Royal Caribbean recently announced new expanded services and activities that cater to families with children as young as six months old. The new programs include kids dining options and programs geared to those traveling with babies.
“We have conducted extensive research and sought the feedback of our guests to identify ways to enhance the family cruise vacation,” said Lisa Bauer, senior vice president, hotel operations, Royal Caribbean International. “By keeping up with the evolving vacation needs of parents and children, we are delivering what guests want and at a value not found elsewhere.”
New Dining Options for Kids
My Family Time Dining aims to help kids complete dinner within 45 minutes, freeing parents to enjoy coffee and desert at their leisure. Once seated, kids will enjoy expedited service and be immediately served. Available only during the first seating in the main dining room, kids registered in the complimentary Adventure Ocean youth program and My Family Time Dining will be met by Adventure Ocean counselors at the main dining room entrances at 6:45 p.m. and be escorted back to the Adventure Ocean spaces for ongoing evening activities, while parents can continue to enjoy their dinner.
Royal Caribbean’s new children’s menu will include Vitality options and be presented on playful, brain-teasing placemats designed by Fisher-Price for kids up to age seven, and a more mature interactive menu for kids age 8 to 13. Similar to adult menus in the main dining room, the new children’s menu will include selections that focus on healthful cooking and wholesome ingredients. My Family Time Dining and children’s menu options will be available fleetwide in July 2009.
Available immediately, Royal Caribbean’s Lunch and Play option provides children, ages 3 to 11, a nutritious meal with their new friends in the middle of the day on days at sea. For a service charge of $7.95 per child, Lunch and Play provides Adventure Ocean kids with lunch, movies, cartoons and play time between noon and 2 p.m. under the supervision of Adventure Ocean counselors. Parents registering their kids for Lunch and Play will pre-select items for their kid’s lunchbox, from options such as a salad or ham and/or cheese sandwich; a fruit salad, banana or apple; a cookie, serving of potato chips, granola bar, or vegetable sticks; and a beverage of fruit punch, milk, or water.
New Royal Babies and Royal Tots Programming
Parents traveling with infants and toddlers can now pack lighter for their cruise with Royal Caribbean’s Babies 2 Go program, where parents can order organic baby food and diapers, wipes and creams by Huggies for delivery to their staterooms upon their arrival. These baby essentials can be ordered online through Royal Caribbean’s Gifts & Gear section at RoyalCaribbean.com.
In the mornings, Stroll & Roll will dedicate the jogging track to guests with infants in strollers, where parents and infants can continue their exercise regimen together. During the day, Royal Tots can create early childhood memories at four new Crayola Beginnings workshops. During each 45-minute session, parents and their children enjoy story-time with an Adventure Ocean counselor, and use Crayola Beginnings products to create the toddler’s first works of art. Themed sessions include My Colorful World (introducing the concept of colors); Families Have Fun (introducing the world of coloring); Let’s Explore the Sea; and Our Big, Big Ship.
A treasure chest of Fisher-Price toys is available to families during their stay in the Fisher-Price Toy Lending Program, comprising a collection of developmental toys specifically created for infants and toddlers, ages 6 to 36 months. Parents can borrow and exchange toys for a new activity every day to help growing minds learn through play.
Children also can create a personalized plush toy souvenir with their parents in a fun activity with Royal Caribbean’s new Pets at Sea. Guests can choose from a collection of animals and more than 20 outfits and accessories to create and bring home a new pet from their cruise vacation, no quarantine required! Pets at Sea will be available fleetwide in May 2009.
