Caribbean Princess for Families — With Brightline Access

It felt as if we were in a town square in Rome, partaking in a passeggiata on a summer night. As a DJ and saxophonist performed Dua Lipa’s hit “Levitating,” guests of all ages gathered to dance and socialize as my children (ages 5, 5 and 8) whirled on the mosaic-tiled dance floor.

It was the perfect day onboard Princess Cruises’ Grand-class Caribbean Princess. Earlier that day, my children had spent a busy morning in the kids’ club, followed by a sun-drenched afternoon poolside at the ship’s Reef Family Splash Zone. After a delicious five-course family dinner at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, we took an evening stroll to the ship’s stunning, piazza-style grand atrium — which brought even more magic.

And luckily for our family, it couldn’t have been more convenient. This season marks the first time in history that Princess has sailed from Port Canaveral, Florida (long a favorite port for families due to its proximity to
Orlando’s attractions), and the line is doing so with cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on its most family-friendly ship: the 3,140-passenger Caribbean Princess, which features all-ages entertainment and a full schedule of programs for children.

The balance of offerings makes the ship and its new port the perfect choice for multigenerational families seeking a balanced, nuanced approach to cruising. The experience offers the impeccable amenities and premium service that the brand is known for, yet also a variety of options for younger guests.

Traveling With Brightline

Since we live in South Florida, we traveled to the port via Princess’ new Rail & Sail partnership with Brightline trains. Our family adores the ease of traveling by Brightline; we’ve previously taken the sleek, high-speed passenger train on trips to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando and destinations such as Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

On embarkation day, we boarded a northbound Brightline train at our home station in West Palm Beach and were at the station in Orlando (located at Orlando International Airport) in just over two hours. There, we took a coffee break while our children played in the kids’ play area, then boarded an UberXL minivan to the port. We arrived in less than an hour, and from there, were able to check our bags and board the ship. The process was easy, and just as seamless on our return trip.

Princess passengers traveling via Brightline to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale also receive an extra perk: complimentary transportation to the port by way of a Princess motorcoach, allowing passengers to check their luggage when they board the Brightline at any of the state’s six stations, with direct station-to-stateroom delivery.

Pro Tips for Families

Without a doubt, the best accommodation for families with children onboard the ship is the two-bedroom Family Suite With Balcony. The offering can accommodate up to eight people with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room with two sofa beds and a large private balcony.

As part of Princess’ Reserve Collection, the suite booking came with dining benefits; upgraded amenities; and VIP touches such as priority embarkation and disembarkation, exclusive seating for meals and additional menu options, invitations to special events and 24-hour room service. Our favorite suite benefit was the expedited seating for meals, which made us feel like royalty and helped immensely when towing along energetic children. We also had access to a private breakfast each morning for suite guests.

RELATED: 3 Tips for Planning the Best Family Vacation in the Caribbean

And there are plenty of kid-friendly activity options onboard Caribbean Princess. In the Youth Center kids’ club, my children made superhero costumes, decorated T-shirts and partied with new friends. We gathered with other families at the ship’s pool deck and interactive water playground, and the kids accompanied us to the nightly Broadway-style productions in the Princess Theater. A favorite was a spellbinding performance by Tom Franek, an accomplished musician who played piano upside down while balancing on his head, among other feats.

Adventures for All Ages

Our six-day sailing from Florida to the Eastern Caribbean stopped in Nassau, the Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. Other options from Port Canaveral primarily cover the Eastern and Western Caribbean, including six-, eight- and 14-day options.

I’d recommend all three of the ports we visited for multigenerational groups. In Nassau, we spent a fun-filled day at Aquaventure water park and the aquariums at Atlantis Paradise Island. In San Juan, we joined a walking tour of beautiful Old San Juan and explored the storied Castillo San Felipe del Morro. And in Grand Turk, we boarded a “Duck Boat” for a group tour that took us across land and water, then spent the afternoon swimming in the aquamarine sea.  

One of the unexpected benefits of sailing on a Princess MedallionClass ship with Medallions (quarter-size wearable devices) was the ability to order food to be brought to us anytime, anywhere. This was particularly helpful on port days when getting back on the ship from shore excursions; I was able to place OceanNow food orders directly from the Princess Cruises app on my phone to be delivered to our stateroom while we prepared for the evening activities.

On the return trip home on Brightline, a fellow passenger asked my 8-year-old daughter what she thought of our Princess cruise.

Her reply? “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it 100.”