A million years ago cruise ships had basic pools with four sides and a ladder. Then three decades ago, things started getting interesting when Carnival introduced its first real water slide on the Festivale, a basic L-shaped slide about 10 feet high. The rest is history.

Along with amenities like multiple restaurants and huge spas, water parks and elaborate multi-deck-high slides with catchy names like Super Bowl and Twister are becoming standard aboard ships carrying more than 2,000 passengers. In 2009, the new Carnival Dream debuted with four water slides, one currently the longest in the biz at 303 feet. This year the Norwegian Epic will turns heads with a slide that has a big bowl feature that users spin around in, though the Disney Dream will take the cake when she debuts in early 2011 with a truly theme-park-style water flume ride that shoots guests over the side of the ship. As far as water parks, Royal Caribbean is the leader. Its Freedom class ships boast an impressive pool deck water park as well as the industry’s first surfing simulator, called the FlowRider. When Royal Caribbean’s newest class of ship rolled out earlier this year, the gigantic Oasis of the Seas had not only a sprawling water park, but two FlowRiders.

Andrew Mowatt, a vice president at WhiteWater West Industries, the firm that manufactures and designs most of the cruise industry’s water slides, says cruise ship water features will only get wilder, larger and more exciting. Mowatt says viable ideas include a slide that drops 10 stories in a 15-second free fall while zipping through the ship’s main atrium. Zowie, that’s amazing. So much for shuffleboard and pina coladas.

Here are the most fun and thrilling water features at sea.

Carnival Dream
Twister & Drain Pipe

As part of its “WaterWorks,” Carnival’s new 3,646-passenger, 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, has a pair of twin 80-foot-long racing slides, a 104-foot-long enclosed spiral slide called the DrainPipe, and a huge 303-foot-long four-deck high enclosed corkscrew waterslide called Twister. Tamer water pursuits include squirting fountains, splash zones and dump buckets.

The Carnival Splendor and six of Carnival’s eight Fantasy-class ships have all been retro-fitted with Waterworks features that comprise a Twister slide, dual racing slides and water spray toys. Elation and Paradise each have 2-deck-high Twister slides and are slated to get Waterworks installed within the next few years. The rest of the Carnival fleet all have 3-deck-high Twister slides, ranging in length from 72 feet on the Spirit class to 214 feet on the Conquest class ships.

Norwegian Epic
Epic Plunge & Super Bowl

When NCL’s new 4,200-passenger, 153,000-ton Norwegian Epic debuts this summer, one of its most talked about features will be 240-foot-long “Epic Plunge” bowl slide and a slide called the “Super Bowl, ” a four-deck high slide that starts with a ride down a covered tunnel in an inner tube before riders land up in a the “bowl” to do some spins. There are also water slides aboard NCL’s four Jewel-class ships, the Norwegian Jewel, Jade, Pearl and Gem.

Disney Dream
Aqua Duck

The 2,500-passenger (double occupancy), 128,000-ton Disney Dream will debut next year with a massive 765-foot-long, four-deck-high flume ride called the AquaDuck. Clearly the most theme-park-ride-like of any cruise ship water feature so far, passengers will board a two-person inflatable raft and get swept away on a high-speed ride around the perimeter of the ship’s top deck propelled by high-powered water jets. Part coaster and part water slide, passengers ride 13 feet out over the ocean inside a transparent acrylic flume, 150 feet above the sea. Part of the ride even zips past windows in the “tweens” kids’ club. The ride ends with passengers zooming through a 335-foot-long stretch of river rapids before a final splashdown.

Freedom of the Seas & Oasis of the Seas
H2O Zone and FlowRiders

Instead of major water slides, the most notable water features aboard the Freedom ships and the Oasis of the Seas are the whimsical H2O Zone water parks that are equipped with various water sprayers and Wave-Loch’s FlowRider surf simulators. The surfing machines give passengers a very realistic surfing experience. Thousands of gallons of water per minute shoot out to create a wavelike flow on which boarders can (try to) ride.

