7 Best Family Cruises for Kids, According to Travel Experts (2026)

For my daughter, a cruise is the ultimate luxury. At 7, she’s already been on 4 ships, and we have plans for two more next year. Myself? I’ve been on 12, and have found that the ones geared towards families can actually be some of the most fun. The difference between a successful family trip and a chaos at sea lies in two things: kid’s programming that’s actually fun and adults-only spaces that allow for a reset.
Family travel expert Sarah Huff (who specializes in cruising with kids) wrote in Today’s Parent that the biggest mistake is booking a ship that doesn’t match your family’s stage and style, which is exactly why I, as a long time travel writer and reviewer, I look for two non-negotiables: kids’ programming that’s genuinely engaging and adults-only spaces to reset.
For this list, I prioritized cruise lines that nail that balance: strong kids’ and teen programming, plenty to do outside the kids’ club and real parent and grandparent perks, like adult-only areas, actually good dining, calmer pool decks and ships that still feel fun (not like a daycare at sea, complete with the inevitable flu that follows).
Related: 7 Cruises Superfans Can’t Wait to Book in 2026 and Beyond
Best Cruises for Kids and Teens
Best overall for the whole family: Disney Cruise Line, Destiny
Best for over-the-top ship adventures: Royal Caribbean, Icon Class
Best for parents: Norwegian Cruise Line, Prima Class
Best value for younger kids: Carnival Cruise Line
Best value with big-ship energy (and strong kids clubs): MSC Cruises
Best for multigenerational trips: Princess Cruises
Best for older kids: Celebrity Cruises
1) Disney Cruise Line (Best Overall)
If you want the most seamless family cruise, where the kids are obsessed and parents don’t feel like they’re sacrificing their vacation, Disney is honestly still the gold standard. And the brand-new Disney Destiny is the creme-de-la-creme (I should know, I sailed on the Christening in November).
I loved how many adults-only spaces they had (like the Haunted Mansion Bar) balanced with tons of places for kids (including a Hero Zone for both young and old, or the Oceaneer Club for younger kiddos). The amount of photo opps on board with all the characters is also a win for everyone (grandma included). The aesthetics are unmatched too, with beautiful artwork on every level, thoughtful details (like Avenger-stamped cutlery at the Avenger’s Restaurant), and a curated experience that actually works for everyone.
Why kids love it: It’s heroes-and-villains themed and built with dedicated spaces by age—from Disney’s Oceaneer Club (including the Marvel Super Hero Academy) for ages 3–10 to Edge (ages 11–13) and Vibe (ages 14–17), plus splashy hits like the Toy Story water play zone and AquaMouse.
Why adults love it: When the kids are off at the clubs, there’s plenty to do for the grown-ups, including grabbing a quiet lounger and a drink at the adults-only Quiet Cove area, then keeping the night going with a cocktail at De Vil’s Piano Lounge (or a date-night dinner at Palo Steakhouse).
2) Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas (Best for Max Thrills)
As much as I love cruising, the ship is never the main event on a cruise vacation. For me, it’s the vessel that takes me from point a to point b. That was until the Icon of the Seas. As soon as we were on board, we were smitten—with the ship! For my daughter, she treated Surfside like home base, bouncing between Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay, then heading to Adventure Ocean. I did the full adrenaline circuit, the Category 6 Waterpark (including Pressure Drop and Frightening Bolt) plus a turn on FlowRider. Afterwards, my husband and I checked her into the kids club and we had a reset at The Hideaway, the adults-only neighborhood with the suspended pool, bar, and DJ. It was an actual vacation for all of us, and even though we sailed to the breathtaking islands of the Western Caribbean, all we ever talk about is the ship.
Why kids love it: Surfside (Splashaway Bay + Baby Bay), Adventure Ocean and nonstop energy that keeps up with even a 7-year-old’s endless source of spunk.
Why parents love it: after the slides and FlowRider, I could escape to The Hideaway for a real grown-up breather. Plus, the food? It wasn’t typical cruise far, and the variety was endless.
3) Norwegian Prima (Best for Flexibility + Parent “Upgrade” Options)
Norwegian was actually my daughter’s very first cruise, and we sailed to Alaska (way to set her up, right?). And although I’d been to Alaska on my own, it was pure magic seeing it through her eyes from her very first cruise. NCL let us explore on our own terms. We never felt pressured to do an excursion (even though they had a really good mix of them), and we could come back whenever we wanted (which served us well with a 5-year-old). The food options were also a dream for us as parents, we could feed our daughter at the casual buffet, then bring her to the dining room so we could eat something a little more elevated (while she colored). The room service was also clutch, and we loved sipping coffee and having breakfast as we sailed past the Hubbard Glacier. When we truly needed time off, we dropped our daughter off at Splash Academy kids club.
