Cruise lines are adapting to the new breed of family holidays, where multigenerational (multi-gen) travel means something different to families of all sizes, shapes and ages.
The family holiday used to mean all sorts of compromise. Someone was bored. Someone was cold. Someone wanted a lie-in and someone else wanted to be first off the plane or the bus or out of the caravan right now, pulleeease. As families grew up, things changed. The cruise industry has spent the better part of a decade quietly solving the compromise problem and family holidays have never looked so exciting.
Family travel is about inclusivity for all generations
Multi-gen travel groups now account for 34 per cent of all cruise reservations globally, up from 22 per cent in 2023. Nearly 33 per cent of Australians are considering a cruise holiday in 2026, up from 26 per cent in 2024. Virtuoso’s most recent survey of Australian and NZ advisors ranked family and multi-gen travel as the second-highest travel trend for the year, sitting just behind adventure cruising.
It is not hard to see why cruising works for mixed-age groups. One departure point, one price negotiation, one ship that somehow keeps the seven-year-old entertained while grandma has a spa treatment and dad finds the swim-up bar. The logistics that make a multi-gen land holiday feel like a military operation largely disappear at sea. And cruise lines have been investing heavily to make them even more enticing. We’re talking connecting suites, dedicated youth programs, exciting onboard entertainment zones, flexible dining and shore excursions that cater for the young and the young at heart.
Here’s some of the cruise lines tapping into multi-gen cruising.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line remains the gold standard for families travelling with children, and its multi-gen credentials need no introduction. Staterooms are well designed for family configurations, kids’ clubs are consistently rated among the best at sea, and adults have their own quiet retreats away from the theme park energy. Broadway-quality entertainment, thoughtful dining, and immersive theming give every generation, including teenagers, who are notoriously hard to please at sea, something to connect with.
Emerald Cruises
Emerald Cruises does not market multi-gen cruising as a dedicated product, but new yacht Emerald Kaia offers connecting suites that suit family groups well. On the river side, Emerald’s European itineraries include EmeraldACTIVE experiences (guided bike tours, guided hikes and canoeing) alongside classic shore excursions, giving mixed-age groups genuine flexibility to split up by interest and energy level.
Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys’ multi-gen offering focuses on the concept of a home at sea, extended to the whole family. Connecting suites make the logistics straightforward, a Nautilus Club caters to guests aged six to 17, and a curated collection of destination experiences puts family groups at the centre. For families at the premium end of cruising, Explora is an alternative to the larger family-focused lines.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises has put multi-gen groups firmly in the spotlight with the upcoming launch of MSC World Asia (launching late 2026). The new ship has a major focus on enhanced outdoor family zones and expanded pool offerings. A key highlight of MSC World Asia is the Harbour district, which is positioned as a multi-gen hub, combining dining, play and relaxation. Attractions include an over-water swing ride, high ropes course and expanded aquapark.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line takes a different approach to the multi-gen families, with a focus on space and flexibility rather than spectacle. The line offers an unprecedented amount of space per guest, a high staff-to-guest ratio, and a clear separation between adult-oriented amenities, including age-restricted lounges, and robust youth programs. It is a model that gives grandparents and parents room to breathe while keeping the kids well occupied.
Ponant Explorations
Ponant Explorations approaches group travel opportunity from a different angle, waiving the solo supplement not only for individual solo travellers but for groups of friends and family members who want to travel together while keeping the privacy of their own cabin. For multi-gen groups where some guests prefer solo cabins, it removes a pricing barrier that can otherwise complicate things.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean has long positioned itself as the benchmark for family cruising at scale. Royal Caribbean ships are anything but subtle. The line’s fourth Icon Class ship, Hero of the Seas, launching in August 2027, will feature a three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse sleeping up to eight guests, complete with an in-suite slide and cinema, as well as a dedicated two-level Ultimate Family Treehouse designed specifically with teenagers in mind. Royal Caribbean delivers adventure activities, dedicated kids’ and adults’ areas, spacious suites wrapped up in swanky high-tech to suit all ages.
Scenic
Scenic’s Eclipse expedition ship offers a two-bedroom penthouse suite created by connecting an owner’s penthouse suite with an adjacent spa suite. This is a creative configuration that suits the older multi-gen traveller Scenic typically attracts, whether is adults travelling with parents or couples joining extended family. Scenic’s land touring programme, operating in small groups of between 24 and 36 guests, also works well for larger family groups looking for a more intimate experience than a large ship provides.
Uniworld
Uniworld addresses the multi-gen cruising through its Generations Collection – dedicated sailings that layer additional family-focused amenities over all-inclusive river cruise product. Designed for everything from intimate family holidays to full family reunions, these voyages accommodate children and teens as comfortably as their parents and grandparents. Generation Collection voyages are a good fit for family groups who want luxury river cruising without leaving the younger generation behind.
Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages does not permit children onboard, which makes it a different kind of multi-gen offering. This is strictly for adults-only family groups, whether that is siblings, or parents travelling with their grown children. Virgin Voyages offer exceptional dining, stylish spaces, and the freedom to do their own thing, in whatever form that takes, while still retaining connection with the rest of the family.
