The Best Adventure Cruises for Families

By Tracey Davies

A cruise can be a fantastic holiday for families: many ships now come with the likes of water slides, rollercoasters, karting tracks and climbing walls, plus oodles of entertainment and ice cream on tap.

But aside the all-singing, all-dancing itineraries in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean that many cruise lines offer, family can also go off the beaten track with an adventure cruise, from iceberg tours of Antarctica and wildlife spotting in the Galápagos to city-hopping down the Danube. Some ships also offer science programmes, workshops and nature talks suitable younger travellers, adding an educational bent to your trip.

Whether it’s riding the world's first hybrid rollercoaster and water slide (aboard the NCL’s new-in-2025 Norwegian Aqua), seeing the real Frozen landscape on a Norwegian fjords cruise or sailing though Alaska's Inside Passage, one of these adventure cruises could be just the ticket for your next big family holiday. To book any of these cruises or for insptiration for 

Help Climate Change Scientists with HX

For a proper family adventure, HX Hurtigruten Expeditions specialises in expedition cruises to remote destinations: Antarctica, Greenland, Alaska's Inside Passage and the Norwegian fjords. It’s particularly suitable for families with slightly older children and teenagers. Most itineraries include onboard educational programmes such as Citizen Science, where all ages can help with wildlife research and scientific experiments.

Our editor Rhonda Carrier sailed to Antarctica on MS Fridtjof Nansen and was blessed with performances by humpback whales, playful colonies of gentoo penguins and burping elephant seals.

Both MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Roald Amundsen have science centres, workshops and observation decks, and most offer guided excursions such as snowshoeing or sea kayaking – a big thrill for older children and teen.

For younger kids, HX itineraries around Norway and the fjords are a great introduction to expedition cruising; kids can learn about Vikings, visit farms in Lofoten and experience local Sami culture.

Sail to the South Pole – or Near Enough!

For an alternative Shackleton-style expedition, Celebrity Equinox makes a 14-night Antarctica cruise departing from Buenos Aires and sailing around the Antarctica Peninsula as well as docking at the Falkland Islands and Montevideo in Uruguay.

And the adventure doesn't stop onboard. Celebrity Equinox is well equipped for families, with outdoor pools, nightly theatre shows, and movies under the stars, but best of all Camp at Sea, a kids' programme with more than 500 activities, from science experiments, cooking classes and nature talks to arts and crafts sessions.

Explore the Last Frontier with Disney

Whale-watching, dog-sledding and a seaplane flight over a glacier show there's much more to a Disney Cruise than mucking about with Mickey. Disney’s seven-night Alaska itineraries explore some of North America’s most dramatic landscapes, including Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. You’ll see prehistoric glaciers, navigate ice floes and watch humpback whales breach from the deck.

Onboard, kids get the full Disney treatment, with character meet-and-greets, themed craft sessions, and plenty of pool time, while talks by the ship’s Alaskan naturalist will educate them about local wildlife.  

But shore excursions are where the real adventure comes in. For kids six and older, the Alaska ‘Big Foot’ excursion includes ATV rides and hiking in the Tongass National Forest, known as the Sasquatch Stomping Ground. Meanwhile, older children (10-plus) and teenagers can join the Alaskan Bear Encounter by Land and Sea, which visits Neets Bay Bear Observatory.

Go Wild in the Galápagos

If you've got an amateur Attenborough in the family, an expedition cruise south of the Equator aboard the Galápagos Legend will be just the ticket. Carrying only 100 passengers, it has junior suites sleeping up to four, an outdoor pool, a kids' room, and board games, and for shore excursions, Zodiacs, kayaks and a glass-bottom boat.

Many itineraries include guided tours of the Amazon rainforest and the Galápagos Islands, where you can come face-to-face with giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies. While the itineraries can be tailored to children of all ages, the Galápagos cruise is particularly popular with older children and teenagers, who can really make the most of unique excursions such as snorkelling with sea lions or hiking through the Galápagos National Park, as well as learning the tips and tricks of wildlife photography onboard.

Make a Frozen Voyage Around the Norwegian Fjords

Snow-capped mountains, deep blue fjords and whale-watching… A Norwegian fjords cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas makes a great first adventure for kids of all ages. Particularly if they're fans of Frozen, which was influenced by the fjords region.

With many Norway itineraries setting sail from Southampton, the no-fly cruises often dock at Alesund, Molde (where you can join a Molde-to-Bud excursion along the Atlantic Ocean Road) and Olden, where you can go kayaking in the fjord.

For sea days, Independence of the Seas is a dream for kids of every age. Aside the kids' clubs, teen lounges and entertainment on tap, the ship also features a climbing wall, an ice-skating rink, several pools, and a FlowRider surf simulator.

City Hopping down the Danube

For more intimate cruising adventure, try a river cruise stopping at some of the historic cities dotted along Europe's second-longest river. AmaWaterways’ Danube River Cruise is great for kids and teenagers, who' enjoy the stimulation of ever-changing scenery –we liken it to ‘Interrailing on water’, with the chance to stop and explore cities such as Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna at leisure.

The AmaMagna, one of AmaWaterway's most child-friendly ships, has spacious connecting cabins and suites that offer plenty of space for sharing with kids and even with grandparents too if you’re thinking about an intergenerational holiday. There's also a heated outdoor pool, daily cinema screenings in the onboard theatre, and great dining choices – our favourite is Jimmy's, a homely restaurant where you share big dishes family-style.

Many of the Danube cruise excursions appeal to the more adventurous family, featuring the likes of cycling tours of Bratislava, and guided hiking in national parks.

Explore the Middle East with MSC Cruises 

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes – just ask Aladdin. But instead of a flying carpet, explore the Middle East on MSC Euribia, which has many more facilities. Named after the Greek goddess who mastered the seas, it’s considered one of the best ships for families.

Euribia’s epic 16-day Grand Voyage starts in Dubai and stops in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat, where kids can explore labyrinthian souks and the Grand Mosque and rumble around ancient forts. The ship also docks in Aqaba, Jordan, for day excursions to Petra [LINK]. As in a real like Indiana Jones movie, kids love bouldering around this ancient 'rose city' carved into rock.

The ship then makes the exciting passage through the Suez Canal before reaching Alexandria, where you can visit the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa. During the five days at sea, kids can take part in the MSC Foundation Youth Centre with its daily workshops on the likes of ocean health, recycling and climate change. The ship also features five pools, a water park, and a popular Teens Club with VR games.

Read more about adventure cruising for families.