Costa Cruises
Waterslides

Though not as over-the-top as the theme park slides on the above ships, Costa does offer serpentine-style 200-foot-long slides aboard seven of its ships, including Costa Fortuna, Costa Magica, Costa Concordia, Costa Serena, Costa Pacifica, Costa Mediterranea and Costa Atlantica.

I had cruised with my mom, my dad, and my children, but never all at once. The “idea” of cruising with both offspring and parents always had seemed like a great idea, but yet there was that nagging fear we’d all drive each other crazy. Still, I had to give it a try. When opportunity knocked I forged ahead and not only planned a cruise for us, but vowed to enjoy it. My husband claimed he couldn’t take leave from work (oh sure), so it would be the five us.

Want to cruise with your extended family? See Heidi’s seven tips to make yours a successful and fun family cruise at the bottom of this post. Got some tips of your own? Share them in our comments section below.

I booked the brood on a 10-night cruise roundtrip out of Singapore to Thailand and Malaysia aboard the Costa Marina (these days fleetmate Costa Romantica is doing similar routes). The cozy, homey Marina was a great way for my folks to get a taste of Asia and by far the most convenient mode of transport for a pair of testosterone-fueled little boys, two 60-somethings with medical issues, and a tightly-wound mother-child who still struggles with not sweating the small stuff.

Part senior citizen’s home, day-care center and booze cruise, my survival instincts kicked in and it didn’t take long for me to see the ship as the ideal setting for a family reunion. Safe and nurturing, it was small enough to feel intimate and easy to navigate, yet stocked with the stuff needed to oil the family machinery — from doctors (just in case) to good food and a doting crew (and yes, lots of wine).

My mother lit up in the presence of our charming Romanian restaurant waiter Valentin, a good sport who always found time to make small talk and paper airplanes at dinner in the elegant Cristallo restaurant. Grandma and grandpa looked forward to chatting with their favorite waiter in Harry’s Bar each afternoon, where they convalesced with a cocktail after a slow stroll around the ship. The cheerful faces of Carola and Ronaldo in the Squok playroom were always a welcome sight when it was time to drop off the boys for a few hours.

The crew became a surrogate extended family and the ship our caravan. Grandsons and grandparents bonded often and easily thanks to our side-by-side cabin set up. I could lean out of my cabin door and knock on theirs and in a jiffy send one or both of the boys over when I needed a break.

Evenings, grandma usually wanted to call it a night after dinner, so she snoozed with the kids for a few hours (feeling useful and content) while father and daughter went out for a night cap.

The age-old cruise rituals — the captain’s cocktail party, dressing for dinner and glittery production shows — were traditions we all enjoyed. It was sweet to see the boys and grandpa in ties on formal nights and to witness both child’s and grandparent’s wide-eyed awe of the dazzling costumes and headdresses worn by the dancers. My parents were great at helping to entertain the boys at dinner with tic tack toe, paper airplanes and story telling.

Of course, the occasional bouts of familial burn-out are to be expected on vacation, but with multiple care givers on hand, someone always got a break.

Highlights of our trip:

• In Laem Chabang, Thailand, grandpa did the Bangkok tour alone, not minding the two-hour bus trip (each way) to see the stunning gold-spired temples of the Grand Palace. Meanwhile, grandma, the kids and I took a short taxi ride to Pattaya beach to play in the sand and eat KFC.
• In Phuket, I hired a taxi for the five of us. We went temple hopping, elephant riding and swimming at the beach.
• In Penang, grandma stayed on board, while the rest of us sweated our way around town on a trishaw tour.

One day I dropped off the boys at the playroom and went touring by myself in Mallaca. The tender was delayed getting back to the ship, so once on board, I sprinted to the playroom and found it closed and the kids no where in sight. A moment of alarm melted away when I found the boys happily playing with grandpa and grandma in their favorite lounge. Seems my father anticipated I might be late and had picked the kids up for me. That was one of many instances during the cruise where I really appreciated the family bond we shared. I’d take another cruise with the whole lot any time.

