Sailing Alaska -- Now It's Children Fact

Cruising Alaska - Now It's a Family Thing

By Mike Miller

If you happen to be thinking about a family vacation to Alaska, and you're wondering should your kids would enjoy a cruise to "The Last Frontier," wonder forget about. Young individuals from toddlers through teens possess 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 several kid-friendly, parent-friendly, and grandparent-friendly areas to see and fun things to do.

It's gospel, a short decade or two ago families with kids aboard best alaska cruises were as scarce as Alaskan Dall sheep lambs inside of a grizzly bear's lair. Still 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, a lot of families. Sometimes such 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 explanation? Word is out that Alaska's attractions are sure-fire hits for travelers of any age: attractions like humongous whales breaching full size mirror out of the water, grizzly bears chasing salmon along forest creeks and rivers, icebergs (sometimes as big as a tour bus) crashing, splashing, and thundering off faces of miles-long glaciers.

Too, there are opportunities to mush within 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 could 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 the 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 within a harness as they definitely "zip" along a steel cable some 130 feet or even 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 roots or history of Alaska's Native peoples. They could find out about the period when Alaska was "Russian America." And they can view mementos of your tumultuous gold stampede into the Klondike while in the late 1800s,

No question about this, Alaska has something exciting to promise every friend, no matter age.

But what about life aboard the cruiseships? Will youngsters choose the experience dullsville?

Hardly. The mid- to mega-sized ships particularly are directly resorts afloat with swimming pools, spas, snack shops, chips 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 usually be certain that cruisers from tykes through teens enjoy their cruise as much 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 as well as spiffy powered Zodiacs, hike remote island beaches, perhaps even stop for only a natural hot springs dip in forested surroundings.

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

Despite vessel size, and there was only a a handful of exceptions, cruiselines in the Alaska trade actively court family cruisers. Few such travelers, young or old, choose the experience anything then again "cool." And are also not consulting the weather.

Cruiseline by cruiseline here's a rundown of infant care and family fun traveling on an best alaska cruise. The details 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 various continuous supervised activities during the line's "Camp Carnival" program.

Included in the line's Alaska sailings are a volume of "simply for Alaska" projects where kids could make their very own dream catchers and totem poles and learn relating to the region's fascinating Native Alaskan cultures.

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

When it comes to dining, says Carnival, "Youngsters receive the full 'Fun Ship' treatment with expanded children's menus offering various kids' favorites and also a daily junior special." The menus are included on the back of your coloring and activity book featuring word finds, mazes, tic-tac-toe, crossword puzzles, connect-the-dots, as well as other games.

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

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

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 fillets sundae making.

A great number of same activities are around the agenda for older children in addition, but are undertaken traveling on an older-age level.

Celebrity Cadets (for children 7-9) can also include pool olympics, scavenger hunts, charades, an exercise 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 forms of teenagers, 13-15 and 16-17. Members can frequent the teenager Club, go about basketball tournaments, enjoy pool parties, and help place on talent shows.

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

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE's "Club HAL" creates a type of kid-friendly facilities and age-appropriate activities. Programs for infants ages 3-12 may be found aboard 2006 Alaska-bound ships Ryndam, Statendam, Zaandam, Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam and for ages 5-12 aboard Volendam and Veendam. All eight ships possess a teen program for a long time 13-17. (http://www.hollandamerica.com)

Club HAL activities are applied to be age appropriate. Including, 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 with a friend.

Teens 13-17 delight in the Loft devised to resemble a New York artist's loft; there's also The Oasis, a personal deck where teens can soak up the rays then cool off inside a one-of-a-kind waterfall. The Loft and Oasis are currently transferrable to 2006 Alaska-bound vessels Ryndam, Statendam, Veendam, Volendam, and Zaandam. Teens will especially delight in 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 one or even more youth staff members. How many Club HAL staff to children as part of the team is 1:30.

Additionally there is a wide variety of kid-pleasing food, including special sandwiches, tacos, burgers, hot dogs and pizza. Of the very young baby food, high chairs and booster seats can be requested prior to travelling of boarding. Baby-sitting services are available for a small surcharge and special bday parties can be arranged.

