Relaxing on a cruise with kids

One of the challenges on a cruise, or anywhere really, is how to relax with kids. The library lets you check out various games and we tried most of them. We also attempted to rest on deck with varying amounts of success.

Our game player loved learning new games.

Don't they look relaxed? This lasted for at least 2 minutes... maybe.

Card games in a lounge. Isn't that what all families do?

Gross motor activities on a cruise

I have already written about the wonderful childcare on the Princess cruise. In addition, there were many other opportunities for gross motor activities on the ship.

How about some croquet?

Those mallets are heavy!

Mini golf

Look at that form!

Playing in the ocean in port.

It was shallow for a really long way out - as in at the point they were at, my knees weren't even getting wet. They loved feeling independent in the ocean. :)

Wordless Wednesday

Ready to play in a piano festival

Princess Cruise Childcare

Wonderful Husband and I love cruising. After the first cruise with the kids wasn't a success, we decided to try a different cruise line. This time we were sailing on Princess Cruises. This was awesome. Let me start with the best part - the kids club. While on the other cruise line our kids hated the kids club and wanted to avoid it, on Princess the kids loved the kids club and begged to go back as often as possible.

An indoor climbing wall for Sweet Monkey Daughter

Climbing structures and slides for Sweet Son

An area for doing art work

This was what they had made/collected/won from the childcare in just the first two days. 

More souvenirs than you would ever expect.

A bigger picture of more of the childcare area. The carpeted area on the right of the photo was used for yoga, running games, and group activities. There were clear toy areas and everything was arranged so nicely to keep kids interested and out of trouble.

They even had this outdoor area to make sure the kids had plenty of ways to run off energy. You might remember this was a huge issue on the other cruise line when they expected the kids to just not have as much energy and we were having to literally make them run laps. On Princess, the kids played outside multiple times a day in addition to all of the gross motor activities inside.

This not to subtle clock was outside the childcare. Our kids loved seeing when they could go back. They might have been waiting for it to open most days. The hours were longer than on the other cruise line, there were more staff members, and our kids came back happy and tired. I would call that a resounding success.