7 Tips For A Successful Cruise For The Whole Family

1. Booking cabins on the same deck makes meeting up with family members convenient, but you might want to avoid side-by-side cabins, as cruise ship walls are very thin and sounds easily carry (as in your voice complaining about them or as in Uncle Bob hearing your comings and goings).
2. On the other hand, connecting cabins that share an interior door can really work for families with several kids — mom and dad are in one room and on the other side of the door are the giggling kids. Everyone has their space.
3. If traveling with a large family and you need eight or more cabins, many cruise lines offer a group discount, so ask about it when booking.
4. Though four in a standard cabin might seem tight, I’ve done it many times. My boys love climbing up to the “bunk” (upper) berths and more importantly, four in a cabin can be a great way to save money (the third or forth person in a cabin is often charged about half the full fare).
5. Togetherness is golden, but familiarity breeds contempt — it’s ok to carve some alone time for your self and/or your immediate family; togetherness doesn’t have to mean 24 hours a day. When cruising with my parents and kids, we’d always have dinner together and go to the show after, but for breakfast and lunch we often ate separately.
6. In port, it’s often cheaper and much more flexible to hire a van or large car for your family to explore the sights instead of signing up for the ship’s pricey excursions. Do a little research before your cruise to see what your local options are in port.
7. Don’t miss the photo ops, when cruising with my parents and kids, I always make sure I get some good group shots taken by the ship’s photographer to capture the priceless memories.

Beautiful Norway: Made For Cruising

I cruised with my family last summer aboard the Costa Atlantic round-trip out of Copenhagen to the Norwegian fjords. In a word: ohmygod.

My boys were six at the time, and the stunning scenery even kept their attention on all-day bus tours and long hikes. The 7-night itinerary called on five ports, with a convenient sea day at the start of the trip. We called on Flam, Hellesylt /Geiranger, Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo, with long 9- to 12-hour stays in each port, with the exception of a five-hour stay in Stavanger.

Among the many things I love about Norway is that it’s very tourist-friendly, with great roads, infrastructure and guides, but yet with a population of fewer than 5 million, the place never feels over-crowded or over-developed.

Unlike many other popular ports of call in Europe, Asia and the Caribbean (St. Thomas comes to mind of course), in Norway, you won’t get stuck in a traffic jam or breathe polluted air. In my book, Norway is a dream destination for families and a great place to explore by ship.

I typically avoid bus tours, but in Norway, I took a chance and couldn’t have been more pleased and impressed with the two excursions we signed up for aboard the Costa Atlantica.

In Norway, most tours involved a scenic bus drive along winding switchback-y roads and through long tunnels blasted through the steep granite mountains. The buses were state-of-the-art and super comfortable, the guides articulate and clear, and the scenery though the huge windows was so breathtaking that even my 6-year-old twin boys were mesmerized. The spectacular landscape was one long reel of majestic fjords, wild flowers, waterfalls, shiny lakes and charming fishing villages. Needless to say, your camera will get a work out.

No trouble finding trolls in Norway

Fun In Flam

In Flam, we signed up for the “Flam, Voss and Stalheim” excursion, a 6.5-hour tour by both bus and local train ($180 USD per adult and $125USD per kid). Highlights were a stop at the Tvinde Waterall, where my boys promptly raced out of the bus and up to the terraced falls, hopping over pools of crystal clear mountain water, scampering across rocks and getting as close to the cascading falls as possible. They loved it, even with my nagging to not get too close or too wet, and mom and dad were impressed by the lovely waterfalls as well.

Another highlight was the drive along Norway’s steepest road and most hairpin-y road, Stalheimskleivane. Flanked by numerous waterfalls, the bus makes 13 turns on the road while passengers are glued to the windows gasping at the pastoral green landscape and rustic houses all framed by dramatic fjords and mountains. There were several stops for picture taking and snacks, so there were never uncomfortable, long stretches in the bus.

The other half of the tour was a 45-minute train ride on the charming Flam railway, slowly chugging past gorgeous landscape, through tunnels and up super steep slopes between the mountain station of Myrdal and Flam.

