For those of us oppressed by the daily work life hustle the temporary liberation provided by a getaway where all meals, accommodation and age appropriate leisure activities are included can be restorative. In our instance it allows me to leave the Mental Load at home – I don’t have to even think about feeding the children as the holiday provider takes care of that for me. Consequently our family has enjoyed all inclusive family camps in Australia and all inclusive resorts in Asia together. In general though all inclusive family getaways within Australia are few and far between. Fortunately there are multiple cruise departures from Australian cities which make all inclusive family holidays accessible without requiring an international flight.
Our family of five recently cruised to New Caledonia aboard the Carnival Spirit cruise ship, departing from Sydney. The cruise ticked many boxes form my perspective as a parent. Specifically the children loved the cruise, in particular the Ocean Club children’s program which meant that I had some unaccustomed alone time with my husband. Meal times together were both elegant, and ridiculously joyous with our three course dining in the glow of chandelier during the family friendly session being interrupted by “showtimes” when wait staff danced and sang. Picky eating was catered to well with numerous child friendly options including a 24 hour ice cream bar. There are also frequently scheduled activities for all ages, including family scavenger hunts and family discos that promote time together with the kids.
Enjoying the Dr Seuss breakfast on the Carnival Spirit cruise ship
Mad Hatters Tea party on the Carnival Spirit
My enthusiasm for our Carnival Cruise is no unwavering however as while the children all had an amazing time there were downsides that bothered both the adults in our party. In the interest of transparency I’m going to share both the lowlights and the highlights:
What I loved about our cruise on the Carnival Spirit:
-Some overdue indépendance from the children which they were in the Ocean Club (they begged to go every day).
-The themed dining events (extra cost) specifically the Dr Seuss breakfast.
-The cruise opened our eyes to the extravagantly blue waters of New Caledonia and the undersea treasures to be explored with snorkels. Previously we haven’t considered holidaying in New Caledonia but all family members agree we want to go back for more.
-The onboard water park with two large waterslides and a watersplash area for the kids was gold.
-Live music every evening in the various bars on board which was of excellent standard.
Watersplash park on the Carnival Spirit
The kids loved snorkelling in New Caledonia
The not so good bits
-As a family of five we had to book two separate rooms which were at different ends of the ship from each other. This meant my husband and I each had to supervise children in a different cabin. The requirement for families of five or more to book two cabins also steeply increases the price. Cruises are more affordable for smaller families.
-We traveled during school holidays and the crowds aboard the Carnival Spirit were intense. It was impossible outside our room to find a quiet area during the day, even the adults only deck was busy.
-Too many children meant they filled the spa like spawning salmon. It was like Lord of the Flies during the afternoon with badly behaved children, and sometimes bullying of other kids unchecked by parents. In all honesty, in ten years of family travel, and writing about family travel I’ve never experienced anything like the masses of children in the spa and pool on board.
-We had to line up for everything including meals. The casual dining options meant waiting for fifteen to twenty minutes in line.
-There was constant upselling. This included discounts on liquor purchased before noon. I’m not adverse to a nice glass of wine but pushing alcohol via discounts early in the day promotes risky drinking and there was obvious intoxication among cruise goers.
-The casino is a thoroughfare which meant kids were exposed to it daily.
Our family was not naive to cruising – we have cruised previously to Papua New Guinea with P and O. Admittedly this cruise was taken during school holidays however the swarm of humanity crammed in every nook and cranny of the Carnival Spirit was in contrast to our cruise on the Pacific Aria with P and O.
So would we cruise with Carnival again? The answer is I’m not really sure. I don’t think I could drag my husband onto such a crowded a boat again. Perhaps, during off peak times I may be coaxed on by the promise of a little space from my children. As for New Caledonia. We will definitely be back. So much underwater exploring still to be done there.
