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Featured Article:
Everything You Need To
Know About Family Cruises
|
Travelers' Guide to Saving®
Expert
Advice for First Time and Seasoned
Family Travelers. |
|
From planning to packing,
from discount rates to
departure dates, everything
you need to know before you
go on vacation. |
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Introduction
Both
onboard and onshore, a cruise has something
for every member of the family, regardless
of age.
Most fleets are jammed back with innovation,
from hydrotherapy pools to WiFi internet
service. Onboard activities include typical
cruise ship fare such as talent shows,
karaoke, and movies as well as more modern
diversions like surfing, ice-skating, rock
climbing, video games, and more. Cruise
lines also offer youth programs, organized
by age, with appropriate activities provided
for each grouping. Additionally, there are
now special hangouts onboard for older
children, such as arcades and lounges or
teen-only nightclubs. Babysitting is usually
available for an hourly rate.
All in all, a family cruise vacation is by
far the easiest way to please everyone From
the littlest kids, to Mom, Dad, and even
grandparents, cruising offers a unique
opportunity to spend both quality time
together as a group as well as individual
exploration. The wide range of
family-friendly activities and amenities,
coupled with the excitement of visiting
several destinations in one single vacation,
make cruising an unbeatable value.
Hint: use the <.> arrows to scroll
through all the offers:
Select a
cruise line to view specific family cruise
information*.
*Cruise Line Family Activities and All information
noted here is subject to change at the
discretion of the cruise line. Check
with your cruise line for the latest
family-focused cruise activites.
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Carnival Cruise Lines
"Today's Carnival" is
committed to total guest
satisfaction and continues
to redefine contemporary
cruising. The emphasis on
Carnival's ships is
round-the-clock fun! Guests
will find dozens of
activities, Vegas-style
revues, and a variety of
nightspots from high-energy
discos to cozy piano bars.
For children, Carnival
offers an excellent
children's program, Camp
Carnival. Every Carnival
guest is assured of
spacious, comfortable
accommodations and fantastic
service.
Learn More
>>
View
All Carnival Cruises
>>
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Carnival is
all about big fun, and that translates into
plenty of crowd pleasing, high-energy
activities that the whole family can enjoy.
Age Requirements: Minimum
age for sailing is 6 months, with the
exceptions of Transatlantic, Hawaii and
South American cruises, which are 12 months.
Guest must be 18 years of age or older to
play the tables and the slot machines. Guest
must be 21 years of age or older to be
served alcohol on board.
Activities & Facilities:
Below is a sampling of what you'll find on a
Carnival Cruise
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Youth Spa program where kids can
enjoy being pampered alongside their
parents.
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Waterslides (the one on the Carnival
Freedom is 214 feet long!) and
WaterWorks Park.
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The Seaside Theater, a 12-foot-high
by 22-foot-wide LED screen located
poolside on the Lido deck showing
movies, sporting events, concerts,
and other special programming.
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Every 7 day voyage has a special
"family afternoon", the high light
of which is an ice-cream eating
contest.
- On
their Mediterranean itineraries,
Carnival now offers "Family Fun
Tours." These cultural tours for
families include a private yacht
cruise on Turkey's Bosphorus, with
views of ancient temples and
palaces, and the world's
seventh-largest diamond. Or, while
calling at Izmir, you can tour
Ephesus (one of the seven wonders of
the world) and end the day with a
visit to the train museum, featuring
the largest collection of steam
engines in Europe.
- A
golf course, jogging track, arts and
crafts center, soft play area,
computer lab, and a video wall.
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The adult-only Serenity Retreat
provides a relaxing area on deck to
unwind
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Other activities include: Talent
shows for kids, family parties in
the disco, family scavenger hunts,
karaoke, and "Name that Tune."
Children's Programs & Babysitting:
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Camp Carnival: Ages 2 to 11. Camp
Carnival includes a wide range of
activities designed for children in
three different age groups -
Toddlers, Juniors, and
Intermediates. All children are
supervised by staff who have
experience and/or education in
child-care. Kids get their own
menus, featuring all their favorites
like hot dogs, chicken nuggets,
pizza, macaroni & cheese, hamburgers
and more.
