Is Taking Kids on a Cruise a Good Vacation Idea?

Consider the Cost

• For many families, cost is a deciding factor for evaluating vacation plan options. If you live within driving distance to the ship's docking location and can eliminate the often cost-prohibiting flight, you can save a large piece of your budgeting puzzle. The upfront cost of your cruise varies dramatically between less than $100 per day per person to as high as $4,000 or more for your group. Keep in mind such budgetary concerns as babysitting fees, activity costs and other somewhat hidden expenses when deciding whether you can afford a cruise, remembering that cruises, especially those designed for families, have an incredible number of things to do for free as part of your package.

Keep the Kids Busy

• Cruise lines, knowing that your children will be on board for three days to two weeks, offer many entertainment options to keep the kids busy. Disney Cruises, for example, has the Disney's Oceaneer Club for 3- to 7-year-olds and Disney's Oceaneer Lab for 8- to 10-year-olds with age-appropriate fun for these groups all day long. The company has swimming pools, 3D movies and live performances throughout the ship. Similarly, Carnival has mini-golf, poolside movies, Internet cafes and a host of other amenities with the kids in mind. Royal Caribbean offers the DreamWorks Experience, an entertainment theme based around such family classics as Shrek and other DreamWorks Animation films. Don't forget that, as entertaining as your ship is, you will typically still have fun and exciting port-of-call experiences such as shopping and scuba diving.

Safety First

• The safety of your kids is always a valid concern. You are in a confined space with hundreds or thousands of others cruising across the ocean. Such concerns as storms, equipment malfunctions and onboard illnesses are made worse by thoughts of the Titanic tragedy and high-profile media accounts. Very few cruises have these problems, especially compared to the thousands that do not. Cruises have sophisticated weather monitoring equipment to avoid storms. While any ship could technically sink, the number of large commercial cruise lines that have sunk are incredibly small. Noroviruses, while a valid concern due to the number of people on board and the infectious nature of the illness, can be reduced with proper hand-washing and general cleanliness. Cruise companies, knowing the bad publicity and poor consumer experiences that are caused by these illnesses, have stringent policies for protecting you.

Is a Cruise the Right Fit?

• Consider your kids' unique needs when evaluating whether to take them on a cruise. Babies do not cruise for free and will likely not remember anything about the cruise. Babies are often used to a daily schedule that will be different than the cruise. Older kids may have some trouble unplugging from the digital lifestyle they have at home, but many cruises offer Internet access to stay in touch with social media. If you have unruly kids, you may experience problems with neighboring cabins and may find it harder to discipline your kids while on a cruise.