CRUISING WITH GRANDCHILDREN
By Paula Hughes Court
After September 11th, the travel industry reported a surge in
multigenerational travel, citing the need for families to bring everyone
closer together. Today, traveling with grandchildren or “grandtravel”
accounts for one in every five trips taken. If you’re looking
for an easy and economical way to vacation with grandchildren, consider a
cruise.
“Cruising give families an opportunity to spend quality time together and
also enjoy some time separately on pursuits that interests the different
generations,” says Vicki Freed, Carnival Cruise Lines’ senior vice president
of sales and marketing. But before you book a cruise there are a few things
you need to know.
S0 MANY SHIPS-TOO MANY CHOICES:
Choosing the right cruise ship is the most important decision you’ll make.
Most, but not all, cruise lines offer day-camps and scheduled activities for
children. This is a necessary equirement unless you want to return home
exhausted. Know that most cruise lines require children to be three-years-
old and potty-trained to participate in youth activities.
Before booking, confirm that the ship offers their children’s program during
the time period you’re cruising. Some ships only offer scheduled activities
during the summer months and the vacation weeks of Thanksgiving,
Christmas, President’s Week and Easter. Also ask if the children’s program
is available while in port and on formal nights.
Another thing to keep in mind is the ship’s itinerary. The Caribbean, Alaska
and Hawaii itineraries are children’s favorites. Other itineraries can work as
well, but they may require more research for child friendly activities.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME:
Discuss all ground rules with the child’s parent present to head off any
potential problems. An important issue to decide is if your grandchild will be
allowed to roam the ship unsupervised. Be forewarned-this issue will come
up! Some cruise lines allow children as young as eight to sign themselves
out of the supervised program. Walkie-talkies are a good solution to this
sticky issue and they work well on ships. Buy one for everyone so you can
stay in constant touch.
Passports-If the ship’s itinerary requires a passport and your grandchild
doesn’t have one, apply for it immediately and allow several weeks for
processing. You should also bring along a letter signed by the parent
authorizing any necessary medical attention and a notarized letter by a
custodial parent granting permission
for the child to travel with you.
Don’t forget to pack your grandchild’s favorite toy and any medications. If
you’re flying to the port city, pack games, books, a bathing suit and an
extra change of clothes for your grandchild in your carryon.
ON-BOARD
Children’s Programs-Most cruise lines offer scheduled activities from 9-12,
2-5 and 7-10pm. This means you can drop your grandchild off after
breakfast, relax by the pool and pick him up for lunch. After a couple of
hours together, he’ll be ready to rejoin his friends while you enjoy a quiet
afternoon movie.
Dining-Flexibility is the key here. Be willing to eat dinner at the buffet a
couple of nights during the cruise. Coaxing children out of a pool, getting
them dressed and ready to sit quietly through a four-course dinner every
night can be a challenge. The good news is that almost all ships offer a
tempting menu of children’s favorites-hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken
fingers and pizza.
Shore excursions-Think carefully about your grandchild’s interests before
booking an expensive shore excursion. A general rule, though each child is
different, is to stay away from long bus rides, shopping trips and scenic
tours. Choose excursions that include water and/or animals such as
snorkeling, aquariums or nature walks and don’t forget to pack plenty of
snacks. In some ports, it may be more practical
to rent a car and explore on your own.
DEBARKATION:
Don’t be surprised to see a few tears upon leaving the ship. Children love
spending special time with their grandparents and hate for the trip to end.
Need a simple foolproof way to turn those tears into smiles? Pull out a
stack of brochures and start planning next year’s cruise.
BEST CRUISE LINES FOR CHILDREN:
The following cruise lines offer year-round children’s programs and
dedicated play areas.
Norwegian Cruise Line-Norwegian’s new “freestyle cruising” concept is a
plus for families with children. Formal attire is never required and you can
eat whenever, wherever you like at up to eleven different restaurants. www.
ncl.com
Carnival Cruise Line-Besides Camp Carnival, a year-round program for
children 3-15, Carnival Cruise Line also offers an array of fun
multigenerational activities such as “make your own sundae” and “name
that tune.” Carnival’s cabins are on average 50% larger than most
cruise lines and they feature, “Paradise” the only smoke-free ship.
www.carnival.com
Disney Cruise LIne- Good food, roomy cabins, fantastic children's
programs and Mickey Mouse. What more could anyone ask for? On Disney
Cruise Line you'll find it all and more.
www.disneycruise.com
By Paula Hughes Court
After September 11th, the travel industry reported a surge in
multigenerational travel, citing the need for families to bring everyone
closer together. Today, traveling with grandchildren or “grandtravel”
accounts for one in every five trips taken. If you’re looking
for an easy and economical way to vacation with grandchildren, consider a
cruise.
