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Cruising Alaska -- Now It's Kids Things

Cruising Alaska - Now It's a Family Thing

By Mike Miller

If you are truly thinking about a family vacation to Alaska, and you're wondering should your kids would take a cruise to "The past Frontier," wonder eliminate. Young individuals from toddlers through teens have a blast on big ships and small as their vessels sail through the protected waters of Alaska's Inside Passage. Aboard ship or ashore, there are lots of kid-friendly, parent-friendly, and grandparent-friendly websites to see and fun actions you need to take.

It's a fact, only a short decade or two ago families with kids aboard best alaska cruises were as scarce as Alaskan Dall sheep lambs inside a grizzly bear's lair. But the times have changed -- big time. Today you will find, in addition to the traditional hefty contingent of seniors and near-seniors aboard each ship, numerous families. Sometimes these groups are multi-generational, with gramps and grandmas, mums and dads, and kids that can start from gangly teens to babes literally in arms.

The rationale? Word is out that Alaska's attractions are sure-fire hits for travelers of little age: attractions like humongous whales breaching full length out from the water, grizzly bears chasing salmon along forest creeks and rivers, icebergs (sometimes as big as a tour bus) crashing, splashing, and thundering off the faces of miles-long glaciers.

Too, there are possibilities to mush inside of a dog sled behind a team of charging huskies - after helicoptering to some lofty mountain-top glacier no less! Kids and parents can ride bikes through towering forests or down mountain paths and trails. They might also kayak among whales and sea lions. Whole families can fish for lunker king salmon. Or try their luck at gold-panning in creeks and streams.

Newest craze for young and the young-at-heart is riding a zip-line in the upper canopies of towering spruce and hemlock forests in Ketchikan and Juneau -- hanging safe and secure inside of a harness as they definitely "zip" along a steel cable some 130 feet or more above the forest floor.

Or, less daunting, while visiting museums up and down the coast families can absorb the totemic culture along with the history of Alaska's Native peoples. They can discover the period when Alaska was "Russian America." They can view mementos of your tumultuous gold stampede to your Klondike during the late 1800s,

Little doubt about it, Alaska has something exciting to provide every family member, notwithstanding age.

But what about life aboard the cruiseships? Will teenagers get the experience dullsville?

Hardly. The mid- to mega-sized ships in particular are literally resorts afloat with swimming pools, spas, snack shops, fillets parlors, outdoor game courts, video arcades, and movie theaters. Special staff members aboard these vessels -- with one exception -- include trained youth counselors. These crew members arrange age-appropriate social activities, organize games and sports events, supervise arts and crafts, take youngsters on shipwide treasure hunts, and typically ensure that cruisers from tykes through teens enjoy their cruise in so far as their parents and grandparents.

Although smallship cruiselines in Alaska never staff their vessels with special counselors for young cruisers, the ships are without any less family-welcoming. These vessels can enter small bays and inlets where guests can view wildlife on close-by forest shores, explore waterways by kayak in addition to spiffy powered Zodiacs, hike remote island beaches, perhaps even stop to get a natural hot springs dip in forested surroundings.

One smallship cruiseline even schedules three best alaska cruise each year especially geared for family travel.

No matter vessel size, keeping simply a pair of exceptions, cruiselines inside the Alaska trade actively court family cruisers. Few such travelers, young or old, choose the experience anything save for "cool." And are generally not indicating to the weather.

Cruiseline by cruiseline here's a rundown of kid care and family fun traveling on an best alaska cruise. The knowledge was supplied by the cruiselines or assisted by company websites.

Large and Mega Size Cruiseships

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE's 2006 Alaska voyages aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit offer youngsters age 2 through 17 many different continuous supervised activities during the line's "Camp Carnival" program.

Included in the line's Alaska sailings absolutely are a variety "simply for Alaska" projects where kids will make their own dream catchers and totem poles and discover relating to the region's fascinating Native Alaskan cultures.

