Summer vacation is upon us and one type of vacation I have not considered is going on a cruise. So it was great time that I was invited to tour Norwegian Cruise Line Gem docked in New York Harbor.
Norwegian Cruise Line is known for it’s innovative Freestyle Cruising which is characterized by having no fixed dining times, relaxed attire (no dinners with the ship’s captain unless you want to), more than 20 distinct dining options, relaxed disembarkation and lots of entertainment and activity options for the entire family. For me vacations means just being able to relax without any rules so the Freestyle Cruising definitely appeals to me.
On our tour of the NCL Gem, I learned about their new youth and teen programs and exclusive Nickelodeon partnership as well being able to experience the Norwegian Garden and Courtyard Villas. Let’s say wow, who knew. The Norwegian Garden and Courtyard Villas is like having your very own apartment aboard ship and includes a living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms and each villa comes with its own private garden with hot tub, outdoor dining area and terrace.But that’s not all, there is also butler service and a concierge at your service. This is definitely great for generations of families traveling together.
In addition to touring the NCL Gem, we were privy to hearing about The Norwegian Breakaway which is set to sail April 2013. The Norwegian Breakway is going to have be the first Aqua Park at sea with five full-size water slides, that’s five, plus a three-story sports complex, a nine-hole miniature golf course, rock climbing wall and so much more. As if that isn’t enough, Nickelodeon fans will happy that The Norwegian Breakaway will feature a Nickelodeon themed Kids’ Aqua Park.
An amenity that appeals to parents and me, is the youth program is being revamped to better address the skills and interests of children. The new age groups will be: three to five years; six to eight years; nine to 12 years; along with two teen groups: 13 to 14 and 15 to 17 years. There will also be programming for babies and toddlers ages six months to two years.
The new curriculum will also include creative themes, such as circus day, theater/technology/sports and port of call day. The company has engaged Cirque Du Jour, a New York-based company that specializes in teaching children real circus skills such as scarf juggling, ball juggling, plate spinning, clowning and acrobatics. Circus workshops and shows will also be offered for the entire family. The new revamped programming definitely looks like it will keep your kids truly engaged. Although I think my daughter would spend a lot of her time on the water slides and pool area.
Want to learn more about Norwegian Cruise Line, visit ncl.com , or Like Norwegian Cruise Line on Facebook or Follow Cruise Norwegian on Twitter.
Disclosure: NYC Single Mom was treated to lunch along with a gift bag and but sadly no Cruise.
