Not every luxury ship is right for three generations. Some are too formal for children, some have cabins too small for a family, and some are so large that a grandparent spends the week walking. The ships below are the ones we would actually recommend to a family of six to twelve spanning three generations, with our reasons and our reservations.
Explora I and Explora II
Modern, relaxed, and built with families in mind: dedicated spaces for children and teenagers, a choice of restaurants where nobody needs a jacket, and enough deck space that a large party does not feel on top of other guests. Cabins are generous and connecting options are better than on most luxury ships. Our reservation: if the grandparents want a traditional, dressed-for-dinner cruise, this is not it.
Regent Seven Seas
All-suite ships with excursions included, which simplifies both the planning and the bill when a grandparent is paying. Children are welcome, with a programme on selected sailings in school holidays, and the service suits older travellers. Our reservation: check which sailings run the children's club before committing; outside the holidays the ships are quietly adult.
Oceania Cruises
Our pick for families whose children are older and who care about food. The ships are mid-sized, the restaurants are among the best at sea, and the atmosphere is unhurried. Our reservation: little for younger children, and the ships are not designed around them.
Seabourn and Silversea
Beautiful small ships for grandparents travelling with adult children, or with teenagers who are happy in adult company. The intimacy that makes them special is also what makes them a poor fit for a party with under-tens. We say this plainly because it is the mistake we see most often.
Ponant and expedition ships
For a family with teenagers who want Antarctica, the Arctic or the Galápagos, a small expedition ship is a different kind of holiday altogether. Days are active and weather-dependent. We would recommend them to a fit, adventurous three-generation party, and not otherwise.
River ships
Uniworld and Scenic run river ships that suit grandparents and adult children very well: no sea motion, a town outside the window every morning, and short walks. Some sailings welcome families in the school holidays. Cabins are smaller than on ocean ships, so these work best for a party of four to six rather than twelve.
How we choose for you
Send us the ages, the month, and the budget for the whole party, and we will come back with two or three ships from this list, the cabins we would book on each, and an honest word about which we would choose and why.
