 Is it a good idea to take our kids age eight and 10 on an Alaskan cruise?
| The answer is - yes. Alaska has so much to offer active families. Your kids will always remember walking on a glacier or whale watching from the ship’s deck.
As for which cruise line to choose, find out what kind of children’s programming is available on each ship. Below are two examples Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. Many of the planned activities give you the freedom to spend time on your own.
Princess Cruises, for example, offers “Fun Zone Activities” such as pajama parties, arts and crafts, a shipboard Olympics, scavenger hunts, and talent shows. Something called “Edutainment” involves kids learning about the glaciers, animals, and other Alaska-related information. Holland America offers its Club HAL program for kids of all ages. |
PRINCESS CRUISES "For our Alaska cruises, our National Park Service Junior Ranger Program teaches kids about glaciers, endangered wildlife & other animals native to the region. Park Rangers provide special presentations and activities for kids & teens, giving them an opportunity to earn a Jr. Ranger badge." |
Regardless of what cruise line you choose, check with the cruise line and make sure that your cruise ship offers the types of kid-friendly activities—you want your kids to enjoy.
YOUTH AND TEEN PROGRAMS
Note: This information was accurate at the time of posting but may have changed. Check with your cruise line for the latest information. All activities are subject to change, cancellation and adjustment by the cruise line.
PRINCESS CRUISES
KIDS 3 to 12
Junior cruisers ages 3 to 12 can enjoy a boatload of exciting onboard activities.
Princess Fun Zone Activities are divided into two age groups:
"Princess Pelicans" (ages 3-7)
"Shockwaves" (ages 8-12)
On all Vessels except Tahitian and Pacific Princess you'll find completely equipped Youth Centers.
The Princess Pelicans and Shockwaves programs offer activities such as:
- Arts and crafts
- Discos
- Movies and Cartoons
- Exclusive Kids Only Dining
- Video Games
- Edutainment Programs
- Scavenger Hunts
- Karaoke and talent shows
- Afternoon Ice Cream Parties
- Pizza Parties
- Hall of Fame Tournaments
- Shipboard Olympics
- T-Shirt Coloring
- Pajama Parties
- Theme parties
Teens
Please note that on Diamond, Caribbean, Sapphire, and Star Princess, age groups for the children's program may differ from those advertised.
Our astounding Teen Centers are packed with Playstation® 2, the latest movies & music, Karaoke, giant screen TVs, card games, board games, ping pong tables and juke boxes. In addition to all these features, on Grand and Golden Princess, teens have a separate Jacuzzi and sun deck area made just for them.
We also offer our teen-age passengers a wide range of activities such as: teens-only dance parties, the Dating Game, T-shirt painting, sports tournaments, Karaoke and talent shows, Casino night, pizza parties, mocktails, hip hop dance classes, and teen dinners.
Please note that the Pacific and Tahitian Princess do not have dedicated Teen Centers.
Group Kidsitting
For your convenience, group kidsitting for children ages 3 to 12 years is offered on all vessels except Royal, Tahitian and Pacific Princess, from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. for a charge of $5.00 per hour per child.
Port Day Activities
Our Youth and Teen Centers are open while in port from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A supervised complimentary lunch service is available with parental consent.
Dining
As part of the Princess Kids program, Junior cruisers will also be able to participate in two special dinner evenings designed for each age group.
Younger passengers will enjoy dinner without parents and in the company of newfound friends and counselors in one of their ship's many eateries.
TV Programming
TV programs appropriate for children, including cartoons, movies and award-winning programs may be shown on the in-stateroom television during the early morning hours, midday and early evening. Our Youth and Teen Centers are also equipped with giant screen TVs for late-night movie gatherings, featuring the latest kids & teen films.
For teens, one of the two evenings will feature a special evening get-together in one of the main dining rooms, complete with group photograph and a night out to enjoy Princess' many evening offerings.
Edutainment
Scheduled on select seasonal sailings, the California Science Center will deliver entertaining interactive science activities for children aboard Princess ships. Whale watching, coral reef studies, building and racing sailboats, marine biology studies, chemistry experiments, and squid dissection are just some of the new activities that may be offered.
