Is it just me or are the weeks flying by? Between school, sport, homework, birthdays, sleepovers and work I’ll often get to the end of the week (and the weekend!) exhausted, tapped out and wondering when there’s any time to just ‘be’ as a family.

These precious childhood years disappear in a blink (I sound like my mother!). But it’s true, if we don’t make an effort to create quality family time, it’s gone way too quick.

If you’ve been nodding while reading along, take this as your reminder to press pause on the everyday, and make plans to reconnect as a family, and add to your very own family memories.

Why Your Family will fall in Love with A Princess® Cruise

If I had to choose the perfect way to really connect as a family, it would be a cruise. It’s hard to pick just one reason why, but cruising just seems to create a closeness that’s hard to find on a regular holiday.

For a start, mums and dads get to relax too (which is rare on a holiday!). There’s no cooking and cleaning, it’s all done for you. So the focus is purely on finding the joy in spending time together as a family, without the distractions of everyday life. Trust me, you’re about to fall in love with family time in a whole different way!

1. A Princess® Cruise Keeps Everyone Entertained

If your family loves to connect through a shared love of new experiences, a Princess® cruise is right up your alley!

With everything from live shows to incredible on board experiences it’s an absolute wonderland. And there’s something for every member of the family, from the youngest to the young at heart. Your days and nights can be relaxing, with activities like Movies Under the Stars, theatre shows and chilling in your spacious Mini-Suite. Or they can be jam-packed with kids and teen centres, scavenger hunts, basketball tournaments, arts, craft and parties!

2. The Most Amazing Kids Clubs And Activities For Making New Memories

There are kids clubs, and then there are Princess Cruises kids and teen centres. Catering for kids between the ages of six-twelve months (depending on the destination) right through to teens, these unique experiences give kids a chance to be kids, and parents some down time.

Camp Discovery offers engaging activities designed to entertain kids of all ages, with specially created programs.

For the youngest guests onboard, from six-twelve months (depending on the destination) through to two years, they get to enjoy Camp Discovery accompanied by a parent – making it a fabulous way to spend some one-on-one time with your littlest.

Kids aged between three and seven can play in The Treehouse, a forest-themed centre for kids with hands-on activities.

The Lodge is for cruisers aged between eight and 12, and is filled with sports activities.

Teenagers are also well taken care of, with The Beach House designed for family members aged between 13 and 17. It’s the perfect place to hang and chill, and they can also let loose at the Rock the Boat party.

And there’s even something exclusively for young adults. Club 1820 is for guests aged between 18 and 20 where only a secret handshake and special code word will get you exclusive access. Think: no parents, no younger siblings, no official hosts … just fun!

The idea of spending quality time apart is often just as important as spending time together. Once everyone reconnects, there’s plenty to share and chat about!

3. Make New Discoveries As A Family

Shared new experiences are all part of creating family memories that you’ll reminisce about again and again. Princess® shore excursions are the perfect opportunity to explore new family experiences onshore and are all about giving the whole family new experiences, with hands-on opportunities to explore and better understand the regions visited by Princess Cruises®.

Getting up close and personal with the world’s most amazing animals is true memory-making. From stingrays in the Caribbean, to whales in Alaska, these shore excursions are other worldly, and something your family will never forget.

4. Family Favourite Movie Nights

When was the last time you had the chance to gather your whole family and enjoy a movie? On a Princess® cruise there are no excuses, with movie nights galore!

Family movie nights are such a simple and wholesome way to spend time together – but they’re truly incredible aboard a cruise ship under the stars! And you can even feel super fancy thanks to Princess MedallionClass® and get snacks delivered right to you!

5. Make A Meal Of It

With sport or music practice, homework, work and activities – it’s often hard to find time for the whole family to sit down and enjoy a meal together. On a Princess® cruise you can eat dinner together every night, tasting delights from around the world, and you don’t have to lift a finger or wash a dish!

The food on board is literally mouth-watering. There are so many dining options included at no extra cost, everything from regional fare,  multi-course dining and more casual family faves to sandwiches and soups. There’s something for even the fussiest of eaters, and for every member of the family.

There are special kids’ menus in the Main Dining Room, with pureed foods like fruits, veggies and rice also available in the dining room and speciality restaurants.

All the comforts of home are available to make sure the youngest voyagers are happy eaters. Parents are able to request high chairs and booster seats and complimentary jarred baby food is provided.

6. Stress Less Holidaying

One of the main reasons you’ll be able to fall in love with family time with a Princess® cruise, is the ease of planning. Often sorting out accommodation, activities and meals for a family holiday sucks the joy out of it!

But a Princess® cruise means you’re not worrying about driving, cooking, cleaning or finding things to do. Everything is taken care of, leaving you with all the time you need to be together as a family.

7. Peace Of Mind Family Time

We love that parents can rest easy on a Princess® cruise, knowing their kids are safe and well looked after. One of the many benefits of Princess MedallionClass® is being able to keep track of your children. And if you’re travelling with extended family or friends, you’re all able to locate each other. Oh, and don’t forget getting snacks delivered!

8. Value For Money

A family holiday shouldn’t put extra stress on your finances. But often we find ourselves spending a fortune (after paying for accommodation, petrol, flights) on meals and activities, making for a less than relaxed break.

We love that the whole family can sail together in the same room, in comfort. There are a range of accomodation options including Mini-Suites and spacious Suites, and larger families can book a Family Suite with two interconnecting staterooms, which sleeps up to eight on select ships. So everyone has plenty of space, but with a real, family holiday feel.

A Princess cruise is true value for money, with so many dining options and activities already included there’s no need to worry about the budget while on board. And inclusive fares with Plus & Premier packages which takes care of extras like Wi-Fi, drinks, room service and more, so you can enjoy the value and spend more time enjoying quality moments with the family.

9. Experiences You’ll Never Forget

As someone who has cruised with my family, I can guarantee you’ll talk about a cruise family holiday for years to come. It’s a shared experience that will connect your family in a way that no other holiday can.

If your family is whizzing through life with barely any time to share a meal let alone create a connection, it’s time to add a new chapter to you family story. And this one is all about love. About strengthening connections, finding joy in being together, blocking out the noise and just being.

Are you in need of some quality family time? Click here to find out more with Princess Cruises®.

Mouths of Mums is proudly working with Princess Cruises to bring you this article. From its modest beginnings in 1965 with a single ship cruising to Mexico, Princess® has grown to become one of the premiere cruise lines in the world. Today, its fleet carries more than a million  guests to 330 destinations worldwide each year. 

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Disclaimer: *Charges apply for shore excursions and some onboard activities. Venues vary by ship.