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Circle C: Ages 12 to 14. A spot
where young teens can cruise, chill,
and connect with others. Cool
activities, awesome facilities and
lots of great new friends to add to
their text-mail lists. The
activities (think games, dance
parties, outdoor movies and more)
are supervised and created just for
them. The friendly and experienced
staff at Circle "C" wants to give
your teens the best vacation
experience possible. All activities
are coordinated by a Circle "C"
Director and dedicated to keeping
the activities fun for young guests.
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Club 02: Ages 15 to 17. Club 02
activities are designed to be a
little more relaxed. Teens can hang
out with their friends and watch a
movie, listen to the latest music,
play video games or join karaoke jam
sessions. Carnival even sets up
teen-only shore excursions so young
adults can enjoy the sites and
sounds of each port of call with
their peers. Every activity and
event - from basketball and
volleyball, to ping pong and
high-energy dance and pool parties -
has been specially created with
teens ages 15-17 years old in mind.
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Babysitting is available for
children as young as 6 months; after
age 8, kids can go to evening hours
at Camp Carnival, for free, until 10
p.m. Babysitting charges are a
reasonable $6 per hour for the first
child and $4 for each subsequent
child in the same family.
Stateroom Accommodations:
Carnival has some of the largest standard
cabins in the industry, with inside
staterooms as big as 185 sq feet and
oceanviews up to 190. These staterooms can
accommodate up to five people. Their
Conquest and Splendor Class ships have 230
sq foot Family Staterooms with floor to
ceiling windows. It's a lovely alternative
to a verandah, as the extra room allotted to
the balcony goes towards the overall square
footage of the room. . .but you still have
the benefit of a marvelous view! The Cartoon
Channel is available on in-room TV's. All
cabins on Spirit and Conquest class ships
feature refrigerators.
Extras: Provides pagers for
parents while children participate in the
youth programs. Carnival is one of the only
lines that allows its child care staff to
change diapers.
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Air/Sea rate (same or less for
full-fare psngrs.)
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Babysitting**
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Cartoons
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Cribs available***
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Daily papers
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Dancing classes (some ships)
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Escorted shore tours (some
ships)
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Games/contests
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Ice cream bar/party
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Kids’ dining menus
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Movies
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Parties
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Ping Pong
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Pool—kids only (some ships)
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Quad/family cabins
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Teen center/disco (some ships)
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Teen counselors (seasonal)
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Video games
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Volleyball (some ships)
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Youth counselors
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Youth center/playroom (seasonal)
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Disney Cruise Line
From the hearts and minds of
the dream-makers at Disney
come some of the most
imaginative vessels afloat:
The Disney Magic® and the
Disney Wonder®. Upon
stepping aboard guests from
3 to 83 will be enchanted by
the endless number of age
specific activities, Disney
themed stage shows and ultra
spacious staterooms.
Learn More
>> View
All Disney Cruises
>>
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The original
pioneer in family cruising, Disney is great
for younger children (and those who are
still young at heart!). Cruising on Disney
is a lot like visiting one of their theme
parks. . .except there's more water. Almost
everything onboard has a film theme, and
many of your favorite characters will be
sailing right along with you.
Age Requirements: Infants
under 12 weeks old will not be allowed to
travel aboard Disney Cruise Line ships. The
drinking age is 21, for both ships, on all
itineraries.
Activities & Facilities:
Below is a sampling of what you'll find
onboard a Disney Cruise
-
Quarter Masters is a cozy spot
featuring the latest videogames
hits, as well as air hockey, where
Guests of all ages can get their
game on while onboard.
-
Studio Sea, a family entertainment
center, is a television
studio-themed hotspot where parents
and children are invited to sing,
dance, play games and enjoy live
entertainment together.
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Mickey's Pool, for the youngest set,
is located on one side and an
adults-only pool is located on the
other. Goofy's Pool is in the center
for families in general
-
Disney's private island, Castaway
Cay, has a family beach in addition
to a teen beach and an adults-only
beach.
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Palo Restaurant is the adults-only
dining facility onboard.
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The Walt Disney Theater, features
shows and movies
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Themed deck parties with costumes,
dancing, and fireworks.
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Other activities include "animation
fun," where families can learn how
to draw Disney characters; "eco
quiz," showcased on the Ariel View
screen above the family pool; and a
magic workshop.