“Cruising give families an opportunity to spend quality time together and
also enjoy some time separately on pursuits that interests the different
generations,” says Vicki Freed, Carnival Cruise Lines’ senior vice president
of sales and marketing. But before you book a cruise there are a few things
you need to know.
S0 MANY SHIPS-TOO MANY CHOICES:
Choosing the right cruise ship is the most important decision you’ll make.
Most, but not all, cruise lines offer day-camps and scheduled activities for
children. This is a necessary equirement unless you want to return home
exhausted. Know that most cruise lines require children to be three-years-
old and potty-trained to participate in youth activities.
Before booking, confirm that the ship offers their children’s program during
the time period you’re cruising. Some ships only offer scheduled activities
during the summer months and the vacation weeks of Thanksgiving,
Christmas, President’s Week and Easter. Also ask if the children’s program
is available while in port and on formal nights.
Another thing to keep in mind is the ship’s itinerary. The Caribbean, Alaska
and Hawaii itineraries are children’s favorites. Other itineraries can work as
well, but they may require more research for child friendly activities.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME:
Discuss all ground rules with the child’s parent present to head off any
potential problems. An important issue to decide is if your grandchild will be
allowed to roam the ship unsupervised. Be forewarned-this issue will come
up! Some cruise lines allow children as young as eight to sign themselves
out of the supervised program. Walkie-talkies are a good solution to this
sticky issue and they work well on ships. Buy one for everyone so you can
stay in constant touch.
Passports-If the ship’s itinerary requires a passport and your grandchild
doesn’t have one, apply for it immediately and allow several weeks for
processing. You should also bring along a letter signed by the parent
authorizing any necessary medical attention and a notarized letter by a
custodial parent granting permission
for the child to travel with you.
Don’t forget to pack your grandchild’s favorite toy and any medications. If
you’re flying to the port city, pack games, books, a bathing suit and an
extra change of clothes for your grandchild in your carryon.
ON-BOARD
Children’s Programs-Most cruise lines offer scheduled activities from 9-12,
2-5 and 7-10pm. This means you can drop your grandchild off after
breakfast, relax by the pool and pick him up for lunch. After a couple of
hours together, he’ll be ready to rejoin his friends while you enjoy a quiet
afternoon movie.
Dining-Flexibility is the key here. Be willing to eat dinner at the buffet a
couple of nights during the cruise. Coaxing children out of a pool, getting
them dressed and ready to sit quietly through a four-course dinner every
night can be a challenge. The good news is that almost all ships offer a
tempting menu of children’s favorites-hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken
fingers and pizza.
Shore excursions-Think carefully about your grandchild’s interests before
booking an expensive shore excursion. A general rule, though each child is
different, is to stay away from long bus rides, shopping trips and scenic
tours. Choose excursions that include water and/or animals such as
snorkeling, aquariums or nature walks and don’t forget to pack plenty of
snacks. In some ports, it may be more practical
to rent a car and explore on your own.
DEBARKATION:
Don’t be surprised to see a few tears upon leaving the ship. Children love
spending special time with their grandparents and hate for the trip to end.
Need a simple foolproof way to turn those tears into smiles? Pull out a
stack of brochures and start planning next year’s cruise.
BEST CRUISE LINES FOR CHILDREN:
The following cruise lines offer year-round children’s programs and
dedicated play areas.
Norwegian Cruise Line-Norwegian’s new “freestyle cruising” concept is a
plus for families with children. Formal attire is never required and you can
eat whenever, wherever you like at up to eleven different restaurants. www.
ncl.com
Carnival Cruise Line-Besides Camp Carnival, a year-round program for
children 3-15, Carnival Cruise Line also offers an array of fun
multigenerational activities such as “make your own sundae” and “name
that tune.” Carnival’s cabins are on average 50% larger than most
cruise lines and they feature, “Paradise” the only smoke-free ship.
www.carnival.com
Disney Cruise LIne- Good food, roomy cabins, fantastic children's
programs and Mickey Mouse. What more could anyone ask for? On Disney
Cruise Line you'll find it all and more.
www.disneycruise.com
CRUISE-INFORMATION.COM
CRUISING WITH GRANDCHILDREN
CRUISING WITH GRANDCHILDREN
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