Cruising with Kids
If you’re looking for the perfect family vacation, consider taking a cruise! Cruising with kids couldn’t be better as each cruise line caters to families and offer non-stop activities for all ages. As you set sail your kids can look forward to waterslides, magic shows, pizza parties, scavenger hunts, karaoke, kids-only shore excursions, disco parties, and more! Who said parents get to have all the fun on a cruise? Relax completely knowing that your family is in good hands with well-trained staff, extensive facilities, and coordinated activities. Make the most of your next vacation and know that your family will have the trip of a lifetime together!
Kids & Teen Activities
Onboard you’ll find activities offered for every age group. With specific programs for toddlers, juniors, intermediate ages, and teens, no one will be bored! Activities available are based on the age group category and include everything under the sun like arts and crafts, face painting, sing-alongs, and drawing contests for the younger groups. Junior groups will enjoy trivia games, t-shirt painting, outdoor games, video games, and more! Intermediate groups will have nonstop fun with ping pong, foosball, basketball, air hockey, dance classes, jewelry making classes, scavenger hunts, talent shows, and more.
Daycare & Babysitting Options
Private group babysitting options are offered aboard most major lines available as early as 9:00 am until the early morning hours. Choose age specific, organized programs lead by trained professionals for your kids. Programs are typically available in the following ranges aboard the most popular lines, ages 3-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 13-17 years.
In Port Activities
Many cruises lines also offer supervised shore excursions ranging from an afternoon on the beach to gold panning and canoe trips in Alaska. Plus, a number of lines have their own private islands so when in port you can enjoy the best private beaches, activities, markets, and restaurants while you’re there! Plus, you can reserve beach equipment including snorkel gear, sea boards, floats, kayaks, paddle wheelers, aqua chairs, beach clamshells, bungalows, and more. Cruise lines featuring private islands include Disney Cruise Line Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Holland America.
Carnival Cruise Lines
Aboard Carnival Cruise Lines kids can look forward to attending the award-winning children’s program, Camp Carnival – available aboard all Carnival ships. Camp Carnival is offered year-round, the program provides elaborate facilities, age-specific programs/activities, playrooms, computer areas, children’s water slides and wading pools, and special dining menus. Programs are led by counselors with education or childcare experience. Age-specific programs are available in four different categories from ages 2-15. Plus there is a playroom for children under three years. Mealtime is fun too with kids menus offering fan favorites like mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, and more. The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down either, kids can attend Camp Carnival Night Owls (at an additional fee) and stay up late having a blast while parents enjoy themselves!
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Norwegian Cruise Line
The opportunities are endless when it comes to activities aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines! From magic shows, poolside root beer float parties to fun filled cooking classes, pajama parties, line dancing, and volleyball, no one will be bored.
Norwegian also offers special kids packages from soda programs, four unique kids programs with something for each age group. With age specific programs ranging from 2 years to 17 years, there’s the perfect program for everyone. Norwegian publishes Kids' Cruise News and Teen Cruise News daily, outlining the activities available to them on the ship. All of NCL's kid counselors attend a training course prior to coming onboard that features team and confidence building, safety, communication skills, and working with children who have special needs.
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Princess Cruises
The Princess kids' program on Princess Cruises offers young cruisers their own deck space complete with the whale tail splash pool. Teens get their very own jacuzzi and sunning area. There's also the video arcade, computer games, and other activities such as bingo, name that tune, ring toss, and mini-Olympics. Princess Kids, Princess Cruises’s fleetwide youth program offers age-specific activities for children aged 3-17 years. Princess partners with the California Science Center and uses National Wildlife Federation educational materials on wildlife and conservation with the children. Their Mexican Riviera program includes studies of the stars, ocean, and coral reef as well as building and racing sailboats, marine biology studies, and squid dissection. In Alaska, the Save our Seas environmental program teaches participants about endangered species like white pelicans, manatees, and sea turtles.
Youth and Teen Centers on select ships offer complimentary scheduled activities to youth passengers ages 3-17 from 8:00 am-5:00 pm while in port. A special, supervised, complimentary lunch service is also available with parental consent.
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Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean's Adventure Youth program offers its unique brand of Edutainment where participants enjoy educational and culture-based activities blended with the daily itineraries, ports of call, games, and team sports.
Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean's kids' program, offers activities in-port, at sea, and in the evening. There are five categories to Adventure Ocean ranging from ages 3-17 years. Using edutainment, Royal Caribbean blends educational activities, daily itineraries, ports of call, games, individual and team sports, art, performance, and a general good time into a unique, onboard experience for children, teens, and parents. There are kids-only activities as well as those for the whole family. And Royal Caribbean also offers kids a special menu of hamburgers, pizzas, and other kid-friendly meals. Kids-only dinners hosted by expert youth staff give children the opportunity to meet and mingle while parents enjoy a quiet dinner alone.
No matter the age, cruising has something to offer everyone! Contact your Vacation Consultant today and start planning your next perfect family vacation. Bon voyage!
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