Disney Fantasy Features
Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Fantasy, will introduce a new water park and an adults-only pool area when it debuts in March. AquaLab is the new water play area, near the entrance to the AquaDuck water coaster. The area will feature pop jets, geysers and bubblers. The area tells the story that AquaLab was created by Donald Duck’s nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, and features a water experiments designed to drench the whole family. Children entering AquaLab will see that the nephews are away, leaving the young cruise guests in charge. Through hand-painted notes left by the nephews, kids are put in charge of the AquaDuck water coaster. By turning wheels and moving levers at three wacky aqua stations, kids “control” the speed and temperature of AquaDuck. The ship will feature a variety of pools and wet areas including a wading pool with a water fountain and lounge chairs under a canopy; the Quiet Cove Pool and Cove Bar for guests 18 and older; Satellite Falls with a circular splash pool with benches and a gently falling rain curtain; Donald’s Pool for families with a giant screen that will show Disney films, television shows and live broadcast events; Mickey’s Pool for children with winding slide and Nemo’s Reef, a water-play area, featuring colorful, interactive figures that move and spray water, including Nemo, Dory, Marlin and a pint-sized water slide shaped like Mr. Ray.
RCCL Dining Deal
Royal Caribbean is offering a free specialty restaurant dinner for two plus half off your cruise deposit when you book a balcony or higher cabin. 
Just book by October 5 for the reduced deposit and October 22 for the free specialty dinner on 7-night or longer sailings through March 2012. This exclusive promotion can be combined with other current promotions; so let us help you find the best ship, cabin, sailing dates and itinerary that meet your family’s vacation needs. Ships that feature specialty dining include Oasis-class, Freedom-class, Radiance-Class, Voyager-class as well as the Enchantment of the Seas.
Celebrity Fit Club for Kids
Celebrity Cruises has partnered with The Nerdel Company to offer a new wellness program aimed at children featuring a puppet named Nerdel. The program is divided into two groups — Shipmates, for children from age 3 to 5, 
and Cadets for kids 6 to 8. Nerdel activities include a video by the chef puppet followed by a healthy pizza-making class, live puppet performances, puppet workshops, and lessons on the art of puppeteering. Developed by a team of doctors, nutritionists, chefs, fitness professionals, educators and entertainment experts, The Nerdel Company aims to address the issues of children’s obesity, hunger, fitness and health in an educational and entertaining way. Celebrity introduced the program on the new Celebrity Silhouette, which debuted in Europe this summer, and plans to launch the program on its other ships by October 15 (with the exception of Celebrity Xpedition which sails in the Galapagos Islands).
Holland America’s Early Advantage
The earlier you book the greater the savings with Holland America. Save up to 50 percent on select sailings, free or reduced cruise fares for the 3rd and 4th person in your cabin and new reduced fares to Europe for 2012. This Early Advantage promotion will help ensure you the best stateroom selection and fares. Holland America offers 14 ships in its fleet which popular sailings for families to Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe and more.
Kids in Nature
American Safari Cruises’ Kids in Nature program is now available for booking on select sailings in 2012. 
Don’t miss out on sailing these upscale, but small ship sailing yachts where children 12 and under also receive a savings of 25 percent off the published rate. Choose from weeklong sailings through the Hawaiian Islands on March 8 or 24; the beautiful Sea of Cortez, Mexico on March 3 or 24 or the Inside Passage in Alaska on June 22 or July 20. Activities abound for all ages including kayaking, rope-swinging, paddle boarding, hiking on glacier ice, whale watching, fishing and listening to marine life via hydrophone and underwater camera while onboard naturalists prepare interactive presentations. At the end of the week your family will receive a thumb drive containing several hundred images to share with family and friends while children 12 and under will receive other mementos of their explorations. Another promotion allows families with teens (age 12-19) to save $400 per person on December 24 or 31 holiday departures in the Sea of Cortez when booked by September 30. American Safari Cruises also specializes in private yacht charters for 12, 22 or 30 family members; a once in a lifetime family reunion experience. And everything is included: all meals, drinks, shore excursions, airport transfers and more.