The boys enjoyed the views as we did, and the fun of riding on a train. We all hopped out to have a look at the Kjosfoss waterfall, not paying mind to the mist and light rain. The entire ride was again a surreal montage of mesmerizing scenery. As modern-day Luddites, we had no electronic toys with us, so our boys had no choice but to join us in admiring the emerald-green farmland, snow-capped peaks, canyons, wild flowers and waterfalls our train passed through. They loved it as much as us.

Going With The Flo

On to Hellesylt /Geiranger, the ship ship makes a 1-hour stop in Hellesylt to drop off passengers for shore excursions; the main port of call is up the coast a bit at Geirganger. We hopped off at Hellesylt for one of the best excursions I’ve ever taken (and I’ve taken hundreds) – “Hiking Across the Flo Mountain.” We traveled by both bus and our good ole feet for the 7.5-hour tour; the cost was $171 USD per adult and $120 USD per kid.

Hiking along the fjords

After a short ride in the bus, we were dropped off in the village of Vollset and were left to trek at our pace along the 10-kilometer (6 miles) path across the Flo Mountain. There was a tour leader bringing up the rear just in case any one needed assistance, but for the second half of the walk, the group of 40 or so had stretched out enough that we were alone to enjoy the truly unbelievable landscape.

These three hours were the highlight of my entire week (and that’s saying a lot because there were a lot of highlights). We followed a well-worn earthen path dating back to medieval times that weaved along a river and hugged cliffs, and meandered though wind-swept fields, past wild-flower strewn summer farms and tree-lined cow paths.

Wonderful Views, Even From The Bus

Around every bend was a view better than the last, from snow-capped peaks in the distance to the region’s ubiquitous rustic cottages with turf-lined roofs (for insulation). During the last 30- to 60-minutes of the walk, the view ahead was of the huge and gorgeous bright turquoise Strynsvatnet Lake.

High Above Geiranger Fjords

At the end of the hike, we hopped back on the bus and headed for a local feast of salmon and potatoes, before embarking on the second half of the tour. Just when I thought the scenery couldn’t get any better, we started a zigzagging drive up to the mountain peak called Dalsnibba, at about 5,000 feet. Up top the terrain was rocky and moon-like with patches of snow; we were bowled over by the absolutely stunning views of the Geiranger fjord way down below.

Snow At Dalsnibba

We could see our ship and it was just a tiny sliver from up there. As the skilled bus drivers carefully steered the buses back and forth across the steep and narrow mountain road to and from Dalsnibba, the views of the fjords below literally made you catch your breath. It was surreal.

Beautiful Bergen

An easier, slower day laid in wait for us in Bergen. The colorful yacht-filled harbor and Bergen’s easy-to-explore old town make it a great city for strolling on your own. We focused on the nearby 700-year-old Bergenhus Fortress and its restored five-story Rosenkrantz Tower dating back to the 1500s. We walked around the inside of the 16th-century stone tower, exploring the bed chambers, chapel and other rooms, imagining what it was like to have lived there hundreds of years ago.

At Bergen Castle

We ended up at the top, walking along the turreted terrace for city views. Afterwards, we happened upon a couple of young men in medieval garb that had set up a staging area for traditional jousting and axe throwing for tourists. My husband had good aim and landed all three axes on the tree stump target, while for my boys, dressing up in period vests and dueling with rubber swords and shields was a thrill. If we had taken a tour and gone further a field, I would have made sure we had a look at the home of Edvard Grieg, Norway’s most famous composer and pianist.

No Stranger In Stavanger

Another short tour day, but no less satisfying, was our call in Stavanger. The ship docked on the waterfront right in town and within minutes we were walking amidst Stavanger’s quaint 18th and 19th century wooden homes.

We spent an hour at the Stavanger Maritime Museum (which incidentally, is right next store to a modern art gallery displaying graphic paintings of nudes). The museum is set in a well-preserved shipping merchant’s home.

