

A small ship cruise–and especially a small ship cruise with a family-friendly itinerary like Alaskan Dream–allows kids and adults to fully immerse themselves in the place they’ve come to visit. We picked a small cruise ship for the following reasons, all of which proved true during our cruise:

1. We wanted an unique travel experience.

Alaskan Dream Cruises is owned and operated by long-standing Alaskan company Allen Marine. As a Native-owned cruise line, Alaskan Dream–including our ship, the Baranof Dream–could access parts of SE Alaska that other cruise ships, even other small cruise ships, could not. We spent a full day and a half playing in Alaskan Dream-exclusive Hobart Bay, where we watched black bears with their cubs, kayaked calm bays, and explored the wilderness of native-owned land. We were granted access to the Haida community of Kasaan, where we watched a master carver create a canoe and learned about their ancient totems and whaling house, and we were honored by a Tsimshian dance in the reservation at Metlakatla. When we arrived in Ketchikan and shared our itinerary with locals, they all agreed we’d seen an authentic representation of their state.

We believe eco-conservationism begins with experiencing nature.

As outdoor enthusiasts, we knew that by seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and yes, tasting the wild beauty of SE Alaska, our kids would have a greater respect for the planet, a sentiment reinforced when we spoke with Alaskan Dream VP of sales and marketing Mike Wien. “I can’t imagine a better opportunity for young adults to learn how to be stewards of the environment,” Wien told us, explaining that the eco-conscious attitude that prevails aboard an Alaskan Dream ship teaches basic ecological lessons that carry over.

Small ships also enjoy a smaller carbon footprint than large cruise ships, of course, as limited on-board space forces crews to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. We observed this practice in action on the Baranof Dream, noticing how every space is used on-board, and every item as a purpose.

We wanted to be responsible travelers.

Smaller cruise ships means smaller ports of call, which is great for both passengers who want to get off the beaten path and for local economies. The Baranof Dream stopped at only two major ports–Juneau and Ketchikan–remaining for the duration of our trip in private bays and small villages. We knew our tourism dollars were going directly to the people who had made the fine crafts we bought and the t-shirts we proudly wore. We knew our presence–under 30 guests–was not taxing the resources of our local hosts.

We wanted a flexible itinerary and ‘outside the box’ service.

With under 30 guest on-board the Baranof Dream and over 20 crew members, we were always well taken care of. More important than the prompt attention however, was the manner in which crew members adapted with the needs (or wants) of the guests. Crew members were jacks and jills of all trades–for instance, our pastry chef could also lead a kayak tour, and our steward taught yoga–and when the kids found berries while on a hike with their youth expedition leader, the bartender was happy to carry on the lesson with a class in smoothie-making. Our boys learned knot tying from the bridge crew and Tlingit crafts from our cultural guide. When an opportunity arises–in our case, to stop last-minute at a dog sled camp–plans were adjusted and schedules were reset.

Booking an Alaskan Dream Cruise: what you need to know:

Book early. Small ships fill up fast, so try to book approximately 9 months before departure if possible. But don’t book without speaking on the phone to your small ship cruise line. In the case of Alaskan Dream, their offices are located on-site in Sitka Alaska, and their office staff can be invaluable in helping you pick the right itinerary for you and your family. An itinerary may be in the works that is as-yet unadvertised, or they may be able to match particular interests with a particular cruise.

Do families need to book on a family cruise itinerary? No, on Alaskan Dream Cruises, kids are welcome on any itinerary. However, kids’ programming is only available on family cruises, and kids are much more likely to have friends their age on board (and that goes for parents, too). One aspect we loved about our family cruise was the relaxed atmosphere and the additional activities that engaged the kids in a tactile way.

Pit Stops for Kids experienced a family small ship cruise as guests of Alaskan Dream Cruises, for the purpose of review. No express opinion was required; we wanted traveling families to know about small ship cruising options!

Disney Fantasy photos: Three days at sea and Castaway Cay

April 1, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Preparing for your Disney cruise? Enjoy Disney Fantasy photos!

Embarking upon the Disney Fantasy:

Pools and deck spaces on the Disney Fantasy:

Disney Fantasy Oceaneer’s Club and Lab, and tween Edge Club:

Castaway Cay:

Disney Fantasy at night:

(A small sample of) Disney Fantasy character sightings:

Disney Fantasy deluxe family stateroom:

Small ship cruising: you CAN expedition travel with kids

December 2, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The following is Part 2 in a two-part series on small ship cruising with AdventureSmith Expeditions’ founder Todd Smith.

Last week, I asked AdventureSmith Expeditions founder Todd Smith to explain the philosophy of small ship cruising, reinforcing my belief that a lasting travel impact is made through personal, intimate experiences with the culture and environs of a destination. But is small ship cruising practical for families with children? The short answer? Yes! AdventureSmith offers dozens of cruises specifically geared to families. For the long answer, including a detailed description of a typical day aboard a small cruise ship with kids, read on!

