Summer is coming
Greetings cruisers
Hope you are all well and looking forward to the summer fast approaching, every year it seems to come around quicker and quicker, the post this time is for our family cruisers and those that have not quite booked their summer cruise yet.
Cruise ships these days offer amazing facilities for children, however there are quite a few pointers that you will need to look out for, especially age groups that can and cant use the swimming pools, this tends to catch quite a few families out so to avoid disappointment I have added a substantial guide below
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| Cruise Line | Kids Clubs | Sample activities in children clubs | Drinks packages for children | Shore excursion options for children | Children’s Menu | Babysitting services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azamara | Not available | Not available | Soft drinks are included | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Carnival | 2-5 Toddlers
6-8 Junior cruisers 9-11 Intermediate Cruisers Circle C: 12-14 years old |
Toddlers 2-5 years: Sing-a-longs, play dough sculptures, picture Bingo, story time, talent shows, puppet shows, face painting.
Junior cruisers 6-8 years: PlayStation 2 and iMac time, spin Art, Sand Art and Candy Art, cartoon time, face painting, pizza parties, arts and crafts. Intermediate Cruisers 9-11 years old: PlayStation 2 and IMac time, board games, bingo, Coke-tail parties, pizza Pig-Out, eduCruise – Educational activities, talent show. Circle C PlayStation 2, board games, talent show, trivia games, dance parties, Indoor/outdoor games, Ping-Pong tournaments, karaoke |
Unlimited soft drinks and juices for only $12 per child for a three night cruise and $28 for a 7 night cruise | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Yes featuring hot dogs, chicken nuggets, pizza, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and more. On some nights, your kids can even eat with the other kids, leaving you to enjoy a quiet evening on your own | Babysitting Services (from 10PM to 3AM in Camp Carnival for ages 11 and under) $6 per hour |
| Celebrity | Toddler Time- under 3 years old Ship mates 3-5 years Celebrity Cadets 6-8 years
Ensigns 9-11 years old. |
Toddler time- suitable toys for this age group, including Leapfrog
interactive toys. Ship mates, Cadets and Ensigns for 3-11 years old crafts, music, karaoke, treasure hunts, theme parties, movies, entertainment centre filled with the latest gaming technology, LeapFrog interactive toys: crafts, music, karaoke, treasure hunts |
Unlimited fountain and canned drinks during the duration of your cruise.$8.05 per guest, per day | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Yes kids meals such as hot dogs, chicken nuggets, Mac and cheese. Request special meals 24 hours before | Evening slumber party for 3-11 year olds 10pm-1am charged $6 per hour, or in room babysitting available upon request $19 per hour |
| Costa | Mini from 3 to 6 years Maxi from 7 to 11
Teen Junior from 12 to 14 |
Mini & Maxi: Preparing costumes for themed evenings, Volleyball, Basketball, Table tennis, Table football, Hoops, Games in the pool | Boys & Girls beverage card for 10 soft drinks for 23 euros | No shore excursions specifically for children, there are, a number of shore excursion activities well suited to them at special rates | Yes, hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, fish n’ chips, chicken dippers and more | Mini and Maxi Club night-time group baby-sitting, held in the children’s area, is a free of charge baby-sitting service until 1:30 am |
| Cruise & Maritime | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Crystal | For three age groups between 3 and 17.Called Fantasia |
Scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, karaoke, and games. There are books and videos in the library for guests to take back to their staterooms | Soft drinks are included | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Yes Crystal’s chefs are always pleased to prepare custom dishes. The Trident Grill serves complimentary hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza and more | Available for $10 per hour |
| Cunard | The Play Zone 2-7 year olds
The Kids Zone 8-12 year olds |
The Play zone – Arts, crafts, books, puzzles, toys and computer games.
The Kids Zone – Games consoles, sport competitions, arts, crafts and scavenger hunts. |
Soda package- unlimited soda drinks= $3.95 per child per day (plus 15% service charge) | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Special children’s supper/tea served between 17.00 – 18.00 daily, allowing parents to have dinner by themselves | Night nursery service available from 6pm-11pm free |
| Disney | Clubhouse Series 6 and under
Solve it Series 6 and older In the spotlight series 8 and older Edge 11- 14 year olds |
Clubhouse Series- Puzzle playtime with Mickey and friends, little Einstein’s Adventure, Pluto PJ party Solve it Series- Goofy files, Stitch’s great adventure.
