Greek Cruising

Families looking for a unique vacation will appreciate the efforts of Crossing the Sea.  They recently announced their 2020 dates of August 1, 8 or 15 for their 7-night cruise through the Greek Islands.  The company takes out 2-3 boats plus an extra boat just for the kids club!  Your children (ages 5-14) will have all day sailing lessons, activities and games while parents can relax on board or on land. Your all-inclusive packages include food, watersports, kids club, daily housekeeping and even sunscreen.  Sail on a 46 ft. catamaran with 4 cabins, each with their own bathroom, shower, internet and air-conditioning while exploring the Sporades archipelago’s beautiful islands, bays and wild nature. Tailor made departures are also available from May through September for more personalized itineraries with or without the children’s program that are ideal for families with teens and young adults.

RCCL’s Newest Ship

Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, will launch in November 5, 2020 from Ft. Lauderdale.  It is set to feature the most action-packed top deck in the RCCL fleet and will showcase several ground-breaking firsts such as a a two-level pool deck, upgraded virtual reality space and new dining venues.  Other highlights include a reimagined Adventure Ocean kids club where your children can choose their own immersive experiences across an entirely new layout, while a new maxed-out teen lounge with gaming consoles, music and movies will provide hangout options indoors and outdoors on an exclusive patio.  The cruise line’s second Quantum Ultra-Class ship will also include the North Star glass capsule, which is to be located 300 feet above sea level and will provide 360-degree views.  Following the winter season in the Caribbean, the ship will then sail to her homeport of Rome in May 2021. Book early for the best availability!

More Private Beach Experiences from RCCL

With the success of Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean has announced a few more private beach experiences for the future.  In 2021, the cruise line will open its first Royal Beach Club in Antigua; available only to their passengers.  It’s the first of several planned beach clubs. It will sit on a half-mile beach near the St. John’s cruise port and showcase a large pool, swim-up bar, private cabana, family activities, local food and music and water toys.  In 2022, the cruise line will open a second Perfect Day at Lelepa in Vanuatu; an island in the South Pacific. Perfect Day at Lelepa will be built with sustainability features designed to safeguard the island’s ecosystems and will be the first carbon neutral private cruise island in the world.  Great opportunities for relaxing days in port.

Captain’s Circle for Children

Princess Cruises is extending the benefits of its Captain’s Circle Loyalty program to guests of all ages. The cruise line said that the move makes it the first and only line providing youth passengers with Elite status. All benefits of the program are currently being rolled out to youth guests. These include the appropriate loyalty color being displayed on your OceanMedallion and cruise card, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi, priority embarkation and complimentary laundry.  A nine-year old is the line’s most traveled youth guest with 46 cruises!  Contact us for all of Princess’ current promotions.

Jim Henson’s Inspired Silliness on Princess

From the brilliant mind of legendary puppeteer Jim Henson, Jim Henson’s Inspired Silliness will entertain audiences of all ages onboard two Princess Cruise ships: the new Sky Princess in 2019 and Enchanted Princess in 2020.  New and exclusive to the cruise line, the puppet show recreates and reimagines several of Henson’s hilarious, innovative and magical works during a 30-minute performance. The production show singers and dancers will bring to life the comedy, visuals, music and Henson style of puppetry that has redefined the art form. With a colorful cast of new puppets from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, including several newly designed characters, the show captures Henson’s spirit and legacy and includes a lighthearted video introduction by his son Brian Henson.

Families Save with Lindblad’s Alaska Offers

Looking for an up-close and personal view of Alaska’s nature and wildlife?  Consider a cruise with Lindblad Expeditions and their 6- to 15-night sea and land expeditions available from May through September.  Sail with just 62-100 guests including on their brand-new ship, the National Geographic Venture.  Your family will experience a variety of outdoor adventures exploring both land and sea including under the sea!  Also learn about the local heritage from a Huna Tlingit Cultural Interpreter.  In addition, the Global Explorers program provides unique experiences for children ages 17 and under with special activities lead by certified field educators, storytelling activities, field notebook entries and more.  Book your cruise by November 30 and receive free airfare on select 2020 Alaska departures!  Families can also save on up to two children (ages 22 and under) when they travel with two full paying adults on select 2020 departures for all Alaska itineraries: save 50% departing in May and August and save 25% departing in June and July.

Lindblad’s Baja

Lindblad Expeditions is offering an amazing deal for select 2020 Baja, Mexico sailings: take $1,000 off for each child under the age of 22 when traveling with two full paying adults!  Baja California and the Sea of Cortez is the best place in the world to see a wide variety of whales and other marine mammals.  On this active cruise, your family will get up close with California gray whales (with exclusive access to the whale birthing lagoons) as well as sperm, blue and fin whales.  You will also hike the islands of the Sea of Cortez, search for a variety of plant and bird species, learn photo techniques from National Geographic photographers, snorkel among playful sea lions and witness amazing sea gardens.  Book early for the best availability!

Behind-the-Magic River Cruise

Adventures by Disney will host a special river cruise next August with a lineup of Disney icons, including Bret Iwan, the voice of Mickey Mouse, and Tony Baxter, one of its legendary “imagineers.” The seven-night Rhine cruise on AmaWaterways departs August 9 with stops in Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands. In addition to shore adventures that include ziplining above the Black Forest and exploring medieval wine caves, your family will be able to meet and mingle with Baxter, who developed many of Disney’s key rides and attractions; Becky Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives; and film producer and historian Don Hahn. They will share behind-the-magic stories about insights into the imagination of Walt Disney, inspirations for Disney’s first European theme park and the real-life locations that inspired him.

More Cococay

Royal Caribbean has unveiled a series of new four-night itineraries on Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas, each featuring two separate days on Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s upgraded private island experience in the Bahamas. Navigator of the Seas will also sail three special voyages with extended nighttime hours on the island. The nearly 40 new two-call itineraries, which begin September 30, see the ships departing Miami and Port Canaveral respectively, calling on CocoCay on Day 2, followed by a stop in Nassau on Day 3. Ships then return to CocoCay on Day 4 before heading back to their respective homeports.  Special nighttime activities on Navigator’s three extended-hours voyages include a Bahamian-inspired Junkanoo Jam Up Party, an island barbecue, and performances by a calypso band and fire dancers. To cap off the night, a fireworks farewell will greet you before the ship sets sail.

New Teen Activities from MSC