Family-Friendly Cruise Ships
What traveling families can expect on the latest cruise ships
Carnival Dream // © 2009 Carnival Cruises
The new ships of 2009 are offering some of the most family-friendly features ever seen in the cruise industry; the following is just a sampling of what families will find to welcome them on board.
Carnival Dream
Carnival Cruise Lines carries an estimated 625,000 children aboard its 22 ships, about half the number for the North American cruise industry. The 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream will be the line’s largest ship when it debuts on Sept. 21. The ship’s inaugural itineraries are divided between Europe and the Caribbean, and family features include:
• More than 19,000 total square feet of space catering to younger cruisers.
• Dedicated space and programs for children ages 2-5, with arts and crafts and a variety of age-appropriate toys and games; 6-9-year olds with PlayStation2 and Wii linked to plasma television screens; 9-11 with a karaoke machine, air hockey and foosball tables and PlayStation2 and Wii video game consoles; and tweens’ and teens’ own lounges and entertainment.
• Carnival Water Works with a 303-foot-long, four-deck-high corkscrew waterslide and a 104-foot-long spiral water slide that leads into a giant funnel, plus a pair of double-lane 80-foot-long racing slides.
• Deluxe oceanview staterooms with one full bathroom and a second bathroom with a junior tub, shower and sink, along with a variety of inter-connecting staterooms and accommodations can hold up to five.
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Celebrity Equinox
Sister to the Solstice, which received rave reviews from agents last year, Celebrity Cruises’ 2,850-passenger Celebrity Equinox begins service in August, sailing in the Mediterranean and the Southern and Western Caribbean during her first year. Among the attractions for families are:
• A half-acre Lawn Club with real, growing grass, where families can play croquet, bocce ball, practice their putting, or just feel the grass between their toes while miles out at sea.
• Family veranda suites at 575 square feet have verandas 53-105 square feet and feature floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors, sitting area with sofa convertible to a trundle bed, a privacy partition, 32-inch LCD TV, master bedroom with two beds convertible to queen size and a second bedroom with one twin bed.
• Children’s programs and spaces are tailored for ages 3-6, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-17. The X Club, an area designed exclusively for teens, has teen-oriented entertainment, a dance club and cool coffee bar.
• On the two formal evenings, parents are treated to free babysitting, and counselors take the children to a pizza party for dinner.
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Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica
Costa Cruises is launching two new ships in early June: the 2,260-passenger Costa Luminosa with 772 of her 1,130 staterooms and suites designed with verandas and the Costa Pacifica, with 1,504 staterooms, including 91 Samsara spa staterooms, 521 veranda cabins, 58 suites with private balconies and 12 Samsara spa suites. Pacifica will remain year-round in the Mediterranean, offering seven-night cruises, while Luminosa offers Northern Europe and Mediterranean cruises, followed by Middle East itineraries out of Dubai.
• International clientèle and international kids’ program, with children of all ages picking up languages during the cruise.
• Dedicated space and programs from karaoke to sports for cruisers 3-6 years, 7-11, 12-14 and 15-17, with two themed dinners per cruise just for kids with special menus.
• A pool deck with a retractable magrodome extending over two pools.
• Playstation World areas where kids can try their hand at the latest-generation Playstation games. On the Costa Luminosa, parents can even rent PS3 consoles so that their children may play the games in their cabin.
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MSC Splendida
MSC Cruises’ 3,300-passenger MSC Splendida will spend 2009 in the Mediterranean, offering weeklong cruises after her debut in July. The ship has a broad range of dining, from romantic French to Tex-Mex, and the gelato and pastries bring the generations together. This is a European ship, with a wide variety of nationalities on board, and family friendly features, including:
• An ongoing Kids Sail Free policy that allows cruisers under 17 sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults to sail free.
• Two innovative mini-bowling alleys in the high-tech Sports Bar. The traditional-looking bowling surface is actually made of a tough phenol compound which allows anyone to join in the fun without changing shoes and the balls are smaller than the norm — great for family competition.
• Children’s programs offered in dedicated spaces and in various parts of the ship, divided into 3-6, 7-12 and 13-17. Children’s waterpark, and teen centers complete with video games and karaoke.
• Classic American food as well as Italian pastas and pizza.
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Oasis of the Seas
The largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean International 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas, will make her debut in November with a design based on seven distinct neighborhoods: the Boardwalk, Royal Promenade, Central Park, Vitality at Sea Spa, Pool and Sports, Entertainment and the Youth Zone. She will sail alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
• The Youth Zone covers more than 28,700 square feet including, Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting children with dedicated Adventure Ocean spaces and various themed play areas.
• The new Royal Babies and Tots nursery will be the cruise line’s first nursery for infants and toddlers six months or older.
• Within the Youth Zone, Kids Avenue will serve as the main promenade for young cruisers to access the various Adventure Ocean areas where age-specific activities will be offered to three Adventure Ocean program age groups, each with its own space: 3-5, 6-8 and 9-11.
• The teen-only spaces are completely separate, adjacent to the ship’s Sports Deck, where kids can test their skills on one of the ship’s two FlowRider surf simulators; the miniature golf-course, Oasis Dunes; or the Sports Court for volleyball and basketball games.
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Seabourn Odyssey
Yachts of Seabourn’s 450-passenger Seabourn Odyssey, launching in late June, has all ocean-view suites, with 90 percent having verandas. The ship will sail in the Mediterranean and Caribbean in 2009, followed by a world cruise starting in January. They do have children on board during summer vacation and holidays, with family travel best suited to older kids and shorter itineraries.
• On Odyssey there are 14 sets of suites that can be connected for a 554-square-foot Double Suite. Three sets are A1 category suites of 295 square feet each. Five sets connect two V-category suites of 300 square feet each. All V-categories include private verandas (two for combinations).
