Cruising, Family Style (and with grandkids!)
Posted on July 2, 2015 by bob in Features, Travel
by Claire Yezbak Fadden
I wanted this family vacation to be perfect. It was the summer before my oldest son would leave home for college. Chances are this might be the last “regular” family vacation we would have. It had to be just right. That’s where the problem came in: Combine two parents, and three brothers, (ages 11 to 19) all with different ideas of what makes a great vacation. What would a college junior, a high school sophomore and a sixth grader want to do? How could my husband and I find a bit of alone time during this quality family time? It didn’t take a miracle (but pretty close).
Solution: a family cruise. It offered all the ingredients: excitement, exotic destinations, a variety of activities, fabulous food and a chance for this married couple to get reacquainted. Our one-week excursion aboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas took us to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan. The boys, Shawn, Jake and Seth, shared a cabin. Husband/dad Nick and I had a separate room — romantic accommodations with a fabulous ocean view.
On Board Fun
Royal Caribbean offers a program for every age group ages 3 through 17. Seth was part of the Voyagers (9-11). He and his friends would take off on scavenger hunts, find time for a science adventure, take in a movie or participate in GaGa Ball! Ice cream parties, trivia challenges and endless pizza was Seth’s newfound, temporary lifestyle. He was enjoying himself so much that we had to make a reservation just to see him at dinner.
Jake, who turned 15 during the cruise, enjoyed the teen scene activities. You’d find the 15-17 crowd dancing at the Fantaseas Night Club, trying their hand at a round of wacky golf or competing in a Ping-Pong tournament.
As an athlete interested in keeping up with his soccer-training program, Shawn found the ShipShape(r) Fitness Center the place to be. After running laps around the ship’s jogging track, he would spend time on the stair stepper or treadmill and then lift weights. The center, with its floor to ceiling windows, boasts massage rooms and a sauna.
Food, Food, Food!
Elegant sit-down meals, casual dining, pizza parlors, ice cream/dessert bars and midnight snacks kept tummies happy. Even room service was available 24 hours a day. Most 
evenings, everyone in our gang made it to the formal dining room for an exquisite meal. (Occasionally Seth would opt for the company of his Voyagers friends over our company.) Each evening the chef would prepare a sumptuous four-course delight – seafood, steak, pasta and vegetarian choices abounded. They offer a kids’ menu too. The food equaled the top-notch service displayed each night. Our headwaiter, Ahmed and his assistant, Ronald had their own unique ways to make each of us feel special.
Cruising with Kids
Taking a cruise with your family can be a challenge. It can also be the best vacation ever, with just a bit of planning. Here are a few tips to help make your next family cruise a wonderful, unforgettable experience.
1) Consider a short cruise for the first time out.
2) Sail in the summer or during school holidays when most families cruise. There generally will be more kids for your child to make friends with.
3) Choose a cruise line that offers established kid programs. A ship that has a program already in place is more than likely to have something your child will enjoy. They have experience with kids and offer programs that divide them up according to age.
4) If you’re traveling with a teen, check out the teen club on board. At this age, teens have their own ideas of fun. They don’t want to be lumped in with the little kids. Often ships will offer activities like watching movies on the club’s big screen television, playing trivia games and dancing in the disco.
5) Discuss and prepare for seasickness. Although it is rare on today’s well-stabilized vessels, your kids may be prone to motion sickness. If she has a history of getting sick in cars, trains or planes, you may want to consult your pediatrician for a remedy. The ship’s doctor and nurse are available in case of health problems – a comforting thought for families traveling with children of any age.
6) Check what documentation for children is required (ID, etc.). Be especially careful if your child is crossing borders and only one birthparent is on the trip.
7) You never know when a sick child will change your cruise plans. Make sure you understand the cancellation fees, and fees for changing dates. Look into the cost of trip cancellation insurance. It might be worth the price.
Intergenerational Cruising
Not every grandmother and grandfather lives in the same zip code as their grandchildren, making it difficult to create memories and spend quality time together. Intergenerational vacations offer a terrific way for families separated by states, even countries, to spend quality time together.
Cruises are an affordable vacation option and they offer a safe and secure environment with lots of age-appropriate activities and food choices to please even the pickiest of eaters. Here are a few ideas to help in the planning of this magical, memory-making event.
Pick the Place — To avoid planning a trip that is too child focused or overwhelming with adult activities, involve your children and grandchildren in selecting the destination. Allow time to familiarize everyone with the layout of the ship. Enjoy poring over details of the ports-of- call and sift through the variety of shore excursions before coming to a consensus. This way, you can discuss vacation details ahead of time and avoid any unwanted surprises.
Ask about Deals — Work with your travel agent or a cruise representative to uncover money-saving deals before booking your cruise. Often there are rebates for early bookings, a reduced children’s rate or a discount for the third and fourth passengers in a stateroom. The agent will be able to advise you about booking adjoining rooms, if that’s an option you’re seeking.
Prepare the Paperwork — Make sure to have your grandchild’s health insurance information, recent photos, and a letter permitting any medical treatment for emergencies that might arise. Have a record of each child’s allergies and immunization history. Also, you will need a written and notarized Permission to Travel Letter signed by both of the child’s birth parents or legal guardians authorizing you to travel with the children. Cruise ships, border crossings and even shore excursions require this formal authorization.
According to the U.S. Passports and International Travel website, “children under age 16 arriving by sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean may present an original or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or Certificate of Citizenship.” For more information about the appropriate documents, ask your travel agent or visit http://travel.state.gov.
Bring Along — If the grandkids are young, toting along something familiar is a good idea. Pack their favorite stuffed animal, action figure, dolly or blanket. If the child is used to sleeping with a nightlight, tuck one of those in your bag as well. For older children, encourage them to bring a camera and write in a journal to keep a daily record of the trip.
Ground Rules — Understanding expectations will make the vacation go smoother for everyone. If you’re bringing teenage grandchildren, set up a curfew and require that they don’t roam the ship alone, but rather travel in pairs. Determine a guideline for souvenir buying and set your monetary limit, perhaps one item in each port.
Taking your grandchildren on a cruise is a seamless way to way to reconnect with your family’s youngest generation — and spoil them to your heart’s content.
Claire Yezbak Fadden, a San Diego-based free-lance writer and mother, is eager to plan another cruise vacation. Follow her on Twitter@claireflaire.
