If you plan to cruise with some energetic kids and worry they won’t have enough to do while the ship is at sea, choose a ship with a kids club. Not all cruise lines have special clubs for kids, but those that do offer terrific activities that go beyond simply keeping kids busy; special play and learning experiences can create wonderful cruise memories.
Disney Cruise Line draws on Disney’s cast of beloved characters to add fun and a little glamour to its kids' club. In addition to classic characters like Mickey Mouse, kids can meet favorites from the Marvel Universe, Toy Story, Frozen, and Star Wars. The Oceaneer Club has games, scavenger hunts, and dress-up activities for younger kids. In the Oceaneer Lab, older kids enjoy cooking classes, science experiments, and lessons in drawing and animation. There are separate areas dedicated to tweens and teens, too.
Norwegian
Cruise Line’s Splash Academy provides age-appropriate activities
for kids 6 months to 12 years. There
are soft play spaces where parents can get down on the
floor with their age-3-and-under darlings. Preschoolers love arts
and crafts and storytime, while school-age kids can
enjoy video games, sports, and scavenger
hunts – and even learn circus skills, like
plate-spinning. Norwegian ships also have a special place for
teens, called Entourage, with a dance floor, foosball tables, gaming
stations, and DJ simulator.
Princess
Cruises adds some education to the mix of
activities at Camp Discovery with hands-on science
experiments, based on the MythBusters TV show. At The Treehouse,
kids ages 3 to 7 make crafts, listen to stories
and climb to hang out in a padded treehouse. At The
Lodge, kids ages 8 to 12 play in a
Northwoods-style cabin that’s equipped with foosball and gaming
stations. Like other cruise lines, Princess knows teens need their own
space, and they’ll find gaming stations, air hockey tables, and a dance floor in
the Beach House.
The
use of onboard kids clubs is usually included in your cruise fare. The clubs
are always supervised by qualified youth staff. Younger
children may need to be signed in and out by their parents or
guardians, but older kids and teens can usually come and go as they
please. Many of the clubs have some evening activities, too,
like group dinners, parties, and movie screenings. Some kids
clubs even offer special kids-only shore excursions.
Ask
Anita, your professional travel advisor, for more information about cruise
lines with great kids clubs.
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