The Carnival Spirit offers other kid- and family-friendly amenities too, including a spacious indoor play room featuring an arts and crafts center, a 16-monitor video wall, climbing mazes, a backyard play area, plus a computer lab.

On the subject of dining, says Carnival, "Youngsters receive the full 'Fun Ship' treatment with expanded children's menus offering many different kids' favorites along with just about every junior special." The menus are included on the back of a coloring and activity book featuring word finds, mazes, tic-tac-toe, crossword puzzles, connect-the-dots, and other games.

Young cruiser age brackets include 2- through 5-year-olds, 6 through 8, 9 through 11, and then for teens 15 through 17 a program called "Club 02." (http://www.carnival.com)

CELEBRITY CRUISES' "Family Cruising Program" offers young peoples' activities in four age brackets:

On any given day Ship Mates (for 3- through 6-year-olds) may is content with clown party, treasure hunt, T-shirt painting, Legos, talent time, finger painting, dancing games, summer stock theater, cartoon time, computers, play stations, musical games, movies, ship tours, and ice cream sundae making.

Many of these same activities are on the agenda for older children too, so they are undertaken on that older-age level.

Celebrity Cadets (for youngsters 7-9) can also include pool olympics, scavenger hunts, charades, a fitness program, board games, relays, and team trivia. Ensigns (for pre-teens 10-12) additionally enjoy karaoke, relay races, ship tours, and pizza parties.

Admiral T's takes in two types of teenagers, 13-15 and 16-17. Members can frequent the Teen Club, engage in basketball tournaments, enjoy pool parties, and help switch on talent shows.

Celebrity vessels also offer a "Parents Night Out" program. On the two formal nights of a seven-night voyage, Celebrity treats parents to free babysitting when counselors take the children to some pizza party for evening meal. (http://www.celebrity.com)

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE's "Club HAL" offers a variety of kid-friendly facilities and age-appropriate activities. Programs for little ones ages 3-12 can be found aboard 2006 Alaska-bound ships Ryndam, Statendam, Zaandam, Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam and with ages 5-12 aboard Volendam and Veendam. All eight ships use a teen program forever 13-17. (http://www.hollandamerica.com)

Club HAL activities are made to be age appropriate. For example, every day activities planned for infants ages 3 to 7 may include arts and crafts, face-painting, camp-out night, candy bar Bingo, outdoor fun, along with a pajama party.

"Tweens," the in-between travelers 8 through 12, may learn golf putting, attend dance parties and theme nights, compete in on-deck sports events and scavenger hunts, play arcade games, tie-dye t-shirts, or just play ping-pong which has a friend.

Teens 13-17 delight in the Loft designed to resemble a New York artist's loft; there's also The Oasis, a non-public deck where teens can soak up the rays then cool off inside a one-of-a-kind waterfall. The Loft and Oasis are currently available on 2006 Alaska-bound vessels Ryndam, Statendam, Veendam, Volendam, and Zaandam. Teens will especially benefit from the teen disco, dance lessons, arcade games, teen sports tournaments, karaoke, trivia contests, bingo, play stations, movies and jacuzzi parties.

On most itineraries, Holland America provides one full-time Youth Program Director and 1 or more youth staff members. The rate of Club HAL staff to children as part of the team is 1:30.

Additionally there is a large choice of kid-pleasing food, including special sandwiches, tacos, burgers, hot dogs and pizza. For very young baby food, high chairs and booster seats could be requested in advance of boarding. Baby-sitting services are available to have a small surcharge and special bday parties may also be arranged.

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE notes on its web page which the line's Kid's Crew and Teen's Crew programs are filled with age-appropriate activities for kids 2 through 17. For Kid's Crew members aged 2-12, NCL offers furniture from arts and crafts to pajama parties. Teens Crew, for cruisers 13-17 provides options like pool parties, a teen disco, a video arcade, etc.

