Princess Cruises from Southampton – The Perfect Family Holiday

Forget what you think you know about cruises. Over the past few years, the cruise industry has positively transformed. Take Princess Cruises from Southampton for instance.

With an upgraded eco-friendly fleet, plush accommodation, world-class facilities, fine-dining options, trackable wristbands, and a plethora of entertainment for little ones, it’s very much geared towards the family market.

If you’re looking for easy travel without compromise, and affordable luxury – even with children – then a family cruise could be for you. Its growing popularity saw over 1.7 million people from the UK and Ireland setting sail on a cruise last year – nearly double the previous year.

So, whether you’re new to the idea of cruising, or just want to find out more, here’s everything you need to know about all-inclusive family cruises 2023.

What are Princess Cruises from Southampton?

Taking a Princess Cruise with the family from the UK is an experience that must be tried at least once. As a no-fly cruise, you simply drive to the port and are returned to the same place at the end of your trip. It’s that simple. There’s no need for connecting flights or airports, making it super easy to enjoy an all-inclusive cruise from Southampton.

Arriving at Ocean Cruise Terminal in Southampton, head for Dock Gate 4 as you come off the A33. Once boarded, the vessel is your home, inviting you to sit back and enjoy the adventure. During the cruise, you’ll meander from port-to-port ticking off a number of glamourous destinations along the way. The variety of destinations is great for keeping kids of all ages engaged, and one of the easiest ways to see the world with children.

With the best travel cruise itinerary on offer, it also perfectly fits around the nursery and school holidays, allowing you to customise your trip. Packages start from seven days, right up to two-weeks, allowing you to pick and choose the right trip for your family.

And, when you’re not exploring a new destination, there’s a host of delights on board to take advantage of, ensuring that every minute of your holiday is filled with fun. In these uncertain times with airport strikes, delays at border control and travel disruption, it’s good to know that there are reliable options for families.

Kid-Friendly All-inclusive Cruises from Southampton

From tots to teens, everyone is welcome on a Princess Cruise. There’s everything you need on board from medical supplies to baby facilities, water activities to evening parties. Equally, there’s lots of high-end entertainment for grown-ups with pools, theatres, casinos, live music and much more. This, and the fact that there’s so much space on board, makes it ideal for families of all size – grandparents, friends – the whole gang is invited!

Of course, one of the real perks of a Princess Cruise from Southampton, is their dedication to keeping the kids entertained. As such, you’ll find three big areas for children, divided by age. Each of these quarters offers age-appropriate activities, and a fun space to meet new friends and play together, under the supervision of an expert team. There’s on-board soft play for the youngest guests, a lodge for school-age children, and a beach club for teens.

To the relief of tired parents, there’s also ‘Camp Discovery’ kids club. The daily program is jam-packed with a fun itinerary, from air hockey to Nintendo games and a jungle gym, for children aged three years and upward. Best of all, kids can be looked after in the club on port days, allowing you the ultimate freedom to explore a destination at your leisure. Just be sure to return with plenty of gifts!

Another useful offering is the group babysitting centres. These operate daily from 10pm to 1am, for children aged 3-11. It’s extremely reasonable as well, at just $5 an hour per child, allowing you to enjoy your evening.

Children with Additional Needs:

Princess Cruises are amongst the best cruises from Southampton for children with additional needs. There are accessible routes and lifts throughout the liner, making it one of the easiest modes of transport for wheelchair users. Ahead of booking, inform the team using the mobility questionnaire to ensure you get the support required.

For those that need a quiet space, despite its vastness, the ship has numerous low key areas for taking time-out. Finally, for all other medical assistance or dietary requirements, the Medallion wristband offers instant support.

Safety is the Priority:

Reassuringly for parents, a Princess Cruise with the family from UK is both a safe and enjoyable way to travel. First and foremost, there are thousands of trained staff on hand, and it has a rigorous hygiene and cleaning schedule.

Using the latest wearable technology, every guest receives a ‘Medallion’ to wear on their wrist – kids included. This allows parents to track their children at any time for the ultimate peace of mind. Plus, it can also be used for shopping, ordering food and beverage, and general assistance. It’s the sort of peace-of-mind that makes for a relaxing holiday.

