Programs for Kids and Teens:

Cruise Lines’ Best Practices

Kids and teens have become one of the fast growing markets in the cruise industry today. Many cruise lines are strategizing at how to organize kids and teens cruise packages to ensure a big share of this market segment. It is no wonder why a plethora of cruise ships are now dressing up to make a wider activity and functions rooms for kids and teens. Ships are now being refurbished to include themes for kid and teens alike.

Some of the many things that cruise line companies have been getting their brains busy on the drawing board is to come up with kids and teens program that will catch and sustain the interests of these market while aboard their ships on the one hand. On the other hand they too are contemplating what facilities to bring to the ships and that will compliment the kids and teens needs of a worthwhile cruise experience.

Before not too many ships have thought of providing spacious rooms and recreational facilities for kids and teens. But now the scene in kids and teens cruising is changing drastically. The competition with cruise lines in attracting a wider market of kids and teens cruisers is the most obvious factor. With the ongoing competition kids and teens are the most benefited.

Families who are planning on spending a cruise vacation are likely to choose those ships that have allocated their resources to ensure children and youth’s comfort and enjoyment. Parents would possibly look at the list of facilities and youth programs that these cruise liens have for kids and teens. In short they will be looking for the best practice of cruise lines when comes to kids and teens cruising.

In no particular order cruise lines’ best practices will be presented so that parents who are planning to try a cruise vacation in the future will get an idea where to start.

Royal Caribbean had poured in large capital in preparing recreational activities for kids and teens. In fact the “Adventure Ocean” programs are even categorized according to age brackets.

The Aquanauts. This program is designed for 3-5 year old kids. This allows kids to enjoy educational activities done if fun ways. However, parents are advised that their kids whom they wish to enroll in this program should be fully toilet-trained since diapers are a big no-no.

Aquanaut activities are held in different schedules and places. There are onboard which takes place while the ship is at sea. There are also fun activities before and after each excursion activity that will be held at the port area.

The activities included in the Aquanauts are: Adventure Science (science experiments for kids that includes Gummy Candies, Wacky Water Workshop, H2O Thunder Races, Bubbling Potions, and Magnetic Mayhem); Adventure Art by Crayola (kids are taught how to make kites, do the pottery and making mask in different Crayola colors); and Sail into Storytime (this a story-telling activity where kids are transported to the place and time of each story read).

Other fun activities are Pajama Rama Movie Night, Un-Birthday Party, Talent Show, Ice-cream Party, Face Painting, Camp Aquanauts, Pirate Night, Under the Sea Night, Super Hero Afternoon, and Nutty Nicknames. The carefully selected trained staff supervises all these activities to ensure that kids will enjoy.

The Explorers. This program is fit for kids who are 6-8 years old. Activities are aimed at familiarizing different local customs and traditions of each destination visited by the cruise. Kiddy experiments are still included to cultivate kids’ creativity and inquisitiveness.

Adventure science is one of the many activities prepared for the kids in this age bracket. Kids are taught to conduct experiments in a fun way. Experiments include playing with mud, candies, water and fossils. The artistic way of making masks, designing kites, pottery and diorama making are included in Adventure Art using Crayola coloring materials.

Wide World of Extremes Party, Bingo and Movie Mania, Name That Tune, Scavenger Huts, Pirate Night, and Ice-cream Party are some of the activities with a theme. Just like the Aquanauts, highly capable trained staffs that are experts in managing younger participants supervise the Explorers.

The Voyagers. Kids below 12 years old but older than 8 belongs to this group. Children enrolled in this program are likely to enjoy science experiments in their Adventure Science sessions that include science theme activities in Volcanoes and The Power of the Sun among others. Just like the Explorers, the Voyagers will get to experience art classes with crayola.

Voyagers will also participate in activities like Sports Tournament, X Games, The Art Walk Reggae Beach Party, Backstage Tour and other hosts of theme activities. Counselors are tasked to maximize kids fun and enjoyment in conducing all these activities.

The Navigators. Teens included in this program are those within 12-14 years old. Teens are given the opportunity to mingle with their peers, newfound acquaintances and friends. Activities are held during daytime and early nighttime. Teens will show off their athletic prowess in the Sports Tournament. Karaoke activity will test their skills in carrying a tune. Video wizards will unleash their intelligence in the Video Game Challenge while the Talent Show will showcase teens’ hidden gifts in the performing arts. There are still other activities that are intended to make teens in this age bracket experience an amazing cruise treats.

The Guests. This is the oldest age bracket in the kids and teens list. Activities are geared towards socialization with both the same and opposite sexes. Teenagers will experience the fun of spending time with individuals their same age while on board the ship. Youth counselors are available to facilitate every activity. Teen-Only Night Club, Coffee Talk, Teen Dinners, Movie Night and College Night are just some of the activities organized for them.

With the long list of activities that Royal Caribbean painstakingly conceptualized for both the kids and the teens, other activities are not only done on the ship. Fun-filled activities also await kids and teen vacationers in Royal Caribbean private resort like the Labadee. Kids and teens alike will definitely enjoy the many exciting feature of the Splash Bash, one of the attractions in Labadee.

In every activity, all the participants are entitled to a prize credit, which they can exchange for cool prizes on the last day of the trip. Shirts, backpacks, visors and stuffed animal toys are some of the prizes that they can choose from.

