Why cruising is the perfect family holiday

If your biggest worry when it comes to planning a family holiday is keeping everyone entertained, then a Princess cruise is for you. Onboard all of our ships, there's a sprawling and varied programme of activities that will excite every age group and interest. Children can get stuck into arts, crafts, scavenger hunts, basketball matches, dance classes, ping-pong competitions, gaming tournaments and so much more at our many kids' clubs, while at our Animal Planet events they can even meet local animals such as Alaskan puppies or Caribbean parrots. For adults, there's the option to partake in salsa workshops, yoga classes and wine tasting, work out at the gym, enjoy a treatment at the onboard Lotus Spa or sip cocktails by the pool out on deck. The choice is yours...

There are very few holidays where one day you'll be snorkelling with sea lions in Argentina and a few days later be touring a vineyard in Uruguay, but a cruise is one of them. The sheer abundance of shore excursions available on a Princess cruise will excite, entertain and thrill family members of all ages. Fussy teens will love kayaking at Airlie Beach, Australia, while parents may be keen to make ceviche in Mazatlan, Mexico. Of course, there's the opportunity to make unforgettable memories all together on trips such as rapid rafting on Mendenhall Lake, Alaska, whale-watching in Hawaii or pizza tasting in Naples, Italy. The choice is (very nearly) endless!

When at sea, you'll be in the safe confines of our ships, where our expert crew members are trained and eager to take care of every family member. If you do need to track someone down (the kids are late for lunch again!), with OceanMedallion technology you can see the whereabouts of all family members on the ship and, using the app, you can easily instant-message them.

Planning and prepping for a whole-family holiday can sometimes be stressful, especially when it comes to organising travel tickets and documentation for everyone. But with the Princess MedallionClass app, you can upload your personal information, travel documentation details and any credit cards for onboard purchases while at home, weeks before you set sail. With all of that done before you even reach the port on embarkation day, boarding your cruise ship is a breeze.

So, Grandma is a fussy eater, the kids only eat pasta and you prefer vegetarian options? We've got it covered. Every member of your brood will be enticed by our onboard food offering, which ranges from homemade pasta and pizza to fresh lobster, traditional British afternoon tea to fine Cantonese cuisine, cooked-to-order steak to hand-rolled sushi. No one will be going hungry, trust us. For those who like a tipple or two, our drinks options won't disappoint either – think creative cocktails, hand-selected wines, craft beer and world-renowned spirits.

We don't just offer single or double staterooms on our ships. Perfect for multiple-occupancy lodging, we offer the option of Mini-Suites and larger Suites, which both sleep up to four people, and also Family ‭Suites on selected ships, which feature ‭two interconnecting ‭staterooms and ‭sleep up to eight people. On a Princess cruise, there's no baggage restriction, so if you depart from Southampton (provided you've not travelled by air to get there) you can bring on all the essentials you need, such as toys, special bedding or a changing bag, plus any added extras.