Merci Kids Sail Free
Sail 7 nights onboard Le Ponant’s luxury ship, Le Boreal, from April 8 -15, 2013 and your children ages 8-18 sail free! This special promotion is available to families sharing a Superior Stateroom and a Prestige Suite. 
The 264 passenger ship that was built in 2010 sails through the French West Indies and British Virgin Islands with stops in Antigua, St. Barts, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Guadeloupe and Dominica. With the feel of a private yacht, your time is your own to do as you please. The ship is fitted with the latest fitness equipment and offers a spa, dipping pool, two dining options, evening entertainment, game room with Wii and more.
Fiji Cruise Adventure
Captain Cook Cruises wants your family to join them aboard their 150-passenger Reef Endeavour on a voyage of discovery through the popular Yasawa Islands of Fiji or the remote North. 
Just book a 3, 4 or 7 day cruise and your children ages 5-17 sail free! The promotion is available through March 31, 2013 if purchased by the end of 2012. The ship, purpose-built for cruising the sheltered waters of reef environments, features a swimming pool, spa, sun deck, sauna, glass bottomed-boat, snorkeling and dive vessels, bars, lounges, library and videos, guest laundry and more. Babysitting is provided on board for children age 5-10 and nannies are available and required for any children under age 5 for an small and additional cost. Both itineraries will have your family experiencing Fiji’s unique culture, diverse islands and amazing snorkeling and diving opportunities. You will witness sacred village ceremonies, island feasts and a choice of complimentary tours.
RCCL Food Upgrades
Royal Caribbean International is investing millions to upgrade the food served in its main dining rooms fleetwide.
The investment focuses on more menu options, including dishes reflecting the flavors of the ships’ destinations, and more choices for guests with dietary restrictions. The cruise line will continue to cater to its growing global clientele by adding authentic international flavors to the dining room menu and will continue to focus on training, which includes a sous chef certification program with the American Culinary Federation and a new waitstaff-training curriculum targeting the new menus, standards training, and allergen and dietary programs. Catering to the increasing demand of heart-healthy, gluten-free and lactose-free options, Royal Caribbean has enlisted a registered and licensed dietitian and nutrition consultant to evaluate menus, create new offerings for guests with dietary restrictions, and shape the cruise line’s current gluten-free and lactose-free program into a more guest-friendly experience. All low-calorie, gluten-free and lactose-free options will be clearly identified with menu icons as well as menu selections that can be modified to fit these requirements for guests. The updated menu format also includes a new vegetarian symbol, which is the official symbol of the European Vegetarian Union and considered the most widely used vegetarian symbol worldwide for easy recognition. In addition to the new menu designations, Royal Caribbean is rolling out new daily gluten-free bread offerings, available on request in all venues, including specialty restaurants.
NCL Gets Slimed
Besides the Nickelodeon-themed water park where young cruisers will splash among life-size characters from the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon, Norwegian Cruise Lines is in production for a Nickelodeon-style game show for the Breakaway Theater. It’s probably safe to assume that Nickelodeon’s famous green slime will make an appearance. Plus, Norwegian is bringing the existing Nickelodeon program aboard the Breakaway, including the popular Pajama Jam character breakfast, an event that is priced at $15 per attendee. The Nick crew and several Nickelodeon characters dressed in their PJs get kids and their parents up and moving with popular kids’ songs. Afterward, the Nickelodeon characters — including SpongeBob, Patrick Star and Dora the Explorer — are available for photos.
National Cruise Vacation Week
National Cruise Vacation Week is this week! There are 26 cruise lines participating with specials and promotions. 
Some of the terrific promotions include:
Windstar Cruises: Is offering two-for-one cruise fares on select voyages in both Europe and the Caribbean. For Europe cruises, you will also receive two free hotel nights at the beginning or the end of the sailing. For those looking to sail the Caribbean waters, up to $800 of bonus savings will be added to the reservation. In addition, all bookings made through October 27 will receive $100 per stateroom shipboard credit.
Celebrity: Book any Alaska, Europe, Caribbean or Bermuda cruise departing between January 1st, 2013 and April 30th, 2014 and receive $50 to $250 Onboard Credit depending on your room category. Plus Captain’s Club members will receive an additional $50 onboard credit on all categories!