Children's Programs & Babysitting:
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Flounder's Reef Nursery: A Little
Mermaid themed daycare center geared
towards children up to 3 years of
age.
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The Oceaneer Club: Children 3 to 7
years of age can dress up as their
favorite princess or hero, play
computer games and enjoy a wide
variety of supervised activities
throughout the day. Many times
activities are scheduled by age
(e.g. 3-4 year olds and then 5-7
year olds)
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The Oceaneer Lab: This children's
activity center located is the ideal
place for children 8 to 10 years of
age on the Disney Magic-and 8 to 12
years of age on the Disney Wonder-
to play games, use computers,
conduct experiments and enjoy a wide
variety of supervised activities
throughout the day. Again,
activities are often scheduled by
age (e.g. 8-9 year olds, 10-12 year
olds)
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Ocean Quest: Ocean Quest is a
children's activity center on the
Disney Magic. It is an interactive
play space designed to look like the
ship's bridge, where kids 11 to 13
years of age can steer a virtual
ship, play videogames, watch
television and participate in arts
and crafts with kids their own age.
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The Stack: The Stack lounge, a
teens-exclusive activity center
located on the Disney Magic, is a
trendy haven where teens ages 14 to
17 can make new friends, watch
television, play videogames, listen
to music, surf the Internet and
enjoy a variety of social activities
throughout the day.
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Aloft: Aloft, a teens-exclusive
activity center located exclusively
on the Disney Wonder, is a hip
hangout where teens ages 13 to 17
can make new friends, watch
television, play videogames, listen
to music, surf the Internet and
enjoy a variety of social activities
throughout the day.
-
Group babysitting is available for
children 12 weeks to 3 years old in
Flounder's Reef Nursery. Guests may
book babysitting times online in
advance of embarkation or may sign
up their children on embarkation
day. The facility is open for select
hours every day. Rates and times are
subject to change and space is
limited.
Stateroom Accommodations:
Before family staterooms became standard on
cruise ships, Disney already featured them.
Today, they still have some of the best
family staterooms at sea, mainly due to
their "bath and a half" concept (the
shower/tub is in a separate room from the
toilet and sink). Their 304 sq-ft Family
Deluxe Staterooms and Verandahs can sleep up
to 4 or 5 people and come with a privacy
curtain that separates the sitting area from
the beds (making it easy to turn on a light
without disturbing a sleeping child!).
Disney also has three different types of one
or two-bedroom suites that can sleep five to
eight people, as well as 268-square-foot
Deluxe Oceanview Staterooms with Verandah
that are great for families of three to four
people.
Extras: Disney provides
portable cribs, Diaper Genies, bottle
warmers and bumper rails for the bunk beds,
plus room service menus that include several
children's specialties from macaroni and
cheese to fresh cut fruits and veggies, and
Mickey-shaped ice cream bars. Families
traveling with babies are given priority
cabin service so that little ones can nap
undisturbed in the afternoon. Disney also
boasts an online service that allows
passengers to pre-order baby supplies and
have them delivered to their stateroom
(provided by Babies Travel Lite). There are
over 1,000 brand-name baby products to
choose from, including diapers, baby food,
infant formula and specialty travel items.
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Holland America Line
Guests of Holland America
Line will be delighted to
discover ships that take
them back to a traditional
style of cruising while
traveling to some of the
world's most exotic
destinations. On board
they'll discover ships that
are elegantly decorated with
fine art and nautical
antiques, superb dining,
service that is second to
none and beautifully
appointed staterooms.
Learn More
>>
View All Holland Americal
Cruises
>> |
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Holland
America Line has earned a reputation for
great service within the industry, as noted
by their tagline "A Signature for
Excellence." Cruising with Holland America
is a wonderful option for multi generational
families that vacation together. They have
all the relevant facilities for children,
but still maintain an atmosphere of
sophistication that adults will appreciate.
Age Requirements: Holland
America will not accept reservations for
infants under 6 months old at time of
sailing. For transocean crossings, or other
itineraries which the Medical Department
feel present a significant risk, infants
must be a minimum of 12 months of age at
embarkation. Guests 18 years of age and
older can gamble. Alcoholic beverages will
not be served to guests under age 21.
