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5 Best Cruises For Kids - 2025
Cruises are no longer just for wealthy pensioners in pearl necklaces. Nowadays, there are several cruise lines offering cruises for kids and families with a busy schedule of activities.
We’ve picked out five of the best cruise lines for kids, most of which depart from the UK so you won’t have to endure a tedious flight with children before your holiday starts.
We looked at hundreds of reviews, prices and onboard facilities to save you the bother. Drum roll please...
We’ve picked out five of the best cruise lines for kids, most of which depart from the UK so you won’t have to endure a tedious flight with children before your holiday starts.
We looked at hundreds of reviews, prices and onboard facilities to save you the bother. Drum roll please...
1. Disney Cruises
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Disney Cruises are the obvious choice if you want a family-friendly cruise - but they are also one of the more expensive options.
Customer reviews are very good, with an average of 89%, based on scores from CruiseCritic, IGLU and Cruiseline. See our guide to the 10 best cruiselines for the full league table. Notable awards for Disney Cruises include an Best Cruise Ship for Families. That was at the World Cruise Awards 2024 and was for Disney Dream. Back in 2017, Disney won Best Large Cruise Line at the Telegraph Travel Awards. They also won Best for Families in the 2019 Cruise Critic Cruiser’s Choice Awards and Best for Families at the 2018 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Award. Onboard there’s a nursery, as well as ‘youth clubs’ for 3 to 12 year olds and another for teenagers. Activities include things like karaoke, teenagers’ discos, ‘interactive play spaces’ and ‘character experiences’. |
Disney cruises aren't cheap but reviews are positive
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Families can also use kid-friendly swimming pools and watch open air ‘deck parties’ with music and dance shows. You can pick from one of several dining options, including a casual buffet which would certainly be my choice with the children in tow.
If you get any time away from the children, there are spas and fitness centres (personally, I like to lie down in a darkened room when someone else is looking after the children).
There are also themed cruises based around Star Wars or Marvel, which will appeal to those who can’t tolerate too many Disney Princesses.
Typical price: £4651 for a family of four sharing a cabin with an ocean view and cruising from Southampton on a seven night Western Europe Cruise in September 2025. That's the equivalent of £166 per person, per night.
If you get any time away from the children, there are spas and fitness centres (personally, I like to lie down in a darkened room when someone else is looking after the children).
There are also themed cruises based around Star Wars or Marvel, which will appeal to those who can’t tolerate too many Disney Princesses.
Typical price: £4651 for a family of four sharing a cabin with an ocean view and cruising from Southampton on a seven night Western Europe Cruise in September 2025. That's the equivalent of £166 per person, per night.
2. Marella Cruises
Marella is a TUI company that was previously called Thomson Cruises. It offers kids' clubs on all its ships apart from one ship which is adults only (Marella Explorer 2).
It's an excellent choice if you want family friendly cruising but want something a little more affordable than Disney Cruises. It's also more appealing if you don't really want non-stop Disney, as that's not really for everyone.
Marella split the age groups depending on who is onboard, but you can expect things like arts and crafts and movie nights for 3 to 12 year olds. For teenagers, there’s a reserved space and various sports onboard. For under threes there are baby classes with parents.
There are buffets for those who’d rather avoid formal dining and some of the shore excursions are family friendly with things like visits to waterparks.
Overall Marella gets reviews of 81% from customers, which isn't far behind Disney.
Typical price: £6015 for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise flying from Southampton, for a family of four in September 2025, sharing a cabin with an ocean view. That works out as £107 per person, per night.
It's an excellent choice if you want family friendly cruising but want something a little more affordable than Disney Cruises. It's also more appealing if you don't really want non-stop Disney, as that's not really for everyone.
Marella split the age groups depending on who is onboard, but you can expect things like arts and crafts and movie nights for 3 to 12 year olds. For teenagers, there’s a reserved space and various sports onboard. For under threes there are baby classes with parents.
There are buffets for those who’d rather avoid formal dining and some of the shore excursions are family friendly with things like visits to waterparks.
Overall Marella gets reviews of 81% from customers, which isn't far behind Disney.
Typical price: £6015 for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise flying from Southampton, for a family of four in September 2025, sharing a cabin with an ocean view. That works out as £107 per person, per night.
Marella has won several 'Best Value' awards for its cruises
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Overall, customers give it a score of 81%
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3. Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises hasn’t won as many family-friendly awards, but it’s been shortlisted a few times and overall reviews are very positive (80% from customers on average).
They’re also one of the only cruiselines I’ve found which has thought of what they can offer 18-20 year olds (presumably others assume that an 18 year old would enjoy following their parents around).
At the time of writing, there are kids areas for 3-7, 8-12, 13-17 and 18-20 year olds. There are also activities themed around science and animals, as well as games consoles, sports, crafts and dance classes. There are parties and movies for teenagers.
