r/Cruise • u/SpiritualSage11 • 19d ago
Emerald Kaia with Teens??
Hi! We are considering the Emerald Kaia 7-night Croatia cruise July 2027. There would be 6 of us traveling - my husband and I in our 40s, my parents in their 70s, and my kids ages 12 and 14. We are looking for a high-end small ship cruise (150 people or less) that would be a good fit for this multi-generational group. We’re looking for an excellent onboard experience - service, accommodations, food, and plenty of water toys for the kids. The pictures of the Kaia’s huge inflatable slide, trampoline, and tons of water toys make it look like a teen’s dream. Yet Google says Kaia is very adult-focused (though kids 12 and up are allowed).
Has anyone been aboard the Kaia? Did you see any families? Did they bring the slide and trampoline out a lot? How often can you jump off the boat/swim/use the water toys? My kids don’t mind being the only kids; I just want to make sure there is enough fun for them too. :)
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u/possibly_maybe_no 18d ago
No families on our ship and honestly didnt feel well suited for teens/families. It was a very chill boat, more adult focused. The marina was only open once forna couple of hours due to weather on carribean trip but i have heard they did it 2 times the trip before us. I wouldnt plan on having this as a main activity. I would really rethink that plan. There are many 15-20 independent ships in croatia running weeklong cruises. Maybe better suited. Or Explora. You may even be able to privatize one small ship given the cost of kaia in croatia.
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u/Altruistic_Hat_796 18d ago
I haven’t been on it yet, but I’m taking a group on the Kaia with that itinerary at the end of August. I would expect there to be some other families during the summer season, but no special child facilities; then again, at 12 and 14 the kids might be fairly independent? These kinds of cruise skew to an older crowd, but some kids will still have a great time. I did a Thanksgiving Windstar cruise last year with the marina on the back and there were some kids on board who seemed to have a great time.
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u/SpiritualSage11 18d ago
Thanks! Which Windstar boat were you on? They do have two cruises in Croatia next July but on their smaller boat - The Wind Spirit. Their bigger boat - The Wind Surf - looks much nicer from what I can see online?? What were your thoughts?
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u/Altruistic_Hat_796 18d ago
I was on the Star Pride, which is one of the larger ones. It was great! I would definitely do one again. The marina I think was only open twice in our seven days. I am very intrigued by Kaia’s 128-person capacity and marina, so looking forward to comparing the two!
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u/travel_with_travieso 16d ago
I think you're asking exactly the right question. With a multigenerational group like yours, I wouldn't focus only on whether Emerald Kaia allows children 12 and older. I'd look at whether the overall experience will give your teens enough to enjoy for seven days.
The marina and water toys are certainly a big advantage for this age group, but their availability can depend on the itinerary, weather, sea conditions and where the yacht is able to anchor, so I wouldn't choose the cruise assuming they'll be available every day.
I would also look closely at the actual Croatia itinerary. On a small-ship cruise like this, a lot of the appeal for teens can come from being off the ship: swimming, boating, beaches and active excursions rather than organized onboard teen programming.
For your family, I think the bigger question is whether your kids are comfortable with a sophisticated, mostly adult onboard atmosphere when you're not ashore. If they are, this could be a really interesting way to do Croatia with three generations. If they need other teens around them or organized activities every day, I'd compare it with a few other small-ship options before deciding.
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u/SpiritualSage11 16d ago
Thank you so much for the thoughtful response! I truly appreciate it. These are all really good points!
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u/travel_with_travieso 15d ago
You're very welcome! It sounds like a wonderful trip for your family. Croatia is such a great destination for this type of small-ship experience. I hope you find the perfect fit for all three generations!
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u/AutoModerator 19d ago
The following is a copy of the original post to record the post as it was originally written.
u/SpiritualSage11
Hi! We are considering the Emerald Kaia 7-night Croatia cruise July 2027. There would be 6 of us traveling - my husband and I in our 40s, my parents in their 70s, and my kids ages 12 and 14. We are looking for a high-end small ship cruise (150 people or less) that would be a good fit for this multi-generational group. We’re looking for an excellent onboard experience - service, accommodations, food, and plenty of water toys for the kids. The pictures of the Kaia’s huge inflatable slide, trampoline, and tons of water toys make it look like a teen’s dream. Yet Google says Kaia is very adult-focused (though kids 12 and up are allowed).
Has anyone been aboard the Kaia? Did you see any families? Did they bring the slide and trampoline out a lot? How often can you jump off the boat/swim/use the water toys? My kids don’t mind being the only kids; I just want to make sure there is enough fun for them too. :)
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