Family Cruise Advisor » Caribbean

2011 Family Cruise Vacation Shopping Guide

Carrie Finley-Bajak — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:51:17 +0000

Tips For Finding A Family Friendly Cruise

Making memories

There is no better remedy for combating the short, cold days of winter than planning a family cruise vacation. For some reason, just looking at itineraries and ship diagrams is enough to lift the spirits. But before long what started as a fun search for your next family vacation quickly becomes a nightmare as data-overload sends you over the edge.

To help keep things in balance, Family Cruise Advisor has put together a few tips to help make the cruise buying process a little more user friendly.

Think Value, Not Price

Disney Dream It

Although price is a good motivator, value is a better indicator that a cruise will be a success.

Consider what is included in the cruise price.

Does the ship have adequate care for infants? Some ships charge for babysitting infants because they do not have facilities for babies.
Does the ship offer kids programming for the ages you need?
Are soft drinks and juice included in the price? Disney Cruise Line has generous soda fountains and juice available around the clock. Other cruise lines do not.

Consider A Slightly Older Ship, But Watch The Size

When looking at price make sure you are comparing apples-to-apples. New ships typically have a higher price tag than slightly older ships.

Although Royal Caribbean International’s new Oasis-class ship Allure of the Seas has a lot of great features, pricing is significantly lower on Liberty of the Seas and her sisters in the Freedom-class. The cruise experience is almost the same: great kids programs, specialty restaurants, surf simulator, rock climbing wall, ice-skating rink, arcade, etc.

Royal Caribbean

Speaking of Royal Caribbean, watch the size of the vessel you select. For example, there are many features that are not available on Monarch of the Seas due to her smaller size. This is an example of too much of a good thing. Savvy shoppers will notice some great cruise fares on Monarch of the Seas, but this ship does not have the bells and whistles found on the larger ships in the fleet.

When to spend money for a cruise on a new ship

Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship Disney Dream is fetching top dollar for a product that is completely different than Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. The updated technology and innovations on Disney Dream are well worth the additional investment in vacation dollars.

Destination

Disney Cruise Line

In most cases when cruising as a family, the ship is the destination. However, families must also consider where the ship sails. Popular family cruise destinations for 2011 are: Europe, Alaska, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Depending on the age of your children and their tolerance for long flights, a realistic destination will become obvious. I say go for gold and head to Europe. But I am also the same person that took a three-month old baby on an six-hour flight to Hawaii.

Show Me The Money!

A lot of people think that if they wait long enough, cruise lines will offer deep discounts. Although this could be the case, when traveling with a family it is better to plan ahead to avoid disappointment.

Remember that there is little risk to putting down a deposit in advance. In most cases (Disney concierge class suites exempt) deposits are refundable. Final payment is due 90 days before the cruise. Some travel agencies and cruise lines will guarantee the price, which means that if the cruise fare goes down before final payment, you are entitled to getting the lower price.

Family Cruise Basics

Meet Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream

Carrie Finley-Bajak — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:45:55 +0000

Auf Wiedersehen, Germany

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream has left the building and has begun the transatlantic crossing.

Disney Dream makes her transatlantic journey

Just a few days ago Disney Cruise Line‘s newest ship, Disney Dream left Bremerhaven, Germany on a transatlantic journey to Florida. Disney Dream will greet family cruisers starting January 26, 2011 on her inaugural cruise.

A Disney Cruise is always a great choice for families looking for a touch of elegance with just the right mix of kid-friendly amenities.

Family Cruise Advisor has compiled extensive reports about Disney Dream to help families navigate the many features and amenities on this new ship.

I am excited to see the blending of classic ocean liner design with state-of-the-art technology. Topping off my list of Disney Dream bells-and-whistles are the AquaDuck water coaster and Disney Cruise Line’s new adults-only Remy restaurant.