As far as I can tell, there aren’t any childcare facilities for under 3s with Princess Cruises, though perhaps someone can correct me.
There are various fancy dining options, but there is a casual dining place which would certainly be my choice with children.
Typical price: £4656 for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise from Southampton for a family of four sharing a cabin with a balcony in September 2025. That is £83 per person, per night.
They’re also one of the only cruiselines I’ve found which has thought of what they can offer 18-20 year olds (presumably others assume that an 18 year old would enjoy following their parents around).
At the time of writing, there are kids areas for 3-7, 8-12, 13-17 and 18-20 year olds. There are also activities themed around science and animals, as well as games consoles, sports, crafts and dance classes. There are parties and movies for teenagers.
As far as I can tell, there aren’t any childcare facilities for under 3s with Princess Cruises, though perhaps someone can correct me.
There are various fancy dining options, but there is a casual dining place which would certainly be my choice with children.
Typical price: £4656 for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise from Southampton for a family of four sharing a cabin with a balcony in September 2025. That is £83 per person, per night.
Princess Cruises has activities for children of different ages
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There are plenty of family friendly cabins
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4. P&O Cruises
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P&O has the best choice of no-fly cruises from Southampton that we’ve found, with 200 routes to choose from on their large family-friendly ships.
Onboard, they run free kids clubs in four different age groups for 2 to 17 year olds and there’s a ‘night nursery’ for younger children. The bigger ships have 10 different places to eat, so you can hopefully find somewhere suitable for your four year old who is going through a phase of only eating pasta and ketchup. |
P&O has various children's activities onboard
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There are also ‘splash-zone’ type swimming pools, so your child won’t be interrupting anyone’s swimming lessons. Most importantly for teenagers, there is wifi, although you do have to pay extra for that.
P&O customer reviews average 79% and they won Best For Families at the Cruise Critics Awards 2024.
You’ll find P&O prices are somewhere around mid-market. Some cruises have discounts for 3rd and 4th passengers, which makes it more affordable.
Typical price: £3216 for a family of four sharing a cabin with a sea view for 14 nights from Southampton to Spain and Portugal in September 2025. That is £57 per person, per night.
P&O customer reviews average 79% and they won Best For Families at the Cruise Critics Awards 2024.
You’ll find P&O prices are somewhere around mid-market. Some cruises have discounts for 3rd and 4th passengers, which makes it more affordable.
Typical price: £3216 for a family of four sharing a cabin with a sea view for 14 nights from Southampton to Spain and Portugal in September 2025. That is £57 per person, per night.
5. Royal Caribbean International
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Royal Caribbean regularly wins awards for their family friendly cruises. They won World's Best Cruise Ship for Activities for Quantum of the Seas at the World Cruise Awards 2024.
Overall customer reviews are 81%, which is on a par with Marella. There’s certainly no time to get bored on their huge cruise ships, with unusual activities designed to make them stand out. Activities vary from ship to ship, but some include a surf simulator, skydiving simulator, roller disco, waterparks, rock climbing, zip lines or mini golf. |
Royal Caribbean
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Most things are included in the price so you won’t be constantly negotiating with the children about what they are allowed to do.
Dining is mostly family-friendly and simple, rather than fine dining. Kids' clubs and childcare are available from 6 months to 17 years. Children are split up into several age groups, and there’s also a babysitter service. The company also has section on its website about kids clubs for children with special needs, and according to the website it became ‘the first Autism Friendly Cruise Line in February 2014’.
There are regular deals where the 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin get a big discount, so you can make it a relatively cheap holiday if you don’t mind getting cosy.
If you’d rather avoid flying, there are Royal Caribbean ships from Southampton with 25 destinations including the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Ireland.
Typical price: £2854 for a family of four sharing a cabin with an ocean view on a 9 night Spanish Flair cruise in September 2025. That is £51 per person, per night.
Dining is mostly family-friendly and simple, rather than fine dining. Kids' clubs and childcare are available from 6 months to 17 years. Children are split up into several age groups, and there’s also a babysitter service. The company also has section on its website about kids clubs for children with special needs, and according to the website it became ‘the first Autism Friendly Cruise Line in February 2014’.
There are regular deals where the 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin get a big discount, so you can make it a relatively cheap holiday if you don’t mind getting cosy.
If you’d rather avoid flying, there are Royal Caribbean ships from Southampton with 25 destinations including the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Ireland.
Typical price: £2854 for a family of four sharing a cabin with an ocean view on a 9 night Spanish Flair cruise in September 2025. That is £51 per person, per night.
The Best Cruises Guide Dont-Blame-Us-Disclaimer: facilities, onboard activities and prices were correct when we checked, but things change all the time so please check details direct with cruise lines. Bear in mind that some cruise lines are more 'inclusive' than others, so will add extra charges later. We just looked for the basic price, which usually includes food but doesn't include alcoholic drinks or excursions (although there are exceptions).
