Set sail
Family Cruises from Fredericksburg: Ports, Itineraries and Tips
Our first cruise was with a toddler, and we have been planning the next one ever since. Here is what we have learned along the way: the closest ports you can drive to, our Royal Caribbean Mediterranean trip, the Bahamas and St. Thomas with kids, and the packing list and hacks we wish someone had handed us before our first sailing.
Watch first
Our cruise videos
Our Royal Caribbean Mediterranean itinerary
10 things to do in Barcelona with kids
Our excursion to Cassis with a toddler
Everything I packed for our first cruise
What I wish I knew before my first cruise
A day at CocoCay with a toddler
Cruising with a toddler on Royal Caribbean
Cruise life during toddler nap timeNo flight needed
Cruise ports you can drive to from Fredericksburg
Drive times are from downtown Fredericksburg without heavy traffic. Ships and parking rates change, so double check with the cruise line before you book.
| Port | Drive from Fredericksburg | Who sails from there | Where you can go | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD Cruise Maryland Terminal | About 1 hr 45 min to 2.5 hrs | Carnival Pride (year round) and Carnival Legend; Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas returns May to October 2027 | Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Canada and New England | $25 a day |
| Norfolk, VA Half Moone Cruise Center | About 2 hrs 20 min | Carnival Sunshine through mid May 2027, then Carnival Freedom | Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean and Canada | $15 a day at Cedar Grove, with a free shuttle |
| Cape Liberty, NJ Bayonne | About 4.5 to 5.5 hrs | Royal Caribbean (Odyssey of the Seas) and Celebrity | CocoCay and the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean | About $30 to $35 a day |
| Manhattan, NY Piers 88 and 90 | About 5 to 6 hrs | Carnival Venezia (Carnival Firenze from May 2027) and Norwegian Aqua | Bermuda, Caribbean, Canada and New England | About $45 a night |
| Port Canaveral, FL Fly into Orlando | Fly, about 45 min from the airport to the port | The newest family ships: Royal Caribbean Star and Utopia of the Seas, Disney Wish and Treasure, Carnival Mardi Gras | Short Bahamas trips and the Caribbean | About $20 a day |
Mom tip: Baltimore and Norfolk are the easiest no-fly cruises for most families here. On a 7-night trip, a week of parking costs far less than flights for four. If your heart is set on Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay without flying, Cape Liberty in New Jersey is the closest port with sailings that stop there.
Stay the night before: a hotel near the port means no I-95 traffic stress on embarkation morning.
Hotels near the Baltimore port Hotels near the Norfolk port Hotels near Cape Liberty Hotels near Port Canaveral
Our family trip
Royal Caribbean in the Mediterranean with kids
We sailed the Mediterranean with Royal Caribbean with our toddler. Watch our itinerary, our list of things to do in Barcelona with kids and our Cassis excursion in the videos above.
How it works
- Most cruises are 7 nights from Barcelona or Rome (Civitavecchia)
- Expect five or six ports and only one or two sea days
- For summer 2027, Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest Icon class ship, sails the Western Mediterranean from Barcelona and Rome
- Odyssey of the Seas sails the Greek Isles from Rome
Getting there from home
- Fly from Dulles; nonstops to Rome and Barcelona show up on airline schedules
- Land one to two days before you sail; one delay can cost you the ship
- Civitavecchia is about an hour from Rome’s airport by car
- A night in Rome or Barcelona doubles as your first sightseeing day
Easy port days with little ones
- Palma de Mallorca: beaches and a walkable old town
- Naples: Pompeii for school-age kids, go early before the heat
- Marseille: the old port and beaches
- Mykonos: beach days
Harder with toddlers
- Cinque Terre: stairs and crowds, not stroller friendly
- Santorini: long tender and cable car lines
- Ephesus: heat and very little shade
Ships and 2027 itineraries are from Royal Caribbean’s announcements; confirm on royalcaribbean.com before booking.
Beach days
The Bahamas from Baltimore and Norfolk
You can be on a beach in the Bahamas without getting on a plane. Carnival sails Bahamas cruises year round from both Baltimore and Norfolk, usually 5 to 9 nights, with stops like Nassau, Bimini and Carnival’s private island, Celebration Key. Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, is a drive to New Jersey or a flight to Florida away.
Celebration Key (Carnival)
- Ships dock right at the pier, no tender boats
- Free lagoons and beaches, plus the Guppy Grotto splash pad for little ones
- Waterslides are about $15 per person
- The Cheers drink package does not work on the island
Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean)
- Free beaches, the Oasis Lagoon pool and Splashaway Bay for kids
- Lunch is included
- Thrill Waterpark costs extra (around $100 per person, with 42 to 48 inch height minimums)
- Closest drive-to port: Cape Liberty, NJ on Odyssey of the Seas
Mom tip: lunch is included at CocoCay, so plenty of families skip the paid extras and spend the whole day at Splashaway Bay and calm Harbor Beach.
