Ok, so you're thinking about a cruise for your family, but should you spend (typically) more money and take a Disney cruise? Is it worth it? In my opinion, yes. Disney is known for family values, family entertainment, and safety. I have complete peace of mind when my kids are in the kids' clubs, watching a show, or anywhere on the ship. I don't have to worry about inappropriate entertainment or that my kids will be bored or get into trouble.
My husband and I have cruised together, without the kids, on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival. And those cruises were nice, but I would not have taken the kids on either one of them. Both cruises have some night-time events and poolside activities that are just not for kids or teens. Sure, you can keep your kids out of the carnivale-burlesque show at 10 p.m., but those dancers in g-strings who show up during the magician's 7 p.m. show are a little more difficult to avoid. Or the "hot legs"competition poolside at 2 p.m., where the contestants are showing more than just legs? My kids are exposed to enough of that kind of stuff on tv, movies and video games -- they don't need to see it on vacation.
None of this happens on Disney. And because the ship and its entertainment were created with kids and teens in mind, there is a TON for them to do, no matter what their age. From toddlers up to teens, there is a space and entertainment for everyone. Characters roam the ships, there's dress-up nights where kids and adults look and act like pirates. The kids' clubs are appropriately themed and designed for certain ages of kids and the kids LOVE them. Even for tweens and teens, it’s cool. The Tween Club, Edge, is a separate space where counselors focus on helping the kids make friends, whom they then stroll the ship with on scavenger hunts and boys versus girl games. My daughter has also enjoyed the teen club, that has dancing and teen-appropriate activities. She is dreading the time that she turns 18 and can no longer enjoy these spaces! And everything is supervised and safe. Even kids’ hands are cleaned when they enter and exit the clubs to help prevent the spread of germs.
Yet Disney also recognizes that the adults deserve fun too. The adult-only areas are truly a haven -- coffee shops with fancy coffees and teas, pools where there's no splashing, hot tubs without kids, a spa for relaxation, club spaces that are for adults only after a certain time and more! The adult-only restaurant is sheer delight with fantastic cuisine.
Finally, you can't beat Disney for adding that special touch of Disney magic. Everything they do, is done to make you feel special. When you arrive on the ship, your family is announced by name and walks through a group of cheering staff. At dinner, your wait staff not only know you by name and know what you like, they love to entertain your kids --whether it's making a hat from a napkin, telling them a joke, or showing them a card trick. Each meal is a "show" by itself: there's pirate night dinners (followed by a show on deck and fireworks with a special pirate buffet), restaurants that come alive, a parade of your waitstaff holding flags from their country of origin, or the entire restaurant up doing the limbo. The shows are magical, and everywhere you turn someone is making you smile. There's a welcome show, a goodbye show, on deck parties and celebrations. Even the younger Kids' Clubs have a "graduation" ceremony where the kids get to go on stage with Mickey and Minnie.
In my opinion, Disney does it best.
