Suggestions for multi-generational trip on cruise

[Anonymous]

I want to plan a cruise vacation with my in-laws and my family, but I've never been on a cruise so I'm not sure what to consider. My in-laws have mobility issues, and I'm thinking a cruise would a good way to experience a vacation without having to move around too much. I'm less concerned about where the cruise goes and more interested in what it's like on the ship. If I'm stuck on a ship then I'd want the food to be great, and have a water area for my toddler. Maybe a really nice spa, some shows? Departure wise, I'd want NYC or Baltimore. My budget would be 10K all-in for 6 people for one week. What cruise lines can I consider with that budget? I thought about Disney Cruises, but idk. I'm planning a separate vacation to Disney World, it might be too much Disney for me.

[Anonymous]

Here’s my thoughts as someone with in laws with mobility issues too. I would do a resort not a cruise. You can do the pool/ocean with your kid while they sit and watch from their lounge chairs. You can still eat together. Can go walk around shops or market type places if you want, kid in stroller. Excursions could happen depending on which ones you do……. You don’t have to all be together Al the time but still see each other enough.

[Anonymous]

Cruises are perfect for this. We have done two with my mobility-challenged parents.

The key is to pick one that caters to the multi-generational aspect, and to the ages of your kids. In my view, this means Disney if most of the kids are ten or under and Norwegian if they are older.

Don't worry about "too much Disney" the cruises are completely different.

[Anonymous]

European River cruises are good for mobility issues. Much smaller boats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:European River cruises are good for mobility issues. Much smaller boats.

They often don’t allow kids though.

[Anonymous]

Disney cruise hands down. Something for all ages. They have a toddler area, great shows, good food, meet all your requirements. Happy to help you plan one! I've done 10 of them with my family.

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[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:European River cruises are good for mobility issues. Much smaller boats.

They often don’t allow kids though.

PP is wrong, many definitely allow kids and some even offer certain dates geared specifically toward families. However, OP said Baltimore or NY so this is probably not an option for OP. Still wanted to comment in case someone else reads this.

[Anonymous]

I’m really not sure you can get what you are looking for in a NYC or Baltimore departure. Which of these things are you most iwliling to compromise on? You could do a nice New England/Canada cruise from NYC but probably no splash area for the toddler.

On the food, you’re probably not going to find consistently great food on a cruise especially if you are using NY or DC standards for what is great food. Disney is not really any better than the others. The big advantage of cruise food is that there is big variety and plentiful portions—I am fairly picky about food quality and I always find plenty to keep me happy but it is by smart ordering and being willing to leave stuff on my plate if it’s not up to my standards. I would say the food on most cruises ranges from Applebees to sfogikina depending somewhat on ordering, somewhat on the specific ship, and somewhat on luck of the draw.

Disney is often twice as much as other lines so I’m not sure it’s worth it if your kid is too young to be into it. For shows are you thinking more Broadway, comedy club, or dueling piano bar type shows?

[Anonymous]

Great food and toddler friendly = Disney. Not sure about $10K for 6 people though. Disney shows are Disney quality.

Great food comes on the higher end lines which are usually not toddler friendly. You didn’t mention the age of your toddler. Swim diapers are not allowed in cruise ship pools but can go into the water park area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to plan a cruise vacation with my in-laws and my family, but I've never been on a cruise so I'm not sure what to consider. My in-laws have mobility issues, and I'm thinking a cruise would a good way to experience a vacation without having to move around too much. I'm less concerned about where the cruise goes and more interested in what it's like on the ship. If I'm stuck on a ship then I'd want the food to be great, and have a water area for my toddler. Maybe a really nice spa, some shows? Departure wise, I'd want NYC or Baltimore. My budget would be 10K all-in for 6 people for one week. What cruise lines can I consider with that budget? I thought about Disney Cruises, but idk. I'm planning a separate vacation to Disney World, it might be too much Disney for me.


I think a weeklong Disney cruise, incl transportation and executions, is unlikely for $10k. Maybe you can find a deal, op, if you are very flexible on timing.

For all cruise lines, if your toddler is not toilet trained, they can't use the pools and pretty sure they are not allowed in splash zone areas. If toilet trained, this is not an issue.

Op, we have found reasonable value with NCL. One option with NCL and royal Caribbean is that they sometimes have big suites and depending on your family configuration and timing, you might be able to squish into a two bedroom on an older ship for around that much money. Otherwise,.you can definitely get other cabins for $10k for 6 people. Both leave from NYC area, rcl has a ship from Baltimore also. We did a multi generational cruise from NYC a number of years ago in NCL.the itineraries nearly always stop in Nassau; we all stayed in the ship there.
If you want childcare for your kids, NCL does not have it for under 5.

[Anonymous]

Disney cruises are the best in terms of the comfiest beds and the best entertainment. FYI: no casino. They sometimes depart from NYC.

You’ll have better options in terms of ships with amenities leaving NY/NJ (the Baltimore ships tend to be older).

Celebrity is nicer but also more expensive than Royal Caribbean. Celebrity really isn’t geared towards kids though. For that reason, I’d focus on Royal.

Check out cruises to Bermuda from NJ. They tend to stay put in Bermuda and you use the ship like a resort.

[Anonymous]

Celebrity cruises. We did a multi generation family trip on celebrity and at the time there were four kids under five with us, two grandparents in their 80s, six adults in their fifties, and six of us in our twenties and thirties. It was a lot of fun and celebrity ships are nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great food and toddler friendly = Disney. Not sure about $10K for 6 people though. Disney shows are Disney quality.

Great food comes on the higher end lines which are usually not toddler friendly. You didn’t mention the age of your toddler. Swim diapers are not allowed in cruise ship pools but can go into the water park area.

Disney cruise food is not great. It’s fine — we are going on one this winter. But there’s no way I would call it great, although some items are very good. Like other cruise lines, there are hits and misses but if something is not great just push it aside and eat something else. For whatever reason, I consistently find filet mignon to be very good on cruises. It must be easy to cook en masse. Sadly disney does not seem to have the off menu Indian food that other cruise ships have due to their largely Indian kitchen staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:European River cruises are good for mobility issues. Much smaller boats.

This is a common misconception. While the boats are smaller so thus the mobility issues are less of a problem on them, the boats stop in a new places each day and excursions are not good for those with mobility challenges. And unlike large cruise ships, staying on the boat is not an option (well technically it is, but there is nothing to do). I do think a large cruise is the way to go. People may say to not go out of Baltimore because the ships are smaller, but I think that is where the sweet spot is - a large cruise, but not one of those mega ships. The one that goes to Bermuda and docks there for a few days would be perfect. The ILs could get off the boat and do something gentle, without worrying about time.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the replies. It seems I may have to consider a departure from somewhere else to get better options. I guessing Miami? My DC be would 2 when I plan to go and he doesn't necessarily need any major kids area. He's happy to just walk/run around and play with his own little toys.