CRUISING
KID-FRIENDLY
NATGEOTRAVEL.COM RA
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HOPKINSThe National
Geographic Sea
Bird plies Alaska’s
Lynn Canal, the
deepest fjord in
North America.Family
Affairs
1
New
Ships
Carnival cruisers
will jump for joy at
the Sky Zone tram-
poline park when
the line launches
Carnival Panorama
in December. West
Coast itineraries
will include Califor-
nia and Mexican
Riviera routes.
The kid-friendly
cruise line—hello,
waterslides, round-
the-clock pizza,
and self-serve
ice cream—will
introduce Carnival
Mardi Gras in 2020
with two additional
firsts at sea: a
roller coaster and
an Emeril Lagasse
restaurant serving
Cajun favorites.3
Surprising
Itineraries
Snorkeling safaris,
kayak tours, and
conservation talks
about coral reef
restoration will be
star attractions
come November,
when MSC Cruises
begins journeys
to the beaches of
its private island,
Ocean Cay MSC
Marine Reserve,
in the Bahamas.
Disney Cruise
Line is adding
seven European
ports of call,
including stops in
Spain and France.
In 2020 Disney
returns to the
Greek islands on
itineraries that offer
volcano hikes and
cooking classes
that cater to kids.
(The Walt Disney
Company is the
majority owner
of National Geo-
graphic Partners.)2
Amazing
Activities
So you think you
can dance? Then
hit the seas with
American Ballet
Theatre, which
has partnered with
Celebrity to stage
dazzling shows and
dance lessons. For
rambunctious kids,
a laser maze and
obstacle course are
activities aboard
Celebrity Edge,
launched last year.
Royal Caribbean’s
Navigator of the
Seas features
The Blaster, the
longest cruise ship
aqua coaster, and
Riptide, a water
slide that swerves
out over the ocean.
Princess debuts
a Splash Zone for
families aboard the
Caribbean Princess.Cruise journeys
have always been
ideal for families—
ships navigate the
ports, simplify the
decision-making,
and contain the
chaos. The best
routes provide
innovative enter-
tainment options
for all ages. Case in
point: the National
Geographic Global
Explorers family
program on Alaska
and Galápagos
sailings inspires
kids to develop the
mindset and skills
of an explorer. Here
are other cruises
we love.
—Sherri Eisenberg