The 8 Best Kids’ Clubs on Cruises

Taking a cruise with kids can feel like a daunting task. How do you keep them entertained and engaged for days without their usual spaces or routines? One answer lies in the onboard kids club.

With the right program, your little ones can have a blast while you get some well-deserved relaxation time. It is undoubtedly one of the most exciting features of a cruise vacation, offering a variety of engaging activities. These onboard hubs allow kids to socialize and have fun together, usually at no extra cost.

But not all kids’ clubs are equal. To help you out, we will explore various cruise lines’ best kids club options. Knowing your options enables you to make an informed decision and confidently set sail for your family adventure!

Carnival Cruise Line: Camp Ocean

Carnival’s Camp Ocean program will immerse kids in marine life and the ocean environment.

This program has three age groups, and campers participate in activities like scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, and sea-themed parties.

One of these groups is Camp Ocean, catering to children aged 2 to 11 across all 27 Carnival ships. This marine-themed play area seems like an underwater wonderland with over 200 ocean-inspired activities!

Kids in the Penguins group (ages 2 to 5) can enjoy creating miniature play igloos. Meanwhile, the Sting Rays (ages 6 to 8) can engage in Sea Salt Art. As for the Sharks (ages 9 to 11), interactive gaming and other exciting activities are available.

Some ships also have designated spaces like Party Reef for group activities and Creative Corner for arts and crafts sessions. With 11 play varieties, Camp Ocean ensures that children can find activities that interest them.

If you have older children, they can join Carnival’s Circle “C” (ages 12 to 14) and Club 02 (ages 15 to 17). The older teens from Club 02 can come and go and only participate in their chosen activities. Some options are capture-the-flag, jewelry making, and karaoke.

There are also fun, supervised activities like bean bag toss, board games, video games, and themed face painting, which they can enjoy at leisure. There is even a prom they can attend, so pack accordingly!

Carnival also offers family-oriented activities such as Seuss at Sea and “Hasbro, The Game Show.” Additionally, they provide all-ages comedy performances and some of the largest water parks at sea! These interactive experiences are perfect for families to come together and create lasting memories of fun and enjoyment.

There’s also a dedicated Dr. Seuss-themed space for younger kids and a video game room for older ones. The program even includes “Night Owls” extended hours until 1 AM for an additional fee. Parents can even track their kids’ activity schedules through the Carnival HUB app!

Norwegian Cruise Line: Splash Academy

Norwegian’s Splash Academy program is all about choice and creativity. It has different age groups for kids aged 3 to 12, but they can decide which activities to participate in.

The Turtles group (ages 3 to 5) can have a blast at Circus School, parades, and treasure hunts with trained staff. Seals (ages 6 to 9) can learn incredible Circus Skills like plate juggling, take part in fun team-building challenges, and enjoy painting. Dolphins (ages 10 to 12) can try walking on stilts, play sports and video games, and even experience Spy Night.

Parents can take a break and let the kids have supervised entertainment add-ons like Port Play and Late Night Fun Zone.

There is also a special place called Guppies for parents with children under two years old. Here, parents and tots can enjoy sensory activities with music and movement.

At the Norwegian Escapade, there’s even a Guppies Nursery. This amenity offers exceptional care for kids under three years old—for an extra fee.

As for teens aged 13 to 17, they can go to a hangout spot called Entourage. In this place, they can play video games, view films, and compete in sports without adult supervision. At night, teens can join themed dance parties in the teen dance club, like Glow and College Night.

Norwegian Cruise Line also offers fun activities for family bonding! Pizza making, game shows, and trivia nights offer enough variety for different interests. The youth counselors and Cruise Staff ensure everyone has a great time!

Check out Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss, and Norwegian Encore if you want more thrills. These newer ships have exciting features like racetracks, open-air laser tag arenas, and virtual reality and gaming areas.

