Cruises - ideal for toddlers and grandparents alike

A Complete Package for the Whole Family

There’s no two ways about it keeping all the family appeased when booking the annual vacation can be an absolute nightmare and if you’ve got toddlers and older family members with you the situation is compounded even further! There is however a solution, cruise deals may well be the answer to all your prayers as they are invariably far more flexible than a regular package holiday and there are activities to keep the whole family entertained throughout. And nobody does it better than P&O Cruises who score very highly when it comes to offering a complete package. Food is never in short supply with specialised children’s menus for the little ones and numerous themed restaurants for the adults in the group. And cruises are never complete without a full programme of evening entertainment and don’t worry if it gets too late for the children as there is always a night nursery with professional staff on hand to assist you. This style of vacation really does manage to cover all bases and you may well feel like your in Las Vegas for than a ship! It really is that glamorous and Royal Caribbean Cruises seem to go the extra mile, using the formula of biggest is best! The children will have a fantastic time aboard these floating palaces with a variety of activates always available in the kiddies club. Cruises deals even cater for those looking for a bit of culture with libraries and art galleries occupying a reasonable amount of deck space.

"Everything was superb the food, the ship its self,we had an outside cabin larger than we expected the bed was very comfortable,the dining rooms were beautiful,all the sun loungers were great, towels galore & the service was second to none we felt like we very special people." - Wade, Shipley West Yorks. on 22nd Jun 2009 (Oceania Cruises)

A Sea Adventure for the Youngsters

Holidays can be somewhat compromised, especially when you have young children, so it’s important when booking a leisurely sea adventure that you choose a company like Celebrity Cruises who have the knowledge and commitment to make sure your holiday is as perfect as is humanly possible. They identify with the fact that young family members quickly tire of shopping and sunbathing and this is why they provide full activity packages on their cruises to keep youngsters active and stimulated, not only does this keep the children happy but it also allows parents some breathing space to enjoy their well earned vacation. Crew members undergo specialist childcare training and are fully qualified to take care of your treasured little ones and the activity centres are so much fun on these cruise deals that the kids will be very reluctant to leave the ship at the end of the voyage. It’s definitely smiles all the way with a family voyage at sea and you can capture those special moments by asking the ship’s photographer to take a special picture for the family album, something to capture beautiful memories. Cunard Cruises are of course something you will want to remember for an eternity so why not have your lovely family photo transposed onto a ceramic plate and you can display it with pride once you return home. Cruises do indeed provide you with some treasured memories and in this they succeed where many other holidays fail and it’s almost certain every member of your family will agree.

"First time on Princess Cruises, generally Cunarders. Princess recommended by American friend on a previous Cunard cruise.Coral Princess met our expectations." - Cameron, Llangybi Usk on 22nd Jun 2009 (Princess Cruises)

Time to explore the ship

Now without meaning to stereotype we all know that older family members like to shop! Luckily cruise deals won’t disappoint in this department as without exception all the major vessels turn over a large amount of deck square footage to retail use. On MSC cruises you will find shops stocking an array of duty free products along with many other suitable souvenir goods from baby gifts to plates and ceramics, all of which make ideal mementos for the plate cabinet back home. Naturally cruises offer so much more than shopping onboard ship and in most cases you can find all the same facilities that you would find at your local retail park, if not more! Gymnasiums, spas, bowling alleys, cinemas, promenade cafes, they’re all to be experienced on Caribbean Cruises and with the ships brimming from port to starboard and bow to stern with things to do the only problem will be finding enough hours in the day to squeeze them all in! That’s really the cruise deals secret weapon, there is never a reason for anyone in the family group to say they are bored as these floating palaces offer fun packed adventure for all, whether you’re a thrill seeker or not. Of course not all of us want high octane action and on NCL Cruises there are many opportunities to relax and just watch the world go by. For instance on the Norwegian Jewel you will find the 1920’s inspired Magnum lounge which epitomise exactly what relaxing cruises are all about.

"Another fantastic family holiday. My family and a group of freinds have just returned from a two week Western Med cruise. We set sail on the 6th of June and again was impressed by the ease of the check in and was onboard just after 11.00 am." - King, southampton on 22nd Jun 2009 (Royal Caribbean Cruises)

The perfect voyage

It must be remembered of course that holidays on the high seas are not only about life onboard ship but also about the multitude of exotic ports you are more than likely to visit on your ocean bound adventure. Island hopping around Hawaii onboard one of Princess Cruises superb vessels is only one example of this and when the ship docks you will be offered the opportunity to sign up for the numerous excursions on offer. Perhaps you would enjoy a gentile stroll around the local markets, or to visit local tourist attractions, or if you are up to the challenge cruises also give you the chance to experience swimming with dolphins and scuba diving in the crystal clear tropical waters of Hawaii. Irrespective of your age or persuasions there are activities on cruise deals to suit all and there’s certainly no need for anyone to feel left out! Excursions can take it out of you and there’s nothing nicer than returning to the ship after a long day and enjoying Fred Olsen Cruises famed Scandinavian hospitality. There is something uniquely gratifying about dining in a ship’s restaurant with your family and perhaps this is one of the reasons why cruises prove to be so popular, they create an intimacy that regular package holidays simply cannot match. It’s always a sad occasion when a family voyage comes to an end, but on a happy note you’ve got your ceramic souvenir as a constant reminder until you start searching for next year’s cruise deals.

"We have just returned from a 12 night cruise in the Adriatic and around the Greek Islands with Princess Cruises. The Ruby Princess, launched November 2008 is the latest and most beautiful of cruise ships" - Cunliffe, Wigan on 22nd Jun 2009 (Princess Cruises)