- Voyager of the Seas
Cruises aren’t just for honeymooners and retirees anymore. More cruise lines are creating very family friendly amenities to their ships, such as family suites and child-oriented activities. You can find last minute cruises here, but which destinations work best for families? Below are five of the top destinations for cruising with your kids.
1. Alaska
The wild state of Alaska still has that frontier feel that will expose your children to animals, nature, and the outdoors in the most exciting way possible. The ships will typically have nature experts on board who can provide fun and educational experiences for your children as they learn about the true wilderness. On shore activities will generally include hiking on glaciers, kayaking, and other ways to explore Alaska’s treasures up close.
2. Hawaii
If you prefer warmer climes, then Hawaii might be the natural choice for you family. The breadth and beauty of the nature you’ll all see while cruising around the Hawaiian islands is another terrific experience. Here, the type of flora and fauna will be completely different from the Alaskan cold, but not less impressive. The massive waterfalls and beaches provide a variety of physical outings, like surfing, swimming, and hiking, that kids will love.
3. United States
Most Cruise Ships have great Kids Activities
There are loads of cruising options around the United States. Whether you find a new way to see New England, follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain down the Mississippi, or soak up the sun in the Gulf Coast. You can keep an international flavor as well by finding a cruise deals that will also take the family along the coasts of Canada or Mexico, depending on where your U.S. starting point is.
4. Australia
Cruising around Australia is a great option and can provide both an outdoors and city experience. Having this range of variety of places to see and activities can be particularly helpful if your children (and perhaps your spouse) have varying interests. This way, everyone has something to get excited about. Visiting Australia by cruise ship will also give you a fascinating way to see the Great Barrier Reef, along with on-board experts.
5. Galapagos Islands
For the family that does want a deep wildlife experience and wants to visit foreign, exotic lands, then the Galapagos Islands may be the perfect fit. The cruise ships visiting this area tend to be smaller, which creates a more personal experience. The animals on the islands (with some of its creatures existing no where else in the world) have no fear of humans, which allows children a truly personal interaction with them. The ships will have naturist experts leading the educational activities. There is also generally a good range of leisure activities, such as snorkeling, diving, and glass bottom boating.
For more information visit – http://www.cruiseabout.com.au/
The flight coming home was a nightmare with cancelled connection flights, snow delays and lost baggage. 30 hours of travel with three young kids is never easy. But we were able to keep our cool with good team work between myself and my husband and a tube of vegemite for our fussy eaters! I also took a lot of the ‘Rafferty’s Garden’ squeezy tubes of baby food as well. Tom was happy to suck the food straight out of the sachet without the need to carry around a messy spoon and bowl. It was also a lot lighter to transport and reseal than the cans or bottles of baby food, and I can report can also be convenient when feeding in the dark! (Sometimes I just can’t make sense of the food service times).
The older kids were mostly able to organise themselves for screening by learning to get their own tray and placing their 
