What type of Cruise Ship for a family of 4-5 people and Cabin or Suite?

[BeckyL80]

Hello, I have never been on a cruise before. Looking to take a cruise either next year or in 2026. It would be me (40's), my sister and possibly her boyfriend (40's), niece (30's) and our mom (80's). We are looking for something relaxing, good food, relaxing spa, good entertainment. My mom has a hard time walking so a spa with like a hot tub or pool I think would be good for her. What would be a good cruise ship to take? Looking to maybe cruise through Italy, Greece, Croatia, Europe areas. Maybe about a 9-14 day type of cruise. Is it more economical to do like a suite or connecting cabins?

 

Thank you,

[Essiesmom]

You will not get any privacy with five people in a suite, and chances are two people would be sharing a foldout couch.  Two cabins will give you two bathrooms.  Does your mom  use any mobility assist devices, such as a walker?  Is she steady in a small shower?  Cabins on cruise ships are smaller than hotel rooms, as are the bathrooms.  
  Given what you are looking for, I would suggest the older, smaller ships of the mass market lines, or step up to the premium lines which mostly have smaller ships…but cost more money.  You haven’t mentioned a budget, and airfare to Europe must figure in, as well as a hotel for the night before the cruise.  
  If you want to see Greece and Croatia, you should consider an eastern Mediterranean cruise, leaving from Greece or Italy.  Try looking at cruisetimetables.com and select departure ports in those areas.  Choose the time you want to sail, and it will tell you what ships are sailing and their itineraries.  Happy researching…. EM

[BeckyL80]

thank you for this information. It is very helpful. I will look at that website. I've just been watching Youtube videos and researching on my own. It's alot! My mom isn't using a walker, yet. I'm still working on a budget. LOL 

[Essiesmom]

I was suggesting the smaller ships because there can be a lot of walking involved.  I am 79 and don’t have any mobility issues yet, but my las cruises were on large ships, and my cabin far forward.  A long walk to the dining room.  Unfortunately for those of us who like smaller ships, economies of scale means they build them bigger and bigger.  But the ones of the size I like are still around 100,000 tons.  You might look at Holland America as. NOne of their ships are behemoths, the M class ships of Celebrity.  Grand class ships of Princess.  EM

[Host Kat]

8 hours ago, BeckyL80 said:

Hello, I have never been on a cruise before. Looking to take a cruise either next year or in 2026. It would be me (40's), my sister and possibly her boyfriend (40's), niece (30's) and our mom (80's). We are looking for something relaxing, good food, relaxing spa, good entertainment. My mom has a hard time walking so a spa with like a hot tub or pool I think would be good for her. What would be a good cruise ship to take? Looking to maybe cruise through Italy, Greece, Croatia, Europe areas. Maybe about a 9-14 day type of cruise. Is it more economical to do like a suite or connecting cabins?

 

Thank you,

 

Howdy @BeckyL80 and welcome to Cruise Critic from a fellow Texan!

 

Here are a few oldie but goodie Cruise Critic articles that may contain something helpful for you:

15 First Time Cruise Tips

What to Expect on a Cruise: Cruise Rooms

Family Cabins on a Cruise: What to Expect

Cruise Ship Rooms: What You Need to Know About Choosing Your Cabin

A Guide to Cruise Ship Spa Accommodations

Best Family-Friendly Cruise Ship Cabins

(Since no small children are in your party, just skip over those parts in the articles.)

 

And since you are a first-time cruiser, I feel it is best for you to find a travel agent that specializes in cruises. They will be so very helpful with your quest to find the best fit for you and the family regarding line, ship, stateroom or suite, itinerary, etc. Per the Guidelines we all agreed to follow when registering for our free Cruise Critic memberships, none of us can recommend or even hint a TA name as well as any other source or venue for cruise purchase. Hopefully another Cruise Critic article will be helpful! Finding a Cruise Travel Agent

 

The Cruise Critic website and message boards are both great resources for new as well as experienced cruisers, and we are glad you found us! Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community categories list for all the various message board forums. I suggest you Bookmark the page or put it in your Favorites for easy access in the future. Please read a few threads in the various forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka Stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there.

 

I sincerely hope this information will be helpful to someone new to posting on our message boards. We are so very glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic!

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

 

[SPacificbound]

Also, Royal Caribbean's Vision class and Radiance class are smaller ships, so much easier to get around for your mom then the larger ships.

 

Two connecting cabins will be much nicer than one, due to having two bathrooms.

[mjkacmom]

We are a family of 7, connecting cabins will be cheaper than suites.

[leaveitallbehind]

15 hours ago, BeckyL80 said:

thank you for this information. It is very helpful. I will look at that website. I've just been watching Youtube videos and researching on my own. It's alot! My mom isn't using a walker, yet. I'm still working on a budget. LOL 

As this is your first cruise experience and you have a rather unique mix of passengers and requirements, I would suggest talking with a travel agent who specializes in cruises.  They would be in the best position to look at cruise line choices, stateroom options, itineraries, and your budget, and help you decided what would best suit your preferences.  YouTube and CC is helpful, but IMO it would be best to talk in person with someone whose business it is to assist with this sort of planning - it can be a bit overwhelming otherwise.

Edited January 20 by leaveitallbehind

[cruiseaholic777]

Galveston has some very cheap cruises. Since you live in Texas I would book A cruise out of Galveston for my first cruise. I would do 7 days to see if you like it.

[SbbquilterUT]

Love the thought of a family trip but would consider if your Mom is up to the long flight to Europe as it can be pretty tiring.  Agree with the suggestion you consider a week trip closer to home to make sure you enjoy it.  Europe is fabulous but often the footing and inclines can make walking difficult for folks with mobility challenges.  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

Celebrity is running a 3rd and 4th person free sale. You should get a cabin for 2 and a cabin for 3. They have these huge deluxe oceanview cabins in the forward section of their newest ships/

[Itchy&Scratchy]

since it's your first cruise, and you are in TX, perhaps, you could start with a cruise from Galveston or FL. Then, once you are a little more seasoned, you would be so much better at knowing what works for you and plan a European cruise.

[SoloAlaska]

Celebrity M class is a great ship size wise and perfect for relaxing. The entertainment on the smaller ships isn’t quite as good as the bigger newer ships however. Also I recommend sticking with traditional dinning which is a perfect way to come together on a nightly basis.