• Two Penthouse suites (1½ times the size of a V) connect with a V-category suite, as does one extra-large disabled-access Owners Suite.
• The two Wintergarden Suites can be connected to a V-category suite to create the Grand Wintergarden Suite: 1,182 square feet inside with two verandas totaling 217 square feet, plus a private glassed-in solarium. These also have a whirlpool tub in the master bath, plus guest bath.
• About 20 percent of Seabourn’s charters are private individuals or families celebrating milestone events such as wedding anniversaries, birthdays, etc. They can customize the itinerary (to some extent), the onboard programming and entertainment and even fly the family flag.
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River Cruising
River Cruising is generally suited to older children; the active shore excursions and immediate encounters with the history and culture of a region provide wonderful memories, from Christmas market sailings to multi generational sharing in throughout the world.
Amawaterways Amadolce and Amalrya
AMAWaterways’ 148-passenger Amalyra debuted in April and the Amadolce in May, with features including a sun deck with a whirlpool, a giant chess set and lounge chairs and a smaller aft lounge for games or group gatherings. Amadolce will sail the 14-night Magnificent Europe itinerary between Amsterdam and Budapest; Amalyra offers a variety of cruises in Europe between 7 and 21 nights.
The ships feature:
• Junior Suites at 255 square feet with a comfortable sitting area with a sofa and two chairs, floor-to-ceiling windows with French balconies and extra spacious bathrooms with bathtubs and showers.
• Twenty-five complimentary bicycles are carried on board to enable passengers to join the locals in exploring, biking along the river, or even going to the next port independently to rejoin the boat.
• Alternative relaxing buffet dining in the Main Lounge and 24-hour cookies.
• Complimentary Internet use in the staterooms with the flat screen in-room interactive system, so kids — and adults — don’t need their own computers.
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Avalon Waterways Affinity and Creativity
Avalon Waterways’ 138-passenger Affinity was launched in May and the 140-passenger Creativity will set sail in July. Staterooms are all outside, and those on the Royal and Sapphire Decks have French balconies. Avalon Affinity will sail a variety of 9- to 16-day cruises on the great rivers of Europe, while Avalon Creativity will sail the Rhine River in 2009 and the rivers of France in 2010.
• The club lounge on the new ships is a great place for a family to hang out together and play games, or read, etc.
• The whirlpool on the sundeck is comfortable for a family of four or more.
• Both ships have outdoor grills on the sundeck for casual dining options.
• Flat-screen televisions are in each stateroom, offering a wide selection of movies.
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Swiss Jewel
Tauck World Discovery launched the 118-passenger Swiss Jewel at the end of April. All staterooms are outside and 85 percent have French balconies and suites have walk-in closets and marble baths. The Jewel is sailing a variety of 12- to 24-day European itineraries this year, and offers on each cruise a highlight astonishing experience for guests.
• The alternative dining bistro meals are a casual option that may appeal very much to families.
• The Swiss Jewel has fourteen 300-square-foot suites half of which have couches that pull out into full-size beds.
• There is an onboard Wii system, board games and organized games with the tour directors that are great for kids, and the staff encourages bridge visits by children.
• The menu has been made more kid-friendly, with the addition of frozen non-alcoholic drinks and other items.
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River Beatrice
Uniworld’s 160-passenger River Beatrice debuted in March with 65 outside staterooms, 80 percent with French balconies, a fitness center, sauna, boutique and library. She will sail seven-day cruises on the Enchanting Danube route between Passau and Buapest, then holiday market cruises on the same route late in the year. The company’s 84-passenger River Tosca, scheduled to begin sailing the Nile in September, has 42 suites with French balconies, flat-screen televisions, iPod docking station and a library and game room, plus laundry facilities.
• Uniworld has developed Family Grand River Cruises that have a particular appeal to three or more generations, including storybook castles on the Rhine.
• The multigenerational cruises have special onboard activities and entertainment for young travelers, as well as their own menu.
• Five to eight friends or family members on the same cruise all receive a 5 percent reduction.
• Both ships have wireless Internet access.
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Victoria Jenna
Victoria Cruises’ new 378-passenger Victoria Jenna launched in April with amenities unheard of in China a few years ago. All accommodations have private balconies, a feature that completely changes the cruise experience. Bathrooms have both shower and tub, The Jenna sails the company’s Three Gorges Highlights program between Chongqing and Yichang and the Three Gorges Explorer itinerary sailing roundtrip Chongqing to Yichang.
• The Jenna has 40 suites of various sizes, making it easy for family groups to arrange their stay on board.
• All staterooms have televisions with HBO and CNN broadcasts.
• There are two dining rooms: a single seating main dining room and an a la carte restaurant.
• Hands-on experiences in Chinese arts and culture from Tai Chi to cooking have a strong appeal for all generations.
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Viking Cruises’ new Viking Legend // (c) 2009
Viking Legend // © Viking Cruises
Viking Legend
Debuting in July, Viking River Cruises’ 189-passenger Viking Legend will make history with its “hybrid” propulsion system that not only saves fuel but offers a quieter ride than the norm. The ship has hotel-style beds, 26-inch flat-screen Sony televisions and refrigerators in staterooms. Legend will start the season on the 15-day Grand European Tour itinerary on The Rhine, Main and Danube rivers from Amsterdam to Budapest.
• Alternative shore excursions that move away from lengthy bus tours, including Roughing It, where passengers walk the cities, take subways, mingle with the locals, etc.
• Complimentary shipwide wireless Internet.
• Alternative buffet light lunch.
• Quick access into destinations without long bus trips from the ship.
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