Disney Dream posts on Family Cruise Advisor:

An Overview of Disney Dream Highlights Too busy to read everything? This is a great place to discover the highlights of Disney Dream’s one-of-a-kind venues and experiences.
Disney Dream Youth Programs Everything a parent needs to know about youth programs on Disney Dream. The key to making sure the whole family has fun on a cruise vacation. Disney Cruise Line has one of the best children’s programs at sea. Discover what awaits your young cruiser.
Dining Options For Family Cruisers on Disney Dream. I appreciate a cruise line that offers a variety of food that appeals to both adults and kids, and I love how Disney Cruise Line staff will dispense ketchup for kids in the shape of Mickey Mouse as well as offering a sophisticated menu for adults in the no-kids zone specialty restaurants. Disney Dream is upping the game a bit in the food service department, especially for adults. For more on how Disney is pleasing parents and palates, read Disney Cruise Line, Michelin-starred Chef Create Perfect Pairing with French-inspired Remy Restaurant On the Disney Dream.
Entertainment on Disney Dream When you think of Disney, animation, technology and entertainment come to mind. It all comes together on Disney Dream, where entertainment  includes live musical shows, first-run films, Digital 3-D movies and fun-filled family deck parties, which features the largest fireworks show aboard a cruise ship.

Can’t get enough? Check out our other Disney Dream stories on Family Cruise Advisor:

From Port Canaveral, Florida, Disney Dream will cruise to the Bahamas on rotating 3, 4, and 5-night cruises. All cruises on Disney Dream will visit Disney Cruise Line’s private Bahamian island Castaway Cay.

Family Cruise News: Disney Cruise Line Takes The Helm Of Disney Dream

Carrie Finley-Bajak — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:57:54 +0000

It’s official. Disney Dream is the newest and largest Disney Cruise Line vessel.

Disney Dream is designed like a transatlantic ocean liner with contemporary details.

Disney Dream is one step closer to greeting guests in Florida now that Meyer Werft officially delivered the new vessel to Disney Cruise Line today in Bremerhaven, Germany.

Construction of Disney Dream started two years ago in Papenburg, Germany. Disney Dream measures 128,000 tons and has 1,250 staterooms with the capacity to accommodate 4,000 passengers. The largest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, Disney Dream has many innovations that will allow family cruisers to have the vacation experience of a lifetime. Perhaps my favorite innovation is the AquaDuck water coaster.

Check out the video. This is not just another water slide at sea. The AquaDuck looks really fast and should provide a lot of fun.

Disney Dream will deliver family cruise experiences like no other.

Other noteworthy features on Disney Dream include: Inside staterooms with virtual views, Enchanted Art that immerses guests in stories, and fine dining at Remy.

The shipboard experience remains focused on the legacy and heritage of The Walt Disney Company’s most valuable assets – master storytelling, world-class entertainment and legendary guest service.

Disney Dream is ready to welcome family cruisers on its maiden voyage, set for January 26, 2011, from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Want to learn more about Disney Dream?

Family Cruise Diary: Top Teen Activities on Liberty of the Seas

Carrie Finley-Bajak — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:20:25 +0000

To Flow or Not to Flow? That is always my question when I go on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Mother-daughter cruise on Liberty of the Seas -- pictured in Labadee, Haiti

My 12-year old daughter and I took a mother-daughter cruise last month on Royal Caribbean International’s Liberty of the Seas. Although the cruise was more work than pleasure for me, my daughter came along to keep me company and to make sure I would not have to pay the single supplement.

There are many diversions, entertainment options, and activities available on a family cruise. While onboard Liberty of the Seas, we set off to discover the 5 most popular activities for tweens and teens between the ages of 12 – 14.

Top 5 teen activities on Liberty of the Seas:

Adventure Ocean youth program for ages 12-14

Teens participating in Adventure Ocean programming experience freedom, opportunities to make new friends, and a chance to participate in a variety of non-stop activities.

Although the Adventure Ocean program is supervised, youth are permitted to check in and out of programs on their own. Try to establish a meeting point and a time to reconnect with your child. Since participants in Adventure Ocean are able to come and go as they please, this age group tends to migrate around the ship on their own between scheduled activities like: teen dodgeball, Scratch DJ Academy, teen soccer, Karaoke, and theme parties.

