Articles

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - THE Place for Kids & Teens
by Roy Witman © 2008

Have you ever asked your kids what they want to do on vacation? If you did, their answers would probably include rock wall climbing, ice-skating, water parks, parasailing or hanging out on the beach. Don't know where to find a place that offers all this and plenty that adults will also enjoy? I do! And it won't cost you a fortune either.

Freedom Class ships from Royal Caribbean Cruise Line offer some of the best activities for families as a whole, plus a ton of things kids and teens can do on their own. Everybody gets what they want: A little together time, a little alone time. Here's the short list of what you can expect.

Family Time

With the frantic pace so many families keep these days, taking time to bond with the kids is important. That's why Royal Caribbean offers innovative, family- friendly activities right onboard their Freedom Class ships.

· Ice-Skating - Yes, you can ice- skate at sea! Skates and everything you need are provided. Bring the entire family for an afternoon of excitement and laughter.

· Karaoke & Talent Shows - Show off your talent by participating in the talent shows or karaoke contests onboard. Get the whole family together or try a solo or duet.

· Lowe's Build and Grow Workshops - The perfect idea for hands-on people (or those who want to be). Construct and decorate a wooden cruise ship with help from the professionals at Lowe's.

· Private Islands - Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) has two pristine private islands exclusively for RCCL passengers. Catch some rays, splash around at the Aqua Parks, go parasailing or snorkeling, or - for younger kids - take off on an adventure at the Fisher-Price Power Wheels® Track.

· Explorations! Shore Excursions - With the help of the pros onboard your RCCL ship, you can select any number of shore excursions that are perfect family outings.

· And so much more!

Activities for Kids and Teens

Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean's best-loved program for kids and teens. Created for several different age groups, kids from ages 3-17 can conduct age-appropriate science experiments, go to theme parties, enjoy movie night and make new friends.

Aquanauts (ages 3-5) learn by touch in clever programs including Wacky Water Workshop, Magnetic Mayhem, Jurassic Jr. and more. Explorers (ages 6-8) unlock the secrets of Space Mud, Fossil Fever, Meteorology Madness and others. Rather learn to be a star? Adventure Theater is also available to teach future actors their craft. Voyagers (ages 9-11) can participate in the X Games, Reggae Beach Party, scavenger hunts, sport tournaments and other exciting events.

Teens are allowed more freedom onboard Royal Caribbean ships so they can come and go as they wish. With their own version of Adventure Ocean, teens can discover the mysteries of the ocean or outer space, or master the scratch and spin with DJ101, participate in an open mic talent show, take the prize in the rock-climbing wall competition and more.

And parents can rest easy because every member of the Adventure Ocean staff holds a college degree in education, recreation or a related field and has experience working with children ages 3-17.

If your kids think they'll be bored on a cruise ship, they'll be pleasantly surprised with Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class. They've truly given a lot of thought to entertaining kids and teens through activities they'll love to take part in. There's so much to do, they won't know where to start!

Read more about the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.