Royal Caribbean and Fisher-Price, a leading brand of infant
and preschool toys worldwide, have a new partnership to develop
a series of programs and services for the line's youngest cruisers
and their parents. The first programs to head to sea will be
a series of fun and interactive educational sessions for children
six months to three years old and their parents, developed by
the specialists at Fisher-Price's famous Play Laboratory. These
daily, 45-minute playgroups offer age-appropriate activities
that expose children to new experiences and teach parents tools
for incorporating skill-building into playtime through storytelling,
creative arts, music, and a variety of Fisher-Price learning
toys and games.
Aqua Babies targets parents with children ages six months to
18 months with six themed sessions, each designed to introduce
babies to different types of skills and activities to enhance
development in a particular area. For example, Get Up &
Go utilizes activities and Fisher-Price toys such as the Stride-to-Ride
Walker(TM) and the Stand-Up Ball Blast(TM) to help promote physical
development and problem-solving skills through active and imaginative
play. Other Aqua Babies sessions focus on promoting self-confidence
by experiencing cause and effect, exploring rhythm and movement
through music, encouraging baby's sense of accomplishment, reinforcing
early learning, and making new discoveries about the world around
them.
The six Aqua Tots sessions encourage toddlers ages 18 months
to 3 years old to explore their expanding world, develop their
imaginations and build self-confidence. Playful activities are
incorporated into familiar themes that create enriching, educational
interactive play experiences.
Fun on the Farm uses the Little People(R) characters and the
Animal SoundsTM Farm to help kids make the connection between
farm animals, the sounds they make and the ways they move. Learning
Fundamentals gets kids and their parents moving and singing
as they learn their ABCs and 123’s, as well as shapes,
colors and phonics. Additional Aqua Tots themes tap into toddler
favorites, including creative play with cars and trucks; constructing
cities and farms with building blocks and toys; learning about
the people in their neighborhoods; and discovering more about
what they'll see and do on their family cruise vacation.
Parents who participate in either program will receive a special
newsletter and daily Cruise Compass onboard that explain the
theme and objectives of each session and include Playtips to
Go, which are related ideas for continuing to strengthen their
child's newly found skills through themed play activity back
at home. The Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots programs are now on Explorer
of the Seas cruises and will be available on all Royal
Caribbean ships by the end of March 2005. The sessions are free
of charge and are hosted by Royal Caribbean's specially trained
youth staff. Each child must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
The companies also will extend the Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots
programs into guest staterooms with Fisher-Price TV, age-appropriate
programming for Royal Caribbean's in-room televisions fleetwide.
Fisher-Price TV will include popular Fisher-Price programs such
as the company's award-winning Baby Development and Little People(R)
video series. In addition, Fisher-Price's director of Child
Research, Dr. Kathleen Alfano, provides parents with valuable
tips for traveling with children and on-the-go play.
Aqua Babies, Aqua Tots and FPTV are just the first wave in programs
to come out of the Royal Caribbean and Fisher-Price partnership.
Additional programs and services are in development and will
be announced in 2005.
Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:
MAT) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand
of infant and preschool toys in the world. Its often-emulated
Play Laboratory was the first child research center of its kind
in the toy industry, allowing researchers to observe the way
children play and how play benefits their development. The result
is a 75-year legacy of high-quality toys that enhance early
childhood development. Some of the Company's best-known "classic"
brands include Little People(R), Power Wheels(R) and View-Master(R).
The Company also creates toys that bring some of the most popular
and widely recognized characters to life -- from Barney(TM)
and Blue's Clues(TM) to Disney, Dora the Explorer(TM), Sesame
Street(R) and Winnie the Pooh. Fisher-Price is also a leading
developer of baby gear products (nursery monitors, infant swings,
high chairs and more). The Company's web site, at http://www.fisher-price.com
provides valuable information and resources to parents.
Holland America Line’s ms Zuiderdam’s Caribbean
sailings were named best cruise for an extended family by Parents
magazine. The publication cited Zuiderdam’s on-board facilities
and programs as appealing to guests from toddlers to grandparents.
According to the Travel Industry Association, each year five
million American families take a multi-generational vacation,
defined as having three or more generations traveling together.
The Zuiderdam was recognized by Parents because it specifically
appeals to multi-generational guests. The article’s author,
Lauren Bernstein, highlighted the ship’s diverse amenities
including two outdoor pools, a full-service spa, gym, golf simulator,
cyber café and Club HAL, the line’s youth activity
program.
Zuiderdam alternates week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean
itineraries departing on Saturdays from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Eastern cruises sail to Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; St. Thomas,
US Virgin Islands; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Western
cruises visit Key West, Florida; Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman;
and Half Moon Cay. Prices start at $599 per person, double occupancy,
for 2004 sailings. Children occupying the same cabin (up to
two per cabin) are $199 per child. Taxes are additional.
Bernstein wrote that “your children will have a blast
at Half Moon Cay.” Holland America Line’s private
Bahamian island offers many activities for kids, such as Just
For Kids shore excursions, sand-castle building, swimming, snorkeling,
sailing and plenty of beach fun. New activities will be added
by December 1, 2004 to include a new Family Aqua Park and AquaTrax
guided personal water craft park. A new sting ray adventure
program and a horseback riding and swimming tour will also be
added to the island’s activities by late fall.