FlowRider surf simulator

Adrenaline junkies get ready for fun. The FlowRider, on select Royal Caribbean cruise ships, is ready to give teens (and moms) the ride of their life. Teens have their own private time on the FlowRider or they can stop by with their parents during scheduled hours. The FlowRider simulates a real surfing or body boarding experience. 30,000 gallons of water per minute rush underneath the rider at 30 mph creating a five-foot ocean-like wave.

I really wanted to try the FlowRider, but I was not prepared with the right outfit. My advice here is to invest in some board shorts and a sunscreen shirt or rash-guard to wear on top. As a mother, you might not want to try the FlowRider in your bathing suit. Enough said.

Ice Skating on Center Ice – a real ice rink at sea

Ice skating rink at sea

The most challenging thing about ice skating at sea is finding the ice rink. There is really only one entrance to Center Ice, ask for directions and plan to get lost. Once there, enjoy some recreational skating or take in an ice show performance.

Make sure to pack long pants and socks because they are required to skate on the ice. Besides “Encore!” the ice show on Liberty of the Seas, family cruisers can take advantage of open skate times. There is a maximum of 50 guests per session allowed at any one time.

Challenger’s Video Arcade (located adjacent to the Adventure Ocean rooms)

State-of-the-art gaming center on Liberty of the Seas

For some reason, the arcade on Liberty of the Seas is quite a hot-spot. The games are not cheap, but for some lucky youth the sky is the limit.

Unsuspecting parents should realize that activating your child’s SeaPass card with a credit card to cover purchases onboard will allow access to the recharging station that issues gaming credits. Parents are responsible for all charges. My daughter, who does not have permission to charge, reported that one of her friends spent about $150 to “win” an electronic device.

Games take credits that are pre-purchased at the Recharge Station tied to your SeaPass account

Strolling through the Royal Promenade finding pizza

The best pizza at sea?

A fun teen activity on Liberty of the Seas is walking through the indoor mall-like space called the Royal Promenade. A popular destination while window shopping is stopping for food or ice cream. Pizza in Sorrento’s Pizzeria is complimentary, while treats at Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop are available for a fee.

Read more about Royal Caribbean International’s family cruise ships:

Disney Cruise Line Opens Bookings For Disney Fantasy Family Cruise Vacations

Carrie Finley-Bajak — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:21:09 +0000

Family Cruisers Can Now Book Disney Cruise Line’s Newest Ship Disney Fantasy

Disney Fantasy's maiden voyage is April 20, 2012

Disney Cruise Line will begin accepting bookings for the new Disney Fantasy on October 20, 2010.

Available dates for Disney Fantasy bookings are for the period between April 2012 and August 2012. More dates will become available later.

Disney Cruise Line is a family cruise favorite and winner of numerous awards. See Disney Cruise Line Rate Number 1 By Readers Of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine

Disney Fantasy will sail roundtrip from Port Canaveral, Florida

Family cruisers will can select 7-night Eastern Caribbean or 7-Night Western Caribbean itineraries. Both itineraries will spend a day at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

In addition to calling on Castaway Cay, Eastern Caribbean ports-of-call include St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Western Caribbean ports-of-call are Grand Cayman and Costa Maya, Cozumel.

Rates for the seven-night Caribbean cruise itineraries on the Disney Fantasy start at $959 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Family Cruising: Costa’s Caribbean

Ralph Grizzle — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:33:24 +0000

Awesome Overview
If you want to expose your kids to some international excitement without making them feel like strangers in a strange land, take a look at the Caribbean sailings by Costa Cruises.

Mixing Italian cuisine and style with some elements of Carnival, its sister company, Costa provides a cruise experience that’s distinctly more European to both children and adults without seeming to be a foreign experience.

The European staff celebrates the “Cruising Italian Style” motif with a smiling enthusiasm that is infectious, and unlike most major cruise lines working the Caribbean, Costa provides an international experience that requires a bit more friendly flexibility for American kids. On Caribbean cruises, the passengers will be about 75% American and 25% European. It all makes for a more international experience that all members of the family enjoy.
Age Appropriate
Costa’s youth program is available to children 3 to 17 years old. All Costa ships have a dedicated youth room that is colorful and welcoming. The youth program hours are more European than on other lines, running from 9 a.m. to noon; 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Most cruise line youth program hours are the same in the morning as Costa, but in the afternoon and evening they are 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m.