Walk through the living quarters, an office and a general store, part of which houses a collection of ship models and another part, an interactive area for kids, with a mini old-time ship and general-store props that kids can touch and play with. Upstairs we explored the living quarters, which remain as they were a century or two ago. Best part, we practically had the place to ourselves.

Stavanger Cathedral

Otherwise, we strolled around the small city, past the imposing 900-year-old Stavanger Cathedral, beautifully framed with brilliant pink and red flowers. What the boys will remember most about Stavanger, though, is the street market where we bought them their first official knock-off soccer jerseys (Liverpool and Brazil). They were absolutely thrilled.

Awesome Oslo

We were bowled over again, this time by the capital city of Oslo. This beautiful easy-to-navigate 1,000-year-old city at the northernmost end of the Oslofjord was the perfect place to tour solo. We got on board a local hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus called City Sightseeing (about $90 USD for a family of four) right outside the ship terminal and crawled past the city’s highlights, including the gorgeous stately homes near Slotts Park and the Royal Palace.

Oslo's Vigeland Park

We hopped off the bus to have a look at the famous Vigeland Park, where some 212 bronze and granite sculptures of humans in different stages of life by Gustav Vigeland are set in the sprawling green park. The bulbous rounded sculptures of babies, children and adults thoughtfully and sweetly portray the cycle of life.

After lunch at the park’s visitor’s center, we hopped back on the bus and headed toward the Viking Ship museum, where three excavated ships from the 9th century are on display. Needless to say, my boys loved the place.

Next, it was a short walk to the nearby Kon-Tiki & Fram Maritime Museum, a tribute to the explorer Lars Heyerdahl. In 1947 he built and traveled 4,300 miles across the Pacific Ocean from Peru to French Polynesia with a small crew on a balsa wood raft called the Kon-Tiki to prove it had been done by ancient Peruvians hundreds or thousands of years before. I’ve always been fascinated with his story and my children enjoyed seeing several of his expedition vessels. Afterwards, it was a 15-minute walk to the ferry (included in the bus fare), which took us across the pretty harbor and back to the town center, within walking distance of our ship. Another great day.

Pre-Cruise: Overnighting In Fairy-Tale Copenhagen

Now, before we hopped on our cruise, we spent two days and a night in Copenhagen, another very family-friendly European city. We arrived a day early in the Danish capital and checked into The Square Hotel, a cute, well-run three-star hotel conveniently set in the center of town just a few blocks from the 19th-century Tivoli Gardens amusement park.

Our room was stylish in that cool minimalist European way, and it had a pull-out sofa bed for our boys and a slick bathroom with tub. Rates include a breakfast buffet and start at about $300 USD per room (note, everything is expensive in Copenhagen; it’s consistently ranked in the top 10 most expensive cities in the world).

After a night flight from New York, we arrived mid-morning, checked in early, and then napped for a few hours to shake off our jet-lag. We awoke just before lunchtime and spent the rest of the day exploring Copenhagen.

Near the hotel, we boarded the orange #11 hop-on/hop-off City Cirkel tour bus for a one-hour overview of the city, hopping off for a look at the Amalienborg, the Royal Palace, to see the changing of the guard at noon and to admire the colorful boat-lined canals nearby, Nyhavn.

Back at Town Hall in the city center, we strolled past a statue of the city’s most famous scribe, Hans Christian Anderson, sampled the ubiquitous Danish sausage (the popular version stuck in half a bun) from a cart in the town square.

At Copenhagen's Tivoli

Then we spent several hours at the legendary Tivoli Gardens, a lovely throw-back to an era before big-eared mice and over-the-top marketing. We enjoyed the 167-year-old park’s nostalgic carnival games and century-old wooden roller coaster, as well as a few of the modern machines, including The Demon roller coaster, which one of my twin sons was tall enough to ride (the other, just a smidge under). For dinner, we enjoyed a delicious meal at an Asian restaurant nearby.