We also offer the Pete's Pals Program, as a way for Princess kids to learn more about threatened and endangered species in the areas in which Princess sails. Each year Princess will issue a limited edition plush animal depicting a species in danger for all children participating in this program.
For our Alaska cruises, our National Park Service Junior Ranger Program teaches kids about glaciers, endangered wildlife & other animals native to the region. Park Rangers provide special presentations and activities for kids & teens, giving them an opportunity to earn a Jr. Ranger badge.
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
On Holland America ships, we provide a wide variety of exciting youth- and teen- friendly activities and facilities for guests ages 3 to 17. With supervised fun for our younger guests, the entire family can have the cruise vacation of their dreams.
All Club HAL® activities are supervised by permanent, full-time staff, and are designed to be kid friendly and age appropriate. Youth Staff hold degrees in education, childhood development, recreation, leisure studies or related fields.
Programs Available
- Club HAL® - Kids*: Children, ages 3-7, can participate in such activities as story telling, fabric painting, indoor games, arts and crafts, drawing contests, ice-cream sundae parties, puzzles, bingo, pirate treasure hunts or a farewell pizza party. Children in the Kid's age group must be toilet trained. Children in pull-ups or diapers are not allowed in the youth facilities, due to mandates from US Public Health. Exceptions to this rule cannot be made.
- Club HAL® - Tweens*: Tweens, ages 8-12 might learn golf putting, have disco parties and theme parties, participate in the award-winning National Park Service Jr. Ranger Program on Alaska cruises, compete in on-deck sports events, compete in scavenger hunts or simply play Ping-Pong with a friend.
- The Loft and The Oasis*: Teens, ages 13-17 will especially enjoy the teen disco, karaoke sessions, video games, teen sports tournaments, card games, trivia contests, bingo, movies and videos. When there are more than 100 children on board, a HAL Talent Show is offered. (The Oasis is not available on all Vista-class ships)
*On the Prinsendam, youth activities are offered for ages 5-17. All other ships offer youth activities for ages 3-17.
Daily Programs
Times vary based on age group, number of children on board and staffing:
- Sea Day - Morning, Afternoon and Evening Activities
- Port Day - Morning, Afternoon and Evening Activities
Extended Hours
Club HAL® After Hours is available on all ships (except the ms Prinsendam) from 10:00pm - 12:00am. The fee is $5 per child, per hour. Parents must pick up their children on time or a late fee is charged. For babysitting outside of the hours offered in Club HAL, guests may check at the Front Office to schedule this service provided by staff on a voluntary basis only.
Kids & Teens Culinary Arts Center Program
HAL Kids Culinary Workshops now offer children a unique and fun learning experience. Kids will learn basic cooking techniques, kitchen safety, new ingredients and how to follow recipe instructions. Aside from the fun involved, cooking encourages kids to think about numbers and measuring, cleanliness, safety, and time management. All the workshops are hands-on where questions are encouraged and having fun is a must!
HAL Kids Culinary Workshops are geared toward two age groups; ages three to seven and ages eight and up. Teenagers 15 and up may participate in the adult classes.
- The menus range from simple to teen gourmet
- Classes are usually limited to fifteen students unless otherwise noted
- All classes are hands-on
- Each student receives copies of the recipes prepared in class
- All classes are complimentary and last approximately one hour
Additional Family Services
Holland America Line is dedicated to making your family's cruise vacation memorable and happy for each member of your family. We serve a wide variety of kid-pleasing food, including special sandwiches, tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza. Baby food, high chairs and booster seats may be requested in advance of boarding. Baby-sitting services are available for a small surcharge. Special-kid friendly birthday parties can also be arranged with advance notice.
Special Needs
HAL Youth Programs recognize that some children may have special needs. Special needs children are invited to attend activities based on their chronological age. HAL Youth Programs have many staff trained to work with special needs children. Guests should make HAL aware of this when booking their reservation.
Important Notes
A limited number of high chairs, booster seats and cribs are available at no charge. These must be reserved in advance at the time of booking. An international children's menu is offered at dinner and includes a variety of appetizers, salads and soups, and standard items such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and chicken, plus chef's specials like beef tacos, grilled cheese, fish and chips or spaghetti.
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