Climb Aboard with the Kids!
Climb Aboard With The Kids
Climb Aboard With The Kids!
Long considered the domain of the newlywed, the nearly dead and the over fed, vacation cruises have captured a new clientele. Although still a popular choice for newlyweds and retirees, families are climbing on board to join the fun.
“Experts tell us that family vacations are one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry and this certainly is true for cruises,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO of CLIA. “Families are choosing to cruise because of price and, even more important, value. They recognize that a cruise vacation offers advantages and features that are simply not found on any other type of vacation.”
Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in Chief of Cruise Critic, agrees, “The cruise vacation is an attractive way to travel because many elements of a stress-free family trip are wrapped up into one tidy package.”
The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) and Cruise Critic recently surveyed over 1000 households. Results showed that families who cruise appreciate the value, price and uniqueness of the experience.
- It’s the economy! Over 83% or respondents rated cruising as a “very good” or “extremely good” value.
- Families stick together. . .On a cruise, the nearly extinct family dinner is on display every night. Eight-seven percent of respondents reported spending at least half, if not most, of their time together as a family.
- . . .and “me time” too . Although families take advantage of their time together, nearly 76% say they also take advantage of the age-specific activities, facilities and entertainment. Younger children and even teens can enjoy age-appropriate, supervised activities while their parents relax at the beach or pursue other interests.
- Bridging generations. Cruising can bring the generations together. Over 60% of respondents say they sometimes or always travel with grandparents and/or grandchildren.
- Go anywhere. Popular cruise destinations include the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Asia, Mexico, Hawaii – you name it you can probably go there on a cruise. Over 36% of families said that destination or itinerary was the primary deciding factor in choosing a family cruise.
- Planning is easy. Almost 70% of respondents said that planning a cruise was easer than planning a resort vacation.
- Worth doing again. Almost half (46%) of respondents have taken 2 to 4 cruises with children under the age of 18.
Fun, value and adventure – what more could a family want? How about sneaking in some education? Wherever you go, a history lesson awaits. Your family can learn about the gold rush in Alaska; explore historic cities along the Mediterranean; visit Mayan ruins on a Western Caribbean cruise or an active volcano on St. Lucia in the Southern Caribbean.
Don’t let the economy cheat you out of your family vacation. Go for value and take a family cruise!
