| Cruising for Families When parents decide to take their children with them on a cruise, it’s important to choose a ship that provides the right facilities.
Yes, you can take your children on a cruise. In fact, once you get them aboard, you will hardly see them at all, if you choose the right ship and cruise. Family cruises can give parents a welcome break; no one has to cook, or do the dishes, make the beds, drive, or find a place to park. Families can do different things on a cruise, and parents don’t have to be concerned about the whereabouts of their children. Where else can you go out for a night on the town without having to drive, and be home in a moment should the baby-sitter need you? Dad can sleep in. Mom can go swimming and join an aerobics class.
The children can join in the organized activities that go on all day long. While they may not like organized clubs (too reminiscent of school), they will probably make new friends quickly in the surroundings of a cruise ship. Whether you share a cabin with them or whether they have their own separate but adjoining cabin, there will be plenty to keep them occupied.
Some cruise lines have token family programs, with limited activities and only a couple of general staff allocated to look after children, even though their brochures might claim otherwise. But cruise lines that are really serious about family cruise programs dedicate complete teams of kids’, tweens and teens counselors, who run special programs that are off-limits to adults. They also have facilities such as high chairs in the dining room, cots, and real playrooms. Most entertainment for children is designed to run simultaneously with adult programs; few ships have dedi?cated children’s entertainers. For those cruising with very young children, baby-sitting services may also be available. For example, QE2 and QM2 have real children’s nurses and even trained English National Nursing Examination Board-qualified nannies. Aurora, Oceana and Oriana have a night nursery for two- to five-year-olds.
Parents, of course, have long realized that children cost more as they age. For example, children under two years travel free on most cruise lines (and airlines). If older, they cost money.
There’s no better vacation for families than a ship cruise, especially at holiday time. Active parents can have the best of all worlds, family togetherness, social contact, and privacy. Cruise ships provide a very safe, crime-free, encapsulated environment, and give junior passengers a lot of freedom without parents having to be concerned about where their children are at all times. Because the days aboard are long, youngsters will be able to spend time with their parents or grandparents, as well as with their peers. They can also meet senior officers and learn about the navigation, radar, and communications equipment. They will be exposed to different environments, experience many types of food, travel to and explore new places, and participate in any number of exciting activities.
Many cruise lines, recognizing the needs of families, have added a whole variety of children’s programs to their daily activities. Some ships have separate swimming pools and play areas for children, as well as junior discos, video rooms, and teen chill-out centers. Not to be outdone by Disney, Carnival Cruise Lines has Fun Ship Freddy- a lifesized mascot with a head in the shape of the company’s distinctive funnels.
In some ships, stewards, stewardesses, and other staff may be available as private babysitters for an hourly charge (otherwise, group babysitting may be offered). Make arrangements at the reception desk. Aboard some ships, evening baby-sitting services may not start until late (check details before booking your cruise).
Cruise lines serious about children divide them into five distinct age groups, with various names to match, according to cruise line and program: Toddlers (ages 2-4); Juniors (ages 5-7); Intermediate (ages 8-10); Tweens (ages 11-13); and Teens (ages 14-17). It often seems to be children under 12 who get the most from a cruise.
Disney Goes Cruising
In 1998, Disney Cruise Line entered the family cruise market with a splash. The giant entertainment and theme park company introduced the first of two large resort ships (each has two funnels) to cater to families with children, with cruises of 3, 4 and 7 days. Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are family ships that cater to 1,750 adults and up to 1,000 children (sometimes more), with the whole of the Disney organization to support the shipboard entertainment program. Disney has its own passenger terminal (designed after the original Ocean Terminal of the 1930s in Southampton, England) and facilities at Port Canaveral, Florida, as well as a fleet of specially built motorcoaches. For more details, see Disney Magic and Disney Wonder in the listings section. Disney Magic will also operate a series of cruises in Europe in 2007.
Food for Thought
Selected baby foods are stocked by ships that cater to children (along with cribs and high chairs, but do ask your travel agent to check first). If you need that special brand of baby food, or a high chair in the restaurant, a crib, baby bathtub, baby stroller (few ships have them available for rent), or monitoring service, let your travel agent know well in advance, and get them and the cruise line to confirm in writing that the facilities and items will be available. Given enough notice, most cruise lines will do their best to obtain what is needed.
Parents using organic baby foods, such as those obtained from health food stores, should be aware that cruise lines buy their supplies from major general food suppliers and not the smaller specialized food houses
Activities for Children.
Although many ships have full programs for children during days at sea, these may be limited when the ship is in port. Ships expect you to take your children with you on organized excursions, and sometimes there are special prices for children. If the ship has a playroom, find out if it is open and supervised on all days of the cruise.
When going ashore, remember that if you want to take your children swimming or to the beach, it is wise to phone ahead to a local hotel with a beach or pool. Most hotels will be happy to show off their property to you, hoping for your future business.
Some cruise ships in the Caribbean have the use of a private island for a day. A lifeguard will be on duty, and there will be water sports and snorkeling equipment you can rent. Remember, however, that the beaches on some private islands are fine for 200 passengers, but with 2,000 they become crowded, and standing in line for beach barbecues and changing and toilet facilities becomes a necessary part of the experience.
Small children who are not toilet-trained will not generally be allowed to enter the swimming pool, and it may be difficult to bathe small children in cabins that do not have a bathtub, but only a shower enclosure with a fixed-head shower.
Children’s Rates
Most cruise lines offer special rates for children sharing their parents’ cabin. The cost is often lower than third and fourth person share rates. To get the best possible rates, however, it is wise to book early. And do not overlook booking an interior (no-view) cabin; you will rarely be in it anyway.
Although many adult cruise rates include airfare, most children’s rates don’t. Also, although some lines say children sail free,they must pay port taxes as well as airfare. The cruise line will get the airfare at the best rate, so there is no need to shop around. If you have very young children and can get to your ship without having to fly, you’ll save yourself the hassles of struggling though airports (and long security lines) with pushchairs, strollers, and other paraphernalia.
Single Parents
Only a few cruise lines so far have introduced their versions of the Single Parent Plan.This offers an economical way for single parents to take their children on a cruise, with parent and child sharing a two-berth cabin, or parent and children sharing a three-berth cabin. Single parents will pay approximately one-third the normal single-person rate for their children, and there will be plenty of activities for both parent and child(ren) to enjoy.
Family Reunions
A cruise can provide the ideal place for a family reunion (either with or without children). Let your travel agent make all the arrangements (ask for a group discount if the total in your group adds up to more than 15). Make sure that together you choose the right cruise line, for the right reasons.
Book 12 months in advance if possible so that you can arrange cabins close to each other (you may also wish to arrange for everyone to be at the same dinner seating, if the ship operates two seatings).
Birthday Specials
If anyone in the group has a birthday or anniversary, tell your travel agent to arrange a special cake (most cruise lines do not charge extra for this). Special private parties can also be arranged, at a price. If the group is not too large, you may be able to request to dine at the captain’s table. Kids can be given unlimited use soft drinks cards so they don’t have to come looking for you.
Arrange shore excursions as a group (in some ports, private arrangements may prove unbeatable). Finally, get everything in writing (particularly cabin assignments and locations).
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2006 |
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