According to recent reporting, the cruise industry appears to be headed for calm sailing. According to a Cruise Lines International Association report, cruise travel is one of the tourism sectors with the fastest growth rates.
Furthermore, 47% of respondents to a Condé Nast Traveller poll conducted in October stated they would be interested in travelling aboard a ship.
U.S. News and World Report released its ranking of the top family cruises for 2023 in October. Out of 17 of the most well-known ocean cruise companies, the research ranked the top five ships and assigned a rating of one to five.
The cruise lines were evaluated by U.S. News and World Report according to the following categories:
- The overall score for each line
- The overall rating of travellers by “families with kids”
- The percentage of reviews on Cruiseline.com written by families
Families have to account for at least 20% of a cruise line’s overall traveller reviews in order for it to be listed here.
No. 1 cruise for families: Disney Cruise Line
With a rating of 4.46, Disney Cruise Line is the greatest cruise line for families.
Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish are the five ships in the cruise line’s fleet. Disney Treasure, the sixth ship, is scheduled to launch in December 2024.
Families praise Disney for its whimsical features and well-appointed staterooms, the research says. Disney ships range in size, but all of them promise about one crew member for every three passengers, the research states.
Customers of Disney Cruise Line can take journeys lasting two to fifteen nights to destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia, and the Pacific.
Disney Cruise Line provides movie theatres, themed pools and youth clubs on board. In addition, guests can enjoy Disney-themed major dining rooms, character meet-and-greets, and entertainment with a Disney theme.
According to the survey, Disney Cruise Line is generally more costly than other cruise lines that cater to families. NerdWallet states that if you’re planning a trip, you should budget at least $1,000 for a cruise for two people, and the cost will increase from there.
The top 5 family-friendly cruise lines
- Disney Cruise Line
- Royal Caribbean International
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- MSC Cruises
With a rating of 4.17, Royal Caribbean International is the second-best cruise line for families.
The cruise company will have 26 ships in service as of 2022, in addition to two privately held resorts, Labadee on Haiti’s northern coast and Coco Cay, a private island in the Bahamas.
2019 saw the announcement of Royal Caribbean International of the plan to launch a private island in the South Pacific.
There are two to 28 nights in each itinerary. Additionally, The Ultimate World Cruise, which spans 274 nights and visits more than 60 countries, is available from Royal Caribbean International.
With a rating of 3.90, Carnival Cruise Line is the third-best cruise option for families.
Carnival operates 25 ships that sail from places across the world, including as New York, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, and other cities. Among the destinations the cruise line provides voyages to include Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Similar to Disney, there is around one crew member for every three passengers on a Carnival ship.