 Family Travel Files Ezine Family Vacations Resource |
Cruises: Carnival Splendor, Enjoy The Ultimate Family Vacation. From a 5,500-square-foot play area – the largest in the “Fun Ship” fleet – to a fun-filled water spray park and facilities and activities aimed at youngsters, ’tweens and teens, kids of all ages are sure to have a blast aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 113,000-ton Carnival Splendor.
The largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor features a special eight-day Europe voyage from Genoa and the line’s first-ever 12-day Northern Europe program from London (Dover).
Designed as the ultimate vacation for families, Carnival Splendor will offer different programs catering to specific age groups, including “Camp Carnival” (ages 2-11), “Circle C” (ages 12-14) and “Club O2” (ages 15-17), along with children’s menus, a corkscrew water slide, a stroller rental program and numerous other family-friendly features.
“As the largest ‘Fun Ship’ ever constructed, Carnival Splendor provides a huge canvas to create some truly exciting spaces to entertain kids of all ages while further bolstering Carnival’s distinction as the family cruise leader,” said Lynn C. Torrent, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and guest services.
Largest Play Area in the ‘Fun Ship’ Fleet. A focal point for many of the Carnival Splendor’s youth activities will be an expansive 5,500-square-foot children’s play area – roughly 30 percent bigger than the largest facility in the Carnival fleet. Located mid-ship on Panorama Deck, the two-level facility will be divided into separate areas with each focusing on a different activity or function.
One area will be an all-ages playroom with a variety of toys, games and puzzles. Another will be a computer game room with the latest computer gaming consoles, while a third will offer a dance floor and plasma screen TV displaying music videos and popular children’s movies.
Located one deck above is a children’s water park with various water-spray apparatus, and a wet tot lot offering hours of splashing fun. The water park complements Carnival Splendor’s four swimming pools, including a pool on Panorama Deck featuring the line’s signature 214-foot-long “Twister Waterslide.”
In addition to activities focusing on music, art, science and physical fitness, Carnival Splendor also offers educational programming geared toward the ship’s various European, Caribbean, South American and Mexican Riviera itineraries.
New ‘Circle C’ Program for 12- to 14-Year-Olds. Carnival Splendor is the first “Fun Ship” to feature a purpose-built “Circle C” facility, which caters specifically to the 12- to 14-year-old set. Located mid-ship on Atlantic Deck, the sleek, modern facility features a dance floor with high-tech sound and lighting system, along with 42-inch plasma-screen TVs displaying movies and music videos, and a touch-screen jukebox stocked with the latest hits. Other features will include gaming pods with the latest video games and consoles, with 20-inch plasma-screens positioned throughout the room and used exclusively for video gaming. “Circle C” activities will include basketball, volleyball, ping-pong, water games, and late-night movies and pool parties.
‘Club O2’ for Teens. Continuing Carnival’s emphasis on providing older kids with their own spaces and activities, Carnival Splendor offers its own version of the line’s popular “Club O2” teen program, which is aimed at kids ages 15 to 17. The 2,365-square-foot facility, located mid-ship on Promenade Deck, includes a dance floor, DJ, and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and a lounge where teens can relax and enjoy non-alcoholic specialty drinks. A library with popular teen-oriented books and magazines is also available. Special shore excursions offering older kids an opportunity to visit historic European destinations together as a group, along with Carnival’s popular Y Spa teen spa treatment program, are offered.
Children’s Dining Options, Other Family-Friendly Amenities. Kids have their own unique dining preferences and Carnival Splendor offers such family friendly options as children’s menus in the main dining rooms, 24-hour pizza and ice cream at the poolside restaurant, and a program where kids can enjoy a meal with the youth staff on the Lido Deck.
A children’s turn-down service providing freshly baked cookies at bedtime and Carnival’s popular “Fountain Fun Card,” which, for a one-time fee, provides unlimited soft drinks throughout the voyage, will also be available. Nightly babysitting services, at a cost of $6 per hour for the first child and $4 per hour for each additional child in the same family, along with Carnival’s popular stroller rental program, are also available. Also featured will be “Carnival’s Seaside Theatre,” a 270-square-foot LED screen located poolside on Lido Deck and displaying movies, concerts and other programming. Of the ship’s 1,503 staterooms, nearly 200 will be interconnecting with more than 350 accommodating up to three and four guests – perfect for families.
Reservations are currently being accepted for all of the Carnival Splendor’s various European, Caribbean, South American and Mexican Riviera itineraries. Round-trip air supplements and special discounted rates for third and fourth guests sailing in the same stateroom are also available. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com Content and images provided by Carnival Cruise Line. Copyright 2010. |