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE notes on its web page the line's Kid's Crew and Teen's Crew programs are packed with age-appropriate activities for children 2 through 17. For Kid's Crew members aged 2-12, NCL offers many arts and crafts to pajama parties. Teens Crew, for cruisers 13-17 provides options like pool parties, a teenager disco, a video arcade, and even more.

But don't, says NCL, imagine these programs as "babysitting." There's hardly any "sitting" involved, notes the cruiseline. The programs are active, energetic, educational and, most specifically, fun. (http://www.ncl.com)

PRINCESS CRUISES' junior cruisers (ages 3 to 17) can take advantage a boatload of exciting onboard activities. Almost every line's Alaska-bound ships have special kids and youth centers staffed by counselors who placed on a program of age-specific activities each day. Group babysitting is supplied in the late evenings.

Among a number of programs for children is one specific to Alaska. Produced with the National Park Service, Princess' sub-teen "Junior Ranger" program is designed to bring Glacier Bay along with the Alaska wilderness to life for many thousands of children each summer. The program 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 with the center, created to enthrall young passengers with award-winning science projects. Whale watching, building and racing sailboats, marine biology studies and squid dissection absolutely are a several 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 fillets 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." The positioning also notes the fact that Alaska-bound Sun, Dawn, Coral, Island, and Diamond Princess ships comprise a toddler's play area. (http://www.princess.com)

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL provides 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 Aquanauts and do finger painting, building blocks, play dough, music activities, dot dancing, and "shape Bingo." Explorers (6-8) have got a Pirate Night, keep on a backstage tour, enjoy nutty nicknames, and interact in autograph hunts. Nine to 11-year-old Voyagers do karaoke singing, have got a Ga-Ga Ball, enjoy H20 Thunder Races, and do a method walk.

Navigators (12-14) play in sports tournaments, have pool parties, take part in college night, go about computer games, and attend disco dancing sessions along with a suitable night. Older teens,15-17 and called Guests, also enjoy dancing, pool parties, DJ training, Battle of the Sexes, plus a formal night as well as a Survivor Series.

RCI's Edu-tainment programming offers:

Adventure Science, a mix of hands-on experiments and wacky entertainment (example: Staggering Throughout the Stars, plus a Wacky Water Workshop);

Adventure Art, the opportunity to workout creativity with crafts;

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

Mid-Size Carrier

RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES' youth program, "Club Mariner," provides adults who want to share Alaska's wonders for their children or grandchildren a complimentary children's program. "This program," says the organization, "offers the opportunity for every family and its members to achieve Alaska inside a meaningful, enriching way." The cruiseline's youth program designed the following age brackets: 5-9, 10-13 and 14-17. Throughout each voyage, trained counselors offer young cruisers the opportunity to participate in many different interactive adventures that focuses Alaska. Children will exercise their creativity with crafts while gaining knowledge about Alaska's diverse wildlife, its unique geography, its indigenous crafts, and its rich artistic heritage.

Kids will gain details about about whales, salmon, glaciers and totem poles. They ought to draw and write about their adventures in his or her special Club Mariner scrapbook, bake chocolate "moose" cookies, go whale watching out on deck or learn all about eagles, dolphins, bears and sea lions. Notes RSSC: "Club Mariner not only makes it easier for families to travel together, it helps kids broaden their cultural and academic horizons. And they'll return home knowing more information Alaska than the rest of the 49 states combined!" (http://www.rssc.com) SILVERSEA CRUISES advises that, due to the sophisticated nature of that cruises and programs, the company won't encourage travel with little ones. (http://www.silverseacruises.com)

Smaller Ships

AMERICAN SAFARI CRUISES' Kids easily (KIN) cruises, list a luxury yacht because the schoolhouse, an Expedition Leader/Naturalist as the teacher, and the wildlife-rich waters of Alaska's Inside Passage because the laboratory. KIN convenes in Alaska aboard the upscale 22-passenger yacht Safari Quest 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 for the remote island developing to a full-scale picnic, hopping shore-to-shore by Zodiac, viewing whales directly off bow or dolphins right below, collecting shells to learn, etc. Kids and adults alike are accompanied at the variety of personal-choice excursions while their yacht is at anchor.