Activities & Facilities:
-
The Oasis : Secluded area on deck
especially for teens. Features a
waterfall, laser light show, and a
state of the art sound system. (The
Oasis is not available on all
Vista-class ships)
-
Arcades, Sony PlayStations, DDR
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Basketball, ping pong, tennis,
volleyball, walk-a-mile
-
Putting green and bocce ball on the
MS Prinsendam
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State of the art spa with
hydrotherapy pools
-
Movie theaters (with fresh popcorn)
Children's Programs & Babysitting:
-
Club HAL (Kids): Children, ages 3-7,
can participate in such activities
as story telling, fabric painting,
indoor games, arts and crafts,
drawing contests, ice-cream sundae
parties, puzzles, bingo, pirate
treasure hunts or a farewell pizza
party. Children in the Kid's age
group must be toilet trained.
Children in pull-ups or diapers are
not allowed in the youth facilities,
due to mandates from US Public
Health. Exceptions to this rule
cannot be made.
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Club HAL (Tweens): Tweens, ages 8-12
might learn golf putting, have disco
parties and theme parties,
participate in the award-winning
National Park Service Jr. Ranger
Program on Alaska cruises, compete
in on-deck sports events, compete in
scavenger hunts or simply play
Ping-Pong with a friend.
-
The Loft : Teens, ages 13-17 will
especially enjoy the teen disco,
karaoke sessions, video games, teen
sports tournaments, card games,
trivia contests, bingo, movies and
videos. When there are more than 100
children on board, a HAL Talent Show
is offered.
-
Kids & Teens Culinary Arts Center
Program: HAL Kids Culinary Workshops
offer children a unique and fun
learning experience. Kids will learn
basic cooking techniques, kitchen
safety, new ingredients and how to
follow recipe instructions. Aside
from the fun involved, cooking
encourages kids to think about
numbers and measuring, cleanliness,
safety and time management. All the
workshops are hands-on where
questions are encouraged and having
fun is a must! HAL Kids Culinary
Workshops are geared toward two age
groups; ages three to seven and ages
eight and up. Teenagers 15 and up
may participate in the adult
classes.
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Babysitting: Services are available
through the Front Office for a small
surcharge for children 3 years of
age or older. This service is
provided by staff on a volunteer
basis, and may not always be
available. Babysitting service is
not offered while the ship is in
port, although Club Hal does offer
activities for children aged 3-12
between 8:00am and 4:00pm on port
days. Special kid-friendly birthday
parties can also be arranged with
advance notice.
Stateroom Accommodations:
Holland America does not have a dedicated
family class stateroom, however their
staterooms tend to run a little larger than
industry standard and most of their ships
have a higher ratio of verandahs and suites.
Their Lanai staterooms have access to the
Lower Promenade, making it convenient for
families to walk directly into the center of
ship activities and dining facilities.
Extras: Holland America
serves a wide variety of kid-pleasing food,
including special sandwiches, tacos,
hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza. Baby food,
high chairs and booster seats may be
requested in advance of boarding.
HAL Youth Programs recognize that some
children may have special needs. Special
needs children are invited to attend
activities based on their chronological age.
HAL Youth Programs have many staff trained
to work with special needs children. Guests
should make HAL aware of this when booking
their reservation.
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Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian's Freestyle
Cruising offers diverse and
exciting restaurants, a more
relaxed dress code and more
things to see and do. NCL
has designed the entire
cruise experience around
giving people the option to
choose, giving guests
complete control of their
vacation. In addition, NCL
America ships, offer an
authentic Hawaii experience.
Learn More
>> View
All Norwegian Cruises
>>
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NCL is known
for their "freestyle cruising," which allows
for a lot flexibility based on your
individual needs. This is especially true
when it comes to their dining options, which
feature open seating and allow teens to sit
with OR without their parents.
Age Requirements: Infants
under six months of age are not eligible to
travel on NCL ships. Passengers must be age
21 to purchase or consume alcohol and age 18
to gamble on the ship. With the exception of
Alaska and Hawaii itineraries, NCL permits
guests between the ages of 18 and 20 to
purchase and personally consume wine and
beer while on NCL ships with the consent of
an accompanying parent or legal guardian on
the same sailing when the vessel is outside
the US state territorial waters.
