by Nadia
Luxury cruise line, Crystal Cruises is doing something that I have been wishing they would do for quite some time now!
With a vast amount of families booking cruise vacations these days, Crystal Cruises has decided to begin putting a special focus on “family-friendliness” for their Alaska summer series. Offering all-ages excursions (YES!), an extended Junior Activities program and a new alliance with the National Park Service for a “Junior Rangers’ program, Crystal is putting a new spin on family cruising.
Beginning in May, the Crystal Symphony will begin sailing through Glacier Bay right through August. Local park rangers will be coming aboard the ship to teach kids about the area’s natural history and lead them in kid-friendly activities and presentations. Through interactive projects and activity books, children and teens can become park Junior Rangers, earning official badges and certificates.
Onboard activities for kids ages 3-17 include:
- Board games or arts and crafts in Crystal’s Fantasia playroom
- Sony PlayStation® 3, Nintendo Wii™ or Xbox 360™ videogames in the Waves arcade
- Behind-the-scenes happenings such as galley tours, scavenger hunts, sushi-making classes, and backstage costume “dress-up.”
In addition to offering dozens of shore excursions designated as “family friendly”, Crystal will also offer,
- Hollywood Theatre movies
- Library DVD and book check-outs
- Piano lessons
- Babysitting services
As I mentioned above, Crystal Cruises is a luxury line and the prices reflect that. The Alaskan cruises will consist of 9, 12-day sailings leaving from San Francisco and visiting ports such as Victoria, Vancouver, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway/Haines, Ketchikan and either Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay.
Full per-person, Two-for-One fares start at $4,650, with free air (or $400 discount) from 24 North American cities, plus $500 per-person “All Inclusive—As You Wish” spending credits.