FAMILY CRUISING FACTS � Look out for the which indicate cruises
sailing in the school holidays. Passengers under the age of 18 must travel with a companion over the age of 21.
� Azura, Aurora, Oceana, Oriana and Ventura are all family-friendly ships offering The Reef children’s club. The club’s split into different age groups – Splashers for 2-4 year olds, Surfers for 5-8 year olds, Scubas for 9-12 and H2O for 13-17 year olds - and each offers age appropriate facilities from soft ball pools to gaming rooms. Under two year olds will need to be accompanied by a parent when using the facilities. Children in swimming nappies are able to use the paddling pools (only) under the supervision of their parent or guardian. We are unable to carry babies under the age of six months (one year for Aurora cruises R102, R108, R113 & R118, Azura cruises A124/A and A206/A, Oceana cruise E201, Oriana cruise X117 and Ventura cruises N127/A and N205/A). You can find out exactly what each ship has to offer at
www.pocruises.co.uk/family
The Oasis spa was always busy at sea, but I managed to squeeze in a couple of hot stone massages and my wife – Maria – swore by the OXYjet facials. By the time we arrived at Barcelona we were gorgeous – at least Maria was!
There’s something contagious about the excitement of coming into port, a bustling dockside that promises adventures. We had opted for the water park excursion, which felt a bit like being on a school trip (albeit a more glamorous one) but ticked all the boxes for a hot sunny day.
Our next stop, Monte Carlo, provided the most exciting outing of all, a helicopter trip around the principality and taking in all the sights of Nice and the surrounding coast.
Over the next three days we really got a taste of Italy, stop one Livorno - we saw the Leaning Tower, drove round Pisa in a horse and carriage and spent the afternoon in the very Italian beach resort of Via Reggio. Sunday it was Rome, we opted for the DIY tour, the coach takes you from the port of Civitavecchia an hour or so from Rome and drops you in the city, picking you up seven hours later. We started at the Colosseum, which all the kids loved despite a drenching in the heavy rain - I overheard one tourist asking why it didn’t have a roof like the superdome – there’s just no answer to that is there!
Then off to the Forum, pizza lunch by the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, a trip on the metro and Kitty even found a Zara to shop herself silly in.
If that wasn’t educational enough, Naples the next day meant Pompeii and Vesuvius. This time a guided tour was really the only option, Pompeii is so huge you need someone to steer the way and point out
the best bits. But with the mid-August sun beating down even our most enthusiastic archaeologists were flagging by the end and itching to get back on board for a cooling swim and some hanging out in the clubs.
quite simply excellent. The children’s meals offered a variety of options and those who liked dressing
important part of life on board and the dining was
“
up could join the adults at formal dinner......
For me it was back to the balcony, feet up with that cold drink and big book. A balcony is an essential for cruising, although the promenade deck runs a close second - there was nothing like a brisk stroll round the timbers of deck seven (three plus laps of Aurora was a mile) to walk off all the excellent dinners. You could eat well all day and night if you wanted, thank god for the Deck 12 gym.
After brief stops at Majorca (beach) and Gibraltar (dolphin watching) we were on our way home. The return leg saw possibly the pinnacle of the trip (along with the talent show) - the children’s fancy dress competition where Alice and Jack were done up as Posh and Becks by their eldest sibling. Beaten in the under eight’s Pairs category by a couple of Roman soldiers, they were still delighted with the glamour of it all and the consolation toy dolphin prizes.
When I found myself musing about what I would have gone as, I realised I was a cruise convert!
33 Eating is a very
� If you decide to go ashore and explore the day’s destination, then your children will need to go with you. If you want to have a night out then the supervised night nursery for children under 5 years offers the perfect babysitting service (and is free of charge). During the school holiday season we also offer Slumber Time between 10:30pm and midnight for 5-8 year olds. And all the family-friendly ships offer the use of a cabin listening facility via the telephone system.
� There’s a special children’s tea every day. We look after babies too with a selection of baby foods. Children are, of course, welcome in all the other restaurants on board, but we do ensure some of the bars and public rooms on board are exclusive to adults (age 16 and over). To find out about the different types of restaurants on board turn to pages 9 and 10. You can even buy a soft drinks package for your children at the start of your cruise, just to make life, and budgeting, a little easier.
� Our Reef Rangers (our name for the team looking after your children in The Reef ) all have extensive experience with children aged 2-17 years and all are CRB checked. You can find out more about the specific qualifications they have at
www.pocruises.co.uk/family.
� The age groups may be combined during off-peak cruises to 2-8 and 13-17.
“
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68