Activities & Facilities:
-
Enroll your teen into the Teen
Passport Program. For $34.50 they
can order 20 smoothies and other
nonalcoholic drinks, attend an
afternoon dance party with a DJ,
pizza and unlimited non-alcoholic
drinks, as well as a farewell party
on the last evening
-
Video arcades, basketball courts,
paddle tennis and giant chessboards
-
Newer ships have onboard bowling and
rock climbing walls
-
Junior Star Seeker competitions
-
Splash pool (inside of the Kids'
Club)
-
Family pool and adults-only pool
options
Children's Programs & Babysitting:
-
Juniors: Ages 2 to 5, this program
features storytelling and painting,
developmental activities, arts and
crafts, age-specific games, treasure
hunts, and other family activities
-
First Mates: Ages 6 to 9, this
program features Wii, pizza making
parties, age specific games, crafts
and classes, and other family
activities.
-
Navigators: Ages 10 to 12, this
program features Wii, sports
activities, family activities, arts
and crafts, parties, scavenger
hunts, and team-building challenges.
-
Teens: Ages 13 to 17, this program
features Wii, sports activities,
parties and movies, teen dinners,
team-building challengers, and
access to the Teen Dance Club where
kids can hang out and have fun with
their friends.
- In
addition to their complimentary
youth programs, NCL offers even more
supervised fun for the kids. "Port
Play" and the "Late Night Fun Zone"
are both fee-based group-sitting
services for kid's ages 2-12. The
cost is $6 per child per hour, and
$4 per each additional sibling in
the immediate family per hour.
Stateroom Accommodations:
Newer NCL ships have anywhere between 30 to
33 stateroom categories. This means that
there are several suites and junior suites
that can interconnect with regular
staterooms to create 2, 3, 4, or 5 bedroom
configurations for families of varying size.
Their 360-square-foot Family Suites feature
two interconnecting cabins that sleep up to
eight people and include two separate
bathrooms. The larger cabin has two single
beds that convert to a queen and a sitting
room with a full-size sofa bed. The
connected cabin features two lower single
beds and two pull-out upper single beds. If
you feel like splurging, the 572-square-foot
Courtyard Villas feature a bedroom with
queen-size bed, separate children's bedroom,
and one bedroom with a luxury bath with
whirlpool tub and separate shower.
Family-friendly amenities include cribs,
in-room refrigerators and towel animals at
turndown; the Cartoon Channel is available
on stateroom TV's.
Extras: Parents are given
pagers for when children are in need of a
diaper changing, however they cannot leave
the ship if any of their non-toilet trained
kids are in a youth program.
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Princess Cruises
Princess is known for its
Personal Choice Cruising
providing passengers with a
wide variety of options with
which to customize their
vacations. Boasting one of
the most modern fleets in
the industry, Princess
Cruises is able to offer
guests unique amenities such
as movies on deck with their
Movies Under the Stars
program. As well, guests
will be treated all the
luxuries of life onboard
like gourmet dining, spas,
and excellent service.
Learn More
>> View
All Princess Cruises
>>
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Princess is
another great line to consider when sailing
with a family comprised of several different
age groups. They have a great focus on
enrichment, for both parents and children
alike.
Age Requirements: The
minimum passenger age is 6 months on Alaska
and Caribbean cruises, 18 months on Exotic
cruises and 12 months on all other cruises.
The drinking and gambling age is 21 and
older on all ships.
Activities & Facilities:
-
Pelican's Perch: A supervised play
area especially for kids on
Princess' private island, Princess
Cays. The playground is managed by
shipboard youth staff and provides a
secure place for children while
parents enjoy the many beach
amenities and water sports offered.
Pelican's Perch is open from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
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California Science Center: Young
passengers will be enthralled with
award-winning science programs
geared toward their particular
ship's destination. Whale watching,
chemistry experiments, building and
racing sailboats, marine biology
studies, and squid dissection are
just some of the activities that may
be offered.
-
Youth Dinners: As part of the
Princess Youth and Teen program,
junior cruisers can participate in
two special dinner evenings designed
for each age group. Younger
passengers will enjoy dinner without
parents and in the company of new
friends in one of their ship's many
eateries. For teens, one of the two
evenings will feature a formal
get-together in one of the main
dining rooms, complete with
photographs and a group night out to
enjoy many Princess evening
offerings.
