Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile beach is stunning. A perfect stretch of powder-soft white sand, fringed by shallow turquoise water. From my lounger at the Royal Palms Beach Club – a pay per day, private beachfront restaurant and bar – I watch my daughter swim in the impossibly calm Caribbean Sea. With not a wave or ripple in sight, it’s as if she’s playing in the world’s most beautiful infinity pool. Discovering my all-time favourite beach will make it difficult to return to the ship, but such is the life of a cruiser. Tomorrow, we’ll wake up to new adventures in Cozumel, Mexico.
If I’m honest, cruising with our five-year old wasn’t my first vacation choice. We’re a well-travelled foodie-focused family of three, who prefer beachfront resorts with well-appointed rooms and extensive amenities. In my inexperienced opinion, a cruise simply would not meet our needs. However, after embarking on a seven-day Western Caribbean voyage aboard the Regal Princess, I’ve changed my mind – with a few caveats of course.
When cruising with children you need to choose your destinations wisely. Our kiddo is all about the surf and sand, so a port-heavy beach itinerary, with only three days at sea, was ideal. It’s a very unique experience to wake up and explore a new country each day. For us, this was definitely a highlight. Princess offers a wide-selection of shore excursions at every port – from immersive cultural experiences and high-adrenalin adventure activities, to laid-back beach parties. You can purchase onboard; however, the more popular excursions should be booked in advance of sailing as they sellout quickly. We learned this the hard way and missed out on a beach day in Jamaica. Rather than go it alone by taxi, we joined a cool chef-guided culinary themed tour that included a rum tasting and jerk cooking demonstration. Given the excursion wasn’t suitable for kids, we left our daughter onboard at Camp Discovery, which is a handy option for parents wanting to experience adult-oriented activities.
The Camp Discovery children’s camp (ages three through twelve) was by far our little one’s favourite part of the cruise. On sailing days, the camp transforms into Discovery at Sea and features games and activities inspired by Shark Week and Animal Planet. Port destinations are also incorporated, which for our voyage included a Mexican Fiesta night. Programming runs from 9:00 am through 10:00 pm daily – closing only for two hours over lunch and dinner. Extended late-night in-camp babysitting can also be reserved for just $5 per child, per hour. While our daughter happily crafted, learned about marine life and played with her new shipmate buddies, we explored the Regal Princess’s adult-centric amenities, which are in abundance.
My top child-free indulgence was the BIOTEC Radiance Renew facial at the Lotus Spa. At $169 USD, the fifty-minute treatment is in line with resort pricing, however if you wait and reserve a service on port days, when it’s quieter onboard, the spa always has discounted packages on offer. For lower priced pampering, book in at The Sanctuary – an al fresco adults-only oasis on the top deck of the ship. Here, while lazing on comfy plush sunbeds, we enjoyed healthy meals and refreshments, excellent service and panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. At just $20 USD for a half-day pass, The Sanctuary is well worth the price. Tip: book an afternoon time slot to take part in a delicious high tea on the sea.
While the standard ship dining was good, we much preferred the more intimate meals served in Regal Princess’s two specialty restaurants. In the Tuscany-inspired Sabatini’s, the cow’s milk burrata with golden beets, mint basil vinaigrette and toasted hazelnuts, and the handmade buckwheat wide ribbon pasta with braised beef cheek are outstanding. However, it is the black and blue onion soup with Jack Daniels and a Roquefort crust, and the bone-in rib-eye at the Crown Grill that my husband still raves about. Although children are welcome at both restaurants, given the surcharge of $25-$29 USD per person, we reserved tables on the nights our kiddo was booked into the Discovery Club.
It’s also impossible to be bored on a cruise ship. From exercise classes, dance lessons and poolside entertainment, to culinary demonstrations, comedy shows, lounge singers and movies under the stars, you’ll always find something unique to occupy your time. Overall, we really enjoyed our first cruise, and the ability it gave us to easily explore multiple destinations over a short period of time. This, coupled with the many child-friendly amenities that our daughter loved, makes it very likely that we will set sail again.
If you go:
• What surprised me most about the cruise was the efficient use of space in our cabin. We booked a mini-suite, which included a single pullout suitable for a child, and although the cabin is much smaller than a standard hotel room we never felt cramped. For families who spend more time in their room, due to earlier bedtimes and napping schedules, I recommend a balcony cabin at a minimum. Even if you don’t use the outdoor space often (we didn’t), you’ll enjoy a more open feel.
• Budget for excursions and, if you’re a foodie, factor in onboard spending at the restaurants and lounges. As with most cruise lines, alcohol is not included on the ship, and while beverage packages can be purchased for unlimited specialty coffees, wine, beer and cocktails, we found it more economical to order by the glass.
• Bring bottled water and toys or busy books for your kiddos to play with during embarkation, disembarkation and tendering. We spent a fair bit of time ‘waiting’ and this helped ease the boredom for our daughter.