The Sky Princess

When you think of family cruises 2023 from UK, the Sky Princess probably comes to mind. The ‘gem of the ocean’ is the newest ship in its 15-strong fleet. Renowned for its innovative design and amenities, the iconic 1,082ft vessel is manned by over 1,400 staff to ensure guests of all ages are well-looked after.

As one of the next generation ships, running on fuel liquefied natural gas, it’s also a more sustainable way to travel by sea, especially as it accommodates between 2,000 and 4,290 guests.

What to Expect – Day Versus Night on a Cruise Ship

You’re in for a treat if this is your first Princess Cruise from Southampton. By day,

the deck is the place to be for soaking up the sunshine. The Sky Princess boasts four pools (two adult only) and no shortage of decking for enjoying the view and spotting sea creatures with the kids! Then again, with an emporium of shopping, the Piazza is an enticing attraction, spanning three decks with dining, entertainment, shops galore, and a delightful spa on offer.

As day turns to night, there’s a host of culinary delights to enjoy – many themed around the destinations on your itinerary. It really is a foodies paradise with outstanding diners, an inspired kids menu and of course, a Chef’s Table for special occasions. Most of these dining spaces include free soft drinks for the little ones, which makes life that bit easier. Do not leave the vessel without trying ‘The Ernesto’ at The Salty Dog Gastropub. Named after the chef in question, this was awarded ‘Best Burger at Sea’ and kids love it!

You’ll notice how the staff go out of their way to assist guests, making this one of the premium all-inclusive family cruises 2023. If you need a high-chair, food blended of bottle warmed, you only need ask.

Food aside, there’s a rolling schedule of entertainment which has been carefully curated for every age group on board. This includes live performances and Broadway standard productions. One for the parents – it would be remiss not to mention the family-favourite guest speakers this season, including; Dame Kelly Holmes MBE and Harry Potter actor, Warwick Davis, on board.

All this and within stumbling distance of your bed, it couldn’t be more perfect for families.

Sleeping on Board

There’s something undeniable about the fresh sea air that bodes well for a good night’s sleep – even for toddlers! Families can enjoy spacious rooms as part of all-inclusive cruises from Southampton.

With a range of accommodation on board, standard and deluxe rooms offer great value for money. And if you opt for an outside cabin, you get to wake up to glorious views every day.

However, the suite collection tends to be most popular with families. Offering a cosy space, the Sky Princess Mini-Suite includes a double-bed, sofa bed, bathroom and balcony within 323 sq. ft. Upgrade to Club Class for VIP perks, such as priority dining reservations, no queues and evening canapes. Next in line are the Sky Princess Suites, offering all the above with even greater space, enhanced amenities and additional premium features.

Finally, for the ultimate in luxury, the Sky Princess Suite can sleep up to five guests,

with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a dining area, fridge and outdoor daybed spread across 1,500 sq ft.  Found on Deck 18, with some of the most sought after views on the ship. With everything taken care of, families can also enjoy the complimentary laundry and professional cleaning services thrown in, which is always a bonus with children.

Choosing the Right Family Travel Package

There are three family travel packages to choose from to tailor your trip best to your needs and wallet.  For those on a budget, the Princess Standard package offers all the core Princess experiences (dining, entertainment, accommodation) with no extra frills. For a little bit more, the Princess Plus package offers lots of worthwhile additions from WiFi to select fitness class and crew appreciation thrown in. Finally, if you’re here for an indulgent all-inclusive cruise from Southampton with, the Princess Premier package offers the most benefits, including professional family photography to capture those special holiday moments.

Time to Cruise – Where to Go?

Serving 330 destinations across seven continents, from Northern Europe to North America, there’s certainly lots of choice with a Princess Cruise from Southampton.

Especially during the summer school holidays, the Mediterranean is a very popular choice with families. This gentle trip around European hotspots offers great variety and lots of culture to soak up.

