Eileen Ogintz's newest book "The Kids Guide to Orlando" will be published in November. " The Kids Guide to New York City " has been published and, coming next Spring, "The Kids Guide to Washington, D.C." All of Eileen's Taking the Kids are now available for the NOOK and Kindle . Your kids will love the fun facts, games and puzzles!
Kids are everywhere—on cruise ships anyway—whether you are in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska or far flung destinations like the Galapagos Islands and even the Arctic. Welcome to our Taking the Kids Cruise Guide for 2013, researched and updated by our intrepid intern Becca Tash.
Cruise Lines International Association reports that some 1.5 million kids now are cruising every year—more than 1,000 on some sailings. And cruise lines have never done more for them, from featuring hip teen and tween hang-outs with the latest music and video games, to centers for the littlest cruisers (that are better equipped than many preschools) and even nurseries at sea.
Parents love cruising because they get a lot of bang for their vacation buck—activities, meals and lodging all for one price, including supervised morning-till-night programming for kids, at considerably less than many resorts london to paris travel charge. Grandparents are fans because cruises can prove an easy way to get the whole gang on vacation, especially in Alaska and Europe. Kids—especially tweens and teens— give ships a thumbs-up because they love the freedom they can have onboard and the chance to make new friends. Kids and parents alike love the major lines' private Caribbean islands, too.
Kids with special needs and severe allergies routinely are accommodated in organized programming. Another plus: there have never been more ports, from New York to California, eliminating the need for many families to fly. And you can cruise for just a few days or more than a week, checking out beaches or historic sites. Visit the Cruise Lines International Association website for a list of ports. Find online cruise guides complete with deals and specials.
I've cruised with my family around the world, from the Caribbean to Europe to Greece to Alaska. I've written london to paris travel The Kid's Guide: Cruising Alaska . I've found along the way that key is to choose the right cruise for your family and age kids. Here are some great options to consider:
AdventureSmith partners with small capacity, specialty-oriented ships around the world including domestic North American regions as Alaska, london to paris travel British Columbia and Oregon Washington's Columbia River and far flung locales as Alaska, Baja, Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Peru, the Arctic, Antarctica and Australia. They can steer you to special family sailings and deals. Company founder Todd Smith helped pioneer the concept of wilderness cruising that combines the comforts of a small cruise ship with the adventure of sea kayaking, hiking and exploring remote wilderness areas ashore seldom associated with more mainstream london to paris travel cruise london to paris travel itineraries. The company also has launched a carbon free cruising initiative and includes family programs as well as substantial savings. london to paris travel Look for deals like two for one Antarctica, early booking Alaska or kids 12 and under cruising half price.
What's New: Carnival Cruise Lines has a number of exciting developments in the coming months, including the first full year of Caribbean cruises from Miami aboard the new 130,000-ton, 3,690-passenger, london to paris travel Carnival Breeze (officially the largest Carnival ship ever based in South Florida!) The Carnival Breeze introduces Carnival's first Thrill Theater, with interactive special effects that make viewers feel as if they are part of the movie, new culinary london to paris travel choices such as Bonsai Sushi, the line's first full-service sushi restaurant and a complimentary open-air outdoor dining venue called Fat Jimmy's C-Side BBQ.
Representing Carnival's most ambitious transformation project ever, Carnival Destiny will undergo a $155 million makeover, officially becoming Carnival Sunshine. The refit incorporates all of the "Fun Ship 2.0" dining, bar and entertainment features, as well as adding 182 new cabins and new choices including london to paris travel ShakeSpot, JavaBlue Café, Pizzeria del Capitano. Parents can enjoy a three-level Serenity adults-only retreat and the whole familt can go wild at the new massive water park featuring dual racing-themed water slides and a 334-foot-long enclosed corkscrew slide – the longest in the "Fun Ship" fleet.
Look forward london to paris travel to Carnival's Largest European Season Ever in 2013. For the first time, Carnival will deploy two ships in Europe offering an exciting choice of options, including the line's first Norwegian fjords itinerary and its first extended program london to paris travel from the UK.
Kids Programs: Carnival london to paris travel Cruise Lines offers complimentary programming and facilities for kids in three age groups london to paris travel – Camp Carnival london to paris travel (2-11), Circle "C" (12-14) and Club O2 (15 and older). Camp Carnival is designed for younger cruisers and features indoor play areas – some as large as 5,500 square feet — stocked with games and toys — along with "activity walls," indoor climbing mazes, computer labs and video walls. Gaming stations include on-board programming emphasizing reading, art, music, geography, and physical fitness. Kids can also eat with their counselors so parents london to paris travel can enjoy a night to themselves.