Pit Stops for Kids: You’re a father yourself: what itinerary do you most recommend for families?

Todd Smith: It really depends on the destination. I like trips that are close to home, choosing destinations in North America to minimize flying time and jet lag for younger travelers. Our five top family destinations are Costa Rica (December-August), Galapagos (year-round), Alaska (May-September), Baja (November-April), and Hawaii (November-April). It is also important to focus on a cruise that has dedicated family departures. Family departures offer specialized programs and meals that are suited for younger travelers and offer the advantage of traveling with other families with kids of similar ages. A few of my favorites for 2012 include departures to the Galapagos aboard the National Geographic Endeavour, Alaska’s Eastern Coves, and Baja, aboard the 22-passenger Safari Quest. Of note: all of these itineraries and more offer significant discounts to child passengers.

PSFK: What can AdventureSmith offer families with babies and toddlers? Or are they better off waiting a few more years?

TS: Some small ships will allow babies and toddlers on board, however we recommend travelers wait until their children are six years old before booking small ship cruises. Small children may or may not be able to participate in off-vessel activities and there are no babysitting facilities to watch kids while parents are away. As an alternative, charters are a great option for families with toddlers and babies. You’ll have a boatload of family to help watch kids and you will not upset any other guests!

PSFK: Paint me a picture of a typical vacation day aboard an AdventureSmith ship. Is there such a thing?

TS: There is a lot of variety, depending on the ship and destination. However, a typical day might transpire as follows: wake up to the announcement from a naturalist that wildlife has been spotted on shore. As the ship slows down to observe, you wake the kids, grab a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and head to the observation deck where early risers and naturalists have gathered to watch the animals. After some time spent observing wildlife, it is announced that breakfast will begin soon.

Return to your cabin to prepare for the day before enjoying a hearty breakfast. Toward the end of breakfast, the naturalists appear again to review the day’s itinerary and activities. They announce a kayaking and/or hiking activity to begin shortly. The ship anchors in a quite cove and travelers begin the morning off-vessel naturalist guided activities.

Mom and son may choose the hiking trip with an exploration of nearby forest and tide pools, while dad and daughter take a guided kayak excursion in search of wildlife. For travelers (grandparents perhaps) not interested in the more active hiking and kayaking options, small craft zodiac excursions are offered. As you return to the ship from morning activities, you are greeted by a smiling crew member with a hot beverage (or in warm destinations, a cool beverage).

Once all groups are back on board the ship pulls anchor and begins cruising. Enjoy a bit of down time to relax, engage with naturalists about your morning activity, or enjoy cruising from the observation deck. The naturalists may offer a impromptu lecture on-board to exchange experiences from the morning activities with an emphasis on getting the kids involved in what they are learning. Lunch is served. After lunch enjoy time cruising and looking for wildlife. This is a great time of families to visit the wheelhouse to speak with the captain, and learn about navigation and the equipment used to steer the ship to its next destination.

Mid-afternoon, the ship reaches another anchorage and afternoon off-vessel activities begin. This afternoon’s paddle excursion is pleasantly interrupted by a crew member delivering fresh baked cookies by zodiac (kids love this). Return to the ship for happy hour and appetizers as the ship again pulls anchor and begins cruising. Before or after dinner, the naturalists invite families to the lounge for a slide presentation, discussion, or game highlighting local culture, wildlife conservation issues, or other interesting topics. Dinner can be a more elegant affair with several choices (always one vegetarian choice and family trips offer kid friendly choices) highlighting local and international fare.

After dinner and desert, the naturalists offer an overview of tomorrow’s itinerary and activities. Relax in the library, play a game with the kids, or stay on deck watching the stars. Get a good night’s sleep in your private cabin as the ship cruises to a new location to do it all over again tomorrow.

Small ship cruising: a travel philosophy that holds water

November 28, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The following is the first in a two-part interview with AdventureSmith Explorations founder and president Todd Smith.

In the past decade, cruising has morphed from a dowdy vacation your grandparents took to one of the most popular family options on the travel market. It’s not hard to see the appeal: the ease, all-inclusiveness, and high entertainment value of cruising makes it a tempting choice for families. As founding editor of Pit Stops for Kids, I’ve long said that no type of travel is the wrong type of travel: whatever your family enjoys, the key is to get out there and experience it. However, how you experience it can make all the difference in the world. What most cruising operations offer in fun, they can lack in the ability to provide intimacy with the destination, environment, or culture you traveled to see.

For travel to have its greatest positive impact, access matters, which is why I love the travel philosophy that drives AdventureSmith Explorations, a small ship cruising operation doing big things for family travel. Recently, I was fortunate enough to bend the ear of Todd Smith, AdventureSmith founder and president, to learn more about what makes small ship cruising different than the mega-ship industry standard.