Disney Cruise Line is dubbed as the cruise ship for teens and kids. The same company that brought Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to stardom owns it. Disney Cruise Line brings those famous Disney characters and adventures to life aboard in any of their ships. Both kids and teens will surely look forward to seeing their favorite Disney icon in one of their programs and activities.

Disney’s Oceaneer Club. Three to seven year old kids will get to meet kids of their age to enjoy the fun with their favorite Disney characters. Friendly counselors tell famous Disney stories that will elicit kids’ imagination and creativity.

Some of the activities prepared for kids 3-7 years old while onboard are Ariel’s bubble Adventure (kids will enjoy a dip in a playground underwater mimicking Ariel’s adventure under the sea in search of treasure finds); Adventure’s of Simba (tots will relive Simba’s journey in Prideland through storytelling, singing, and animal making art crafts); and Aladdin’s Adventure (tykes will experience an exciting game of Genie hunting amidst an Arabian backdrop).

There are also activities intended for much younger cruisers. These activities are all designed for 3-4 years old. Activities like Brother Bear, Do-Si-Do with Snow White, King Triton’s Court, Hat’s Off Peter Pan, Mouseketeers in Training, Pooh Stretches, Nemo’s Coral reef Adventure, and Tea with Wendy are all organized to let kids meet face to face with famous Disney luminaries.

Disney’s Oceaneer Lab. This program is designed for the 8-12 years old. Kids will surely be delighted with the myriad of activities in stored for them. Sports activities and video games are all prepared to keep kids attention.

One of the most exciting activities is the Animation where 8-9 year old kids will get the opportunity to draw Mickey Mouse with the aid of old techniques and animation tools. Clarabell’s Moo Juice activity will make the kids prepare their own concoction from cream and other ingredients that they can truly cal their own.

Other activities for 8-9 year olds include Hercules feat of Strength, Goofy Files, Lava Flow, Regatta Racers, and The Fourth Pig Pasta Palace. There are also activities for the 10-12 year old kids like the Animation, Boyz and Girlz Chill, and Culture Shock,

Ocean Quest. This for program is both for big kids and teens where they got the chance to steer the ship to different virtual ports through simulation. Big kids and teen vacationers can play video games, make art crafts, or simply enjoy movie marathon.

Kids enrolled in this program should be 13-17 years old. The fun-filled and amazing recreational activities waiting for them are 411 where kids are given the opportunity to mingle with their fellow cruisers through; Animation, the activity that is the same for little kids; Crowning of Couch Potato which tests teens memory on famous Disney flicks; and Bring It, a game that requires teenagers creativity in music sports and other fields.

There are other activities that teenagers can look forward too in this program. Boys and girls measure each group’s proficiency in trivia questions and the Stack game. Teens can take a plunge in cool water with the H2O Splashdown pool party while music and games are being played simultaneously.

Kids and teenagers onboard a Disney ship will feel like staying in Disney Park because even in the ship they are surrounded with Disney characters and are afforded with activities that are inspired from the many stories that Disney made.  These young cruisers will always feel like being pampered.

Holland America Line is consistently true to its tagline, “A Signature of Excellence”, as it never leaves no stones unturned by continuing to come up with youth programs designed to sustain the enthusiasm of the younger cruisers. All their vacationers who are 3-17 years old are sure to have an exciting fun, which are all prepared by the carefully selected, competent youth staff.

Club HAL Kids. A program organized for the youngest cruisers, the 1-7 years old, which they can all participate with much anticipation. In the storytelling activity, the youth counselors selects a good story to tell to young audience which has been practiced to capture their attention and bring out their imagination. Speaking of imagination, another activity that will surely tap the potential in them is the Fabric Painting activity. Kids are encouraged to display their innate artistic ability through the use of colors and whatever designs they can come up with. The purpose is to get them into fun activities.

Other activities geared towards the creative side of the kids are the arts and crafts, charade, drawing contests, while some activities are more on the physical and mental like the Uno game, indoor game, and puzzle. Some activities are mainly for kids’ socialization like the bingo, ship tours, ice-cream parties, and farewell pizza party.

Club HAL Tweens. Kids who are 8-12 years old have all the reasons to socialize with their peers through the many activities prepared for them. HAL has a spacious place intended for the tweens disco party. They can show of their newest dance moves to the bet of the latest disco tunes.

The more physically active tweens will surely shine in the scavenger hunt and other sports activity while onboard. Ping-Pong game is also available for kids who chose to be in a smaller crowd.

The Loft and the Oasis. The 13-17 year old teenagers will definitely crave for the video games, teens disco, and sports fests. Trivia games, bingo, card games and movies are all well prepared for the more demanding youth cruisers. All these activities are designed for the youth’s socialization with other vacationers their age.

Holland America Line is keen to prepare activities for kids with extra special needs. These children are given special attention and with separate activities than the rest of the other youth cruisers.

There are many other cruise lines that give importance to youth cruisers, however, not all of them cater these programs all year round and are not available in all the ships. It is only but practical and wise that cruise lines should give more effort in pushing for a more exciting, fresh, and varied youth programs.

If kids and teens enjoyed their cruise because of the various activities that they have been into, they will definitely convince their parents to keep coming back for more.