Travelers aboard cruise ships visiting Alaska this year can experience more than just glacier tours, whale watching, dog sledding and other traditional port excursions. The cruise lines are offering a variety of unique ways to explore the magnificent landscape of the 49th state, including underwater snorkeling and high in the air via zip lines. Holland America and Royal Caribbean, for example, invites guests in Sitka, Ketchikan and other locales to don wetsuits and explore the usually unseen underwater wilderness with snorkeling gear. Princess, Regent Seven Seas and Celebrity offer special Alpine zip line and Alaskan rainforest eco-tours high above the ground. Other excursion highlights include Regent’s “Advanced Volcano Hike” on the remote Kruzof Island, Princess’ Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s tour and Norwegian Cruise Line’s gold mining excursion.

Disney takes “Toy Story” from big screen to high seas

Buzz Lightyear, Woody and friends from the beloved Disney Toy Story movie are taking their adventures to the seas in a new musical production aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship. This is the first time the popular Disney-Pixar big screen classic has been adapted for the stage. Preserving the humor and heart of the original film, Toy Story-The Musical explores the true meaning of friendship as Buzz Lightyear and Woody transform from jealous adversaries to best friends with an unbreakable bond. The show’s elaborate costumes capture the vibrant colors and playfulness of the animated characters. Guests of all ages will delight in an original collection of show tunes that retell the story in a fun and energizing way during their cruise vacation.

Smoke out on Celebrity ships starts this fall

Starting October 1 2008, Celebrity Cruises will begin enforcing a new policy that promised to provide a breath of fresh air on its voyages. In addition to banning smoking in staterooms and verandas, the new rules will reduce the number of public areas available for guests to smoke onboard. Celebrity expects the new policy to be welcomed, considering surveys indicate 90 percent of its guests are non-smokers. Designated indoor areas where guests can smoke cigarettes under the new policy include portions of one lounge per ship and a slot machine area in each boat’s casino. Outdoor smoking is allowed in select areas on pool decks and sundecks, as well as one outdoor bar on each vessel. Violations to Celebrity’s new smoking policy may result in a $250 cleaning fee charged to the guest’s onboard account and may also be addressed through the line’s guest conduct policy.

New Carnival Splendor built to entertain kids of all ages

Oh, what we would all give to be young again. Living up to its reputation, Carnival has taken the idea of having fun to a new level for kids of all ages on the new 113,000-ton, 3,000-passenger Carnival Splendor, set to debut this summer. The cruise ship features supervised youth programs and activities for specific age groups – Camp Carnival (ages 2-11), Circle C (ages 12-14) and Club O2 (ages 15-17), plus a massive 5,500 square-foot children’s play area divided into separate sections and featuring toys, games, computers, gaming consoles, plasma televisions and a dance floor. If that is not enough, one deck above will be a children’s water park with various water toys and attractions. The water park complements the Fun Ship’s four swimming pools and Carnival’s signature 214-foot long Twister waterslide. At mealtime, kids can order off of special children’s menus in the main dining rooms, enjoy 24-hour pizza and ice cream at the poolside restaurant and eat with the youth staff each day. The children’s turn-down service features fresh baked cookies at bedtime. In addition, Carnival’s popular Fountain Fun Card provided unlimited soft drinks for a special one-time fee.

Parents taking a cruise with tween or teenage children know these kids enjoy their space as much at sea as they do at home. The world’s most popular cruise lines have long recognized this and now offer more special hangouts and activities exclusively for them than ever before.

Combine this space with plenty of activities for the whole family and it is easy to see why cruises make for memorable family vacations, no matter what one’s age. Special pricing for children up to 17 years-old generally applies on many cruises which makes a cruise a true travel value.

For example, a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) can enjoy an early December seven-night cruise with cabin credits, complimentary photos and a special gift to the Western Caribbean in a verandah cabin, with Holland America for $2,380.00, including taxes, fees and fuel surcharges . That is less than $85. Per person, per day for the family’s onboard verandah cabin accommodations, 24/7 room service for those hungry teenagers, all dining options and most entertainment – including plenty for tweens and teens to do.

The following is a sample of the coolest places for older youth to hang out at sea in safe and secure settings:

Holland America Line

For the past two years, teens traveling on HAL cruise ships have enjoyed the Loft, a special lounge area designed to resemble a New York artist’s studio. The setting includes music and videos, comfortable furniture, Internet access stations, video games and karaoke, big screen TVs and more. A secluded passageway leads upstairs to the Oasis, a teens-only sundeck featuring a nine-foot waterfall and cooling cave. Teens can sunbathe during the day and dance under the stars at night to the beat of a state-of-the-art sound system and laser show.

Royal Caribbean International

The cruise line’s Voyager Class ships are a floating paradise for teenagers. The Living Room invites kids to hangout during the day, stocked with computers, books and games. The Back Deck provides teens with a place to sunbathe together and enjoy a buffet dinner. Fuel, the teens-only disco, is open until 2 a.m. and also provides a great place to mingle and meet new friends.

Norwegian Cruise Line

The Norwegian Dawn and Jewel feature the line’s most elaborate and largest teen clubs. The Underground lounge features computers, big-screen TVs and dance floor. Youth 17-and-under have their own cinema for nightly movies or an afternoon matinee.

Disney Cruise Line

A little Disney magic makes cruising memorable for teens too. They are invited to spend time with their peers in the Aloft lounge on the Disney Wonder and The Stack on the Disney Magic. Both of these teen-only hangouts feature music, movies, video games, plasma TVs, dance floor, Internet cafe and other activities. In addition, Disney hosts the H2O Splashdown and Party in Paradise farewell bash exclusively for teens.

Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival’s youth-oriented programming was recently expanded to include exclusive new Circle C clubs for 12-14 year-olds. Each features a dance floor, high-tech sound and lighting, monster plasma TVs with movies and music videos, touch screen jukeboxes and gaming centers with 20-inch plasma game screens. A number of ships have already been retrofitted with Circle C facilities, with several more are scheduled for this year and the entire fleet by 2010. Carnival’s Club 02 facilities continue to be very popular with teen’s ages 15-17 year-olds. In addition to a pulsating dance floor and the latest music and lighting systems, Club O2 features a teen-oriented library and lounge with non-alcoholic specialty drinks.

Princess Cruises

The cruise line’s Grand Class ships have the largest facilities for teens. The Off Limits teen center includes plenty of games, movies, big-screen TVs and jukeboxes. On the Grand, Golden and Star Princess, teens can use their own Jacuzzi and sun deck.

Celebrity Cruises

This cruise line’s Celebrity X-Club Youth Program does offer teens plenty to do, especially during the summer and holiday family travel seasons. This includes supervised theme parties, pool games, movies, sports tournaments, karaoke, talent shows, fitness activities and play stations.

Regent Seven Seas

Ultra-luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas also offers teen programs. Regent’s Club Mariner operates during the summer and select holiday sailings and gives tween and teen travelers the opportunity to enjoy a variety of exciting, interactive activities, including whale watching in Alaska and artist classes on tropical cruises, plus other unique adventure and cultural opportunities.

Crystal Cruises

Select Crystal sailings during the summer and holidays also offer older youth things to do without their parents on ultra-luxury cruises. These include games, arts and crafts, video games and other activities under the supervision of experienced activities directors. The Crystal Symphony and Serenity also feature Waves, a teen video arcade.

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