In the end of the cruise each child receives a Kids naturally backpack choked with mementos with their various explorations: certificates of accomplishment signed by way of the Captain and Expedition Leader, a tee shirt and cap, a pair of binoculars, disposable camera as well as a typed collection of almost every plants observed while in the cruise. This program offers kid-size pricing -- two kids under 12 for starters adult fare.

Aboard other sailings during the season American Safaris Cruises' three yachts offer very upscale amenities and cuisine best appreciated by sophisticated adults. For these cruises the road 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 satisfy mature adults and therefore offer no special programs to kids and teenagers." (http://www.americanweststeamboat.com)

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

The company's two vessels would not have separate personnel specifically assigned to youngsters on board, but the line does try to accommodate the desires of each and every passenger including kayaking, fishing, beach hikes, along with kid-friendly activities. (http://www.theboatcompany.com)

CLIPPER CRUISELINE does not have any specific children's programs or staff for younger travelers, nonetheless the nature of the company's routes and cruising areas (including whale sightings, bears other wildlife, and shore excursions) ensure it is healthy for family groups. Cabins can accommodate countless as three guests; for larger groups two cabins will 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 who has an adult save 50 percent on Family Adventure cruise fares. Youths 13 through 21 save 25 %.

While many of those company's other cruises are of considerable interest for families with children, activities aboard ship aren't specifically geared for young travelers. Cruise West will be the largest of those smallship cruiselines serving Alaska promotions cruising options of 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 or even Russia. (http://www.cruisewest.com)

DISCOVERY VOYAGES advises that cruises aboard the 12-passenger vessel Discovery are "definitely family friendly" and, as a matter of fact, the firm comes with a 25 % discount for children 12 and under. Notes an organization spokeswoman: "As a result of the intimate size of our vessel and we don t have specific youth directors but our staff (including Captain Dean Rand's daughters Hannah and Heather, who were raised as part of the team the invention) is diverse in focusing on both adults and children and also being naturalists and kayaking guides." The company 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 throughout the Inside Passage from Southeast Alaska to British Columbia. His mission: to design the second in his "Little Lin" cartoon book series 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 can encounter glaciers, humpback whales, bald eagles, and all manner of other creatures so their habitats along Alaska's and British Columbia's Inside Passage. Soon years, the Alaska-inspired Little Lin books is going to be distributed to every one 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 built in 1904. The ship takes nine or 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 teenagers include sail training, fishing (with purchase of a fisherman's license), hikes, and a customizable itinerary. Accommodations are comfortable however not luxurious. Because berths are limited to nine or ten passengers, it truly is possible for one or over families (two families of 5, to illustrate) to jointly reserve all of the berths for starters of those company's 11-night Alaska voyages. Parents with teen-age children may reserve berths that aren't 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 see onboard play areas for the very young, casual meals and snack bars for any age, movies, and nature talks plus expansive glass-enclosed solariums. These are also ideal for spotting orcas (killer whales), humpback whales, playful porpoises and sea lions by the water plus mountain goats on towering cliffsides, and (for 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 many fleet are classified as the Columbia (931 passengers), Matanuska (745), Malaspina (701), Taku (370), and Kennicott (748). According to the season, one or two ships sail on weekly schedules right to/from Bellingham while other people turn at Prince Rupert. (http://www.FerryAlaska.com)

BC FERRIES demonstrates its kid-friendliness even before kids 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 ll meet cartoon characters Samantha ("Call me Sam") and Cal, two seagoing doggy characters who introduce young viewers to some online activities - an electrical coloring book, a "Compare to the Ferries" memory game, and a virtual bridge tour.

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

# # not any

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 number of books (Fodors, Sierra Club Books, Globe Pequot, The Milepost among others). He also writes for TravelAge West (a publication for travel agents) as well as for major newspapers and magazines.

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