PRINCESS CRUISES
10100 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(800) PRINCESS
(310) 553-1770
Website: www.princesscruises.com
COMPANY OVERVIEW: This is the home of the original "Love Boat." Owned by Britain's P&O cruise line, Princess, which has one of the largest fleets, is known for its good service, value, and casual elegance. The line features a wide range of vessels from the 20,000 ton, 640 passenger Island Princess to the 109,000 ton, 2600 passenger Grand Princess. Princess has a fleet of some of the newest ships afloat, many with private balconies, something Princess (among other lines) is known for. Princess has a strong presence in the Caribbean and Alaska.
DESTINATIONS: Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Panama Canal, Hawaii, New England/Canada, Mediterranean, Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, and Baltic region.
SHIPS: Crown Princess, Dawn, Golden, Grand, Ocean, Pacific, Regal, Royal, Sea, Sun
KIDS/FAMILY PROGRAMS OFFERED: Princess Cruises' offers Love Boat Kids for ages 2-12 and 13-16. The program is offered year-round on the Crown, Dawn, Regal, Sky, Grand, Ocean, Sea, and Sun. The children's program is available on the Island, Pacific Princess and Royal when there are 15 or more children ages 2 to 16.
While youth facilities vary by ship, children enjoy arts and crafts, pool games, scavenger hunts, deck parties, bridge and galley tours, and afternoon ice cream socials.
TEENS: The Dawn, Grand, Ocean, Sea, Sky and Sun also feature designated teen rooms adjacent to the kids' rooms. To enter these you pass by a hallway of computer games. The teen room, suitably monochromatic, has video monitors and music. Teens participate in exercise classes, arts and crafts, shipboard Olympics, Karaoke contests, and casino nights. The disco is open to teens in the early evenings for dancing and socializing.
NUMBER OF YOUTH COUNSELORS ONBOARD: Full-time Youth Director with staff. Additional staff added during vacation and holiday periods. Dawn, Golden, Grand, Ocean, Sea and Sun Princess all have a full-time Teen Director. Royal and Pacific Princess have youth staff when 15 or more children are aboard. (No dedicated youth rooms on those two ships).
HOURS OF OPERATION ONBOARD: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; 2 - 5 p.m.; 7- 10 p.m.
IN-PORT KIDS PROGRAMS: here is no individual baby-sitting. In-port group babysitting available for ages 2-12 is available from 9am to 5 pm on all ships with children's centers--Dawn, Grand, Ocean, Sea, Sky, and Sun-for a fee of $4 per hour per child. On the Royal, Sky, Island and Pacifc Princess the children's program operates only until 10pm. From 10pm to 1am group babysitting is available for a $4 per hour fee.
The Pelican's Perch, a supervised area on Princess' private island Princess Cays in the Bahamas, offers parents the opportunity to leave their children with Youth Staff members.
BABY-SITTING OFFERED: Group babysitting only. When ships are in port, group babysitting/supervised activities are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at a charge of $4 per hour. There is also a $4 per hour charge for group babysitting from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. each night for children ages 2 to 12. Pagers are given to parents of young children.
KIDS SHORE EXCURSIONS OFFERED: On Princess Cays, the line's private Caribbean island, supervised programs are offered at Pelican's Perch playground.
SPECIAL KIDS RATES: The fare for children traveling as third and fourth passengers is approximately 50% of the minimum rate.
SINGLE PARENT RATES: No.
CRIBS AVAILABLE: A limited number of cribs are available upon request. Make sure to confirm at time of booking.
STROLLERS AVAILABLE ONBOARD: No.
SPECIAL FAMILY FEATURES ONBOARD: Princess has a large number of cabins with balconies. If at all possible, book one of these. Sitting on your private deck watching the scenery, reading or enjoying breakfast is a wonderful treat.
On the televisions in Princess' cabins, you can watch live programming of CNN and ESPN via satellite and eighteen hours of selected Discovery Channel shows as well as movies. Television shows can be quite comforting to fidgety children waiting for mom and dad to dress for dinner or as a quiet bedtime option. On Dawn, Golden, Grand, Ocean, Sea and Sun Princess, the children's play area has a ball pit, separate splash pool, computers and toddlers' play area. Kids-only pizza party offered one evening per cruise. In-cabin television includes children's programming from Nickelodeon.
DINING OPTIONS: Children's menus are available and 24-hour buffets on the newer ships eliminate any meal problems, Your kids will always find something they l ike available. Reserve high chairs ahead of time.
MINIMUM AGE TO SAIL: Princess allows children as young as six months to come aboard ships in the Caribbean and Alaska. For all other destinations children must be twelve months or older.
COMMENTS: Princess Cruises has teamed with an environmental program called "Save Our Seas" created by the California Coastal Commission and the Center for Marine Conservation. Kids will participate in activities special designed to teach them about oceans and marine life.
©Copyright, The Family Travel Network, LLC., 2001. All rights reserved.
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