Disney: Oceaneer Club and Ocean Lab

As expected, Disney knows something about entertaining kids; their kids’ clubs are no exception! Disney’s cruise lines have two primary clubs for children aged 3 to 12: the Oceaneer Club and the Ocean Lab.

While these two are separate clubs, they are interconnected, allowing kids to explore and visit friends and family. One of the highlights is Andy’s Room, inspired by Toy Story, which is on all four ships in Disney’s Oceaneer Club. But if you are planning to go on the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic, prepare to be amazed as it takes on a multi-level design!

All-in-all, these clubs offer a range of activities to fuel kids’ imaginations. You will find character performances, dress-up, storytelling, games, and crafts. Your kids will experience whimsical Disney storytelling through popular activities like Toy Story Boot Camp, Jedi Training on the Disney Dream, and Become Iron Man on the Disney Magic.

There is also Marvel Super Hero Academy, Star Wars-themed areas, and the Magic PlayFloor on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream. They can race cars like Lightning McQueen on this interactive floor or soar over London with Peter Pan!

Disney’s kids’ clubs boast extended operating hours at sea! Disney’s Oceaneer Club even provides lunch and dinner options on select days. These options allow parents to indulge in fantastic adult-only dining experiences.

Another family favorite is the “It’s A Small World” Nursery, Disney’s offering for its youngest passengers. Toddlers will be delighted by interactive toys, such as horns and wheels, and a quiet area at the back of the nursery for nap time.

You will even find a one-way mirror that lets parents check on their little ones without disturbing their playtime. But the best part is this amenity’s affordable rates for essential baby and toddler care while you are at sea!

Tweens and teens have trendy hangout spaces on all four Disney cruise ships: Edge and Vibe.

Edge is for ages 11 to 14, while Vibe caters to ages 14 to 17. High-tech entertainment, interactive activities like DJ lessons, improv, and a coffee bar and smoothie station ensure that older kids have a memorable experience.

Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, also features exclusive areas for kids. Scuttle’s Cove is a play area for ages 3 to 12, with dedicated counselors to facilitate exploration. There is also a teen Hide Out and supervised activities for tweens, ensuring that children of all ages have a fantastic time during their Disney cruise.

P&O Cruises: Turtle Cove, Shark Shack, and HQ

In P&O, there are kids’ club programs across all their ships. Notably, this cruise liner developed these programs with input from professional childhood educators. Their meticulous attention to detail ensures that onboard activities are enjoyable and educational!

P&O also maintains a limited number of children on each cruise. This aspect ensures that every child receives high care and individual attention.

Its kids’ club program has four age categories: Turtle Cove and Shark Shack (ages three to ten) and HQ and HQ+ (ages eleven to fifteen). These programs’ diverse activities include toys, educational games, crafts, and talent shows. Older children can watch movies, play video games, attend themed parties, and do karaoke.

For teenagers who have a passion for music, Teen Jam provides a platform to express their musical interests. Additionally, junior film enthusiasts can take part in BroadShorts. This program allows teens to create stop-motion movies.

With these exciting offerings, P&O ensures that children of all ages have a memorable and enriching experience during their cruise vacation.

Celebrity Cruises: The Fun Factory

Celebrity Solstice offers a comprehensive youth program that provides organized activities for kids of all ages from 9 AM to 10 PM every day.

The Fun Factory, designed for kids aged three to eleven, is divided into separate programs: Shipmates, Cadets, and Ensigns. Children can engage in exciting games, sports, crafts, music, karaoke, treasure hunts, theme parties, movies, and more!

There is also a Toddler Time program for children under three. However, parents must accompany their tots for the entire duration.

The X-Club caters to teenagers aged twelve to seventeen. It offers a teen hangout with a soft drink “bar,” a popcorn machine, various social activities, gaming consoles, and sports.

Celebrity Solstice also provides lunch, dinner, and slumber parties for children aged three to eleven. With this, parents can enjoy some alone time in the evenings!

