It may come as a surprise to you to know that there are romantic cruises that parents can enjoy to celebrate Valentine's Day and beyond should they also wish to bring their children along as well. So, why not combine a cruise just for two with a family one?
Disney Cruise Line
Probably the most obvious family voyage to come to mind is a Disney Cruise Line one and for good reason. Disney is the industry leader in keeping parents and children alike well-entertained both onboard and off, and it's not necessarily all about enjoying every activity together, although you certainly could if you'd like.
While there are plenty of things to participate in together, there are also exclusive venues for both kids and adults. In fact, Disney has no casino onboard its ships to dedicate that much more space to massive immersive kids clubs, and thankfully there's plenty of room left over for venues exclusive to adults also.
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While the kids are off having the time of their lives with Mickey and the gang in the Disney's Oceaneer Club or Disney's Oceaneer Lab, parents (or adults without children) can head for their own entertainment districts, cafes, bars, restaurants and pool decks for a moment to themselves. On the lower levels, a nightclub features everything from dancing to stand-up comedians, and themed bars offer fun escapes to spend an evening with a cocktail in hand.
Meanwhile, upstairs an adults-only pool and cafe area await, and one or two specialty restaurants make for the perfect romantic meal, either for delicious Italian or French cuisine, to peer into each other's eyes over candlelight and perhaps a souffle too.
Lower Priced Alternatives
Of course, Disney is truly a premium line priced more on par with Celebrity Cruises and Holland America Line, and its overall quality matches those as well. So, if you'd prefer a cheaper alternative, standard competitors such as Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International may be more to your liking, or at least your wallet's liking.
Like Disney, these others offer venues for the kids to enjoy while parents are off enjoying their own amorous time.
Carnival also has its Sanctuary deck just for adults across the fleet to take advantage of the outdoors, and Royal Caribbean International has plenty of upscale dining venues, particularly on its largest vessels like the new Harmony of the Seas, to enjoy special culinary moments without the offspring.
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Ship-Within-a-Ship
Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises are both unique for offering ship-within-a-ship experiences onboard many of their ships. Essentially guests can book higher end cabin and suite categories to be granted privileged access to exclusive venues. Now, technically even children in said accommodations can take advantage of the private pools, observation lounges and restaurants. Generally, the experience here is more akin to a luxury line one.
Still, these brands afford parents perhaps more accustomed to luxury lines the chance to bring their kids or grandkids along in less expensive staterooms below-with a guardian, of course-freeing up adults to potentially enjoy their own upscale spaces while the kids enjoy entertainment suited just to them. It's a unique win-win found in the cruise industry.
Of course, the other benefit of parents taking their kids along for the ride is the chance to enjoy experiences together as well, and the freedom always exists therein to enjoy as much or as little as a family unit, whether that be onboard or ashore.
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