“Where’s Emma?” I asked my husband as we enjoyed a pre-dinner drink on our Cunard cruise to the Canaries. He wasn’t entirely sure.
She’d been enjoying herself at the Kids’ Club all afternoon and had made friends with a young girl a couple of years older than her whose father was an officer onboard. “Oh, I saw your daughter a few minutes ago,” said a lady at the next table. “She was singing her heart out doing karaoke in the Golden Lion!”
I suppose we should have felt guilty, but Emma had taken to cruising like a duck to water and we knew she was in safe hands. We went to retrieve her from the pub, where she was singing Celebration at the top of her voice and, lemonade in hand, she happily joined us for dinner.
This was some 20 years ago. Now that Emma is all grown up and has two children of her own, we can’t wait to have a family cruise: with three generations enjoying a holiday together.
The world of cruising is eminently well suited to different age groups travelling together; there is so much space and opportunity for everyone to do their own thing when they feel like it. Released from the daily grind of shopping, cooking, cleaning and work - and with grandparents on hand to act as on-call babysitters - parents can sit back and relax or join in the fun with their children. Granny and Grandpa, meanwhile, can either take it easy (pleading age as an excuse) or immerse themselves in family life.
There is just so much to do on a cruise ship, and the choices are getting more and more exotic. If you fancy ice skating at sea or even a ride on the dodgems, then Royal Caribbean International is where you should look.
There are ships with huge climbing walls, swimming pools with surf waves and unbelievable water slides, croquet lawns, tennis courts, mini golf, pickleball and quoits… plus shopping malls that take your breath away.
Celebrity Cruises runs Camp at Sea, catering for four separate age groups from three up to cool teens, who can enjoy video games, sports competitions and silent discos. Parents and grandparents, meanwhile, might just like to lay by the pool, enjoy the spa or maybe take part in wine tasting, glass blowing or going to hear one of the many talks on a whole variety of topics.
People who have never cruised sometimes imagine that two weeks on a ship could become boring. “Never!” Is my answer. Every year seems to bring new ideas: you can now find a zip line onboard and bungee trampolines and go-karts. There is simply no end to the choices available.
And if the grandchildren are too young to join in evening activities, most kids’ clubs host drop-off parties, so their parents and grandparents can enjoy leisurely dinners. Some ships also offer babysitting services. Holidaying together on shore can so often be a bit of a tussle around trying to keep three generations entertained and happy. On a cruise ship, it’s all laid on for you: something for every age group and ability.
Meanwhile, there is fabulous food to enjoy whenever you want it, space to get away from one another if you need it and - let’s not forget - the wonderful bonus of new ports of call to explore almost every day of your adventure at sea.