For a short leisurely cruise, ideal for families with babies and young children, take the seven-day trip to France and Spain. This gentle voyage passes through; Bordeaux, Cherbourg, Bilbao and La Coruna.

For those with older children, or looking for adventure, the ten-day European Explorer offers one of the best travel cruise itinerary schedules. This exciting cruise visits; Spain, Gibraltar, Mallorca, Sicily and Italy, before returning back to the UK.

Reasons to Book a Family Cruise from Southampton

If this hasn’t already convinced you that a Princess Cruise from Southampton is for you, then here are nine good reasons that might just inspire you:

Great Value for Money

Taking a cruise ship holiday offers really great value for families. Even with a standard package, this includes food and beverage (drinks packages are extra), accommodation and a roster of entertainment. Best of all, there’s a host of VIP upgrades and premium additions available to add a touch of luxury to your trip.

Food The Kids Want to Eat!

Forget self-catering and rustling up meals the kids won’t eat. There’s so much variety on board the Sky Princess, that the little ones are spoilt for choice. Fully catered for young diners, there’s a kids menu, high chairs and everything you could need to ensure they’re well fed and watered. There’s also four-course dining rooms and chef’s table options for grown up’s too.

Genuine Rest

No cooking, no cleaning, no rushing around airports, and for those in suites – no dirty clothes to take home either. A Princess Cruise from Southampton

offers the ultimate in relaxation. All you have to do is drive up to the port, and let the on board team take care of everything else. And because you’re in one large space with trackable ‘Medallions’ it’s easy to find your kids even if they do run off. From the expansive deck to the dazzling theatre, there’s so many ways to relax and unwind.

World-class facilities

Catering to a large audience, Princess cruise ships are known to have some of the best entertainment and facilities on board – and all within easy access. If there’s one thing you won’t hear the kids say on a cruise holiday, it’s that they are bored!

Everything you need under one roof

Hauling the kids from hotel to restaurant, in taxis and coaches is not a holiday for anyone. The joy of a family cruise is that everything you need is within easy reach: shops, bars, discos and restaurants, the list goes on. When you’re travelling with buggies and nappies, bottles of milk and working around potty training and nap times, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to compromise your own personal enjoyment on a cruise.

Unaffected by Travel Disruption

Trains, planes and automobiles have all succumb to strike action in recent months, often falling at peak family travel time too. That’s one less thing to worry about on a Sky Princess Cruise, with a prompt and premium service that prides itself on great customer care.

Endless Entertainment (For all the Family)

When you go on all-inclusive holiday, it often feels like it’s catered around the adults, or the children – never the twain shall meet. But that’s certainly not the case with Princess Cruises from Southampton. On the contrary, there’s endless activities for children, as well as premium evening entertainment for adults. And because there’s group babysitting available every night, as well as kids’ clubs during the day, you can let the kids have their own fun, while you enjoy a well-deserved night off too. Not forgetting the many port stops along the way, offering the opportunity to explore new lands together.

See the World in Style

Travel isn’t quite the same when children come along, many parents say that a holiday is just babysitting with a different backdrop! But taking a cruise is the exception to this. For starters, you’re within easy reach of your bedroom, allowing you to enjoy all the perks of a luxury cruiser, fitted in around your children’s schedule.

And of course, it’s one of the best ways to see the world and explore new cultures without the pressure of getting on and off planes, packaging and unpacking clothes, and ridiculously early excursion tours organised by an operator. Instead, you get to fast-track all the best bits, sailing into the most exciting destinations around the world. There’s something fabulous about having lunch in France, dinner in Spain and drinks in Italy over the space of a few days – and with kids. Who said you can’t have it all!?

Making Memories

A Princess Cruise with the family from the UK, is one of life’s great pleasures. As well as exploring different ports and new countries, you get to spend quality time together. In fact, many families make group bookings for their extended family or friends, as it ticks so many boxes.

Whether you’re watching the sunset over the ocean, attending a performance together or introducing your child to new and exciting cultures, it’s a great way for family bonding and making memories. Isn’t that what holidays are all about?!

Overall…

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