Too Much Fun
Many elements of the Costa shipboard experience make you feel like you are touring Italy. In the glittering Costa atrium, the piazzas and palaces add to the fun and sense of cultural exploration. For kids, the Costa youth programs are among the best, most entertaining at sea. Most youth counselors on Costa ships speak three or more languages, and while there aren’t quite the high-tech toys and activities that you find on some ships, the youth counselors make every activity a festive event that draws smiles from even the shy kids.

Best Adventure, or THE attraction
One night of every cruise is designated as the popular Toga Party-at-Sea, when passengers show their impromptu ability to create a costume out of a bed sheet. It’s memorable fun.

Keep’em Happy/ No Shuffleboard, Dad!
The cruise staff, called Animators, is among the most active and entertaining at sea, which always helps when traveling with children. For shore excursions, the Canopy Adventure Tour at Roatan, Honduras, makes for an exciting jungle exploration with some elements of adventure.

Timing is everything
Costa sails Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale each winter.

Avoid the Crowds
Costa schedules its Caribbean season to take advantage of peak U.S. demand, but even when school is in session, Costa’s ships nearly always sail at 100 percent occupancy, even though there may be fewer kids in some seasons. However, for a quiet escape to help you and the kids gear down for a moment, find the Galileo Galilei Library on the Santos deck. Quiet time with a book prepares them for the next round of excitement.

Can’t Miss
Costa’s ships have strong themes. Costa Fortuna’s décor, for example, pays tribute to great Italian ocean liners of yore. In the Michelangelo 1965 Restaurant, a 20-foot long model of the liner Michelangelo is on display. It is believed to be the second largest ship model in the world.

Best Dining
Free hot pizza throughout the day will appeal to the kid in all of us, but for the gourmand within, pony up the $23 per-person charge at Costa’s alternative restaurants — worth every penny.

Anchors Aweigh!
Cruise Italian Style on Costa Cruises in the Caribbean. In a way, you get two great vacations in one: a cruise to the Caribbean and a stroll through Italy. To experience “la dolce vita,” give Costa a shot.

Family Cruising: Holland America Line’s Caribbean

Ralph Grizzle — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:31:21 +0000

Awesome Overview
A bit more upscale and premium than most of the cruise lines that call themselves family friendly, Holland America Line has expanded its youth programs as well as its shipboard facilities for kids.

A byproduct of its multi-million-dollar Signature of Excellence initiative, Holland America Line’s new ships and facilities have noticeably lowered the average age of its passenger list. The growing family contingent, particularly on Caribbean itineraries offered by the more contemporary and somewhat less formal Vista class ships in the Holland America Line fleet, has been an important part of attracting families — and keeping them happy.

The four Vista-class vessels and the line’s new Signature-class vessel boast Holland America’s most comprehensive Club HAL children’s facilities.

Kids Only!
By building bigger and better youth and teen rooms on its ships and by lowering the starting age of the youth program from five years to three, Holland America Line is no longer just for seniors. The line now carries 30 percent to 40 percent more children and teens than it did in the past. Among the features and programs that children and parents appreciate: Teens have their own lounge; a new Port Day program allows parents to place kids in Club HAL from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. while they are off the ship.

Too Much Fun
New programming aboard HAL ships is perfect for kids and families. Each ship now has a “show kitchen,” and kids can attend the demos that include step-by-step instructions by a chef; distribution of recipe cards; and a taste of the final product. At another event, called “Kids in the Kitchen,” children are given edible Playdough and a recipe card to make their own creations. Younger kids really seem to enjoy getting their hands dirty, and learning a bit about cooking.

Best Adventure, or THE attraction
HAL has also reached out to families on Caribbean cruises with its private island, Half Moon Cay, with its family friendly Aqua Park. This fun spot includes many large water “toys” in the shapes of marine animals that kids like to climb on. Older kids can go sailing or horseback riding. Younger kids can participate in Treasure Quest kids’ shore excursion.