The Zuiderdam’s WaveRunner is an area complete with a
dance floor and a game room for the teen activity program. Teens
are free to watch movies on a big-screen TV, compete in teen
sports tournaments, hang out with friends and participate in
activities such as their own discos, karaoke, DDR Dance Competitions
and hot tub parties.
Bernstein suggested that while mom and dad are at the casino
or a live show, kids can try candy bingo or tye dye T-shirts.
She also noted that kids love the Zuiderdam because junior theater
buffs can learn about the entertainment on backstage tours.
While the kids are being entertained, adult guests can participate
in a wide range of activities including tennis, basketball,
swimming, jogging and dancing. The state-of-the-art fitness
center and luxurious Greenhouse Spa allow guests to indulge
and enjoy themselves.
Under Holland America Line’s new Signature of Excellence
initiative, Club HAL will expand its hours of operation and
will now cater to kids three years old and up (previously five
years and up). It will begin a teen activity program for ages
13 to 17 and construction also will begin for Club HAL facilities
for kids (ages 3-7), Tweens (ages 8-12), and teens on eight
ships in the line’s fleet. The first to be completed,
ms Ryndam, sailed October 20, 2004, with new facilities.
Club HAL facilities will feature a streaming array of colors
swirl on the ceiling, paint brushes serve as pillars and enormous
pencils adorn the back wall. Art tables, a big screen television
and a tape dispenser styled slide in the middle of the room
inspire creativity and fun, giving children a great sanctuary
where they can escape into a world all their own.
An area for older kids ages 8 to 12 features arcade games, air
hockey, foosball, Karaoke, Internet access and Sony Playstations,
providing everything they look for in land-based activities
and more. This getaway provides kids in this age group an area
to relax, surf the internet, and play games in a cool, modern
atmosphere.
Specially designed to resemble a New York artist’s loft,
The Loft is a lounge area for teens that has a contemporary
feel with bright colors and funky patterns. One of the most
exciting features of this area is the special passageway to
a secluded teen deck called The Oasis, where teens can soak
up rays and then cool off in a one-of-a-kind waterfall and cave.
Families seeking a convenient, fun, stress-free holiday vacation
are heading out to sea, and discovering more than a memorable
cruise.” When the mercury begins to fall, people naturally
want to migrate south," says Julia Ryan, vice president
of Travelers Advantage. "When you enjoy the holidays on
a cruise ship, you can avoid stress and maximize the time spent
with friends and family, which is really what the season is
all about."
Ships are an ideal place to enjoy the holidays, filled with
a wealth of music, dancing, entertainment, food and drink. Cruise
lines both large and small boast elaborate seasonal decorations
and special events. "With such a wide range of destinations,
restaurants, entertainment and activities, a cruise is the perfect
holiday setting for children of all ages," adds Ryan.
So if you'd rather play in the sand than shovel snow this holiday
season, here are five reasons to spend the holiday season at
sea.
-- Holidays are stress free on a ship. Enjoy all the festivities
of the season without all the work.
-- Trade your snowsuit for a swimsuit. This winter, you can
worry more about sun block than frostbite. Dig your shorts and
flip-flops out of the back of the closet and come back to work
in January with a tan. Cruise ships sail the warmest winter
waters, including Hawaii, Mexico, the South Pacific and the
Caribbean.
-- Non-stop shopping opportunities abound. This year, give a
gift that they'll never forget and find a bargain for yourself.
Browse through Mexico's open air shops and haggle for your holiday
shopping. Stroll through quaint, waterfront boutiques throughout
the Caribbean and pick up duty-free delights.
-- Experience holiday traditions around the world. Ever wonder
what they use for a Christmas tree in the Caribbean? Want to
learn all the words to Feliz Navidad? Ready to toast 2005 at
a luau? Discover new customs and traditions, attend special
religious services and see how the rest of the world celebrates
the holiday season.
-- Cruise ships go all out for major holidays, including New
Year's Eve. These gatherings can range from the intimate to
the enormous. Some ships celebrate ashore in exotic ports around
the world, while others host grand galas that last late into
the night. Best of all, you don't have to clean up the next
morning. Ring in the New Year by cruising in the Caribbean.
Members of Travelers Advantage (http://www.travelersadvantage.com
/ or 1-877-841-1335) can save money on air travel, cruises,
car rentals and accommodations, as well as earn 5 percent cash
back on eligible travel booked with preferred providers through
the service. Membership in Travelers Advantage can be enjoyed
with the first two-months for only $1. The trial membership
can be canceled at any time during the two-month trial period
by calling toll free and owing nothing further. Unless the member
calls to cancel during the trial, the membership will be extended
automatically for an entire year at the $99.99 annual fee and
automatically renewed annually upon expiration at the then-current
annual fee, billed to a credit card account, without the member
having to do anything further. Additionally, members may call
toll free to cancel at any time and receive a pro-rata refund
of their then current membership fee.
