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Why a family cruise is the new beach holiday

Beach break not cutting it? Swap the sands for the sea on a family cruise.
Pulling off the perfect holiday to please all the family doesn’t have to be tricky – enter an All Inclusive Marella cruise. From family-friendly dining to exploring new ports with tots in tow, we’ve nailed every last detail. Cue the new family holiday…

Read on to find out why a family cruise is the new beach holiday, then book your family cruise deal.

1. Top places, ticked off.

Discovering new destinations (and countries) daily – there’s nothing better, right? Whether you’re staying close to home and cruising the Med or heading further afield to the kick-back in the Caribbean, our cruises sail overnight so you can wake up somewhere new every day – and you only have to unpack once. And with our handpicked collection of shore excursions, exploring all a destination has to offer has never been easier. More on our shore excursions later…
Cruise ship with Caribbean coast in the background.

2. Room for everyone 

Worried the whole family won’t fit? No need – lots of our cabins come with either fold-down beds or sofa beds and our family cabins can sleep up to seven people. Plus, our onboard cots are free, so there’s space for everyone to hit the hay. 
Inside plus four berth cabin.

3. Food to please every palette

Think cruise, think basic buffet? Nope. Dining onboard is always top-notch and tailored to the whole clan. Most of our ships have buffet restaurants, with a huge range of tot-approved tastebud ticklers – think pasta, pizza, and ice-cream. You’ll find ‘The Shack’ onboard all our ships, serving up grab-and-go plates like hotdogs, sandwiches and chips. Our chefs can cater to various dietary requirements, too, so you don’t have to worry about dining with us. Whether it’s a BBQ on deck or a more formal affair in one of our speciality restaurants (we see you, Kora La) there'll be empty plates all around. 
Top-down view of food in Kora La.

4. Every type of entertainment

Evenings onboard are never boring – there’s plenty to fill your time while you’re at sea. For little ones, M Crew Live puts on all-singing, all-dancing productions and discos. Plus, there are West End-style shows (we’re the 2024 Wave Awards winner of Best for Entertainment), quiz nights and late-night dancing for big kids without bedtimes. Our top pick?  Movies by Moonlight onboard Marella Explorer – there’s a huge selection of box office blockbusters and Hollywood classics to keep every film fan (big or small) happy.

Want more entertainment inspo? Check out six best things to do on a cruise ship.
Entertainment show in Broadway Show Lounge.

5. Adventure ashore 

Sightseeing off the ship is a (sea) breeze! From snorkelling with stingrays in Antigua to exploring the sights of Palma, our handpicked excursions cater to every type of traveller. Sound good? Once you’ve booked your cruise, you can pre-book excursions before you board on the Cruise Control app, and you’ve got the flexibility to amend or cancel up to 24 hours before for free.
Couple exploring Palma Cathedral.

6. Plenty to keep the kids happy

From toddlers to teens (and everyone in between), pick a ship with loads to do, and you’ll never look back. Our ships – apart from our adults-only Marella Explorer 2 – have a free kids’ club for ages 3 to 11 and a Mini M Club for little ones under three. During the high season, our onboard Fun Fair opens with classic activities like Hook a Duck, Ring Toss and Splat the Rat – how cool is that? From arts and crafts to singing and dancing, there’s plenty to keep them happy from AM to PM while you explore what’s on offer for adults – how does a spa day sound? And if you fancy some family fun on deck, test your skills in the escape room onboard Marella Discovery or work as a team onboard Marella Discovery 2 at the interactive play wall. All our ships come with a minigolf course and swimming pools, perfect for family-friendly fun.
Children doing arts & crafts at the Marella Kids Club.
Fancy booking a family cruise? Take a look here for some inspiration.

Ready to set sail on a family cruise?

Take a look at our top cruise deals. Or, check out our ports of call and meet the Marella fleet for more cruising inspo.

 Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.

Author: Laura Wilkinson

Last updated: 29.11.2024.

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