Royal Caribbean: Book any 7-Night or longer 2013 Europe or Transatlantic cruise by October 28th and receive $50 to $100 onboard credit. Plus book any of these sailings that depart between January and June, 2013 and receive an additional $50 to $200 onboard credit depending on room category.
Princess Cruises: Is offering an Escape Completely Sale through October 29. More than 200 cruise departures are on sale, and you can snag a free balcony upgrade as well as half off your cruise deposit. Featured destinations include the Caribbean as well as Alaska, Europe, Hawaii and the Panama Canal. Cruise departures run from January to July 2013.
Thomson Alaska Cruise
Thomson Family Adventures is chartering the entire Wilderness Discoverer starting July 19, 2013 for an Inside Passage cruise. 76 spaces are available onboard the comfortable expedition ship, which is small enough to always be up close to the action. Thomson’s expert mentor/team leaders will be ready and equipped with the energy and creativity to help you make the most of your family adventure. Every day you have options to kayak, walk, hike, even stand up paddle board or swim (brr)! You’ll be a whisper away from glaciers and breaching whales, bald eagles, otters and more. So much to see, do and learn about! It is a wonderful and special way to experience Alaska.
Lindblad Offers
Looking for a small ship, adventure style cruise? Lindblad Expedition is showcasing a variety of specials
to entice your family to experience their cruises. Sail the Sea of Cortez during winter break and receive free non-stop air from Los Angeles to La Paz plus your second child is half off. For Galapagos cruises, receive 2012 rates on 2013 sailings if you book by October 31. Also get a 3 day Monteverde extension to explore the cloudforest with a cruise of the coastline of Costa Rica and the Panama Canal. In addition, free air from Seattle is included in May and June coastal Alaska trips.
Disney’s Lone Star
Disney Cruise Line is taking on Texas. Starting in 2013, the cruise line will offer a number of new itineraries on Disney Magic departing from Galveston. In addition to six-night Western Caribbean sailings, new choices include four-night Caribbean getaway cruises and eight-night itineraries that take guests to Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. The four-night Caribbean sailings include two days at sea with a day in Cozumel. Six-night Western Caribbean cruises visit Grand Cayman and Cozumel. An eight-night Bahamas includes a day at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and a stop at Port Canaveral, Fla., giving you an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World Resort. Your family will receive a one-day Walt Disney World Park Hopper ticket and roundtrip transportation between their Disney ship and the resort. Ports include Castaway Cay, Port Canaveral and Key West. Another eight-night Western Caribbean cruise include stops in Key West, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Later in 2013, Disney Wonder is scheduled to sail seven-night cruises from Galveston to Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel.
Crystal Magic
Crystal Cruises new shipboard program called Magic Castle at Sea features magicians from Hollywood’s private magicians’ club, the Magic Castle. 
Intimate evening magic shows will be featured on every voyage in 2013. The affiliation also offers complimentary classes for adults, educational enrichment on subjects including Houdini, and children’s shows on select summer and holiday sailings. Like at the Magic Castle itself, onboard performances are invitation only with advance, complimentary tickets available at the ships’ libraries. Multiple half-hour performances will be offered on several nights. They will be held in the Pulse or Luxe lounge, which will be transformed into a Victorian-era castle, with flameless candles, lighting, music, murals, bookshelves and magic movies from the 1920s. Attendance is limited to 25. The onboard invitations can later be used for one-time access to the real Magic Castle in Hollywood.
A Holiday Expedition to the White Continent
This holiday season, Abercrombie & Kent is offering families The Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands sailing fro December 17, 2012-Jan. 5, 2013. This trip will allow junior scientists to voyage to the “White Continent” accompanied by geophysicist Dr. Henry Pollack, recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore. Additional experts on marine mammals, geology, birds and history will take part in the journey, leading informal discussions. The onboard Young Explorers program will feature such workshops as Marine Mammal Identification, Squid Biology, Charting the Ship’s Course, Fish of the Southern Ocean and a Plankton Lab. Various art projects and writing labs will be available and select images produced from a digital photography workshop will record the journey. The expedition will sail abroad the MV Le Boreal, promising comfortable accommodations for families in 2-bed, 2-bath suites, with private balconies that allow guests full view of wildlife and towering icebergs. Standard rates for the Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands itinerary start at $16,995. Guests can save 25 percent on category 1 cabins starting from $12,745, and children ages 7-18 save 50 percent off the published adult price, with one full-fare paying adult per cabin (except in suites).
