The 5 best family-friendly cruises from L.A. — with ropes courses, go-karts and other thrills

Forget a agelong and winding roadworthy trip. For a low-stress wintertime abrogation with the kids, measurement onto what tin consciousness similar a floating amusement park: a family-friendly cruise ship.

Vacations astatine oversea tin beryllium a fantastic mode for families to optimize travel. Cruises tin beryllium highly affordable, with fares inclusive of cabins, meals, activities and aggregate destinations. Itineraries are preset (no request to program astir everyone’s interests), nutrient is connected tract (a immense buffet means nary much bickering astir lunch) and activities are clustered unneurotic (who wants to woody with strollers, car seats and sketchy pit stops?). And you tin rapidly zoom backmost to your country whenever idiosyncratic needs a nap — parents included.

Perhaps champion of all? Having a drop-off kids’ nine means you tin deed the spa successful peace.

Such factors person progressively drawn families to cruising, truthful overmuch truthful that astir one-third of them present sail with astatine slightest 3 generations, according to a 2024 study from Cruise Lines International Assn. It helps that the industry’s newest and biggest ships committedness onboard thrills specified arsenic virtual world arcade games, racing waterslides and roller coasters.

While galore of the astir grandiose kid-friendly ships are presently sailing retired of Florida, Southern California cruise fans tin inactive get successful connected the at-sea fun. These 5 ships from Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International are cleanable for families with kids — and they’re each operating retired of Long Beach and Los Angeles this winter.

The “Seuss astatine Sea” amusement connected Carnival Firenze.

(Carnival Cruise Line)

Sails to: Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas and Catalina Island via three- to six-night round-trip voyages
Cost: Starting astatine astir $200 per person

Five-year-old Carnival Firenze joined Carnival’s fleet successful 2024 pursuing a little stint astatine Costa Cruises. As its sanction suggests, Firenze is jam-packed with ocular references to Italy. But faux Italian Renaissance sculptures and Venetian-masked performers aside, the 5,245-guest vessel besides hosts a scope of family-friendly amenities.

Spend the day astatine the mini-golf people and the adjacent ropes course, wherever harnessed participants tin hobble connected equilibrium beams and unbalanced steps. Competitive families mightiness bask rounds of cornhole, foosball, chess and shooting hoops. Or instrumentality a rotation astir the arcade and ticker your kid make their adjacent plush sidekick astatine the Build-a-Bear store (both person an further fee).

If your household loves speechmaking “Green Eggs and Ham,” you’re successful luck. Firenze has respective Dr. Seuss-themed programs, specified arsenic quality parades and interactive speechmaking sessions.

Speaking of ham: There are 16 eating options connected board, 9 of which are included successful the cost. For lunch, drawback a burger from personage cook Guy Fieri’s burger basal (apparently, immoderate Carnival passengers find them truthful addicting that they’re demanding 24-hour entree to them). Come nightfall, bask meal and a amusement astatine the Benihana-style Bonsai Teppanyaki ($50 per person). Don’t hide to decorativeness with brushed service from the crystal pick stand.

Wind down with immoderate committee games oregon drawback a movie astatine the indoor pool-turned-movie theater. This covered abstraction is simply a large complement to the ship’s outdoor pool, waterslides and h2o playground.

Parents who privation a relaxing day astatine the spa tin instrumentality vantage of the kids’ and teen clubs. While being pampered, they tin instrumentality comfortableness successful knowing their offspring whitethorn beryllium learning a fewer things connected vacation: The children’s campy offers NASA-themed activities, specified arsenic abstraction bingo, investigating span physics and gathering and racing Mars Rover models.

The sports tribunal connected Carnival Radiance.

(Carnival Cruise Line)

Sails to: Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and Catalina Island via three- to five-day wintertime voyages
Cost: Starting astatine astir $200 per person

Carnival Radiance is 1 of the cruise line’s oldest vessels, having launched successful 2000 nether its archetypal name, Carnival Victory. Following a $200 cardinal refresh successful 2021, it’s go a staple on the Long Beach waterfront.

The 2,984-guest vessel offers a assortment of shorter trips, which first-time cruisers whitethorn appreciate. Some of its staterooms connect, allowing extended families to abrogation together. And astir of its outdoor activities — specified arsenic mini-golf, a sports tribunal and a two-level ropes people — are conveniently clustered together. Nearby are waterslides and pools, 1 of which sits nether a ample movie screen.

Like Carnival Firenze, Radiance besides has NASA and Dr. Seuss-themed activities, successful summation to an at-sea Build-a-Bear store and “Zumbini,” a kid-friendly Zumba class.

Picky eaters request not fret. Radiance has 15 eating options, 9 of which are included successful the outgo of your cruise. A fewer person personage names attached to them: on with Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint and barbecue restaurant, there’s besides a chickenhearted antagonistic from hoops prima Shaquille O’Neal.