Keep’em Happy/No Shuffleboard, Dad!
All Holland America ships feature an Explorations Café. This spot—with dark leather chairs and couches, books, listening stations, coffee shop and catalogue of DVDs to rent (it’s as if Starbucks were to meet Blockbuster) – is a family favorite hang-out where you can browse the internet (browsing the NY Times site is free of charge), play Scrabble after dinner or, in the morning, check e-mail while pacifying a restless youngster with a video game.

Timing is everything
Holland America Line will keep one or more of its ships in the Caribbean during the late fall, winter and early spring, and others will rotate through during the rest of the year.

Avoid the Crowds
The Vista class ships – Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Noordam and Westerdam – as well as the new Signature Class vessel (Eurodam) are among the largest in the fleet but they carry only 25 percent more passengers, resulting in very generous space ratios and public spaces that rarely seem crowded. You’ll have no trouble finding a quiet nook, but for the ultimate privacy, rent a cabana at the cruise line’s private island, Half Moon Cay.

Can’t Miss
The Pirates of Nassau museum in downtown Nassau is certainly worth an hour-long visit. This small facility doesn’t get much publicity, but kids love its Disney-style presentation, including a very entertaining pirate greeter at the entrance.

Best Dining
Fine food and wine is a particular strength of Holland America Line. The main restaurant, the Vista Dining Room, has floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, and each level has its own galley, which makes for faster service. The Pinnacle Grill, primarily for adults, but kids are also welcome, serves a memorable if “Not So Classic Baked Alaska,” a mound of flambéed whipped cream covering a healthy portion of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. Parents, don’t miss the Pinnacle Filet Mignon, seared at 1600F and delicious.

Anchors Aweigh!
Holland America Line’s ships are great for multi-generational families, where all members of the family — from the grandparents on down to the newborns — travel together. The line’s Vista-class and Signature-class vessels are a big crowd-pleasers for families.

Family Fun, Caribbean Style

Ralph Grizzle — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:27:12 +0000

There is a science to mastering the waterslide. I learned this from my 10-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter, both deft descenders of waterslides and other water-oriented features found on cruise ships today. On your belly, feet first, allows for the fastest descent, my son told me. “I switched positions halfway down, rolling over on my belly,” my daughter bragged. “It was way cool.”

Three months after our cruise, the kids were still talking about it: the friends they made, the kids’ program, the places they explored ashore, and, of course, the waterslide. As a friend of mine who recently cruised with her husband and two sons said: “Family cruises must be one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.”

Perhaps so, but informed families are flocking to cruise vacations. Family cruising has proven to be tremendously popular because every member of the extended family is enjoyably engaged during the day, with lots of together time at the dinner table or around the pool.

One of the best regions for family cruising is the Caribbean. Nearly all of the major cruise companies operate ships in the Caribbean, with the majority departing South and Central Florida, which makes it convenient for families to combine cruises with visits to theme parks before or after the cruise.

Cruises in the Caribbean often visit three to six ports on a weeklong itinerary. Eastern Caribbean itineraries depart South Florida for visits that may include the Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. John. A Western Caribbean cruise vacation typically visits Key West, Mexico and either the Cayman Islands or Jamaica.

Deep or Southern Caribbean cruises may start in San Juan, Barbados, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and ports in New York and Florida, charting a course for the Leeward Islands and beyond.

Southern Caribbean cruises visit the idyllic and diminutive islands from Antigua south to Trinidad, and along the northeastern coast of South America. These voyages offer cruisers port-intensive itineraries that take in some of the Caribbean’s lesser-known and most pristine islands.

Some Caribbean cruises include stops at private islands operated by the cruise lines (Labadee, CocoCay, Half Moon Cay, Castaway Cay, or even Grand Turk for a similar experience). These are consistent winners with families.

In the Caribbean, my kids have climbed Mayan ruins, snorkeled in crystal clear waters, explored the wonders of Atlantis (the sprawling Bahamian resort), and walked on uninhabited tropical islands. “Daddy, I just rubbed a stingray,” my son told me during one beach excursion in the Bahamas. Then, he added reflectively, “They’re nice.” Precious moments.

Our Caribbean cruise tapered down with a day at sea on our return back to Port Canaveral. We spent most of the day out on deck, soaking up the sun and swimming in one of the four pools, situated at the end of the waterslide. My children dragged me to the top of the blue slide and dared me to descend. I braced myself at the edge and lowered myself. “No,” my kids commanded, instructing me to turn over.