For Tweens: Circle "C" 12- to 14-year olds have a place of their own to dance, watch movies and music videos, play video games and get together with new friends for organized activities from basketball to late-night pool parties.
For Teens : The teen clubs (Club O2) include a dance floor with a DJ, a "Coke-tail" london to paris travel lounge serving non-alcoholic specialty drinks, a library with teen-oriented books and magazines, a 16-monitor "video london to paris travel wall," music listening stations and more.
Around the Ship: Outdoor games and activities, along with children's wading pools, and main Lido deck pools offering the line's signature "Twister" water slides, some as long as 312 feet (Carnival Sunshine, currently sailing as the Carnival Destiny, will feature a 334-foot-long water slide following an extensive dry dock). Outdoor play areas with mini basketball hoops, jungle gyms and other playground london to paris travel equipment, as well as game rooms offering the latest london to paris travel video and arcade games, are available fleet wide. The line also offers nightly babysitting and Carnival Night Owls, which features fun-filled children's parties, offering a full schedule of late-night activities (fees apply for babysitting and the Night Owls program).
These ships are known for their sophisticated cuisine, upscale ambience, destination-focused itineraries and themed cruises focusing london to paris travel on art, food and wine. Still, families cruise Celebrity and the line offers popular kids' programming.
Celebrity's fifth Solstice Class ship , Celebrity Reflection. The ship introduces three new, unique and luxurious suite categories. This includes the Reflection Suite, the brand's first two-bedroom suite that also has an all-glass shower extending out over the edge of the ship, as well as five Signature Suites located in the private area of the ship's 14th deck, each with a 441-square-foot stateroom area and 118-square-foot veranda, with floor-to-floor ceiling windows and veranda doors. Guests also enjoy AquaClass Suites, with spa-inspired staterooms and exclusive and complimentary access to the Mediterranean-themed restaurant, "Blu".
New this year, Celebrity Cruises has partnered with Billboard music to create a variety of music-themed entertainment london to paris travel for the whole family on all Celebrity Cruises except for Xpeditio n. Look forward to a new "TV-style" interactive game show that tests guests' knowledge through music challenges, as well as a music trivia series, london to paris travel where teams participate are quizzed on questions based on a various london to paris travel genres. Those participating have the chance to win Billboard london to paris travel gift cards to download music online as prizes! Oh yeah- and for all of you looking to party the night away, the "Totally '80s Theme Party", currently offered exclusively on Celebrity Reflection , is a fully produced and choreographed party, featuring Billboard Hits of the decade and encouraging dancing all night long!
For Kids: Celebrity Cruises offers art programs, dance parties, culinary classes, scavenger hunts, the latest london to paris travel multi-generational gaming and more. Programs london to paris travel start at age three and run up to age 17. Thanks to a partnership with LeapFrog Schoolhouse there is special LeapFrog Edutainment, designed exclusively for Celebrity Cruises london to paris travel that allow kids to virtually "explore" the ports they're visiting. Celebrity s ships also tout a Leapfrog "Fun Factory" area, including a working studio where kids can produce their own newscast. There are late-evening activities at $6 an hour per child. And kids can eat with counselors at least once during a cruise.
Around the Ship: Kid's pools and slides are available fleetwide, except for Celebrity Xpedition . Basketball courts are available all ships, except for Celebrity Century and Celebrity Xpedition. In-room sitting is $8 per hour for up to two children. london to paris travel On Shore Days: Some programming is available for an extra fee.
Europe's top cruise line will give your family a chance to get to know European families and offers a youth program fleet wide. There are reduced rates for kids under 17 sharing a cabin with parents and periodic kids-sail-free deals.
What's New: Costa Cruises offers six new itineraries for the 2013-14 winter season that span the Canary Islands london to paris travel and North Africa, United Arab Emirates, eastern and western Mediterranean, the Caribbean and South America.
Around the Ship: Kids pools, water slides, basketball and arcade, but not fleet wide Volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, table tennis, rotating table tennis, table football, water polo, water basketball, water volleyball, darts, hoops, bowling, shuffleboard, video games on giant screen. In-room sitting is not available but there is free late night group sitting. On shore days programming is complimentary.
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