Almost everyone who travels has some basic questions:
Will my hotel have the amenities I want? Will I have time to see
and do everything I want to? Can I afford it?
But parents bringing their kids on vacation wonder about all sorts
of other things, too. Will a crib be available in my room? Will my
teenager be bored? And, most important of all, will there be lots of
opportunities for the whole family to spend relaxing time together?
Fortunately, cruise lines and land-based operators are addressing
these and other issues that are important to traveling families. As
a result, parents and their children have access to a huge range of
packages that offer an unbeatable combination of variety, value
and peace of mind.
FAMILY TRAVEL BY SEA
Most cruise ships, particularly in the mid-price bracket, provide
pools, babysitting services, children’s activity programs and
dedicated kid-friendly spaces. It’s not surprising that in the battle
to capture the family market, cruise lines are competing fiercely to
provide unique options for traveling families.
Princess Cruises, for instance, boasts about its Science on the Seas
program, created by the California Science Center. Depending on
the destination, young passengers have the chance to build a model
roller coaster, race sailboats, study coral reefs and more. Budding
gourmets, on the other hand, can get a behind-the-scenes look at the
ship’s galleys as part of the Junior Chef@Sea program, as they learn
to make dishes like sushi rolls or fruit pizza.
On Princess’s Alaskan cruises, children can participate in the
Junior Ranger/Teen Explorer Program, developed in partnership
with the National Park Service. Kids learn about Glacier Bay and
other wilderness areas through books, interactive games and
presentations by park rangers. On shore, families can sign up for
a shore excursion to the Bear Creek zipline course, where kids
as young as five can slide high above the forest on a suspended
cable or soar on a Tarzan-style swing.
Carnival Cruise Lines has long been known for its kids’
programs, which include Camp Carnival for children aged 2 to
11, Circle C for cruisers aged 12 to 14, and Club O2 for teens
aged 15 to 17. But the company’s newest ship, Carnival Splendor,
raises the bar with a water spray park, a 214-foot corkscrew
waterslide and four pools. One highlight of the new ship is a
5,500-square-foot, two-story kids’ play area featuring a toy
room, a computer game room and a dance floor. The ship’s
