While all the best cruise lines for families offer a little bit of everything, how do you pick which one is right for your next cruising vacation? Each cruise line offers extensive amenities, onboard entertainment, and attractions for families, so it comes down to what you want out of your cruise. Check out our in-depth guide comparing Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival cruise lines in the categories you care most about, like amenities, dining, attractions, and more.
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Atmosphere
What’s the vibe when you’re onboard a Disney, Royal Caribbean, or Carnival cruise? We compare them below:
Disney
All Disney cruises are filled with Disney details and its world-renowned service, from bow to stern. Whether you’re traveling to Alaska or the Caribbean, you participate in themed activities from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel the entire length of your cruise. Disney ships are smaller than cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, giving them a boutique, premium atmosphere.
Royal Caribbean
If you want adventure, thrills, and some time to chill, Royal Caribbean has it all! With the largest cruise ships in the world, its newest ships provide theme-park worthy adventure and thrills without ever leaving the ship. With many types of staterooms and jaw-dropping onboard attractions, Royal Caribbean blends high-energy thrills with relaxing spaces, with genuinely something for everyone.
Carnival
Carnival is known for its casual, lively atmosphere and laid-back attitude. Carnival offers fun activities night and day, with many ways to get out and get to know fellow cruisers. With a variety of deck parties, comedy clubs, and lounges, there’s always something to do. Social butterflies will thrive here, whether you’re traveling with a small group for a ladies’ getaway or planning a family reunion.
Accommodations
After a day of adventure, you’ll want to retreat to a comfortable stateroom with space for everyone in your family. Here’s how the best cruise lines for families compare when it comes to staterooms and accommodations:
Disney
Staterooms on Disney Cruise Line are designed with families in mind. They’re more spacious than other family-oriented cruise lines, offering amenities like split bathrooms, which allow multiple people to get ready at once. Concierge-level rooms that provide the most luxurious accommodations on board, with a host of amenities to make you feel like royalty.
Royal Caribbean
With a large fleet and a wide variety of room options, Royal Caribbean offers the most versatile stateroom accommodation options. Some ships offer more than 25 different room types onboard, from interior rooms featuring “virtual balconies” to three-story family townhouses that come with a personal concierge.
Carnival
Carnival offers the best value for interior cabins when comparing the best cruise lines for families. Looking for a view? Opt for an ocean view or balcony, which are also bigger than interior rooms. Suites options are available, but come with fewer perks than booking a suite on a Disney or Royal Caribbean cruise.
Kids Clubs
Kid-only areas are vital when comparing the best cruise lines for families. Each cruise line offers dedicated drop-off programs for kids between the ages of 2 and 17. Programs are run by highly-trained childcare staff with a strict registration process to ensure safety.
Disney
Disney Cruise Line has top-notch kids’ areas on all its ships. The Oceaneer Club is a premier kids program that allows parents to drop off children aged 3 to 12 into immensely Disney-themed spaces. Kids can interact with their favorite Disney characters in spaces with Star Wars, Marvel, and princess themes. There are dedicated spaces for tweens and teens, too. There are also kid-only spaces on Disney’s private islands, so you can enjoy the adult activities knowing your children are in good hands.
Royal Caribbean
Adventure Ocean aboard Royal Caribbean has specific programs catered to children of different ages. Children have dedicated spaces to play catered to their developmental abilities, from Aquanauts (3-5 year olds) to Voyages (9-11 year olds). There are also separate programs for tweens and teens. Inside Adventure Ocean, kids can experiment in a science lab, perform in talent shows on a stage, explore their creativity through arts and crafts, and more. As an added bonus, Adventure Ocean is open during port days, allowing you to enjoy an adult-oriented excursion at one of Royal Caribbean’s ports of call.
Carnival
Carnival cruises also offer drop-off programs for children between 2 and 11. Carnival’s “Seuss at Sea” partnership provides various Dr. Seuss activities like character parades, a Seuss-themed breakfast, storytimes, and crafts that bring children’s favorite Dr. Seuss stories to life. There is also a late-night drop-off program (for an additional fee) that provides childcare until 1:00am nightly. The kids’ programs are also available on port days. There are dedicated clubs for tweens and teens with onboard video games, movie theaters, karaoke, and dance parties.
Onboard Attractions
The best cruise lines for families offer attractions that rival any amusement park. Here are the types of attractions you can expect on each of these cruise lines.
Disney
Wholesome family fun is at the core of onboard attractions on Disney cruises. Attractions are highly themed to individual Disney storylines, with an emphasis on family activities and several adult-only spaces. Disney Cruise Line’s signature onboard attraction is the AquaDuck and the AquaMouse, which is part-roller-coaster, part-water-raft-ride through transparent tunnels that propel you around the ship’s upper decks.
Royal Caribbean
With the largest ships in the world as part of its fleet, there’s ample space for record-breaking attractions onboard Royal Caribbean ships. You can fill your days at sea with thrilling adventures like rock climbing, arcades, carousels, ice skating, surf and sky-diving simulators, and zip lines. Some of the newest ships feature Category 6, a full-scale waterpark with several at-sea firsts, like the tallest drop slide at sea, the first duo-mat racing slide at sea, and the first family raft ride at sea. There are countless other attractions onboard select ships too, such as The Ultimate Abyss™, the tallest dry slide at sea; North Star®, a suspended viewing capsule that gives you 360° views over 300 feet above sea level; and Crown’s Edge℠, half obstacle-course, half zip line off the side of the ship.