Pit Stops for Kids: You’ve called AdventureSmith the ‘anti-cruising’ option. Tell me about the travel philosophy behind that.

Todd Smith: I have found that standard big ship cruises tend to focus inward, on what is aboard the ship. Large ship cruises boast waterslides, climbing walls, miniature golf, midnight buffets, broadway style entertainment, shopping malls and more. The destination tends to be of secondary importance. Our style of small ship and expedition cruising is the opposite. Our primary focus is outward, on the destination outside the ship. Of course, travelers can expect comfortable cabins, delicious cuisine and a wide range of on board amenities, but most travelers choose a small ship because they want to intimately engage with the destination in an up close and personal way, away from tourist crowds. Cruises aboard small ships offer parents, grandparents, and kids opportunities to experience authentic nature and culture not easily found on other types of tours, in a safe, comfortable and casual environment, as detailed in my blog post comparing big ships, small ships and yacht cruises.

PSFK: AdventureSmith itineraries are highly unique. How would you define ‘adventure cruising’?

TS: The hallmark of adventure cruising is the ability to get off the ship, away from port. This in turn limits the number of travelers. In my experience working aboard small ships for many years, it becomes logistically difficult to achieve effective off-vessel activities on ships with over 150 travelers.

PSFK: Tell me about the various excursions offered on AdventureSmith cruises. How can I ensure I’m selecting off-ship adventures that will be age-appropriate for my kids?

TS: Excursions and activity levels can vary widely by trip. Depending on the region, off-vessel activities may include walking/hiking, kayaking, snorkeling/Scuba diving, paddle boarding, small craft/zodiac excursions, helicopter flightseeing, photography excursions, horseback riding, trekking, cave exploration, overnight camping, dog sledding, and more. Since activities also vary for travelers with kids, the following are my suggestions for various age levels:

For kids under six, I recommend sticking to easy activities where mom and dad can handle restless youngsters for a short period of time. Easy walks, short zodiac or glass bottom boat excursions, and city tours top the list. These activities are also great for older grandparents who are not as agile as they used to be.

For six to eight-year-olds, I recommend the above activities plus longer walks, easy kayaking, swimming, fishing, and photography. Kids this age love to explore the world in a physical way. Don’t be afraid to get them off the boat to experience surroundings up close! Stick to shorter duration (one or two hour) excursions.

8-12-year-olds can endure longer excursions (1-3 hours) featuring the above activities, plus snorkeling, paddle boarding, horseback riding, cave explorations, and even overnight camping. Kids this age become the best friend of naturalist guides. Let them be in front of the group, asking questions and engaging with the trip leaders and other travelers!

Kids over 12 years old are suitable for almost all activities offered aboard small ship cruises, depending on maturity and ability. Let them challenge themselves and they will become confident explorers. Ask them to keep a journal or blog of their experiences to share with classmates or family at home. Buy them guidebooks and identification guides to learn about what they are seeing. Encourage them to learn a few phrases of the local language and set out to engage with locals.

Most small ship cruises offer a variety of activity levels. Our specialty in the small ship cruise marketplace is to match travelers with cruises that fit their interests, ability, and budget. A benefit of AdventureSmith is the ability to speak with an expert who has been on-board and can compare one ship or trip versus another to help match you with your desired activity level.

PSFK: I have active, school-aged kids. One of the draws of mega-cruise ships for families is the abundance of on-ship activities and programs. How does an AdventureSmith ship or yacht compare?

TS: Small ships are quite different in that they don’t have as many on ship activities and diversions. However, this style of travel inherently brings families together through shared experiences in which they learn about the destination, grow personally, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Large ships offer distractions such as supervised play areas, rock climbing walls, and miniature golf that keep the kids occupied, but ultimately separate families. Small ships are inherently designed to bring families together in a safe, comfortable setting.

PSFK: Tell me about the eco-benefits to small ship cruising.

TS: Small ship cruises are eco-friendly for a number of reasons. A small ship is a closed system and inherently low impact. Impacts of on-board consumption (food, hotel supplies etc.) and off-vessel discharge (recycled material, food waste, sewage etc) are generally limited to population areas which can handle this additional infrastructure (but are not overwhelmed by it). Small ships primarily cruise close to shore and are not allowed to discharge waste into the ocean (in most locations), a common practice aboard big ships. Limited on-board space forces small ship crews to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible.

Small ships are often locally owned and operated, keeping passenger payments in the local economy. Local food vendors, fuel suppliers, restaurants, hotels, and transportation services are all used in conjunction with small ship cruises, and small ships often hire local guides and crew, again supporting local economies, and often providing seafaring cultures an alternative to resource extractive industries.

And of course, taking guests ashore in pristine wilderness or among authentic cultures creates a connection between the traveler and the place. Once that connection is established stewardship often follows. We hope that through our trips and conservation programs, travelers will become engaged with conservation and humanitarian issues in the destinations they visit, and in their local community when they return home.