UPGRADE YOUR
EXCURSIONS
68 TRAVEL+LEISURE | OCTOBER 2019
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A FEW YEARS ago, I
persuaded my father to
meet me in Cambodia for a
river cruise from Siem Reap
to Phnom Penh aboard
Aqua Expeditions’ Aqua
Mekong (aqua expeditions.
com; four-night sailings
from $3,024 per person). It
had been 25 years since we
traveled together as a
twosome, and an adventure
through Southeast Asia
seemed an ambitious—but
doable—way to celebrate
his 70th birthday. Each day
we’d pull up to a new port
along Tonle Sap (the largest
freshwater lake in the
region), strap on our
helmets, and bike to silk
factories, pagodas, butterfly
farms, and floating villages.
We refueled with spicy Thai
food alongside our fellow
passengers while bonds
were renewed and family
secrets were shared.
The beauty of a cruise,
I discovered, is that
someone else plans your
adventures each day, so
there are no arguments
about how to spend your
time, and the stress of
trying to please or appease
is eliminated. We could
focus on simply enjoying
each other’s company.
Inspired by that adventure, I
took my own kids and their
grandparents to Norway to
explore the fjords and their
grandfather’s Viking roots
aboard Holland America
Line (holland america.com;
seven-day Viking Sagas
sailings from $1,449 per
person). The pictures of
three generations of
Mitchells at Sognefjord
are priceless.
Clearly, we aren’t alone
in our newfound family
quest for adventure, as
cruise lines are offering
ever-greater opportunities
for far-flung experiences for
families of all sizes and age
ranges. Abercrombie & Kent
is seeing some of its biggest
growth on multigenerational
cruises to Antarctica
(abercrombie kent.com;
20-day Holiday Voyage
sailings from $20,995 per
person, all-inclusive). Young
Explorers’ curricula are full
of age-appropriate
activities, like a squid
biology class and Zodiac
rides to glaciers.
Norwegian line
Hurtigruten just launched
two hybrid expedition ships
to take eco-conscious
families deep into Alaska
and the Aleutian Islands
(hurtigruten.com; 18-day
sailings from $10,680 per
person) to learn about the
Inside Passage, polar
history, and survival skills.
And for those still
allergic to the idea of
cruising, UnCruise
(uncruise.com; seven-night
Costa Rica & Panama Canal
sailings from $4,895 per
person, all-inclusive)
focuses on getting families
off the boat for hikes or
“easy dock” kayaking
excursions, so even
grandparents who aren’t as
mobile as they used to be
can get in on the action.
As multigenerational travel becomes increasingly popular,
cruise lines are offering more sailings with such groups in mind.
Find an
Adventure
Cruise
That’s Right
for Your
Family
Worried about selecting the
right dry-land activities and
hotels on top of your
voyage? Don’t abandon
ship just yet.
BY HEIDI MITCHELL
Number of people (in millions) expected to go on a cruise in 2019
SOURCE: FLORIDA-CARIBBEAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION
