Family-oriented cruises generated an estimated $47 billion last year, more than half of the revenue of all cruises combined. But managing a group that spans ages and generations can be a delicate process. The ones that do it best strike a balance of old-world charm and the simplest sweet treats.
Cruising with kids promises effortless fun and built-in entertainment. In reality, parents juggle kids’ clubs, crowded decks and endless lines for everything from snacks to activities. Even the best cabins cannot shield families from the sheer intensity of a mega-ship.
Families drive a huge share of business for cruise lines. According to Skift Research’s latest report, the cruise industry generated $71 billion in global revenue in 2024, with family cruises contributing 66% of that total. Four companies control 79% of the worldwide market, including MSC Cruises, which appeals to both mainstream families and luxury travelers through its ultra-premium brand, Explora Journeys.
Truly family friendly
For parents who love the idea of cruising but dread the reality of crowds and noise, MSC’s Yacht Club delivers elevated private spaces and thoughtful perks, all tucked inside a larger family-friendly ship. It’s a ship-within-a-ship, and perhaps the smartest entry point to luxury at sea.
MSC Yacht Club operates on 15 of the line’s fleet, including the new MSC World America, which debuted in April. The plush suites deliver sweeping front-of-ship views and include a dedicated butler who anticipates every need before you even ask.
The gorgeous bow-facing solarium is so quiet you hear the pages turn in your book. My kids curled up in velvet chairs, sipping mocktails and streaming shows on lightning-fast Wi-Fi, while I ordered a cocktail in peace and stretched out on a poolside lounger without scanning the deck like a parking lot.
I booked a Yacht Club cabin, thinking it would be my retreat. I envisioned quiet mornings by the pool while my two boys explored the neon arcades, racing simulators and waterslides that mega-ships do best. But to my surprise, they barely left the Yacht Club.
3 generations, zero stress
Cruising with multiple generations usually demands layers of planning and compromise, yet this trip felt remarkably easy. My mother stayed in a regular cabin outside the Yacht Club, but connecting never felt complicated. We met nightly for dinner at a specialty restaurant or spent an afternoon together in Aurea Spa.
Yacht Club guests can easily transition between exclusive spaces and the ship’s main areas, retreating to the quiet side whenever they need a break. Even when the ship was at capacity, the Yacht Club felt suspended in a quieter orbit.
Travel journalist and cruise expert David Yeskel, known as The Cruise Guru, experienced this same balance while sailing with his wife and daughter. “For us, being in Yacht Club represented the perfect multigenerational onboard experience,” Yeskel said. “Together, we could explore all of the megaship’s top-deck amusements, waterslides, main showroom entertainment and other over-the-top features, then retreat to our serene Yacht Club’s dedicated pool and restaurant for rest and relaxation.”
That balance between adventure and calm is what makes the Yacht Club stand out for families. Yeskel recalls a moment that perfectly captured the feeling. “Our daughter still talks about being escorted by our tuxedo-clad Yacht Club butler across the ship – through the casino, lounges and other public rooms – to a specialty restaurant all the way aft,” he said. “Dad, everybody is checking us out!”
Luxury Travel Advisor Kanku B. Michelsen of Dilworth Travel links the growing appeal for families directly to this dual experience. “Families can accommodate their children’s needs more comfortably by leveraging the endless activities that a large ship offers and then retreating into a more serene, luxurious and VIP atmosphere,” she said.
“A smaller luxury cruise line, while offering all-around luxury, may not provide the same range of activities for children. Yacht Club is the best of both worlds for families.”
What you actually get for the price
The Yacht Club is a splurge, but not one that shouts luxury with over-the-top gestures. It costs more than a standard balcony cabin, but for travelers exploring elevated cruising without committing to a boutique line, MSC’s Yacht Club provides a compelling gateway to upscale cruising.
Michelsen says this balance of exclusivity and value appeals to both first-time cruisers and seasoned travelers. “It strikes a great balance between the quiet, luxurious retreat that a smaller luxury cruise line would offer, with the vast amenities that a large cruise line offers, all at less cost than a luxury cruise line,” she said.
“This unique concept also allows someone who has either never cruised before or only sailed on large ships to experience both styles at once. They can then decide what they prefer for future travel.”
Guests can expect to pay roughly $1,679 per person for a seven-night sailing in a Yacht Club suite, though prices vary by ship and season. By comparison, suites on luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas often start around $6,000 per person, with Explora Journeys and Seabourn priced similarly.
According to Michelsen, the price point is a key factor contributing to the growing popularity of the Yacht Club model. “First, it is a best-of-both-worlds balance – having the luxurious, VIP experience part of the time while still enjoying the vast amenities of a larger cruise line,” she said. “Secondly, the ship-within-a-ship concept comes without the price tag of an all-around luxury cruise line.”
Jorge Oliver, editor at Cruise Critic, agrees the upgrade is worth serious consideration for families. “If the price falls within your range, go for the upgrade,” he said. “The size of the cabins alone is worth the investment for families.”
Ship within a ship
Yacht Club delivers many of the same hallmarks of a luxury cruise line. That includes personalized service, exclusive spaces and fine dining within the dynamic environment of a larger ship. That context matters, especially for families.
Lynn Torrent, president of MSC Cruises North America, emphasizes their focus has always been on crafting exclusive spaces within its mega-ships. “MSC Cruises has been dedicated to creating sanctuaries onboard our ships ever since the first MSC Yacht Club debuted aboard MSC Fantasia in 2008,” she said.
“From expansive private sundecks to elevated dining and thoughtfully curated suites, every detail has been designed to offer an upscale guest experience beloved by guests all over the world.”
Even on sea days, typically the busiest on any cruise, I could always find a shaded lounger by the pool. That alone felt worth the upgrade. And then there was Jesee, our butler, a quiet, steady presence who checked in just enough to make us feel cared for without ever intruding.
One evening, he leaned in and said softly, “If you want a good table for afternoon tea tomorrow, arrive at least half an hour early.” He was right; it was the busiest I had seen the Yacht Club all week. By the time the lounge filled to capacity, we were already seated by the window with a tray of warm scones and a view of the horizon.
Exclusivity ends ashore
While the Yacht Club delivered an upscale experience onboard, the contrast was stark once we stepped ashore on our first excursion to Atlantis in Nassau. Jesee personally escorted us to the meeting point, but from there, the exclusivity evaporated. We spent the next hour in long lines, packed buses and crowded attractions; a jarring contrast to the calm of our days onboard. The day was fine, but it felt like the opposite of the thoughtful, curated experience we had on the ship.
I wished for an outing that reflected the Yacht Club standard. Ideally, we would have met a private driver at the pier for a scenic tour of the island, learning about its history and culture, before being dropped off at Atlantis so that the kids could burn off energy on the slides and my husband and I could relax along the lazy river.
Not every port felt hectic. At Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC’s private island, Yacht Club guests enjoy dedicated beaches, a private restaurant and an exclusive tram that delivers them directly to their own secluded area. It perfectly mirrored the calm and privacy of life onboard, proof that the Yacht Club experience can extend ashore.
It left me wishing that every stop along the journey offered that same sense of ease. With more curated, small-group excursions tailored specifically to Yacht Club guests, MSC could bring the magic of Ocean Cay to every port of call.
The cruise I didn’t know we needed
After years of family travel built around schedules and compromises, this felt different. It was the rare trip where everyone, from my mother to my youngest child, could have exactly what they wanted without friction or fatigue.
When you travel with kids, nothing feels more indulgent than ease. Somewhere between a butler’s care and a child’s joy over a bowl of ice cream, I discovered the sweet spot of family cruising.
Casandra Karpiak is a Thomas Lowell Award-winning travel journalist specializing in luxury travel, small ship cruising, sports tourism and wine destinations. Her work appears in Ultimate Experiences Magazine, the Associated Press Wire, Global Traveler Magazine, The Seattle Times and more. Her recent assignments have taken her on safari in South Africa, wild swimming in Scotland and exploring Costa Rica’s coastal towns with her children.
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