The next morning after a filling breakfast, we set out to see Copenhagen’s most famous statue, the Little Mermaid. This time we took a pedi-cab, pedaled by a friendly English-speaking local who was happy to answer our questions. The statue is, as we had heard, much smaller in person than most people envision. Cameras flashed and people posed in front of the rock where she sat.

By lunchtime, we were ready to the board the ship. Because of our heavy luggage, we took a taxi to the pier, which was just a mile or two away from our hotel; though it would be possible to get there by bus or train if one’s luggage is manageable (taxis too are expensive in Copenhagen).

Once at the terminal, there were no big lines and check-in was very efficient, impressive considering we’d be sailing with 2,428 other passengers from around the world. And that’s another story (tune in), the multi-culti Costa Atlantica is a destination in and of itself.

For me, the beauty of a cruise is that I can have my cake and eat it too. There’s plenty of opportunity for family togetherness and much-needed time apart as well. If you’ve got little ones, it’s key of course to know the cruise lines’ age policies for kids programming. You don’t want to show up at the gangway only to realize yours are too young for the drop-off playroom (nightmare!). For those of you with older teens, it’s equally as important to know when your young adults can (and can’t) drink and gamble. Click here if not redirected in 5 seconds.

This review could have been titled “Touring Italy On A Cruise Ship — Without Ever Stepping Ashore.” That’s because Costa Cruises’ 85,700-ton, 2,680-passenger Costa Mediterranea presents what many have come to love most, aesthetically at least, about Italy — a rich artistic heritage coupled with abundant architectural charm.

Costa Mediterranea’s public rooms, and indeed its staterooms, were designed using themes of Italian noble palaces. Thus, with only a smidgen of suspended disbelief, those aboard Costa Mediterranea can imagine themselves in Venice, Florence, Siena, or Rome — clearly something more than they might have bargained for on their cruise vacations, but a nice touch from a company that bills its vacation product as, “Cruising, Italian Style.”

Italian Inspired
The 15th-century Barbaro Palace on Venice’s Grand Canal, for example, inspired Costa Mediterranea’s Canal Grande Casino. No, there’s not a canal running through the casino center, but you will see wavy motifs on the marble columns and on the ceiling. Also on the ceiling is the night sky, or at least a representation of it. Golden stars on a purplish background are meant to reflect the open-air atriums that form the entranceway to many Italian palaces. Moreover, the casino’s primary purple and gold color schemes took inspiration from fabrics of ornate Venetian style costumes.

Bar Casanova, a casual dance club and bar, drew inspiration from a painting in Venice’s Albrizzi Palace. The painting showed cherubs holding up drapes. American ship architect Joe Farcus interpreted the painting to adorn Bar Casanova’s ceiling with sculptured draperies, painted iridescent gold to reflect the highlights. Cherubs secure the draperies at each end. Bar Casanova also features a fountain, typical of Italian piazzas, with a staircase wrapped around it that leads to shops and lounges one deck above.

The three-level Osiris Theater drew inspiration from Rome’s 16th-century Massimo alle Colonne Palace, with its central portico, columns, and courtyards. The theater features sculptures of pyramids and pharaohs to establish an Egyptian motif.

The Art of Dining
Costa Mediterranea’s two-level, 1,320-passenger dining room, the lovely Ristorante degli Argentieri, which translates from Italian to “Restaurant of the Silversmiths,” draws inspiration from a dining room at the Sicilian Biscari Paterno Palace and its notable silver collection. A spiral staircase links the two levels of Costa Mediterranea’s restaurant, and in the center is an attractive square sculptured column paying tribute to Italian silversmiths. The restaurant also features 66 glass showcases displaying silver ornaments specially designed for the ship.

Costa claims that art has been such an important part of its history that the 26 vessels of the Costa fleet since World War II also have been displays of the nation’s latest artistic and architectural trends. I found much contemporary art on Costa Mediterranea, such as the attractive Murano glass lamps throughout the atrium, but I also found much traditional art.

