Tips for Traveling Hassle Free on a Cruise with Children

• Get early flights to and from your cruise. You can board the ship and start your vacation as early as 11:30am even though web sites and travel agents will say 3 o’clock. Arrange your flight to arrive for the cruise in the late morning and schedule an early flight for your return home. The earlier the flight for departure, the earlier you get off the ship, making it stress free when traveling with kids. Passengers with later flights have to wait on board with no air conditioning.

• Find the Best Port to Leave Out Of. Royal Caribbean's new Independence of the Seas leaves out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL November through April. This port is across the street from the airport and runs like a well-oiled machine getting the 4,370 Independence passengers off the ship. Independence’s sister ship, Freedom of the Seas leaves out of Port Canaveral, FL and is a very clean port with safe parking that’s easy to get in and out of for those driving to and from the cruise. There is a cost per day to park. San Juan, Puerto Rico was our least favorite port and would be a nightmare with small children. The airport is dirty and early flights home are hard to get.

• Bring a DVD Player. The only TV for kids in the rooms is Cartoon Network, which I do not like. We wished we had brought a DVD player and a few DVDs since there was an easy hook up to the TV.

• Best Times of the Year to Take a Cruise with Kids. It’s a given you’ll find lots of kids on a Disney cruise at any time of year, but for Royal Caribbean (a family favorite) – traveling during spring break or the summer months will ensure plenty of kids to play with at the pool.

To check availability and rates prices on cruise lines, go to Cruises.

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