-
Scholarship @Sea: This innovative
educational program for adults
offers an array of contemporary
enrichment activities in such areas
as photography, culinary, computers,
and art.
-
State of the art Lotus Spa
-
The Grand and Golden Princess have a
special deck space for kids that
comes complete with a Whale's Tail
splash pool.
-
Teens have a separate hot tub and
deck area just for them.
-
Movies under the stars.
-
Arcade games, ping pong, and juke
boxes.
Children's Programs & Babysitting:
-
Princess Pelicans: For children ages
3 to 7. This program offers
activities such as arts & crafts,
backstage tours, movies and
cartoons, scavenger hunts, and
talent shows. Birthday parties and
pajama parties will be hosted for
the children. Afternoon ice-cream is
provided, along with kids-only
dinners.
-
Shockwaves: For children ages 8 to
12. This program offers activities
such as arts & crafts, backstage
tours, movies & cartoons, scavenger
hunts, talent shows, "edutainment"
programs & services, and shipboard
Olympics. Pizza and ice cream
socials are hosted, as well as
birthday parties and dance parties.
-
Remix: For teens ages 13 to 17.
Remix offers activities such as
sports competitions, late night
movies, t-shirt painting, karaoke,
casino night, DJ workshops and
hip-hop dance classes. Dance
parties, pizza parties, and "mocktail"
parties are hosted.
-
Pete's Pals: Youngsters who
participate in Princess Youth events
will take home a limited-edition
member of Pete's Pals as a way to
learn more about endangered species
in the areas in which Princess
sails. On each cruise, Princess will
issue a specially designed plush
animal - beginning with "Pelican
Pete," the program's mascot. In
conjunction, kids will learn about
the plight of many such threatened
and endangered creatures, including
white pelicans, manatees, sea
turtles and bald eagles.
-
Babysitting: Children under 3 are
not permitted in the Youth Center
unless accompanied by a parent at
all times. Youth Center staff cannot
administer medication, bottle-feed,
change diapers, or provide meal
service. Private in-cabin
babysitting is not available on any
Princess ship. All children must be
potty-trained.
Stateroom Accommodations:
Princess' larger ships offer 500- to 600 sq
ft Family Suites that can accommodate six to
eight passengers. The suites consist of two
separate staterooms that are connected by a
large living room and oversized private
balcony. Usually one of the bathrooms
includes a tub. Although it varies by ship,
Boomerang and Cartoon Network are usually
available in all staterooms. Family suite
availability is smaller than on many other
lines, so make sure you book well in advance
if you'd like one.
Extras: Provides pagers for
parents while children participate in the
youth programs.
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Royal Caribbean
International
Royal Caribbean
International is known for
adventure on a grand scale.
Guests are active travelers
who are looking for new
experiences and a wide array
of choices for the whole
family. From the exciting
destinations to the unique
onboard activities like rock
climbing, guests are sure to
be entertained. Royal
Caribbean guests also
experience superb service
and dining aboard some of
the most innovative ships at
sea..
Learn More
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All Royal Caribbean Cruises
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For the family
that craves action and adventure, Royal
Caribbean is sure to impress. Their ships
boast some of the most unique and innovative
features at sea.
Age Requirements: Minimum
age for sailing is 6 months, with the
exceptions of Transatlantic, Hawaii and
South American cruises, which are 12 months.
Guests eighteen (18) years of age and older
are welcome to play in the casinos (for all
Alaska sailings, guests must be 21 years of
age). Guest must be 21 years of age or older
to be served alcohol on board. However, on
cruises departing from European and South
American countries, where the legal drinking
age is typically lower than 21, a parent may
sign a waiver allowing an 18 to 20 year old
to consume alcoholic beverages.
Activities & Facilities:
-
Nursery: A colorful nursery for
young children, staffed with trained
professionals and offering
activities designed by Fisher Price
and Crayola.
-
Scratch DJ Academy: Mix with the
masters and get schooled in the art
of spinning records. (Available on
select ships.)
-
Aracde that offers diversions like
air hockey tables, standard arcade
games, driving games and
prize-redemption games like Stacker,
where players have a chance to win
an iPod or Shuffle. Larger vessels
also feature interactive dance games
like Dance Dance Revolution and Pump
It Up.