Down I went — belly down, feet first. “Way cool.” – Ralph Grizzle

Paradise Found: Cruise Line Private Islands

Ralph Grizzle — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:07:51 +0000

When he was but a nine-year-old boy, my son Alex reached into the Windex-blue waters on a sandy Bahamian beach and quickly withdrew his hand to proclaim, “Dad, I touched a stingray.” He furrowed his tender brow and added thoughtfully, “They’re nice.”

In doing so, he had ascribed a sweet, if somewhat inaccurate, characteristic to the stingray. Yes, the stingray was nice indeed, particularly with its barb blunted for safety. None of tragedy that befell animal lover Steve Irwin here. Off the coast of Australia, a ray’s barb had pierced his heart and stunned the world.

Alex, my daughter and I were in a friendlier place, a paradise really, free of danger and removed from the real world, an idyllic island created for us by a cruise line.

A Day At The Beach
Talk about a Caribbean cruise, and one of the first images that jumps to mind is a sun-drenched beach where children splash in the clear, blue water while adults watch and relax, alternating between sips from refreshing beverages and dips in the gentle surf. Quite understandably, people love the idea of a peaceful tropical paradise where the only pressing concern is how much sand is stuck to their feet when they slip back into their sandals.

The idyllic beach day may be a favorite image associated with Caribbean cruising, but the fact is that the typical week-long cruise actually includes very little time dedicated to sun and sand. At major Caribbean ports like Nassau, St. Thomas or Cozumel, ships disgorge passengers for shopping, strolling or shore excursions. While some of the excursions offer activities that allow you to get wet, fairly few would be classified as “a day at the beach.” Enter the private island.

Only a handful of cruise companies feature a long day docked at a private island, providing one of the favorite days of the trip for many passengers. In fact, private islands have proven to be so popular that some itineraries feature two stops at private islands. These islands are owned (or leased) and operated by the cruise lines for the exclusive use of their guests.

Because private islands typically cater to only one ship a day, they serve as a perfect paradise that’s free of the crowds and the hassles that occasionally diminish the quality of visits to other ports of call. A day on a private island is a relatively hassle-free day, as there are no shuttles to meet or schedules to keep – other than catching the last tender back to the ship. Meals on the island are included, and anything else can be billed to the shipboard account.

A big plus for parents: The cruise lines run complimentary kids’ programs for each age group, making it easy for adults to grab a little time for themselves. The kids and teens are just as enthusiastic because they can hook up with friends they’ve made on board, joining a beach volleyball game or a treasure hunt. They can eat all they want when they want without needing money or parental supervision.

Besides providing a picture-postcard setting complete with beach chairs, umbrellas and shaded hammocks, the private islands are set up for every sort of fun that can be organized on a public beach. The cruise lines provide beachside bar service specializing in tropical mixes, and they also offer a multitude of water sports, ranging from snorkeling to parasailing. Frequently, there are massage and spa services available, and a band will provide a pleasant soundtrack.

But perhaps more importantly, the private islands are notable for what they lack. On the private islands, cruise passengers will get none of the hard-sell from street peddlers who are often working other stops on a Caribbean cruise. And as the islands accommodate one ship at a time, with few exceptions, congestion and overcrowding are not problems.

Here’s a thumbnail description of the islands operated by the major cruise lines.

Castaway Cay
Disney Cruise Line operates Castaway Cay, situated in the Abaco Islands, and the only private island where the ship docks, allowing guests to walk ashore without time-consuming tendering.

With long white-sand beaches, including a secluded cove just for adults, Castaway Cay offers snorkeling, jet-ski tours, kayaking, miles of bike paths, walking trails or just a relaxing day at the beach under the beach umbrella. Biking and hiking are so popular that a second nature trail was recently added. At the adults-only Serenity Bay, open-air cabanas serve as treatment rooms for massages.

Numerous excursions can be booked, with activity levels ranging from more passive glass-bottom boat tours to blood-pumping parasailing. One of the most popular is feeding and interacting with stingrays – whose barbs, as previously noted, are blunted for safety.

