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Transatlantic Cruising With Kids: What We Learned on a 12-Day Voyage

Transatlantic Cruising With Kids: What We Learned on a 12-Day Voyage

Last updated: October 27, 2026. This update separates the voyage described here from current cruise, child-travel, and food-import guidance. Date information added October 28, 2026.

First published January 24, 2025. The balcony opening and family stories below describe our earlier cruises, not a new voyage today. Itineraries, fares, onboard programs, age rules and port requirements vary by ship and date; confirm details with the cruise line and relevant authorities. Our opinions about cruise value and the environment reflect our own experience and concerns.

Writing from our balcony deck while the kids are happily secured away in the kid’s club on our 12-day transatlantic cruise has me thinking… why haven’t we done this sooner?  This may be our new favorite vacation!  

We are seasoned travelers who have traveled over a million miles together as a family of seven.  I’ll be upfront that cruises are not my favorite way to see the world.  These moving cities have a lot of environmental grey areas for me with their massive buffets and questionable sewage practices (where does it all go and when?!), but I must say we really enjoy them for a relaxing vacation.

Lots of families steer clear of massive cruise ships for a variety of reasons.. Cabin fever, the crowds (which can be intense at times), the overly touristy feelings in port.  I’ve felt all of these feelings and more, but we’ve found a new niche that we have fallen in love with: the transatlantic cruise.

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Our Cruise Experience as a Family of Seven

We took our first cruise with our entire family when our youngest was only 10 months old.  She slept on a homemade bed in our closet.  It wasn’t a leisurely vacation, but no vacation is easy with five young children 10 and younger.  What we loved was the mix of vacations all in one!  

We could pay for some babysitting for little Grace in the baby club (this was a Royal Caribbean cruise) and get some adult time.  We were able to split time with the kids and get some one-on-one time with the older kids at shows or on-board activities.  We had some great family time at the beach in a port in Mexico.  It was like several vacations in one!

Like an all-inclusive resort, a cruise can bundle different experiences for families. My advice from our own trips: do not choose by the lowest fare alone. Our bargain cruise for two was not a good fit, as I explain below.

Chris and I did a cheap, bargain cruise for just the two of us and didn’t love it.  We were at the bottom of the boat in a room where we could barely do anything besides lying on the bed and watching TV.  It was crowded, and the crowd wasn’t our vibe. Lots of partying, drinking, and we even witnessed a couple getting down and dirty in the ocean right in front of everyone else on the beach!

On our second cruise (and first with kids), we splurged.  We hooked up with a great travel agent that specializes in cruises (we only use a travel agent for cruises at this point), and she introduced us to a “kids sail free” deal on a suite with concierge service.  Having five young kids, we felt this was a screaming deal we couldn’t pass on!  

We did an Aqua Suite on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Mexico and absolutely loved it.  The Magic Genie Service knocked our socks off.  We had specialty access to avoid most crowds, we had free room services with an amazing deck to eat on with our young kids, we came back from port to fresh cupcakes, fruit platters, and drinks waiting for those hungry mouths right in our room, and more.  

Our Magic Genie even picked up our older kids once when we were running late and brought them to our room (I’m pretty sure this is against standard practice, but you get to know your Magic Genie really well, and they make magic happen).

This new cruise experience was unlike any other.  A huge city hotel at our disposal, with quality shows and entertainment, and zero packing and re-packing?  Yes, please.

Since then, we’ve done four more cruises, some with that wonderful Magic Genie and others without, and we’ve found our new sweet spot.  We’ve learned the kids care very little for the port cities, and we think it’s a terrible way to see a new place, too.  

However, getting off the boat for a few hours to explore or booking a GetYourGuide tour in the port city can offer a really fun experience.  The kids love the boat itself with built-in friends and entertainment in the kids club, and mom and dad get some serious relaxation time during those kids club sessions.

What Is a Transatlantic Cruise?

A transatlantic cruise crosses the Atlantic Ocean. Some are repositioning voyages that move a ship between seasonal regions; not every repositioning cruise crosses the Atlantic. Routes, ports and schedules vary, and there is no universal two-sailings-per-year rule. See the cruise line’s current itineraries; Royal Caribbean’s itinerary guide gives examples of transatlantic repositioning sailings. Our earlier claim that cruise ships cannot undergo maintenance in Europe was incorrect.

Repositioning and transatlantic itineraries can have limited dates and cabin configurations. We booked ours more than a year in advance, and when I looked at another sailing eight months ahead, connecting rooms were sold out. That was our experience; availability varies by sailing.

