Cruising has long been considered one of the most affordable vacation options for families. For one low price, you can secure your room on the ship along with all your meals and certain types of entertainment. And if you can avoid airfare by driving to the port of departure, you can save even more.
Many cruise lines offer added perks like supervised kids’ clubs, nightly shows, and formal dinners to lure families in. Special amenities and activities mean families can get more bang for their buck. Several cruise lines in particular make it easier for families to save, with kid-friendly policies or rates, and cheaper cruise fares over all. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Cruises)
1. MSC Cruises
Italian line MSC Cruises offers seven-night Caribbean cruises starting at $399 per person. Many packages also come with onboard credits and free Wi-Fi. But families with kids score even more when it comes to affordability. Unlike some other cruise lines that charge full or reduced fares for children, MSC Cruises has a “kids sail free” policy for some cruises.
The fine print states:
“Kids 11 and under at time of sailing cruise free on select sailings. Kids must sail as third/fourth guests when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare paying adults to qualify to cruise for free.”
On cruises where kids sail free, the cruise line notes, families are still responsible for taxes and port dues.
Although MSC Cruises is a European cruise line, it offers several cruises departing from Miami. On the MSC Divina, for example, you can cruise from Miami to the eastern Caribbean, or choose an itinerary that makes stops in both Central and South America.
(See also: Are All-Inclusive Vacations and Cruises Worth the Money?)2. Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival offers a wide range of cruise itineraries from various ports in the U.S., with fares as low as $279 per person. A quick, four-day cruise in August out of Mobile, Alabama, for example, sails the western Caribbean with a stop in Cozumel, Mexico for just $309 per person for an interior room.
Kid-friendly amenities depend on the ship, but can include water parks, arcades, and splash pads. All Carnival cruises offer a supervised kids’ club (for free) to give adults time for a break…
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