The traditional family cruise isn’t like it used to be. Nowadays, popular cruise lines like MSC, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are going the extra mile for families of all sizes and age ranges. From late-night babysitting and all-ages entertainment to customizable air and land arrangements and educational excursions, here are the best cruises for families in 2026. These cruises offer amenities and activities so thoughtful, they’ve become as enjoyable for adults as they are for kids.
Editor’s Picks:
- Best Cruise For Families Overall: MSC Cruises, MSC Seascape
- Best Luxury Cruise For Families: Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Evrima
- Best All-Inclusive Cruise For Families: Royal Caribbean, Wonder Of The Seas
- Best Cruise For Families With Teenagers: Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent
- Best Cruise For Large Families: Princess Cruises, Sapphire Princess
- Best Cruise For Families With Different Interests: Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima
- Best Cruise For Active Families: HX Expeditions, MS Santa Cruz II
Best Cruise For Families Overall: MSC Cruises, MSC Seascape
The MSC Seascape features 11 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges and 13 pools.
Courtesy of MSC Cruises
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MSC Seascape
Recommended Itinerary: 7-Night Western Caribbean From Miami
Departure: July through January
All Star Amenities: 11 dining venues, 13 pools and unique shore excursions such as the Excursions Explorer Package, MSC Bike Adventours and MSC Protectours
With four- to 14-night Caribbean cruises to and from Miami, Brooklyn or Orlando running consistently, MSC Cruises takes the headache away from the planning logistics. Its newest ship, MSC Seascape, has everything a family could need onboard: 11 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges, 13 pools and water activities and more. For children up to 17 years old, there are activities such as sports, competitions, parties and more across five different clubs included in the stay. Each club is dedicated to a specific age group, so kids can socialize with those their own age. The ship also offers baby and toddler services, so mom and dad can get some much-needed time to enjoy the cruise’s many dining and entertainment amenities.
Best Luxury Cruise For Families: Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Evrima
Evrima, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Evrima
Recommended Itinerary: 11-Night Barcelona to Rome
Departure: April through October
All-Star Amenities: Full-service spa with a sauna; steam room and quiet areas; onboard classical and jazz performances
It doesn’t get more luxurious than the Ritz-Carlton—on land or sea. For families who want to spend time together but who still want to prioritize a white-glove experience, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has you covered with its first-ever ship, Evrima, which launched late last summer and is limited to suites only. Families will soon find that the real onboard luxury on this ship is the children’s programming: for kids aged 4 to 12, the cruise offers a comprehensive creative program complete with a dedicated, full-time youth counselor for an added fee per session. Take one of the Mediterranean routes (currently, there are 46) and take advantage of the concierge’s customized air, land and hotel arrangements. All you have to do is show up and enjoy the service for which the Ritz-Carlton has become known.
Best All-Inclusive Cruise For Families: Royal Caribbean, Wonder Of The Seas
Wonder of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s most family-friendly ship.
Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Wonder Of The Seas
Recommended Itinerary: 7-Night Eastern Caribbean
Departure: Monthly
All-Star Amenities: Six record-breaking water slides; Surfside, a family-friendly neighborhood; Thrill Island, a waterpark with rock climbing, mini-golf and more
Beyond all-inclusive pricing packages, Royal Caribbean really has it all. On Wonder of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, families can find the Ultimate Abyss, a waterslide that towers over 10 stories high, plus a surf simulator and ziplining for teens. The cruise line’s award-winning children’s program for ages 6 months to 12 years old, Adventure Ocean, includes immersive playrooms and even climbable creations (fees apply for infants six months to 36 months old and late-night programming for ages 3 to 11 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.). For ultimate family time, Royal Caribbean features Surfside, a neighborhood for families to enjoy all day with an aqua park and plenty of dining options, and Thrill Island, an over-the-top waterpark including a redefined rock climbing wall, a mini-golf course and more.
Best Cruise For Families With Teenagers: Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent
Celebrity Ascent
Courtesy of Celebrity Cruise Line
Celebrity Ascent
Recommended Itinerary: 12-Night European Route From Barcelona To Athens
Departure: From May 2024
All-Star Amenities: Spa treatments available for the whole family with separate kid and teen offerings
While Celebrity Cruises has a range of amenities that are fantastic for the whole family (movie nights beneath the stars, cupcake decorating, and beyond), its Camp at Sea program is particularly interesting for more mature children and teens. With over 500 art, culinary, and recreational activities available, the teen-specific category (for those aged 13 to 17 years old) includes silent discos, sports competitions, video game challenges, socialization with other teens onboard, and more. The cruise line is introducing another ship this fall—Celebrity Ascent—that has all of these offerings for kids and teens plus some extra special ones for adults. For example, the state-of-the-art spa includes menus for kids and teens, creating a pampering experience the entire family can enjoy.
