Room for a little one? Luxury on family cruise lines

Takings kids on a cruise doesn’t mean foregoing luxury. The most family-friendly companies are now building some of the biggest and best suites at sea.

There are two options for the parent who wants a luxury cruise. The first is to book a holiday on one of the high-end lines that welcome kids on board. This means fine dining, beautifully appointed suites, all-inclusive drinks and excursions – but, more often than not, hardly an abundance of fun for the kids. Ultra-luxury tends not to mean bumper cars and multi-storey waterslides.

The other option is to embrace the family-friendly cruise lines – those who offer ridiculously over-the-top fun for kids and that have increasingly embraced the space and the service provided by luxury lines. It makes sense that some of the biggest ships – those in the fleets of Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International – also have some of the biggest suites at sea.

Norwegian, for example, offers the Haven Three-Bedroom Garden Villa on board Norwegian Gem, Jade, Jewel and Pearl. At up to 5,750 sq f, these are made up of three bedrooms with king or queen beds, a huge living area including bar that seats four and dining table that seats eight, as well as a private garden terrace (and hot tub, of course).

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Norwegian Cruise Line Launches Online Shopping Site

Norwegian today announced the launch of its online shopping portal at www.nclgiftshop.com with branded merchandise ranging from men's, women's and children's apparel to travel and promotional items, including special Norwegian Epic paraphernalia. Guests can purchase swag pre or post-cruise to build excitement for their upcoming sailing or check the site for items they may have forgot to purchase while on board.


The expansive product line features stylish gear for the resort-casual savvy cruiser including rhinestone-studded shirts for women and embroidered polo shirts for men, a leather passport and luggage tag set for the avid traveler and even the newest addition to the family can be well-equipped for Freestyle Cruising with a selection of baby bibs, onesies and t-shirts for toddlers.


The online store also offers travel partners a simple way to view and order an array of promotional items for their agencies, as well as giveaways for special events. Travel partners will receive 10 percent off their purchases when entering the promotion code PARTNER at checkout on a variety of items including embossed pens, wine sets, notebooks, beach balls, tote bags and more.


Norwegian's Latitudes members (past guests) will also receive 10 percent off purchases using promotion code LAT10, and to celebrate the online store's opening, the first 200 customers will receive a complimentary Norwegian drawstring backpack.


Fans of the line on Facebook should also stay tuned to the fan page at www.ncl.com/facebook for a special promotion code redeemable for an exclusive fan-only t-shirt. The first 200 Facebook fans that place an order on www.nclgiftshop.com will receive the t-shirt.


To purchase Norwegian merchandise, please visit www.nclgiftshop.com.