Why kids love it: built-in youth programs and teen hangouts, like Splash Academy.
Why parents love it: The flexible pacing is a gift in Alaska, and when I needed a real breather, Vibe Beach Club was my reset button: an adults-only deck with padded loungers, hot tubs and its own bar.
4) Carnival Celebration (Best Value for Younger Kids)
Cruise editor Erica Silverstein (The Points Guy) is one of the family-cruise voices I trust, and she’s a big reason I recommend Carnival Celebration when someone wants maximum kid fun for the money. She calls out Camp Ocean for feeling like real onboard summer camp, supervised, age-based groups with planned activities, so kids are busy and parents aren’t responsible for ALL of the fun. On Celebration, that’s paired with easy crowd-pleasers like WaterWorks, Seuss at Sea (plus Dr. Seuss Bookville), and built-in tween/teen hangouts (Circle “C” and Club O2). And for parents, it’s really simple: plenty of low-drama food options, plus Serenity as the adults-only option when just a moment is needed.
Why kids love it: I love that they can bounce between Camp Ocean, WaterWorks and Seuss fun, and still have tween/teen spaces (Circle “C” / Club O2).
Why parents love it: The value is the biggest draw, saving families thousands compared to other lines (which is imperative when you’re traveling with a big family).
5) MSC World Europa (Best value with big-ship “wow”)
MSC World Europa is the kind of ship I’d book when I want a European trip that looks expensive, but doesn’t blow the budget (a win for everyone). Family-travel writer Terry Ward sailed it with her son and noted how kid-forward it felt (MSC’s LEGO partnership shows up in the youth programming), and The Points Guy review backs that up with big-ship specifics: a massive water park, plus an indoor fun zone with bumper cars and a race car simulator. I sailed MSC to the Middle East when I was single, and the concierge-level Yacht Club (complete with a butler and a private dining room) is still something I think about to this day.
Why kids love it: I love that it’s structured and exciting, with an age-based kids clubs that has LEGO-built-in fun, plus big-ship attractions (water park, bumper cars, simulator) that feel like a theme park at sea.
Why parents love it: I love the value (as a mom always trying to make every dollar stretch), and I love how easy it is to sneak away for an adults-only drink at the Yacht Club or a massage at the spa.
6) Discovery Princess (Best for Multigenerational Trips)
Discovery Princess feels like the sweet spot for a multigenerational trip: it has enough kid programming to keep the day running smoothly, but the overall pace is calmer than the mega-ships. Family Travel Magazine recommends Princess for multigenerational cruising, and that’s exactly the vibe I’m after—something my daughter will love without it feeling like nonstop chaos for everyone else. We’re hoping to sail Princess in 2027, and I want to do it with my parents, my siblings and my daughter, which is why this kind of balanced ship appeals to me.
Why kids love it: I like that the youth spaces are truly age-based, with hands-on activities and their own places to hang (so they feel independent without me having to entertain them 24/7).
Why parents and grandparents love it: I like the relaxed, easy flow onboard—and I love that The Sanctuary gives you a real adults-only escape when you want quiet.
7) Celebrity Cruises (Best for Families with Older Kids)
Celebrity is what I’m looking to when my daughter hits that pre-teen stage where she still wants fun, but in a cool way (and I still want to ensure she has a safe kids club to go to when I need a break). Cruise Critic’s contributor Carolina Pirola breaks down why it works for families: Camp at Sea is flexible and preference-driven (so it doesn’t feel like the same tired crafts every day), split by age groups, and paired with family stuff you can actually do together, like shows, silent discos, and even the kind of goofy-wonder dining older kids still love, like Le Petit Chef. Forbes Travel Guide also calls out that same “grown-up ship, still kid-friendly” sweet spot, highlighting Camp at Sea activities plus the adults-only Solarium as the parent reset.
Why kids love it: Camp at Sea has real variety (plus a teen space), and the ship has “do it together” hits like Le Petit Chef and silent disco nights that don’t feel babyish.
Why parents love it: it feels more grown-up overall, and the Solarium is the calm, adults-only breather when you want quiet. And, if I’m being honest, Le Petit Chef is as fun for adults as it is for kids.