Kids and Cruises
How many holidays have you had with the kids, and you spend most of your holiday looking after them – making sure they behave, taking on outings, and keeping them amused. With a cruise you can relax, in the knowledge that the kids are safe and well entertained. Parents can have a holiday and do their own thing, without the kids hanging onto them all the time. Yet your precious children are never far away, just on another deck. Cabins for kids:For the budget conscious, many ships have cabins which can accommodate four persons, using beds that swing down from the wall above the main beds. Other options include having cabins with interconnecting doors. Children sharing a cabin in the third and fourth bed often can go on a cruise for a nominal fee. Eating: You can eat with your children at the early sitting, usually at about 6:30pm, or on some cruise ships there is a special childrens meal leaving the parents to have a leisurely dinner on their own. Babysitting on cruises:Babysitting can be arranged on all cruise ships, either on an individual basis, or on some ships there is a crèche where small ones can be settled down and left. When you retire for bed, you collect your child from the crèche and return to the cabin. Entertainment Most family orientated ships – P&O, Royal Caribbean, Holland America have facilities for children of all ages. The under 7s have their own secure room, with all the facilities that you would expect – toys, books, videos, climbing frames etc. Older children have a separate area, with more trendy teenage activities.
The swimming pools on modern ships are large, and some have water slides, and some ships have a dedicated pool area just for families with children. All the children’s facilities are supervised by properly trained teachers and counsellors. On some ships the parents can have a pager, and if there is any problem with the child, the parent will be paged.
The Teenagers
Possibly the most difficult age group - although they would disagree! The 13-17 age group. Teens like to be cool, and some aren't keen to join 'group' activities, depending on their individual degree of independence. On the other hand, there are probably an equal number (or more) who enjoy checking in at the teen center early in the cruise to meet and hook up with other teens. Teenagers, unlike younger children, are generally free to come and go as they please in a less structured environment. Counselors are also on hand to chaperone dances and host pool parties, trivia games, and scavenger hunts. Other activities can include sports and fitness classes, Karaoke, talent shows, and "mock-tail" parties. Facilities vary, but most ships have at least a video game area and computers. On the newest ships there are Teen Centers and Discos. Vessels without them usually allow teens to dance in the adult disco until about 11:00 pm Cruises aren't like other vacations where teens are pretty much tied to their parents and there is a lot of freedom, but there are also rules. During group activities, teens are not allowed to smoke, curse, or consume alcoholic beverages. Security will step in if any vandalism or violent behavior is observed. Teens are encouraged to have a good time, meet their peers, and... like, well... chill out. |