But don't, says NCL, remember these programs as "babysitting." There's little or no "sitting" involved, notes the cruiseline. The programs are active, energetic, educational and, most importantly, fun. (http://www.ncl.com)

PRINCESS CRUISES' junior cruisers (ages 3 to 17) can enjoy a boatload of exciting onboard activities. Almost every line's Alaska-bound ships have special kids and youth centers staffed by counselors who switch on a software program of age-specific activities daily. Group babysitting will come in the late evenings.

Among a number of programs for youths is one of the specific to Alaska. Produced with the National Park Service, Princess' sub-teen "Junior Ranger" program is designed to bring Glacier Bay as well as the Alaska wilderness to life for a very large number children each summer. The plan features interactive games, activity books, and presentation by rangers. The corresponding "Teen Explorer" program features similar learning activities geared for older youngsters.

In a cruise industry exclusive, the Los Angeles-based California Science Center provides entertaining interactive activities. Princess youth staff have undergone extensive training for the center, designed to enthrall young passengers with award-winning science projects. Whale watching, building and racing sailboats, marine biology studies and squid dissection absolutely are a few of the activities available.

The line's website notes that preteens are divided into two groups: Princess Pelicans ages 3-7 and Princess Pirateers, 8-12. Both groups are entertained with age-rated arts and crafts, discos, movies and cartoons, exclusive kids-only dining, hunts, karaoke and lip-sync shows, afternoon cookies parties, pizza parties, backstage and galley tours, pajama parties, and T-shirt coloring. Says Princess' website: "Our astounding teen centers are packed with Nintendo, movies, karaoke, giant screen TVs, card and board games, ping-pong and juke boxes." This website also notes that the Alaska-bound Sun, Dawn, Coral, Island, and Diamond Princess ships comprise a toddler's play area. (http://www.princess.com)

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL presents a young peoples' program called "Adventure Ocean" serving and entertaining travelers 3 to 17 in five different categories.

Youngest group (ages 3 through 5) are known as Aquanauts and do finger painting, building blocks, play dough, music activities, dot dancing, and "shape Bingo." Explorers (6-8) use a Pirate Night, keep on a backstage tour, enjoy nutty nicknames, and interact with in autograph hunts. Nine to 11-year-old Voyagers do karaoke singing, have a Ga-Ga Ball, enjoy H20 Thunder Races, and do a talent walk.

Navigators (12-14) play in sports tournaments, have pool parties, is content with college night, engage in computer games, and go disco dancing sessions and also a proper night. Older teens,15-17 and called Guests, also enjoy dancing, pool parties, DJ training, Battle of those Sexes, plus a formal night along with a Survivor Series.

RCI's Edu-tainment programming offers:

Adventure Science, a combination of hands-on experiments and wacky entertainment (example: Staggering In the Stars, along with a Wacky Water Workshop);

Adventure Art, the opportunity to workout creativity with crafts;

Sail Into Story Some time to Adventure Family. This is really a free, onboard program that allows children 3-11 so their parents to spend quality time together doing projects that can start from shipbuilding regattas to talent shows and scavenger hunts. (http://www.royalcaribbean.com)

Mid-Size Veins

RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES' youth program, "Club Mariner," provides adults who desire to share Alaska's wonders for their children or grandchildren a free of charge children's program. "This program," says the firm, "offers the opportunity for every family and its members to be having Alaska within a meaningful, enriching way." The cruiseline's youth program is produced for 3 age brackets: 5-9, 10-13 and 14-17. Throughout each voyage, trained counselors offer young cruisers the opportunity to take part in various interactive adventures focusing on Alaska. Children will exercise their creativity with crafts while gaining knowledge about Alaska's diverse wildlife, its unique geography, its indigenous crafts, and rich artistic heritage.

