Every year between the ages of 6 and 11, my family and I vacationed on a cruise. As an only child, I especially cherished our annual tradition because of the number of friends I made on every trip — some of whom I stayed pen pals with years later. So I was even more ecstatic to get the opportunity to experience Carnival Vista, my first cruise as an adult. I'm happy to report that the familiar was just as comforting as the upgrades were exciting. My boyfriend and I had the best six days together on board, and I can assure you that you and your children will have an even better time than we did.
On top of the fully equipped arcade, water park, and kid-friendly areas around the ship, every Carnival cruise is nothing short of family fun. There's also shuffleboard and an impressive casino for grandma and grandpa — so bring them along, too! Check out eight reasons why a Carnival cruise is the best option for you and your young ones.
1Carnival caters more toward families during certain times of year.
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The cruise line takes into consideration the number of children on board. For example, the week I sailed (Feb. 16 to Feb. 24) had about 1,300 kids — almost seven times more than the week before. Knowing this, Carnival geared some of its activities for its younger audience, including this surprise appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.
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2You never have to worry about your kids getting lost.
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We met a couple with two young children on the Carnival Vista who told us, "We have no idea where our kids are right now but they can't go too far." I remember experiencing my first taste of freedom on a cruise ship when I was 11 years old. My normally strict parents felt comfortable enough to let me explore the ship on my own with the friends I made. Cruising as an adult and seeing groups of kids running around the ship at midnight brought back so many fond memories.
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3The kids' clubs are awesome.
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My favorite part about cruises when I was younger was always camp. With fun-packed activities scheduled from morning to night, I rarely saw my parents — a win-win. Camp Ocean on Carnival Vista caters to ages 2 to 11 with activities like arts and crafts, trivia, movie nights, games, and more. You don't have to worry about camp counselors not doing their job, either. Every single member of the youth staff is involved in each activity, never chatting away in the corner.
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4Carnival offers babysitting services after hours.
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Want to enjoy date night with your partner? Camp Ocean will watch your kids from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Night Owls) every night for $7 per hour, per child. Your little ones will love being able to stay up past their bedtime with their new friends.
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5There's plenty of fun for your older kids, too.
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If your daughter or son doesn't fall within Camp Ocean's age limits, Circle C caters to 12- to 14-year-olds, while Club O2 is designed for high schoolers between 15 and 17. They'll be able to watch movies, play video games, listen to music, attend dance parties, and more with others their age.
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6There are kids everywhere.
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As long as you cruise during peak seasons (Spring break, Summer break, Winter break, etc.), your child will have no trouble making friends. Even if he or she is the shy type, the ship's close quarters make it difficult to feel left out. On top of featuring kid-friendly areas, every ship offers free pizza and ice cream around the clock — who wouldn't love that?!
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7Every ship was built with kids in mind.
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Carnival Vista broke records with its suspended SkyRide bike track and largest water park of the fleet, but you'll never struggle to find something for your young one on any of the ships. In fact, I can promise you that they'll be the most sad to leave by the end of the week.
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8There's plenty of adult fun on board.
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Though Carnival is fantastic for family vacations, let's also not forget who this trip is really for. While the kids are having a blast at Club Ocean, reclaim some time to yourself at the adults-only Serenity deck, hit the blackjack table, catch the rated-R comedy shows at night, or mingle with other kid-free couples at one of the many bars on board. And when it's time to reunite with your children, the number of activities you can enjoy all together are limitless.