Spotlight series- Mickey mania, All for one, Monsters inc open mike night Storybook series- Do Di Do with snow white, once upon a Edge- Piazza perfection, ship factor, a pirates life for me LITE (teens only on-board social network |
Free soda is available from the beverage stations | Parents are welcome to disembark in Castaway cay whilst children stay on board with the children clubs, but this is the only port where this is available | Yes menus are available including hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza. Character dining available as well as children’s meal options |
Group babysitting is available form $6 per hour |
| Fred Olsen | Not available | Black Watch, has a Games Room for Table Tennis, but is adapted to a Children’s Playroom on cruises falling within the main school holiday periods. Balmoral has an Arts and Crafts Room that again will be converted to a Children’s facility during the main school holidays. | Not available | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Holland America | Club HAL 3 to 12 year olds | Club HAL- putt golf, candy bar bingo, t-shirt painting and arcade games, air hockey, foosball, karaoke, Internet access, Sony PlayStations & dance revolution
Teens- comfy hammocks, hang out under the nine-foot-high waterfall, or dance to a state-of-the-art sound system and laser light show |
Soda fountain- unto 20 sodas= $25 (plus service charge) | Port day activities on-board if parents are ashore, children must be registered and signed in and out of the programme | Yes including sandwiches, tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizzas | Only available on sea days bookable through reception for a small charge. Club hal afterhours is also available from 10pm-midnight for a charge of $5 per hour |
| Hurtigruten | Not available | Not available | Not available | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Marella Cruises (was Thomson) | Marella Cruises Kids’ Club children clubs 3 – 12 years | A variety of activities including face painting , treasure hunts, games, mini discos | Children’s drinks packages available from £69 per week | Shore excursions: Family shore excursions available including waterparks, aquariums, zoos, trips to the beach and even once-in-a-lifetime experiences like swimming with dolphins. Children must accompany adults on shore excursions and cannot stay on board. | Children’s portions available on-board | Not available |
| MSC | Mini Club 3 to 6 years Junior’s Club 7 to 11 | Mini club & Junior’s club- age-focused kids’ activities from arts and crafts to swimming, sports tournaments, treasure hunts, parties, live shows, talent contests and on-board adventures | All inclusive soft drinks package £10.50 per child per day – more for less premium child, cheers child and Allegrissimo Premium Child drinks packages available | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Yes including pizza, Pasta also healthy options available with vegetables and salad | Not available |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Turtles: 3 – 5 yrs.
Seals: 6 – 9 yrs. Dolphins: 10 – 12 yrs. Nickelodeon on board featuring SpongeBob, Dora the explorer and more Guppies 6 Months – 2 Years |
Turtles- Storytelling, development activities, circus school, arts, crafts, painting, treasure hunt, family activities and sensory messy play.
Seals- Wii games and challenges, treasure hunt, learn circus tricks, pizza making, games. Dolphins- Wii games and challenges, circus school, sports and family activities, arts & crafts, scavenger hunt, movies, team building challenges. Nickelodeon on board featuring SpongeBob, Dora the explorer and more |
Children’s soda package available form $4 per day plus 15% service charge | Port play available- children can be dropped of whilst parents venture into port, small charge applies if covers lunch/dinner | Yes, includes hamburgers, pizza , pasta and healthy options | Group babysitting and late night fun zone for 3-12 year olds available for $6 per hour |
| Oceania | Not available | Not available | Soft drinks included | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| P&O | 4 Children’s clubs available, splashers for 2-4 year olds, surfers for 5-8 year olds, scubas for 9-12 year olds | Splashers includes ball play, puppet shows and colouring competitions, surfers includes sports challenges, appearances form Mr Bump, mini Olympics, Scubs includes gameshows, sport sessions, pool parties | Soft drinks package includes 20 refills cost £35.00 | Family shore excursions including waterparks and beach transfers. Children cannot stay on board if parents and venturing ashore | Yes including sausages, fish fingers, vegetables and pasta | Night nursery available 6 months to 8 years and free of charge |
| Princess | Youth centre for 3-12 years | Youth centre includes dance parties, movies, t-shirt colouring,
video games, scavenger’s hunts. |
Soda package available from $4 per day | Children’s excursion prices available on certain trips | Yes, includes Pizza, fries, burgers, sandwiches and more | Group babysitting is available between 10pm- 1m for 3-12year olds for $5 per hour |
| Regent | Not available | Not available | All inclusive | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Baby sitting available upon request $25 per hour |
| Royal Caribbean | Aqua nuts 3-5 years.
Explorers 6-8 years. Voyagers 9-11 years |
Aquanuts – Story time, face painting, theatre,
Explorers – kite making, karaoke, science experiments, talent shows. Voyagers – backstage tours , GaGa ball. |
Unlimited fountain soda package available from $6 per day | Family shore excursions include swim with dolphins and pizza making in Naples | Yes, includes Burgers, Hot dogs, Sandwiches and more. Also character breakfasts | Sitters at sea babysitting service $10 per hour |
| Seabourn | Not available | Not available | Soft drinks included | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Seadream | Not available | Not available | Drinks included | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Silversea | Not available | Not available | Soft drinks included | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Star Clippers | Not available | Not available | No drinks packages available | Children must accompany adults on excursions and cannot stay on board | Not available | Not available |
| Windstar cruises | Children are not encouraged to sail with Windstar | Not available | Soft drinks are included | Not available | Not available | Not available |
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"Open the map, spin around, point to any country….” Hi. My name is Nik and I've been at Cruise.co.uk for nearly 10 years. OK, so I took an 18 month break while I worked at a soccer school in Phuket, Thailand…. but I missed the cruising world so much I…
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