A good part of my days aboard Costa Mediterranea was spent admiring the art. The main gathering spot and the area most passengers likely will see first, the Maschera d’Argento atrium, features a striking 82-foot-tall, three-dimensional, wall-mounted sculpture designed as a tribute to Italian dance and the “Comedy of Art,” a performance genre that features actors in Venetian-style masks and costumes.

The sculpture begins above the atrium bar with six “Comedy of Art” characters who represent life on earth and 19 abstract dancers who represent the ascension into heaven. The overall effect is stunning and best viewed from one of the atrium’s three glass elevators.

Lovely Looks
Further imbuing Costa Mediterranea with its Greco-Roman ambience, the ship’s 12 decks are dedicated to Mediterranean mythology — Narcissus’ beauty and Bacchus’ mirth, for example. Mythological themes and characters are represented in paintings, sculptures, and friezes. I sipped a drink at the Apollo Bar by the pool, and in the background at the Port of Naples, Vesuvius loomed. In the foreground, a bronzed statue of the sky god Apollo stood over the pool.

Like its namesake, Costa Mediterranea reflects the beauty of sea, sun, and sky. On the exterior decks, primary colors are cheerful blues and yellows. A short stroll from the pools, the indoor Perla del Lago restaurant displays lovely Country French blues and bright yellows. In this buffet-style restaurant, which also features a pizzeria, blue seats and sofas accompany linen-covered tables separated by curved frames of privacy glass designed to give the impression of clouds. Over one of the serving areas, a panorama inspired by a Lake Como palace borders a glass-domed rotunda. It was a nice touch that filled an otherwise dull area with sun and sky — and a bit of art. Yet, it was the type of thing that might have gone missed had I not looked up.

True to style, Costa Mediterranea is very much an Italian-flavored ship. Crewmembers greet passengers with “Buon Giorno.” Announcements are made in multiple languages. Menus (in English and Italian) offer Italian specialties, and waiters serve homemade pasta. On this Italian-flagged ship, waiters will often step back from the table to boom in baritone “O Sole Mio.” Costa Mediterranea, which sails from Fort Lauderdale this winter, offers the experience of being in Italy — without the accompanying jetlag.

Staterooms and Suites
Costa Mediterranea’s roomy standard outside and verandah staterooms feature desks (well-lighted with mirrors and hair dryers for dressing as well as AC electrical outlets), televisions, sufficient drawer and closet space for weeklong cruises, beds that can be configured into queens or twins, and sleeper sofas. Staterooms also feature mini-bars and safes that can be locked and unlocked with a credit card (no charges apply). Showers were sufficiently large enough to position all 6 foot 5 inches of my body under the showerhead.

The ship also features 59 suites that range in size from 360 square feet to more than 600 square feet. The smallest resembles the standard verandah stateroom but features a more expansive verandah. The next category, Panorama Suite, features a sitting area. Next up, the Grand Suites feature separate living and sleeping quarters. Suite passengers are entitled to VIP check-in and disembarkation, butler service, full-course in-suite dining, additional in-cabin amenities such as robes and slippers, in-cabin Internet access (charges apply), and one night of complimentary dining (normally $23 per person) at the reservations-only Club Medusa, an elegant two-level supper club that features Versace porcelain, gold tablecloths, and an attractive Medusa mural on one wall.

New for Costa Mediterranea: 44 exclusive spa accommodations, which offer guests personalized wellness consultations, three complimentary treatments, two fitness or meditation classes and complimentary access to the Wellness Restaurant, offering a wide array of spa-friendly cuisine. Spa cabins, available in ocean view, veranda and suite categories, will feature aromatherapy diffusers, special shower and air filters, and a mini bar stocked with healthy food and beverage selections. In addition, guests with these accommodations will be offered priority spa reservation times.

Exploring the ship as I did during my time aboard Costa Mediterranea was indeed a serendipitous sojourn. As I crossed the threshold from one public room to another — or as the architect intended the public rooms to be perceived, from one palace to another — I made new and unexpected discoveries. When my trip ended, I had traversed all of Italy — without ever setting foot off the ship.

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.

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.