Turning up the dial on family fun

The sail away on a balmy Perth afternoon in mid-April to kickstart a P&O voyage — where cruisers of all ages danced and partied to a rollicking DJ set on the pool deck — is a memory etched of all that is great about cruising.

The 1997-built ship delivered fun for all ages, including the many families on board, with outdoor deck games, a rock-climbing wall, zip-lining, water slides and family-friendly dining.

Family entertainment takes a giant leap on bigger, theme-park-style contemporary ships.

When it comes to “family fun stuff” there’s no limit to what cruise lines will test and add to ships to win bragging rights.

And it seems the strategy, along with the tens of billions invested in new state-of-the-art ships, is a winner, as the latest research by the industry’s peak body Cruise Lines International Association highlights.

It reports a third of cruisers sail with at least two generations, and 28 per cent of them with three or more generations. Further, the 2024 data shows more than a third of cruisers is under the age of 40.

Ship size matters

“Destination” ships, as they’re often referred to, are the domain of big-ship lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney, MSC and Norwegian Cruise Line.

With clever onboard programs and facilities kids, parents, even grandparents can revel in the enjoyment together without having to leave the ship.

Cabin configurations vary from ship to ship but families large and small are well catered for, including interconnected rooms and, in some cases, kitted-out cabins for kids.

It’s made possible by the extra space on board bigger ships measured in gross tonnage. Mega-sized ships don’t just accommodate more people but more attractions, too.

So, depending on which part of the world you’re sailing and on which ship, there are extreme thrills — such as ultra-fast water slides and drop slides, overhanging plank walks, surf simulators, karts, roller coasters, and rock climbing — but also the no-less-adventurous splash zones, gaming arcades, youth clubs, theatre shows and more.

Disney Cruise Line — now sailing from Australia and soon from Singapore — evokes its seven-decade history of bringing joy and entertainment to families through its Disney theme parks, onto its ships.

Onboard entertainment aims to captivate the young and young at heart. On Disney Magic at Sea guests are “immersed in their favourite stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars”.

Expect deck parties, gala dining experiences, interactions with franchise film characters and Broadway-style live theatre shows like Frozen, A Musical Spectacular on ships including Disney Wonder, which now sails from Australia and New Zealand during our summer season..

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean International boldly claimed its new 248,663GT Icon of the Seas — the first of its class — as the “ultimate family vacation” when it debuted in January.

It claims to have the largest waterpark at sea, with six “record-breaking slides” including the tallest waterslide, Frightening Bolt at 85m long, and Pressure Drop — the “first open freefall waterslide on a cruise” at 66 degrees.

Icon’s all-ages aquapark Surfside is a classic multigenerational space where the kids can splash about and parents and grandparents can keep watch close by in the adult pool. There’s also arcade entertainment for all ages, family dining options, and spectacular live shows under its incredible AquaDome.

Icon operates exclusively in the eastern and western Caribbean but the line runs annual summer itineraries from the east coast of Australia, on big ships including Ovation of the Seas.

Carnival too, operates sailings from Australia — Carnival Splendor year-round from Sydney and Carnival Luminosa from Brisbane during summer seasons Down Under.

A Carnival insider tells us there’s about 45 daily activities “designed to entertain all ages”.

There’s Dr. Seuss at Sea-themed cruises, kids’ clubs for all age groups, the WaterWorks aquatic adventure area with giant water slides and games areas. Carnival also runs month-long themed sailings featuring Halloween and Christmas festivities.

“Beyond the pools and spas, families can engage in friendly competition at the onboard basketball court, challenge each other in the games arcade, or enjoy a round of mini golf. There’s also family trivia, karaoke, games and much more,” the Carnival spokesperson says.

They have a point. There’s much enjoyment to be had with old-time favourite cruising activities, too — it’s not all about blockbuster entertainment.

The other key advantage of bigger ships is there are also venues exclusively for adults — nice for couples or small groups to enjoy some time out while the kids are being entertained at dedicated kids’ facilities.

So with innovation continually dialling up excitement levels on big ships and more choice than ever, it is no surprise to see a third of cruisers choosing the high seas for family holidays.