Best Cruise For Large Families: Princess Cruises, Sapphire Princess
Sapphire Princess
Courtesy of Princess Cruises
Sapphire Princess
Recommended Itinerary: 7-Day Jeff Corwin’s Nature & Adventure Voyage From Vancouver to Anchorage
Departure: September 6-13, 2023
All-Star Amenities: OceanMedallion, a wearable device which grants access to accommodations and even tracks other members of your party onboard
While Princess Cruises offers routes through the Caribbean, Europe and more, its Alaskan journeys are the cruise line’s crown jewel. Its 7-Day Jeff Corwin’s Nature & Adventure Voyage on Sapphire Princess, in particular, features a fun-filled itinerary from Vancouver through multiple ports in Alaska ending in Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska. Children ages 3 to 12 can participate in Camp Discovery, full of science-based activities associated with the Discovery Channel’s programming lineup, including MythBusters and Shark Week. Kids of any age can meet at their respective lounges (The Treehouse for ages 3 to 7, The Lodge for ages 8 to 12 or The Beach House for ages 13 to 17) to socialize with others, and entire families can partake in Animal Planet-affiliated shore excursions or meet under the stars to enjoy films on the big screen. With so much to do, larger families are sure to be kept busy while learning new things each day.
Best Cruise For Families With Different Interests: Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima
Exterior of Norwegian Prima.
Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
Recommended Itinerary: 9-Day Mediterranean: Italy, France And Spain
Departure: From November 2023
All-Star Amenities: The sheer amount and variety of children’s programming
With posts all around the world, Norwegian Cruise Line offers extensive destination options aptly timed with holiday breaks, including routes through Italy, France and Spain to others between Santorini, Mykonos and Florence. Onboard its over 3,000-passenger Norwegian Prima, expect tons of family-friendly programming: for children 6 months to 4 years of age, there’s the Guppies Program, giving space for children and parents to play; for ages 3 to 12 years old, there’s the Splash Academy that features free, interest-based programming including sports and art; and for teens (13 to 17 years old), the Entourage programming includes video games, movies, music, socializing and more. The cruise line also offers family activities such as mini-golf and scavenger hunts, and adults can enjoy amenities like a spa, casino and theater while their children are supervised.
Best Cruise For Active Families: HX Expeditions, MS Santa Cruz II
MS Santa Cruz II
Courtesy of Hurtigruten
MS Santa Cruz II
Recommended Itinerary: 12-Day South America Expedition Cruise With Stops In Machu Picchu and Galápagos
Departure: Year round
All-Star Amenities: An onboard photographer who shares his tips and tricks for capturing wildlife photography
Based in London, HX Expeditions is a cruise line that clearly understands adventure. Its MS Santa Cruz II ship in particular provides an intimate experience through the Galápagos Islands with just a 90-passenger capacity. Families can choose from a range of routes, including a 7-day route focusing on wildlife starting from a UNESCO World Heritage City, Quito or a 12-day journey tracing Charles Darwin’s footsteps through the natural wonders of the destination. The ship also offers several different accommodation arrangements with cabins for single travelers, couples, and families, as well as common areas to enjoy together including its Sky Deck, Science Center, library, fitness room and hot tub.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted travel team has researched, written and published dozens of cruise guides featuring the best ship to book for every type of cruise style.
- This story was written by Annie Davidson Watson, a former Forbes Vetted contributor and longtime editor in the travel space.
- Our travel team has extensively researched cruises (and personally enjoyed a few), having also published guides to the Best Cruises For Teens, Best Cruises For Adults, Best Luxury Cruises and more.
- The Forbes Vetted travel section is overseen by senior travel editor Sunshine Flint, an experienced travel editor, journalist and avid globetrotter.
About Annie Davidson Watson, Your Family Cruise Guide
- I’m a writer, editor and consultant who has covered luxury travel and cruising for the last ten years. Formerly, I was an editor at Departures, Travel + Leisure, Glamour and more, and I now contribute regularly to both Forbes and Forbes Vetted. I’m also the founder of @littleackbook, a Nantucket-based publication and concierge service. For more, follow me at @anniedavidsonwatson.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
MSC Cruises. In particular, we’re a fan of the MSC Seascape, which has everything a family could need onboard: 11 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges, 13 pools and water activities. For families with teens, we recommend Celebrity’s Celebrity Ascent.
MSC Cruises. In particular, we’re a fan of the MSC Seascape, which has everything a family could need onboard: 11 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges, 13 pools and water activities. For families with teens, we recommend Celebrity’s Celebrity Ascent.
Wonder of the Seas and the newly debuted Icon of the Seas.
