Cruising for Families

Many cruise lines, recognizing the needs of parents, have added a whole variety of children’s programs to their daily activities.

There are few better vacations for families than a ship cruise, especially during school breaks. Active parents can have the best of all worlds: family togetherness, social contact, and privacy. Cruise ships provide a 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, and experience many types of food. They will discover different cultures during shore excursions.

Although children may not like organized school-like clubs, they will probably make new friends quickly in the surroundings of a cruise ship. Whether you share a cabin with them or book an 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. Other lines dedicate teams of counselors who run special programs off-limits to adults. They also have provide practical facilities such as high chairs in the dining room, cots, and real playrooms.

 Small children who are not toilet-trained will not be allowed in the swimming pool, and it may be difficult to bathe small children in cabins with no bathtub but only a shower enclosure with a fixed-head shower.

Children’s Entertainment

Most entertainment for children is designed to run simultaneously with adult programs; few ships have dedicated children’s entertainers. For those cruising with very young children, baby-sitting services may be available. For example, QM2 has children’s nurses and even fully qualified English nannies. Aurora, Oceana and Oriana have a “night nursery” for two- to five-year-olds. Some ships have children’s pools and play areas, as well as junior discos, video rooms, and teen “chill-out” centers.

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.

Cruise lines serious about children typically divide them into distinct age groups: 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.

Safety Tips

• In case children get lost or separated from their parents, most cruise lines provide them with colored wristbands, which must be worn at all times.
• Young children love to climb, so don’t ever leave them on a balcony alone. On the open decks, ships have railings – these are either horizontal bars through which children cannot get their heads, or they are covered in glass/plexiglass under a thick wooden top rail.
• While children find their way around easily, walk with them to and from the playroom/activity from and to your cabin, so that you both know the way.
• Discuss safety issues with them, and warn them not to walk into “Crew Only” areas at any time.

The Right Food

Selected baby foods, along with cribs and high chairs, are stocked by ships that cater to children, but ask your travel agent to check first. If you need a special brand of baby food, or a high chair in the restaurant, a crib, baby bathtub, baby stroller (few ships have them to rent), or monitoring service, let your travel agent know well in advance, and obtain confirmation in writing that the facilities will be available.

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, which sometimes have lower 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 telephone ahead to a local hotel with a beach or pool. Many hotels will be happy to show off their property to you, hoping to gain your future business.

 Some cruise ships in the Caribbean have the use of a “private” island for a day, including waterpark areas for children and adults. A lifeguard will be on duty, and there will be water sports and snorkeling equipment you can rent. But remember that the beaches on some “private” islands are fine for 200 passengers, but with 2,000 they quickly become crowded, forcing you to stand in line for beach barbecues and toilet facilities.

Although the sun and warm sea might attract juniors to the Caribbean, many older children will find a Baltic, Black Sea, or Mediterranean cruise fascinating as they are exposed to different cultures.

Activities For Teens

Many large resort ships have dedicated “no adults allowed” zones. Teen-only activities include deck parties, pool parties, games, karaoke, discos, dances, computer gaming consoles and talent shows. Some Royal Caribbean International ships provide musical instruments for jam sessions. Sports include rock-climbing and basketball. There’s usually almost unlimited food, too, although some of it may not be very nutritious.

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 to cater to families with children, with cruises of 3, 4 and 7 days. Disney Magic and Disney Wonder cater to 1,750 adults and up to 1,000 children (sometimes more), and have ambitious entertainment programs.

Disney has its own art-deco passenger terminal and facilities at Port Canaveral, Florida, as well as a fleet of motorcoaches. One ship also sails in the Mediterranean in summer, from Barcelona. Disney has two more ships on order, for delivery in 2010 and 2011.

Children’s Rates

Children under two travel free on most cruise lines and airlines. If they’re older, however, you have to pay. 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 rates, it’s wise to book early. If you don’t anticipate spending much time in your cabin, consider a cheaper interior (no-view) cabin.

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 airports.

Single Parents

Only a few cruise lines 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 about one-third the normal single-person rate for their children.

Family Reunions

A cruise can provide the ideal place for a family get-together, with or without children. Let your travel agent make the arrangements and ask for a group discount there are more than 15 of you.

Take care to choose a cruise line with a suitable ambience. Book 12 months in advance if possible so that you can arrange cabins close to each other. If the ship operates two dinner seatings, you may also wish to arrange for everyone to be at the same one.

Birthday Specials

If anyone in the group has a birthday or anniversary, tell your travel agent to arrange a special cake – most cruise lines don’t charge extra for this. Special private parties can also be arranged, at a price. If the group isn’t too large, you may be able to request to dine at the captain’s table. Shore excursions, too, can be booked in advance for a group.

Finally, get everything in writing, particularly cabin assignments and locations.      

The Ships That Cater Best for Children

These cruise lines and ships have been selected by Berlitz for the quality of their children’s programs and care:

Aida Cruises: AIDA­aura, AIDAbella, AIDAcara,  AIDA­diva, AIDA­luna, AIDAvita

Carnival Cruise Lines: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Pride, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Valor, Carnival Victory, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Elation, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Sensation

Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Century, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Summit

Cunard Line: Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria

Disney Cruise Line: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder

Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Star, Norwegian Sun

P&O Cruises: Aurora, Oceana, Oriana, Ventura

Princess Cruises: Crown Princess, Diamond Prin­cess, Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Star Princess

Royal Caribbean International: Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas

Star Cruises: Star Pisces, SuperStar Aquarius, SuperStar Libra, SuperStar Virgo

Thomson Cruises: Thomson Celebration, Thomson Destiny, Thomson Spirit

See menu (at left) for more valuable info from the Berlitz Guide available on Seasite.com.

Berlitz Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships 2009 by Douglas Ward © Apa Publications 2008-2009 www.berlitzpublishing.com

Berlitz Trademarak Reg.US Patent Office and other countries. MarcaRegistrada. Property of Berlitz Investment corporation and used under license by Apa Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG, Singapore Branch