What to Expect on your First Family Cruise
Cruises are a great way for families with children to vacation because they offer a variety of entertainment options for kids of all ages. Cruises also eliminate the hassle of packing and unpacking and moving between destinations that can be a nightmarish endeavor with young children in tow. Once you board the ship, you don't have to leave, unless you want to explore the various ports of call. There are plenty of activities to keep mom, dad and the kids completely occupied and entertained.
Realizing that families are a hot target demographic, many cruise lines have implemented special age-appropriate supervised children's and teen clubs and activities. Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Celebrity Cruises are three cruise lines that offer specialty programs for kids. In addition, most cruise lines also offer family-oriented activities that can be enjoyed outside of any specialized kid's clubs or groups.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
The Royal Caribbean cruise line is especially kid-friendly, with programs for every age group. It starts with their Aqua Babies (6 – 18 months) and Aqua Tots (18 – 36 months) Programs, which were developed by Fisher-Price exclusively for Royal Caribbean International. In these programs, trained youth staff supervises activities with parents or caregivers present.
Kids 3-years old and up move into Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean Youth Program. This program blends fun with educational activities suited to different age groups. Activities range from coloring and arts and crafts to sports and music. The program serves children up to 17 years of age, though older kids might prefer just hanging out at the ship's teen-only night club. Best of all, parents can feel confident leaving their children in these programs, as Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean Staff is comprised only of counselors with a college degree in education or a similar field, or has qualified experience working with children.
If you are looking for a family friendly cruise, one to check out is Royal Caribbean's 7- Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise. The ship is the Liberty of the Seas and it departs from Miami, Florida, with stops in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Labadee, Haiti. In addition to the Adventure Ocean Youth Program, onboard family friendly activities include an ice skating rink, a rock climbing wall, a surf park and the H2O Zone water park.
Carnival Cruise Lines
Another cruise line with a great kid-friendly activities program is Carnival. Their Camp Carnival, Circle C and Club O2 programs are known for their enthusiastic counselors, interactive programs and good old-fashioned fun.
Camp Carnival is the cruise line's year-round program for kids ages 2 to 11. Activities include finger painting, story time and arts & crafts for toddler (2 to 5 years old). For juniors (ages 6 to 8), there is volcano making, outdoor fun and games and Knight's Night. Intermediates (ages 9 to 11) can play sports, board games or PlayStation2. There are also family activities such as ice cream sundae making, a kids' talent show and a scavenger hunt.
Older kids, ages 12 to 14, move on to the Circle C group, where they have supervised activities such as dance parties, outdoor movies and nighttime swims. They also have special shore excursions, like the Dolphins Encounter and River Tubing.
Teens, ages 15 to 17, move on to Club O2, where they can watch movies, listen to music, play video games, sing karaoke or just hang out with friends. There are also supervised teen-only excursions, like horseback riding, the America's Cup Regatta (St. Maarten) and Dunn's River Falls (Ochos Rios).
Families looking for a cruise on Carnival should check out their 7-Night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Pride. The ship departs from Baltimore, Maryland, and makes stops in Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport. The Pride features such family friendly amenities as Camp Carnival's Fun Club, a kids' pool and an arcade.
Celebrity Cruise Lines
On Celebrity Cruises, there are various programs available year round for kids up to age 17. Children under 3 years old have Toddler Time, where they can play with their parents and other kids their age with age appropriate interactive toys and games. Children over age 3 move into the Fun Factory category which has different levels geared to specific age groups. Those ages 3 to 5 have Ship Mates. Six to 8 year olds move on to Celebrity Cadets. Those ages 9 to 11 head to Ensigns. For each age group, the Fun Factory entertainment center is where kids can enjoy crafts, music, karaoke, treasure hunts, theme parties, movies and video games.
Cruise kids, ages 12 to 17, have Admiral Teens: the ultimate hang-out place with games, sports and teen-only dances.Celebrity Cruises also offers babysitting services, so parents can enjoy some time alone. Babysitting services cover children 12 months and older for in-stateroom childcare. For group childcare in the Fun Factory, children must be between ages 3 and 11.
A good Celebrity Cruise for families is their 7-Night Alaska Cruise aboard the Infinity. The ship departs from Seattle, with stops in Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Inside Passage, and Victoria. Onboard, kids can take part in the Celebrity X-Club Youth Program where they can try their hands at activities like talent shows, treasure hunts, dinner parties and late-night slumber parties.
If you have ever felt like you need another vacation to recover from a family trip, then it is time to consider a cruise for your next holiday. No matter how old your kids are, today's modern ships are filled with amenities and group activities that will please everyone from the tiniest toddler to the most tenacious teen. With today's cruises, parents can expect a family vacation that keeps kids happy and gives them the chance to enjoy some much needed worry-free rest and relaxation.
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