These sailings can sell out well in advance, and you’ll need to pay attention to the itinerary.  We still work as we travel (not independently wealthy over here), and we have to plan carefully for all those days of not being able to work!  As small business owners, this can be tricky.  However, we timed ours over the Thanksgiving holiday when work shuts down for two days anyway, and we lucked out to find a transatlantic cruise at the same time.

These sailings can offer less schedule flexibility than a shorter trip because you follow the ship’s itinerary. If you are currently world schooling, you may also find other families interested in this way to travel. At the time I wrote this, I had just seen a Facebook Worldschooling page post about a group of more than 140 worldschoolers planning to sail from Florida to Europe the following month.

Our earlier family video: 12-Day Transatlantic Cruise.

Reasons We Loved a Transatlantic Cruise With Kids

There is a lot to love about these repositioning itineraries:

• Cost. Our 12-day sailing cost nearly 50% less than a week-long cruise we had taken on the same ship in Greece. That was a comparison between our two bookings, not a general price rule.

• At Sea Days.  As stated above, our kids don’t want to get off the ship!  If they are jiving with the kids club, dragging them off the ship becomes just that.  We embraced the nine at-sea days and all loved it.

• More activities.  The entertainment on the boat doesn’t stop because you are at sea.  If anything, they offered even more!  The kids club went above and beyond to keep the kids entertained all those days in a row.  I expected they might take a day off, but they just kept going. The kids loved it and became close friends with the other kids.

• Fewer people! Some adults told us they had picked that time of year to avoid kids (whoops, sorry for bringing five on board). Our ship seemed to be around 40% capacity, and the quieter feel worked out well for us. We had trouble finding a lunch table once or twice, then started going a little earlier. Passenger loads can differ on each sailing.

Tips for Taking a Transatlantic Cruise With Kids

Planning can save the days when it comes to a long cruise like this.  Some things to consider include:

• Laundry. We found laundry hard to avoid over 12 days. We paid once for an “all you can fit in a bag for $60” offer. There wasn’t much in the bag! We focused on underwear, socks and some very dirty pants for our boys, washed exercise clothes in the shower more than once, and otherwise made it. That was our sailing’s price and arrangement; check the ship’s current laundry options and budget for sea days when going ashore is not an option.

• Boredom.  I was more worried about this than I needed to be.  We really didn’t get bored!  There always seemed to be something going on.  However, I had some backup plans for some board games, movies, books, etc. 

• Pre-downloading media. Wi-Fi on our sailing felt unreliable and expensive, so I recommend downloading entertainment before departure. Our room TV had some free movies, but by about day five the kids had watched all of them. I downloaded a slew of Christmas movies that we worked through. Check your ship’s current connectivity and package terms rather than assuming our experience describes every sailing.

• Buffet.  The buffet truly is astounding.  Each day the food changes, with surprises some days like shrimp cocktail or chocolate fondue.  It’s easy to overindulge!  We had an especially hard time with the endless garlic knots available at all hours.  I nicknamed them “devil knots” because they were so good!

• Food and movement. With the buffet and restaurants, I found it easy to eat more than usual. We met a couple who had taken twelve cruises in 2024! My earlier guide suggested adults go light at lunch or skip it, and use the walking path or gym; that was a personal comment, not a nutrition plan. Choose meals and activity that suit your own needs. For us, it helped to think ahead about how we wanted to enjoy the food and stay active.

• Intentional time with the kids.  If you aren’t careful, your kids might spend all their available time in the kids club, and you’ll not see them much at all!  Maybe that’s OK, but for me, I wanted some time with them too.  We planned some afternoons to go swimming together or to play games.  We had some movie nights, slept in as much as we could, and enjoyed long breakfasts together.

Things You Don’t Need To Stress About on a Cruise With Kids

So much is taken care of for you on a cruise!  My mom brain is constantly thinking about the things I normally do, but then I realize I really can relax and not worry about them.

• Entertainment.  Between the kids club and the on-board events, you really need very little.  Outside of downloaded media, we brought some books for downtime and a chess set (but the ship had one, of course!).

• Food. Meals and snacks were easy for our family to find on that sailing, and we loved the variety. For our three port days, I took snacks and water from the ship in my bag, and we did not need to eat out. That memory is not permission to carry food ashore today: check the cruise line and each destination’s import and declaration rules. For the United States, USDA’s traveler guidance says almost all fresh fruit and vegetables are prohibited, including those supplied on a cruise ship; agricultural items must be declared.

• Letting the kids roam. Our ship felt quiet and was nearly all retirees. On that sailing, our three oldest stayed together and checked themselves in and out of the kids club, played games and got pizza. This was our family’s arrangement, not a universal age-ten rule or a guarantee of safety. Check the actual program’s current sign-in and sign-out rules and agree on supervision and check-ins. Royal Caribbean’s guest policy keeps parents responsible for appropriate supervision even when they are not physically with their children.

