I have been on 30 family cruises over 20 years – here are my ultimate insider’s hacks, secrets and tips to getting the most out of your money

This year marks two decades since I took my twins, Holly and Dani, on their first cruise as bouncy, excitable three-year-olds, never imagining that 20 years later we’d have notched up more than 30 voyages together.

I hadn’t considered cruises as a potential family holiday, but our first sailing in the Mediterranean proved so successful it was followed by a procession of voyages that suited every stage of their young lives, even the dreaded moody teenage years.

Along the way we ticked off incredible experiences they still talk about, with thrilling wildlife encounters in the Galapagos islands where the girls swam with sealions, and the wilds of Alaska where we spotted bears and whales. Cuddles with Mickey and Minnie Mouse were highlights on enchanting Disney cruises, while in New York we hit the shops and sights before sailing past the Statue of Liberty on a transatlantic crossing aboard the Queen Mary 2.

We had a ball on the world’s (then) largest ship where Holly and Dani spent hours splashing down slides in the onboard water park, and rode the waves on the majestic tall ships of Star Clippers where they climbed up to the crow’s nest and lay in the bowsprit nets as dolphins dived in the bow wave below. Even river cruises proved to be a surprising hit, with both girls at their happiest sitting on deck, watching unfolding landscapes pass by.

The beauty of these holidays was that whatever age the twins were, life was easy, especially as the destinations effectively came to us. As the girls grew older, we felt comfortable letting them taste more independence in the controlled confines of a ship than we would have done ashore.

Dani and Holly on the island of St Thomas during a cruise on the Caribbean Princess ship

Family cabins meant we could share, with Holly and Dani sleeping on sofa-beds or bunks that dropped down from the ceiling. As they reached their teens, we opted for adjoining rooms.

Dining was child’s play thanks to numerous options for even their fussiest moments, with pizzas, ice-creams and soft drinks on tap thanks to casual dining, plus more ­formal alternatives.

Kids’ clubs were a life-saver in the early years, keeping the girls entertained, so much so they never wanted to leave, sometimes bursting into tears or running off to hide when we tried to collect them.

My husband and I relished precious time to ourselves during evenings when we’d dine together and catch a show before picking them up.

During the day, we could go ashore to wander at leisure on our own without being pestered for sweets. Yet there were family excursions too, where the four of us had fun at water parks or on boat trips.

The mix of entertainment, from musical cabaret and magic acts to family comedy and deck parties, meant that as our daughters grew older we spent more time enjoying ship-life together. As every parent knows, if your children enjoy their holidays you will too.

So here’s my guide to help ensure your family voyages are plain sailing.

BEST FOR BABIES AND TOTS

If you’re travelling with very young children, keep it simple.

Choose cruises either departing UK ports to avoid airport hassles, or opt for short flights to the likes of Barcelona where the transfer to the port is relatively quick.

The Mediterranean is ideal, with warm sunny days making it perfect for deck time around the pool.

Nearly all main cruise companies take youngsters from six months, though Greek line Celestyal takes them from just three months. Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and P&O Cruises are among those that have nurseries offering group babysitting and parent and toddler play zones. The minimum age for kids’ clubs is two or three years, depending on the cruise company, and they are split into age groups.

MY TIP: Check times of kids’ club sessions/babysitting, whether there are extra charges, and if you can leave your children on-board while going ashore.

HOW TO DO IT: Royal Caribbean International (royalcaribbean.com) offers one-week Western Med sailings from Barcelona from £801.50pp, departing July 5. There are Kids Sail Free offers on selected sailings for children aged 12 and under.

P&O Cruise’s Iona traverses the fjords in Olden, Norway. The cruise line offers a seven-night round-trip voyage from Southampton to the fjords on June 13 costing from £829pp and £49pp for the third and fourth person sharing a cabin

Dani and Holly on their second cruise, aged four. The pair loved the kids’ club on the Emerald Princess during the cruise in the Mediterranean

…FOR THOSE AGED SIX TO TEN

As youngsters get older, it’s easier to explore further afield – and cope with the jetlag. The Caribbean’s mix of tropical sunshine and dazzling sand beaches is a sure-fire winner and the main family-friendly companies such as Princess Cruises, Marella Cruises, MSC Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line sail here.

Caribbean voyages are easily combined with Florida’s theme parks. Disney Cruise Line is an obvious one combining the two, though there are alternative cruise-and-stays featuring, for example, Royal Caribbean and Universal Orlando Resort.

For this age bracket, kids’ clubs generally cater for six to eight-year-olds and nine to twelves.

MY TIP: If you’re planning a Florida cruise-and-stay it’s often better to do the theme parks first and recover on the cruise afterwards. You can also look forward, with some relief, to drinks, ice-creams and food being included on the ship – which they’re not on land.

HOW TO DO IT: A 12-night cruise-and-stay comprising five nights at Walt Disney World in Florida and a one-week Disney Cruise Line voyage in the Caribbean costs from £14,799 for a family of four on August 17. This includes flights and park tickets (virginatlantic.com/holidays).

AND TWEENS & TEENS

Kids’ clubs lost their attraction for my girls at this stage (even though there are cool facilities for tweens and hangout zones for teens).

Destinations are key, especially with the thrill of wildlife sightings in the likes of the Galapagos islands and Alaska where you’ll find lines including Celebrity Cruises and Holland America Line. Taking a Cunard Line transatlantic crossing and spending a few days in New York was another winner for us.

River cruises, particularly through Europe’s key cities come packed with history and culture on the likes of Uniworld, A-Rosa and Tauck, which offer family-friendly sailings.

This is also a good age to try smaller ships or more upmarket ones such as Crystal which cater for youngsters, or Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Star Clippers offers an authentic sailing experience and swimming from the water sports marina on its flagship Royal Clipper.

MY TIP: For action-packed cruises, make sure your children are older and energetic enough to participate fully in all activities, particularly in the Galapagos where there can be three excursions a day.

HOW TO DO IT: Star Clippers ­(starclippers.co.uk) offers a one-week round-trip voyage from Athens around the Southern Cyclades on Star Flyer from £2,080 per adult on August 8. The first child pays only port charges (£210) and the second child qualifies for a 50 per cent discount on some cabin types.

Captain Minnie Mouse meets and greets children on Disney Cruise Line ships

The Queen Mary 2 leaves New York. Sara’s family hit the shops and sights before sailing past the Statue of Liberty on the transatlantic crossing

EXTENDED FAMILIES

Generally speaking big is best, so there are enough diversions to suit every age.

The key is flexibility for dining together, cabin location (close together, inter-connecting or suites), family-friendly excursions and entertainment and activities to suit different age groups. The major lines cater admirably with these varying requirements.

MY TIP: If children are very young, or grandparents are anxious about flying, sail from the UK, and make sure the ship has a pool with a retractable roof for all-weather swimming.

HOW TO DO IT: P&O Cruises (pocruises.com) offers a ­seven-night round-trip voyage from Southampton to the Norwegian fjords on June 13 costing from £829pp and £49pp for the third and fourth person sharing a cabin.

• Prices are cruise-only unless otherwise specified.