Of course Mickey, Minnie and the gang make frequent appearances for photo-ops, and the entire island is, typical of Disney, landscaped and equipped just right. For instance, the 12-acre snorkeling course, with separate areas for beginning and experienced snorkeling, are sprinkled with amusing Disney characters that the fish use as habitat.

Great Stirrup Cay
The original private island operated by a cruise line, Great Stirrup Cay is just as much of an island paradise as when it was acquired by Norwegian Cruise Line in 1977. The Cay’s white sand beaches are fringed by coral reefs and offer an ideal spot for snorkeling among the large schools of tropical fish.

Permanent facilities have been added to and improved during the past three decades, but the vegetation — bougainvillea, sea grape and coconut palms — continue to serve as colorful tropical backdrops.

To control erosion and preserve the environment, a sea wall was erected along the waterfront. A straw market, water sports centers, bars, volleyball courts, and food pavilion round out the facilities. Activities include kayaking, parasailing, hiking, ping-pong and volleyball. The massage hut near the beach provides a legendary shiatsu treatment, and the hammocks strung between the palm trees beckon to those who want simply to slow down and relax.

Norwegian Sky sails three-day and four-day Bahamas cruises with full-day stops at Great Stirrup Cay.

Princess Cays
Boasting 1.5 miles of beaches with some of the finest and whitest sand in the region, Princess Cays is the tropical paradise that Princess Cruises has been operating since 1992. This 40-acre stretch of beach provides shady hammocks and a full complement of watersports options, including sailboats, catamarans, kayaks and the always-popular banana boats.

Featured facilities include a dedicated play area, Pelican’s Perch, and a small shopping area that includes a hair braiding station. Three bars and live music complement the authentic Bahamian barbecue on the beach. There’s volleyball and basketball courts, in case anyone needs a diversion from the wide beach and the powdery soft sand. However, there is no adults-only beach.

Half Moon Cay
Little San Salvador, a Bahamian out-island, was renamed Half Moon Cay by Holland America Line to honor Henry Hudson’s ship, which is also depicted on the cruise line’s logo, as well as to reflect the beach’s crescent shape.

Even with development, the island is still so unspoiled that it has been named a Wild Bird Preserve by the Bahamian National Trust. Excursions include a guided kayak adventure on Bone Fish Lagoon, a protected habitat and home to numerous native species of flora.

Of special note, the Horseback Riding by Land & Sea excursion sets out on a ride along winding trails up to the highest point on the island for a panoramic view before your horse is “dressed” up for swimming in a special saddle pad and a rope halter (no saddle), after which you venture into the ocean for the sensation of riding a horse while it’s swimming.

Half Moon Cay also has a water park with waterslides for family fun, and air-conditioned private cabanas can be rented for your own beachfront retreat, with or without the services of a personal butler.

Coco Cay
Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises guests have twice as many opportunities to relax in the sanctity of a private island, as these sister companies operate two.

First there is Coco Cay, a 140-acre island located in the Berry Island chain between Nassau and Freeport. Known originally as Little Stirrup Cay, the island is within view of Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island) and the snorkeling is just as good, especially around a sunken airplane and a replica of Blackbeard’s flagship, “Queen Anne’s Revenge.”

Both kids and adults enjoy Caylana’s Aqua Park — the largest in the Caribbean — where you can jump on an in-water trampoline or climb a floating sand castle before digging into a beach barbecue or exploring extensive nature trails.

Labadee
The second Royal Caribbean/Celebrity island is actually a 260-acre peninsula. Labadee is situated on the secluded north coast of Hispaniola, commonly known as Haiti.

In addition to the usual array of swimming, water sports, a pirate-themed Aqua Park, and nature trails to explore, visitors to Labadee are treated to an authentic folkloric show.

A market, where you might find an interesting painting or a unique wood carving, features the work of local artists and crafters, but take note that vendors can be somewhat inclined toward the hard sell.

Naturally there are bars for refreshments, and a huge beach barbecue is served by the ship’s crew. Royal Caribbean is building a dock at Labadee to accommodate Oasis of the Seas and other ships in its fleet.