Carnival
Carnival offers a variety of onboard attractions, including several waterslides, the signature BOLT® coaster, and SkyRide, a suspended bike track over the ship’s upper decks. There are also many pools, arcades, and whirlpools onboard.
Entertainment
Entertainment onboard these top cruise lines for families is as unique as the cruise line itself.
Disney
Disney Cruise Line offers high-production value theatrical performances aboard its ships. There are a variety of original shows featuring compilation-style acts with Disney characters, as well as full-scale theatrical performances of beloved Disney stories like Tangled, Frozen, and Hercules. Each ship also has at least one movie theater on board that shows first-run Disney movies. Disney characters show up throughout your cruise during deck parties, in the Grand Hall, and at the private island destinations. Disney is also the only cruise line to offer fireworks at sea, which occurs once during every sailing during Pirate Night.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean offers the most variety of entertainment on board its ships. Olympic-level divers, swimmers, and ice skaters perform a variety of original shows at the onboard AquaTheater and ice skating rink. Several Royal Caribbean ships also feature full-scale Broadway productions straight from New York, like Back to the Future: The Musical, Grease, Mamma Mia, and The Wizard of Oz.
Carnival
Carnival cruises offer traditional stage shows and revue-style performances aboard its ships. There are also a wide variety of comedy shows, revues, and lounges. You can also stop by a dive-in movie onboard, or participate in some of your favorite game shows like Family Feud and Deal or No Deal.
Dining
Each cruise line has a unique take on dining on board a cruise ship. Like most major cruise lines, the majority of your food is included with your cruise fare. Here is how each cruise line differs in dining.
Disney
One of the primary differences between Disney and other cruise lines is rotational dining. Each night of your cruise, you rotate between three primary dining halls onboard, each with a different and unique Disney theme. For longer cruises, you may experience the same location twice, but each night has a unique feel. Options include dinner-theater style dining at Arendelle, Plaza de Coco, or Pride Lands; fine table service at 1923; and immersive animation at Animator’s Palate. There are also several specialty and adult-only venues onboard, such as Palo and Enchanté. Many buffet and counter service food options are included with your cruise fare, as well. Another bonus for Disney is that soft drinks are included in your cruise price, which is typically an upcharge on other cruise lines. A limited room service menu is available to all guests aboard Disney cruises.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean offers traditional dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the ship’s primary dining room, along with a variety of buffet and counter service options. Royal Caribbean also provides the most specialty dining venues, with options including sushi, Italian, and steak. Every cruise also has a formal night. There are also several beverage packages that offer liquor, beer, wine, and soft drinks.
Carnival
Carnival puts the fun back into cruise dining, with many onboard eateries that are backed by famous celebrities, such as Shaq’s Big Chicken, Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint, Emeril’s Bistros at Sea, and Rudi’s Seagrill. Main dining room seating occurs nightly, but is a more casual affair than other cruise lines.
Private Island Destinations
Nearly every major cruise line has a private island destination. We go in depth about these private islands in this blog post, but here is a general overview of each cruise line’s options:
Disney
Disney has two private island destinations in the Bahamas: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay. Castaway Cay is Disney’s original location and offers Disney-themed Caribbean fun, while Lookout Cay celebrates the unique culture of the Bahamas through its architecture, food, and entertainment. Many cruises travel to one or both of these locations. Each port of call offers an outstanding beach, kid play areas, adult-only spaces, excursions, and several eateries that are included with your cruise fare. You also have the added benefit of island purchases to your stateroom.
Royal Caribbean
Perfect Day at CocoCay, a mile-long stretch of land in The Bahamas, offers thrilling activities for the whole family. Your cruise fare grants you access to five beaches for relaxation and sunbathing, or you can enjoy the island’s full-scale waterpark, home to the Caribbean’s tallest waterslide. For adults, Hideaway Beach provides a pool with a swim-up bar and a live DJ.
Royal Caribbean will open Perfect Day Mexico in Costa Maya in 2027. There are also several Royal Beach Clubs in the works at several popular ports, offering a day of all-inclusive, resort-like experiences.
Carnival
Carnival also has two private island locations: Half Moon Cay™ hosts cruisers from Carnival and Holland America. Carnival-led excursions include eco-bike tours, horseback riding, bird watching, and snorkeling in addition to its large beach area (with some of the calmest waters in the Caribbean). Celebration Key, Carnival’s newest private island experience, opened this summer. Spanning 65 acres, it has expansive lagoon-style pools (one for families, one for adults), various restaurants and bars, sports courts, a splash pad, and a dedicated shopping district.
Book The Best Cruise Lines for Families with Wishing On A Star Travel
Whether you’re looking for thrilling adventures, the magic of bringing your favorite stories to life, or want incredible value with excellent amenities, we can help you plan and book your next cruise vacation. We take all the steps out of cruise planning so you can just pack your bags and go! Want more cruise news and travel tips? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow along with us on social media.