Royal Caribbean: Adventure Ocean

Royal Caribbean offers Adventure Ocean, a program specifically designed for kids aged 3 to 17. Note, however, that young kids must be potty-trained. Childcare professionals host this kids’ club, focusing on fun activities for young kids and relaxing spaces for teens.

Kids can enjoy hands-on activities in science, art, and theater. There are fantastic workshops like the Wacky Water Workshop and volcano experiments.

Adventure Ocean has three different age groups:

• Aquanauts (ages 3 to 5): Little ones can have fun with space night, finger painting, and bingo.
• Explorers (ages 6 to 8): Kids can join in pajama night, talent shows, and fun nicknames.
• Voyagers (ages 9 to 11): Older children can sing karaoke, go on scavenger hunts, and play crazy tag games.

Teens aged 12 to 14 can enjoy video games, pool parties, scavenger hunts, and sports tournaments. Meanwhile, older teens aged 15 to 17 can enjoy activities like Casino Night, DJ training, and Battle of the Sexes competitions. All teens can also take part in exciting island activities for teens, such as beach volleyball and water balloon toss.

For parents with little ones aged six months to 36 months, the Royal Babies drop-off nursery is available on select ships. Also, the Toy Lending Program is excellent for families who want to travel light but still provide their little ones with engaging toys. And parents who want to play and create art with their children can use Free-Time Play and the Royal Tot Art Program.

Another fantastic feature at Royal Caribbean is My Time Family Dining. Here, families can start meals together then kids can go to Adventure Ocean after eating. This way, parents continue their dining experience without interruptions.

Parents who want to engage in late-night quality time with each other can avail of the Late Night Group sitting service. This amenity is available from 10 PM to 2 AM, ensuring plenty of fun for parents!

Princess Cruises: Fun Zone

At Princess Cruises, the Princess Kids Fun Zone has a world of fun prepared for kids aged three to 17! Here, a team of enthusiastic and experienced youth staff runs the facilities.

The Fun Zone offers a variety of imaginative and age-appropriate activities. Your kids can choose gaming consoles like Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox. There’s also a wide variety of board games for everyone to enjoy! Let them know to hang around for themed nights for extra excitement!

Princess Cruises has partnered with Discovery to introduce more activities that inspire children. Kids can immerse themselves in science experiments popularized by Mythbusters and engage in arts and crafts inspired by Animal Plane. It is noteworthy that the California Science Centre endorsed the design-a-solar system activity!

On the other hand, teens can participate in various activities at the Remix Lounge, such as Zumba, karaoke, and trivia quizzes. They can also enjoy video games, access the movie library, and play board games. The lounge provides a perfect space for teens to relax and have fun during the cruise.

MSC Cruises: Mini Club, Junior Club, Young Club, and Teens Club

MSC Cruises provides various dedicated kids’ areas across their ships, offering exciting options for children of different ages.

For parents with babies, MSC Baby Time offers a chance to play and connect with other families who have children of similar ages. It has Chicco toys for little ones and even holds Mini Olympic Games for friendly competition.

Additionally, MSC offers the MSC Babycare service. Parents can leave their 1- to 3-year-olds under supervised care for an additional fee.

The Mini Club is perfect for children aged 3 to 6, while the Junior Club is for pirates aged 7 to 11. In these clubs, professional staff members oversee various engaging activities. Kids can build with LEGO bricks and do arts and crafts, dance performances, sports, and video games.

Tweens and teens have dedicated spaces on board with the Young Club (ages 12 to 14) and Teens Club (ages 15 to 17). While still supervised, older kids can engage in various activities such as sports tournaments, dance contests, and even beauty treatments!

They can also participate in fun events like flash mobs, karaoke sessions, and a teen party (where teens dress in all-white attire). There is even a teen prom to ensure a memorable experience and opportunities to make new friends.

When families want quality time together, MSC cruise ships offer the DOREMI Studio. In this dedicated lounge, families can gather and have memorable bonding experiences! It includes a green screen for talent shows and a family disco, providing an entertaining space for everyone. So, get ready to groove and have a blast!

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