Packing List for a Transatlantic Cruise With Kids

I tackle cruise packing much differently than a regular vacation.  Several onboard activities and formal nights mean I pack things I normally wouldn’t for one of our travel trips.  While cabins are not overly large on a cruise ship, rooms are generally built to handle your luggage well.  You can store bags under beds, in closets, etc.

I made a separate post for my Cruise Packing List With Kids, which includes an easy printable, but I’ll include some extra tips:

• Packing cubes can be a lifesaver with kids.  One large cube can fit all their items and can be used for the dirty laundry after.  We love these ones that also compress!  If you have multiple kids, like us, grab a color for each kid.
• Motion sickness. I saw several adults wearing patches. During some sea days, everyone was stumbling around a bit and I could feel the motion in my tummy. I carried Dramamine just in case but never used it. Patches and medicines have different ingredients, precautions and age restrictions; ask a clinician or pharmacist what is suitable for each traveler rather than choosing for children based on adult use. The CDC’s motion-sickness guidance cautions about medicines in children and says scopolamine, including patches, should be avoided in children. This does not establish what any particular linked product contains.
• Formal wear!  While not required, cruising is the only reason I keep formal outfits in my closet.  I love getting dressed up fancy on special occasions, and cruising offers such a fun setting for this.  Get everyone dolled up, snap some photos at sunset over the sea, and head to dinner.  Once dinner is done, kids will likely want to head to the kids club, and you’ll have some quiet time to get a drink, take in a show, or people-watch around the boat.  We always played cards!
• Double check you’ve got all the essentials!  You cannot buy much of anything on a cruise.  Inventory is very limited if they have it at all.  If you forget anything essential, you’ll need to spend your port time trying to find it.  I forgot my tennis shoes for the gym, and we had to spend a couple of hours and about $80 finding some cheap ones in Madeira.  Think through things like period supplies, any medications you might need (our son has a recurring cold sore type issue that pops up a few times a year, and sure enough, it came on one of the last days!), cold medication just in case, etc.  It pays to think through many scenarios for a cruise.

Other Things To Consider Bringing On a Transatlantic Cruise With Your Family

Cruising offers its own type of experience and subculture.  We met some new friends on the cruise that were completing their ninth cruise of the year!  They were disappointed to only have seven booked next year.  The retired crowd especially can be serial cruisers going nearly every month or more.  However, it’s not limited to only the older generations.  Full-time travel families also love cruising, especially transatlantic-type cruising as a way of transportation.  Our kids made friends with another teenager belonging to a young family that was on her 30th cruise in just 13 years!

We found some fun traditions on our transatlantic cruise I wasn’t aware existed before!  Consider joining in on the fun if you explore the world this way:

• Hidden objects around the ship.  Little ducks are typical for this, but it could be something else.  We found various rubber ducks, little resin ducks, and large toy ducks tucked into the crevices and “hidden” spots on the boat, such as in the library between books or on shelves.  One of the ducks even came with a label to tag photos on social media!
• Egg drop competition and other fun challenges on board.  Consider bringing some common “junk drawer” items like scissors and tape for some surprise competitions.  My mom participated in an egg drop competition where participants needed to create a vessel from items on board to protect hard-boiled eggs from cracking after a two-story fall.  She was desperate for some tape!

• Card games.  Our ship had a game room with game tables in which we spent many hours!  There were some basic games provided, but they were often missing a piece or were being used.  If you have some favorite card games or small games you can pack, I’d recommend bringing them along for sea days.  Some of our favorites:
  • Cover Your Assets
  • Five Crowns
  • Nertz
  • Travel, magnetic chessboard

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Transatlantic cruising with kids has been an unforgettable adventure for our family of seven. From the endless activities on board to the chance to disconnect and unwind while the kids are entertained, this type of cruise offers a rare blend of relaxation and quality family time. While it’s not without its quirks (hello, laundry!), the unique rhythm of at-sea days and the unbeatable value make it an experience we’d happily repeat. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or considering your first voyage, a transatlantic cruise might just be the perfect fit for your family too. Don’t forget to pack those devil knots—er, I mean, stretchy pants!

Have you ever taken a transatlantic cruise with kids? Share your tips or questions in the comments below!

Happy Travels,

Leslie

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Additional Reading

13 Tips for Cruising With Kids That You Must Know

Travel Tip: How To Claim a Flight Compensation In US – New Rule by 2024

Taking a Greek Cruise as a Family

Social Life in Portugal: How to Make Expat Friends

Car Maintenance and Registration in Portugal: A Guide for Expats