Themed Cruises with the Family

Cruising is an old favorite when it comes to family vacations. Many cruise lines have kids clubs specializing in keeping kids occupied while parents are off on adventures. The more family-oriented cruise lines like Disney and Carnival are packed with thing for kids to do, but where do themed cruises fit in all of this?

Most themed cruises behave more like a convention, where the guests can’t leave, than a typical cruise. The days are filled with events, meet and greets and other similar things. The programming can be intense, and kids typically won’t have the attention span to sit through several hours of question and answer sessions with their favorite member of PJ Masks. Instead, to find a themed cruise for the family, it is better to look toward which cruise lines have deals with which properties, and plan sea days around what the kids find fun.

The most obvious answer is Disney Cruise Line. Every ship is loaded with lovable characters, both familiar and obscure. Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck and Goofy are shoe-ins to make frequent appearances. In addition to the regular meet-and-greet spots, there are always the regular character dining sessions.

Marvel and Star Wars characters are also available on select Disney Cruise Line sailings. Marvel and Star Wars Days at Sea are set to return in 2020, so if the kids love space wizards and super heroes, these can serve as the themed cruises your family has been looking for. Make sure to do your research when booking these sailings, because the special days don’t happen on every itinerary.

The tier below Marvel, Disney and Star Wars is probably Nickelodeon. A partnership between Norwegian Cruise Line and Nickelodeon ended in 2015, but cruisers on Australian P&O itineraries can find Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. characters like Spongebob and Dora the Explorer.

Royal Caribbean ships serve as a home for the various DreamWorks properties. Fiona, Shrek, Po, the Kung Fu Panda and others are available on sailings featuring DreamWorks experiences.

Finally, Carnival Cruises act as home to a number of Dr. Seuss characters. The Seuss at Sea program gives the Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and 2 and more the chance to show off in a character parade, story time, meet and greets and more.

These itineraries won’t take up the entire cruise, but will serve as an excellent distraction during the long days at sea. Plan ahead and you kids might just get the chance to meet Darth Vader and take part in lightsaber training.