By Rich Mahoney
One absolute truth about cruises: There’s something for just about everyone. This broad appeal also applies to the selection of staterooms. Cruise ships feature a wide range of stateroom categories, but the best one for you all depends on the type of cruise experience you’re after, whether it be excitement, relaxation or both. (more…)
Dining at Animator's Palate aboard the Disney Fantasy cruise ship. Credit: Disney.
By Nisha Thakkar
While the Disney Fantasy, the new Disney Cruise Line ship, isn’t set to debut until March 31, 2012, I got a sneak peek and can’t wait to share the details with you. The Disney Fantasy will maintain some of the Disney Dream fan-favorites — like the AquaDuck, the first shipboard water coaster — but also has some really cool features that make it stand out on its own.
(Photo: Disney Cruise Line)
By Kim Windyka
When you think of a family vacation, bringing the kids on a cruise might not be the first idea that comes to mind. However, there are some distinct advantages to setting sail with the whole gang: you’ll only have to unpack once, and you’ll get to visit multiple different ports during your cruise. Plus, your cruise fare includes almost everything you could want: stateroom accommodations, most meals, entertainment, kids clubs, several choices of sports and activities, and even port charges. Not to mention, you’ll avoid hearing the dreaded “Are we there yet?” from anyone …well, once you’re on the ship, anyways. (more…)
By Alison Ulrich
(Photo: copyright Disney)
It is about that time of year to start planning a family vacation for spring break. I’ve been trying to decide between a family cruise and an all-inclusive resort. I have done a bit of research and wanted to share what I’ve learned.
Check the cost for children
When pricing out family cruises and all-inclusive resorts, consider the cost for the children. Some all-inclusive resorts and cruise lines allow kids to stay (or sail) free. Others charge a nominal fee or significantly reduced rate, depending on the age of child. In some cases, you may have to pay full price, which has a big impact on your family vacation budget. (more…)
By Donna Mulligan
Being a working mom for the past 18 years, family vacations are very sacred to me. Spending family time together, without the distractions of the kids’ homework, food shopping, paying bills or work, has always been a very blessed investment.
So it was with much excitement that I planned our first family cruise, a 4-night sailing from Boston to Nova Scotia. Our boys, who were ages 14, 12 and 8 at the time, were so thrilled and excited when they realized the ship was a floating resort hotel, fully equipped with miniature golf, game room, water slides and unlimited ice cream sundaes whenever they wanted!
The adjoining outside cabins gave us parents just enough privacy, and the boys were thrilled with the bunk bed that dropped out of the ceiling.
By Shar Rogers
Most of my clients (and myself) have the same criteria when planning a family vacation: warm and sunny (I do live in Chicago after all), lots of activities for the kids, a safe environment, and budget friendly. I think that a cruise is the perfect solution for a family vacation and delivers a great value and experience for families with kids of all ages.
I recently went on a 7-night Royal Caribbean Cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas. Although this trip was without my kids, I couldn’t help looking at the ship and experience through the eyes of a mother.
The ship left out of Galveston, Texas, which is a much smaller departure port than Port Canaveral or Miami, Florida — something I consider when traveling with my kids. Also, there were plenty of flights between Chicago and Galveston, and the port is a mere 20 minutes from the airport.
On board the ship, Royal Caribbean offers staterooms designed for families. If I were to return with my kids, I would choose a stateroom that has a separate sleeping area with two twin beds, so I could close the door when the kids went to sleep and still have the lights and TV on.
During the day, RCL kept the kids on the ship busy and entertained with its Adventure Ocean program. I know my kids would’ve enjoyed bingo, a limbo contest, and the belly flop contest.
RCL’s family focus extends to the shore excursions, including a water park in Cancun and a turtle farm in Grand Cayman. At every meal, RCL offers a kids menu, stocked with staples like chicken nuggets, mac & cheese and hot dogs.
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Shar Rogers is a member of the OrbitzTLC Team and a single mother of two children, ages 9 and 4. Shar spent 7 years as a leisure travel agent specializing in family travel.
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