-
"Build & Grow" with Lowe's
workshops: Parents and children, can
take part in constructing and
decorating a Lowe's wooden cruise
ship.
- On
newer ships like the Oasis of the
Seas, there is a Boardwalk dedicated
to old-fashioned seaside amusement
parks. It features an arcade, a Zip
Line, and the world's first at-sea
Carousel. Oasis and Allure of the
Seas are also host to the
rt
Aqua Parks and Luc's Splash Bash.
Older kids can try parasailing,
snorkeling, or they can soar along
Labadee's new Mile Long Zip Line.
Younger children (ages 3 to 8),
accompanied by their parents, can
experience a special driving
adventure on the Fisher-Price Power
Wheels® Track, featured on CocoCay.
-
Teen Casino
-
Theater & Shows, "Drive In" Movies &
Pool Parties
-
Ice-Skating, Ice Shows
-
Rock Climbing Wall, Basketball
court, FlowRider surf simulator
-
Game Shows and Trivia Contests
-
Open Mic Nights & Family Discos
Children's Programs & Babysitting:
-
Royal Babies & Royal Tots: Ages 6
months to 36 months. These programs
offer interactive play sessions for
children and their parents. The 45
minute sessions were designed by
early development experts at Fisher
Price and include age appropriate
activities designed to expose
children to new ideas by combining
play time with learning time.
-
Adventure Ocean: Ages 3 to 11
(children are separated into smaller
groupings based on age. 3-5 year
olds, 6-8 year olds, and 9-11 year
olds). Adventure Ocean is a
complimentary program of fun and
educational activities open to all
junior cruisers. Children are
separated by age, and given the
opportunity to learn about local
customs, perform cool science
experiments, and make great new
friends.
-
Teens: 12-14 and 15-17 teen groups
are allowed the freedom to come and
go as they please for sports, themed
parties, movie nights and more.
Teens can also meet up and chill out
in the laid-back Living Room lounge,
or cut loose at Fuel, the teen-only
nightclub. Every member of Royal
Caribbean's teen staff holds a
college degree in education,
recreation or a related field and
has experience working with youth
ages 3-17.
-
Sitters-at-Sea: Babysitting is
offered both in a group setting, and
individually in your stateroom.
Children must be AT LEAST 1 year
old. Approximate Rate: $10.00 per
hour for one or two children within
the same family or $15.00 per hour
for three children within the same
family.
Stateroom Accommodations:
Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class ships offer
family staterooms in a whopping six
different categories, all the way from the
600 sq. ft Royal Family Suite to the 330 sq
ft Inside Family Stateroom. The Royal Family
Suites has two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one
with tub), a living area with a sectional
sofa, an entertainment center with a 30-inch
flat-panel TV, and a large balcony with an
al fresco dining table for eight. The 335 sq
ft Promenade Staterooms offer a sleeping
alcove with bunk beds, sleeper sofa, a
bathtub, and window seats that overlook the
Royal Promenade. Inside and Oceanview Family
staterooms have curtained-off sleeping
alcoves and a sleeper sofa, and a walk-in
closet. Older ships in the Voyager and
Radiance classes also offer family
accommodations, although they are not as
large and do not have as much variety.
Consider a Grand or Junior suite if
travelling with a larger family on an older
Royal Caribbean ship. Family friendly
amenities include children's books for bed
time reading, cribs and kid-friendly fare
from room service, and the Cartoon Network,
which is available on stateroom TVs.
Extras: When your child is
enrolled one of the youth programs, Royal
Caribbean provides you with a pager so that
you can be reached anywhere on the ship.
In addition to Fisher Price Activities Menu
and Juice and Unlimited Soda Packages for
families, Royal Caribbean offers My Family
Time Dining. This allows Expedited Dining
and Adventure Ocean Pickup Service, so kids
can receive their meals within 40 minutes
and then join in on some onboard activities,
while parents dine at their leisure. Their
Children's Vitality Food menu offers options
to help families promote and maintain
healthier eating practices. Plus, on select
nights, the youth staff hosts dinners in the
more casual restaurants, where kids get to
eat with other kids while parents enjoy the
evening alone.
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