Crystal Holidays in Hawaii
Crystal Cruises is sweetening its Family Memories program for winter holiday travel. Sail with five or more people on Crystal Symphony’s December 21 Hawaii cruise roundtrip from Los Angeles and the sixth guest goes free! 
A free third berth is also available for children 17 and under. You also receive pre-paid gratuities, $100 per person onboard credit, professional photos of the group and $500 credit toward a shared Private Adventure. The Pacific Coast Holiday sailing visits Lahaina, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Hilo, Hawaii; and Enseñada, Mexico. Christmas and New Year’s holidays will be celebrated at sea with soirees with mixologist-made cocktails, premium wines and champagne, gourmet cuisine, and live entertainment and dancing. Christian and Jewish clergy will host Christmas and Hanukkah services, and junior activities directors will lead children and teens in activities daily. Groups of six must sail together in a minimum of three staterooms; other restrictions apply.
Children Sail Free
Sail the North Sea next summer in French style with Compagnie du Ponant’s Family Cruise with stops in Norway, Scotland and Belgium and your children age 4-17 sail free! 
Or get a second, connecting cabin for half off. The August 2-13, 2012 cruise on Le Diamont will also feature children’s and teen activities including painting, language lessons and special shore excursions. Le Diamont provides an intimate, yacht experience and sails with 226 passengers. The ship showcases a pool, gym and several dining options. This special sailing starts in Hamburg, Germany and ends in St. Malo, France. It includes visits to a unique variety of ports such as the gorgeous Norwegian fjords, the Shetland Islands, Loch Ness and the Isle of Wight.
Behind the Scenes with RCCL
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes on your cruise ship? 
Royal Caribbean is now offering an All Access Tour that will show you. The tour escorts you and your family into a variety of ‘back-of-house’ areas, including a visit to the bridge, galley, backstage of the main theater, engine control room and other behind-the-scenes operations areas that collectively create the best vacation experience and value for guests. At least one All Access Tour will be offered on itineraries shorter than seven nights, and two tours offered aboard a seven-night or longer itinerary with additional tours added, based on demand. The experience lasts up to three and a half hours, is available fleetwide and costs $150 per guest.
RCCL Enhancements
In exciting Royal Caribbean news, the line is in the process of adding supervised nursery care for infants and toddlers on more of their ships as part of a $300 million investment dubbed the Royal Advantage. Other upgrades include more WiFi access; outdoor video screens on the pool decks, new cabin configurations for families and interactive, onboard maps that show you the fastest routes between points on the ship. In addition, more specialty restaurants will be added. The program began with upgrades to the Radiance of the Seas last spring and will be expanded to include the Splendour of the Seas in November, the Rhapsody of the Seas in May and the Serenade of the Seas in November 2012. Upgrades will continue through 2013 and 2014 to include the Legend of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Adventures of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas. Less extensive enhancements are planned for the Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas.
NCL Early Booking Offer
Book by August 14 and receive early-booking savings from Norwegian Cruise Line for nearly all 2012 or 2013 cruises. The offer is good on voyages of at least three days long to Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Europe and Hawaii.
The promotion includes same-category upgrades, up to $100 per stateroom in onboard credit and reduced cruise deposits fleet-wide. Norwegian’s deployment for 2012 and 2013 includes several firsts for the line. Norwegian Pearl will sail from New York beginning in October 2012, offering 21 seven-day Bahamas and Florida cruises, along with three 12-day Southern Caribbean voyages. In April, Norwegian Star will start weeklong cruises to Bermuda from New York. In the company’s largest European deployment ever, Norwegian Spirit will join Norwegian Jade sailing year-round in Europe beginning in April. Norwegian Spirit will operate 12-day “Grand Mediterranean” voyages in the summer and fall, along with nine-day Canary Islands cruises in the winter and spring. In Alaska, Norwegian Jewel will replace Norwegian Star in May and cruise from Seattle on a seven-day Sawyer Glacier itinerary.
