We’ve been talking about travel again. Not the frantic, jump-on-a-plane-with-hand-luggage kind. The sort where time feels slower, and everything doesn’t need to be planned down to the minute. It’s the kind of travel we haven’t really done before, something not just for the kids, or just for us, but for everyone.
And that’s how the idea of a family cruise quietly crept into the conversation.
If I’m honest, it’s something I used to mentally file under “not for us.” Cruise ships seemed enormous, scheduled, and possibly a bit too polished. We usually look for places with space to explore, moments to get a bit lost, and the option to sit on a quiet bench somewhere with snacks. A cruise didn’t exactly fit that picture, until recently, when we started thinking about what kind of holiday we actually need right now.
The Pull of Simplicity
There’s something increasingly appealing about not having to pack and repack bags every few days. No changing hotels or navigating unfamiliar public transport with a buggy and three water bottles. The idea of staying in one room, waking up in a new place, and having meals just happen is… very tempting.
I’ve read that some cruises now offer family-specific routes that mix port visits with full days at sea. That balance sounds good: a bit of movement, a bit of stillness. And not having to research every restaurant or rush to find toilets in the middle of a city, honestly, that alone makes it worth considering.
What Would the Kids Think?
This part is a bit unpredictable. Sometimes they love the simplest things (like the moving walkway at the airport more than the plane ride itself). I suspect they’d enjoy the novelty of being on a ship. Possibly the bunk beds more than the destinations. But also the freedom to do small things: swim, play, wander (within reason), without us needing to schedule everything for them.
The idea of giving them space to explore while still knowing where they are? That feels like something we haven’t had in a while. A built-in sense of adventure, but with fewer variables to manage.
But Is It Too Structured?
This is still my biggest hesitation. I worry it might feel too rigid, or that we’ll feel “on the clock” all the time. But I’ve been looking into it (mostly out of curiosity, but maybe also a bit of hope), and I was surprised to see how flexible some cruise options seem to be. You don’t have to get off at every port. You don’t have to do formal dinners. There’s space to do very little if that’s what the day calls for.
It’s reassuring to know that people travel this way without turning their holiday into a checklist. Maybe that’s something we could lean into too.
A Note on Practicalities
We’ve started looking into it more seriously now. The kind of room we’d need (with a window, definitely), what’s included, how far in advance things need booking. There are travel companies that specialise in cruise bookings, which has been helpful because they seem to understand that “family travel” can mean a lot of different things such as naps, picky eaters, unpredictable energy levels.
And having someone explain how it all works without trying to push a particular package has made it feel more approachable.
Still Undecided, But Thinking Differently
We haven’t booked anything yet. We’re still in that soft research phase of reading reviews, glancing at maps, asking each other “Would we actually enjoy this?” over dinner while someone spills yoghurt in the background.
But the idea is staying with me. The thought of movement without constant motion. Of new experiences without overstimulation. Of being able to focus on us as a family, without being pulled in all directions. There are also a lot of last minute cruise deals online which would come in useful.
It might not be what we imagined doing this year. But maybe that’s exactly why it could be the right kind of unexpected.