Kids will gain details about about whales, salmon, glaciers and totem poles. They might draw and write about their adventures in the special Club Mariner scrapbook, bake chocolate "moose" cookies, go whale watching from deck or learn all about eagles, dolphins, bears and sea lions. Notes RSSC: "Club Mariner not only causes it to be easier for families to travel together, it will help kids broaden their cultural and valuable horizons. And they'll return home knowing about Alaska than the remainder of the 49 states combined!" (http://www.rssc.com) SILVERSEA CRUISES advises that, as a result of the sophisticated nature of its cruises and programs, the firm doesn't encourage travel with little ones. (http://www.silverseacruises.com)

Smaller Ships

AMERICAN SAFARI CRUISES' Kids in Nature (KIN) cruises, list a luxury yacht when the schoolhouse, an Expedition Leader/Naturalist because the teacher, and the wildlife-rich waters of Alaska's Inside Passage as the laboratory. KIN convenes in Alaska aboard the upscale 22-passenger yacht Safari Quest together with the first of two seven-night cruises from Sitka June 17. The voyage takes in various wilderness sites and communities throughout Southeast Alaska. and ends in Juneau June 17. Another seven-night Safari Quest sailing commences July 29 while an eight-night voyage from Prince Rupert, B.C. to Juneau embarks June 26 aboard the equally luxurious 12-guest Safari Escape.

Activities abound for everyone: kayaking, hiking on a remote island developing to a full-scale picnic, hopping shore-to-shore by Zodiac, viewing whales directly off the bow or dolphins right below, collecting shells to learn, and even more. Kids and adults alike are accompanied for the variety of personal-choice excursions while their yacht is at anchor.

Right at the end of the cruise each child receives a Kids in the wild backpack filled with mementos of their various explorations: certificates of accomplishment signed because of the Captain and Expedition Leader, a tee shirt and cap, a few binoculars, disposable camera plus a typed number of then entire listing of flora and fauna observed in the course of the cruise. This system offers kid-size pricing -- two kids under 12 for one adult fare.

Aboard other sailings while in the season American Safaris Cruises' three yachts offer very upscale amenities and cuisine best appreciated by sophisticated adults. The cruises the line normally discourages guests from bringing small and doesn t offer specifically child-oriented services. (http://www.americansafaricruises.com)

AMERICAN WEST STEAMBOAT COMPANY advises, "We tend to address mature adults and therefore offer no special programs to kids and teens." (http://www.americanweststeamboat.com)

THE BOAT COMPANY offers special rates for young cruisers traveling with parents: 50 percent from the usual fare if occupying a stateroom with a parent, 20 percent off if occupying an outside cabin.

The company's two vessels don't have separate personnel specifically assigned to youngsters on board, but the line does seek to accommodate the desires of each passenger including kayaking, fishing, beach hikes, as well as other kid-friendly activities. (http://www.theboatcompany.com)

CLIPPER CRUISELINE has no specific children's programs or staff for younger travelers, but the nature of many company's routes and cruising areas (including whale sightings, bears other wildlife, and shore excursions) allow it to be sufficient for family groups. Cabins can accommodate as many as three guests; for larger groups two cabins might possibly be necessary. (http://www.clippercruise.com)

CRUISE WEST comes with a children's travel special aboard the Sheltered Seas Daylight Yacht Tours. Travelers 12 and under sharing a cabin with an adult save 50 percent on Family Adventure cruise fares. Youths 13 through 21 save 25 %.

While many of many company's other cruises are of considerable interest for families with children, activities aboard ship are not specifically geared for young travelers. Cruise West will be the largest of your smallship cruiselines serving Alaska and offers cruising alternatives for family interest from Southeast Alaska having its totems, glaciers, national park lands and goldrush historical destinations to Southcentral's Prince William Sound and beyond to Arctic waters and even Russia. (http://www.cruisewest.com)

DISCOVERY VOYAGES advises that cruises aboard the 12-passenger vessel Discovery are "definitely family friendly" and, the truth is, the corporation gives a 25 percent discount for children 12 and under. Notes a business spokeswoman: "Because of the intimate size of our vessel we don t have specific youth directors but our staff (including Captain Dean Rand's daughters Hannah and Heather, who were raised on board the invention) is diverse in focusing on both adults and children as well as being naturalists and kayaking guides." The corporation often works with agencies and outfitters who specialize in family trips. (http://www.discoveryvoyages.com)

LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS welcomes voyagers young and old. And are available September, Archie Comics illustrator Stan Goldberg will make your way into shipload of other Lindblad Expeditions travelers in the Inside Passage from Southeast Alaska to British Columbia. His mission: to design the next in his "Little Lin" cartoon book sequence of educational adventures for adolescents. (In his first book, Fun and Games With Little Lin, released in 2005, child explorer Little Lin discovers Peru's Galapagos Islands.)

ßIn his second work Goldberg's young adventurer will sail to Alaska and shall encounter glaciers, humpback whales, bald eagles, and all manner of other creatures and their habitats along Alaska's and British Columbia's Inside Passage. Quickly years, the Alaska-inspired Little Lin books will be distributed to families traveling aboard Lindblad Inside Passage cruises. (http://www.expeditions.com) MAPLE LEAF ADVENTURES offers families the opportunity to view Alaska's glaciers, whales, islands, bear hot spots, beaches, hot springs and towns aboard the classic tall-ship sailing vessel Maple Leaf, a beautifully restored 92-foot sailing schooner inbuilt 1904. The ship takes eight to ten guests. The vessel's on-board naturalist, chef and experienced crew can customize the trip's itinerary, menu and activities to suit family interests. Typical highlights include unparalleled proximity to ice bergs, glaciers and wildlife, sailing a tall ship, and great camaraderie between guests and crew. Special activities for teens include sail training, fishing (with purchase of a fishing license), hikes, along with a customizable itinerary. Accommodations are comfortable however not luxurious. Because berths are limited to nine or ten passengers, it is possible for example or higher families (two families of five, for instance) to jointly reserve all of the berths for just one of the company's 11-night Alaska voyages. Parents with teen-age children may reserve berths which are not otherwise reserved with the concurrence of prior-booked adult passengers. (http://www.mapleleafadventures.com)

State and Provincial Ferries

ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM (Alaska ferries) is made-to-order for family travel along Alaska's coast. Counting on vessel youngsters will likely find onboard play areas for very young, casual meals and snack bars for any age, movies, and nature talks plus expansive glass-enclosed solariums. These are ideal for spotting orcas (killer whales), humpback whales, playful porpoises and sea lions in the water plus mountain goats on towering cliffsides, and (of the fortunate observer) the sight of black and brown (grizzly) bears on passing beaches. Families following or absent vehicles may embark as far south as Bellingham, Washington or Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

Larger stateroom-equipped vessels of the fleet will be the Columbia (931 passengers), Matanuska (745), Malaspina (701), Taku (370), and Kennicott (748). Depending on the season, one or two ships sail on weekly schedules right to/from Bellingham while others flip at Prince Rupert. (http://www.FerryAlaska.com)

BC FERRIES demonstrates its kid-friendliness even before children boards ship. Computer-savvy children or their parents have only to surf the web to http://www.bcferries.bc.ca/kidzone/establishing_shot.html and they re going to meet cartoon characters Samantha ("Call me Sam") and Cal, two seagoing doggy characters who introduce young viewers to some online activities - a digital coloring book, a "Compare to the Ferries" memory game, along with a virtual bridge tour.

The 700-passenger provincial ferry vessel Queen of many North connects with Alaska state ferries at Prince Rupert for frequent access to Southeast Alaska ports. (http://www.bcferries.com)

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Alaskan travel writer Mike Miller lives in Juneau where his current passion is publishing an informational website about Alaska cruising: http://www.AlaskaCruisingReport.com. Miller has authored or considered to be a variety of books (Fodors, Sierra Club Books, Globe Pequot, The Milepost yet others). He also writes for TravelAge West (a publication for travel specialists) as well as for major newspapers and magazines.

Copyright (c) 2006 By Mike Miller -- All Rights Reserved
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