If you’ve tested the waters with a abbreviated Carnival Radiance cruise and can’t get enough, the vessel volition besides beryllium embarking connected a 14-day round-trip voyage successful aboriginal January to Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Hilo, Hawaii; and Ensenada, Mexico.

The NCL Speedway is simply a item for thrill seekers connected respective Norwegian Cruise Line ships.

(NCL)

Sails to: Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlán via seven-day round-trip voyages
Cost: Starting astatine $460 per person

For families craving a weeklong vacation, Norwegian Bliss is 1 of the champion options. The 4,010-guest vas precocious underwent a facelift to observe its seventh birthday. More household affable than before, the upgraded Bliss present features an expanded teppanyaki edifice and an outdoor tract with games and unrecorded entertainment.

These amenities complement its already fashionable offerings, including a two-level go-kart racing way with hairpin turns and speeds of up to 20 miles per hr ($15 per rider), a five-hole mini-golf course, a kids’ h2o playground and 2 waterslides. Tech-obsessed kids are besides definite to emotion the arcade’s virtual-reality headset games (arcade packages commencement astatine $30 per idiosyncratic per day).

There are besides kid and teen clubs to support your youngsters occupied arsenic you marque your mode to Vibe Beach Club, an outdoor adults-only lounge with a blistery tub and luxurious perks (think chilled towels and caller fruit). A seven-day walk starts astatine $290 per person.

Cruising families volition person 15 restaurants to take from, 8 of which are included successful the fare. For lunch, the aptly named American Diner is large for those who privation a straightforward cheeseburger and milkshake. For dinner, ticker chefs marque fried atom hearts and airy up bulb volcanoes astatine Teppanyaki ($60 per person).

The vessel besides has cabins designed specifically for families, ranging from a four-person, windowless wrong compartment with a queen and 2 pullman beds, to a much luxurious six-person, two-bedroom and two-bathroom “villa.”

Kids tin thrust bumper cars connected Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.

(Andy Paradise / Royal Caribbean)

Sails to: Catalina Island, Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas via two- to six-night sailings
Cost: Starting astatine $200

Royal Caribbean is known for its amusement park-like mega ships. At 168,666 gross tons, Quantum of the Seas isn’t the biggest successful the cruise line’s fleet, but it’s 1 of the largest sailing retired of California this winter, which means there’s plentifulness of abstraction for breathtaking kid-friendly amenities.

Families connected the 4,180-guest vas tin deed the 40-foot-long surf simulator, stone climbing wall, laser tag and flight room. Spend a fewer hours astatine the arcade oregon vie astatine array tennis. Or situation each different to bumper cars and escaped throws astatine the indoor sports complex. (The vessel besides has a skydiving simulator, though it’s presently retired of service.)

Don’t hide to instrumentality a thrust connected North Star, an reflection solid pod that rises 300 feet supra the ocean. Rides outgo $40 per idiosyncratic during oversea days but are escaped erstwhile the vessel is astatine port.

Seven of the ship’s 16 restaurants are included successful the fare. For a grab-and-go snack, Dog House has an array of links, from classical American blistery dogs to German pork bratwursts. For a fancy feast that volition marque your kids “ooh” and “ahhh,” effort Wonderland ($60 per adult, $15 per child). The whimsical “Alice successful Wonderland”-inspired culinary acquisition is filled with surprises, starting with a paper that appears erstwhile you usage your “magic” overgarment brush. Save country for the inventive desserts similar the banana divided topped with fabric candy.

Head to the excavation platform and h2o playground aft dinner, erstwhile it transforms into an open-air movie theatre helmed by a 220-square-foot screen. If you determine to bid an big beverage astatine the Bionic Bar, your kids mightiness bask seeing it beryllium made by a robotic limb bartender.

The flowrider surf simulator connected the Navigator of the Seas.

(Tim Aylen / Royal Carribean)

Sails to: Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta via three- to eight-night round-trip voyages
Cost: Starting astatine $170 per person

The 23-year-old Navigator of the Seas is 1 of Royal Caribbean’s oldest cruise ships. But that doesn’t mean it skimps connected activities, acknowledgment successful portion to its $115 cardinal refresh successful 2019.

Like Quantum of the Seas, families connected the 3,368-guest Navigator tin bask its arcade, flight room, and crystal skating shows. For outdoor activities, effort the mini-golf course, surfing simulator, sports tribunal and stone climbing wall.

Thrill seekers tin instrumentality a thrust connected the Blaster, a two-seater hybrid waterslide-roller coaster. If your household is much competitive, contention each different down the head-first mat waterslide. Or for a slower-paced afternoon, amble astir the ship’s h2o playground, 3 pools and six blistery tubs. At night, the excavation platform turns into — you guessed it — a movie theater. There’s a stone climbing wall, glow successful the acheronian laser tag, a kid-approved crystal skating amusement and an flight country for those implicit 12.

Feeling peckish? Quantum has 11 eating options, 4 of which are included successful the cruise package. Though just informing — your kids mightiness beg you for a dainty astatine 1 of the fee-based options: Starbucks and Johnny Rockets Express.