Adventure Cruising with the Family

Cruises are one of the vacation types that seem nearly perfectly engineered for families with children. Sure, there are plenty of adult activities, but the plethora of pools, relatively contained environment and a number of other kid-friendly draws means mainstream cruise lines will likely always have a number of children on them.

Cruises themselves are not adventurous, save for the fact thousands of people travel the ocean on a ship. Ship days are marked by lots of food and relaxing. If your ship has the amenities, you might be able to do some rock-wall climbing or ice skating, but the real adventures on cruises come at ports of call, where travelers can get off the ship and explore their destination.

Depending on the ages of the children in your family, adventurous excursions can have different meanings. For families with teenagers and older children, zip lining and scuba diving might be in play, while families with young children might need to settle for aquariums and days at the beach. Luckily, there is no shortage of options for family cruises.

Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise private island © Lucy Clark | Dreamstime.com

Most major cruise lines have their own private islands in the Caribbean and the Bahamas for ships to call upon. Disney Cruise Line calls upon Castaway Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line has Great Stirrup Cay and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has both CocoCay and Labadee. These stops are excellent because they provide passengers the chance to get off the ship and explore. These islands offer excellent swimming and usually have other amenities like kayaks and snorkeling.

Snorkeling is another activity families with young children can partake in. Participants only need goggles and a snorkel, plus the necessary fish, for snorkeling to be a worthwhile endeavor. Snorkeling is available at many tropical ports of call and can give kids a new appreciation for fish after seeing them in their natural habitat.

Kids edging on teen-hood can participate in introductory scuba diving itineraries at certain ports of call. The equipment and inherent danger keeps young children away from most of these, however.

Families traveling north instead of south will find many adventure activities. Families who love animals can observe Alaskan wildlife through certain exhibitions. Animals typically visible through Alaskan travel include whales, seals, black bears and many more.

When it comes down to it, the maturity of individual children needs to be considered when booking excursions. Take specific cruise lines into consideration as well. Family-oriented cruise lines, like Disney Cruise Line, will always offer more family-friendly options.