Caribbean
St. Thomas with kids
St. Thomas is a U.S. territory, which makes it an easy first Caribbean stop. Carnival’s 9-day sailings from Norfolk include it, and Eastern Caribbean trips from Baltimore are another way to get there.
Magens Bay
A long, calm, shallow beach with lifeguards and restrooms. Entry is $5 for visitors and free for kids under 12. It is about a 15 to 20 minute taxi ride from the ship.
Coki Beach and Coral World
Some of the best snorkeling on the island, right next to Coral World Ocean Park with its underwater observatory and touch pools. Kids 3 to 12 are about $17 and under 3 are free; check the days it is open.
Mountain Top
A lookout 2,100 feet up with sweeping views over Magens Bay. Often paired with Magens Bay on island tours.
A day on St. John
A 20 minute ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay, then the snorkel trail at Trunk Bay. Give yourself at least four hours, or book it through the ship so you are never late getting back.
Passports: U.S. citizens can sail round-trip cruises with a birth certificate and photo ID, but we recommend passports for everyone. Most of these itineraries also stop in foreign ports, and you need a passport to fly home if anyone misses the ship or gets sick. Open-air safari taxis charge per person, and there is no Uber.
From our family to yours
Cruising with kids: what we wish we knew
Read our full posts on cruising with a toddler on Royal Caribbean and your first cruise with kids.
Kids clubs
- Royal Caribbean Adventure Ocean starts at age 3, and kids must be fully potty trained; free during the main hours
- Carnival Camp Ocean starts at age 2, and kids do not need to be potty trained
- Disney Oceaneer Club is ages 3 to 10
- Sign up on embarkation day so they can go that first night
Swim diapers
- On Royal Caribbean, kids in diapers can only use the Baby Splash areas
- Pick a ship that has one if you are traveling with a toddler
Choosing a cabin
- Connecting cabins give you two bathrooms and your own space
- A balcony gives you somewhere to sit during naps (keep the door locked)
- Inside cabins are pitch dark, which is great for naps
- Low and midship feels the least motion
Naps, bedtime and safety
- Bring white noise and request a crib ahead of time
- Teach kids your cabin number and muster station on day one
- Agree on a family meeting spot for older kids
Save money and stress
Cruise hacks we swear by
- Arrive the day before. Even when driving to Baltimore or Norfolk, a hotel the night before takes the I-95 stress out of embarkation day.
- Pack a day-one carry-on. Checked bags can take until evening, so carry swimsuits, sunscreen, medicine and documents.
- Book early, then watch the price. Family cabins sell out first, and you can often reprice if fares drop before final payment.
- Shop the cruise planner sales. Drink, wifi and excursion add-ons are usually cheaper before you sail, especially on Black Friday.
- Do the drink package math. Most lines make every adult in the cabin buy it, and you need several drinks a day to break even. A soda package is often the better buy for kids.
- Bring magnetic hooks. Cabin walls are metal, so hooks give you places for hats, lanyards and wet swimsuits.
- Hang a shoe organizer on the bathroom door. Cabins have almost no counter space.
- Use port days for the pool. Slides and pools are packed on sea days and quiet when everyone else is ashore.
- Bring one USB charging cube. Power strips, surge protectors and extension cords are not allowed.
- Know the wine rule. Royal Caribbean and Carnival allow one bottle of wine per adult at embarkation.
- Budget for gratuities. They are charged per person per day, kids included, so prepay to spread out the cost.
- Book one date night. Late-night kids club hours make a grown-up dinner easy.
Save this
Family cruise packing list
Want the full printable version? See First Time Cruising with Kids? Save This Packing List!
Documents
- Passports (or birth certificates and photo ID for round-trip cruises)
- Boarding passes and luggage tags
- Cruise app downloaded for every adult
- Copies of prescriptions and travel insurance
Day-one carry-on
- Swimsuits for everyone
- Sunscreen and medicine
- Phone chargers and a USB charging cube
- A change of clothes and water bottles
Cabin
- Magnetic hooks
- Over-the-door shoe organizer
- Packing cubes, one color per person
- Night light and a collapsible laundry bag
- Wrinkle release spray instead of an iron
For the kids
- Favorite blanket or stuffed animal
- Tablet with downloaded shows and headphones
- Rash guards and water shoes
- Swim diapers for splash areas, plus diapers and wipes
Beach and port days
- Reef-safe sunscreen, hats and sunglasses
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Kids snorkel masks
- Small cash for taxis and tips
Leave at home
- Power strips, surge protectors and extension cords
- Irons and steamers
- Candles
- Baby monitors on Royal Caribbean
Ships, prices and policies change often. Last checked October 2026.