Have Sunny Summer Cruises Become Too Expensive for Families?

Bottom line, my emphatic answer is no!

And when you consider their incredible value for world class travel experiences, there's a very good argument that many are underpriced.

If you want to travel in a prime time period when children have school breaks, whether for major holidays or summer, then you must expect to pay more than in the off-season.

Frequently, my clients begin by removing Carnival from the possible recommendations, and surprisingly most of those hitting the eject buttons for the largest cruise line in the world have never actually taken a Carnival cruise.

You should consider that the typical Carnival cruise ship is far superior for families to even the best cruise ships 25 years ago, and the prices for entry level rooms have not changed much in that period.  One of the easiest ways to make cruising more affordable for your family vacation is to consider Carnival as a legitimate possibility.

This summer, for example, Carnival Miracle will be doing the 7 night Mexican Riviera from Long Beach, California, allowing millions of Southern Californians to catch a week-long cruise close to home. 

With no air fare, it can be a far more affordable (not to mention easier) vacation for West Coast families than the Caribbean.  Carnival Imagination and Inspiration will continue 3 and 4 night Baja cruises from Long Beach.  No other cruise lines have ships in Southern California this summer, so if you live in L.A. and rule out Carnival, you'll probably be flying, adding to the trip cost.

Carnival also rules the Caribbean, with more cruises leaving from more departure ports, but there are three other big players in the Caribbean for Summer 2015.

Norwegian Cruise Lines might be just right for your family, and their prices, while higher than Carnival, generally come in less than Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines, which are the widely regarded to be the top choices for families with teens and young children, respectively. 



No other cruise lines will be going to the Caribbean or Mexico this summer, but Celebrity Summit and NCL will be going to Bermuda, another wonderful warm water destination.  Celebrity attracts primarily sophisticated adults who love fine dining but is a wonderful choice for families, too.

Of course, there are other great destinations beyond Mexico and the Caribbean this summer aboard these and other great cruise lines.  How do you know which cruise is right for your family?

Let me know where you want to go and when, and let me help you find the perfect vacation for your family.

Better service leads to better trips!