Cruise Operators

Specialist Reports Styles of Holiday Cruise Holidays Cruise Operators Princess Cruises 

	Princess Cruises
77 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1PP			MAP
tel: (020) 7800 2468; brochures (0870) 566 4422

One of the P&O stable, four rising five-star. Keen to encourage children and produces a free leaflet on coming on board with children - Love Boat Kids.

Ships

10 with 640 to 2,600 berths.

Where

Caribbean, Mediterranean, Baltic, Alaska, Mexico, South America, Panama Canal, Polynesia, China and Asia, Australasia, Africa.

UK Departures

Yes.

Style

The US arm of P&O and bigger and glitzier though less formal than most European cruises. Includes the record-breakingly large Grand and Golden Princess ships.

Accommodation

Four berth cabins are available.

For Children

Cots on request. Minimum age is 6 months in the Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda, Canada and New England, Europe and Mexico. 12 months for other cruises.

Children's Facilities

Recommended for children are six large ships, two of which are Grand Class ships - Golden Princess, Grand Princess. Four are sun class ships Dawn Princess, Sun Princess, Sea Princess, and Ocean Princess all of which have dedicated play areas open to children over 2 years during days at sea 9am to noon, 2pm-5.00pm and 7.00pm-1am.

In addition Grand and Golden Princess (and four new ships due to come on line up to 2004) offer the Fun Zone adventure play area for children with a two-storey castle, and doll's house. Outside is a toddler splash area with a slide down a whale's tale leading to an orca shaped pool. There is also a toddler changing section and bathroom with mini fittings.

The Teens Clubs for under 18s include a video wall, dance floor, and games and activity areas. There is also a virtual reality centre, range of other video and CD Rom rides, a soft drinks bar and Cyberstore. Teens also have their own deck area with jacuzzi, table tennis and CD jukebox.

Operates a supervised play area on Princess Cays with replica galleon, clatter bridge and slides.

Two other ships offer some facilities.

Food for Kids

24-hour dining on most ships. Close to the children's areas on the Grand Class ships are a pizzeria, deck grill and 24-hour buffet/bistro. No high chairs but kids menus are provided.

Babysitting

Ocean, Sea, Grand, Golden, Dawn and Sun Princess offer free group babysitting in the children's centres to 10pm, further care to 1am for a charge per hour per child. To 1am this is US$4 per hour per child.

Children's Activities

2-12s a programme of events is organised including typically arts and crafts, pool games, shipboard Olympics, cartoons and films, Coketail parties, discos, talent contests, bridge visits, karaoke, masquerade competitions and more.

13-17s as above and on Grand and Golden Princess with access to a Cyber Store with electronic games and own teens deck Jacuzzi.

Other Princess ships will arrange a number of children's activities each day when at sea until 10pm if 20 or more children are on board.

Staff

With extensive childcare, teaching or nursing experience.

Security Measures

All children are signed in and out by parents, this applies to children as well as teens. For toddlers parents get bleepers, so that if they feeding or if there is something wrong the parents can be contacted.

Port Calls

Can arranges shore excursions to cater to all ages. Parents are not allowed to leave ship when kids are in the kid centre.

Sample Price

For adults sharing an inside cabin on a nine-night Caribbean cruise, around £950. Family Fun Fares in the Caribbean are from ?199 for first child, second ?299. If you extend your holiday with a three or seven-night stay in Orlando children can sleep in the second double bed in the room free. Easter and Christmas supplements are applicable.