Posted by: Editor on Dec 04, 2006 – 07:31 PM
excursions Royal Caribbean International’s littlest guests can get their hands dirty and their minds expanded through new onboard family activities offered by Fisher-Price and Lowe’s. These partnerships allow young cruisers to have fun while learning and create lasting memories along the way.
More than 330,000 children and teens under 18 sailed with Royal Caribbean in 2005, an 8.4 percent increase over 2004, and an impressive 62 percent increase over 1999. With these staggering numbers in mind, the cruise line continues to look for ways to keep their youth programs fresh and entertaining.
Fisher-Price Revs Up CocoCay
Royal Caribbean’s guests, ages 3 to 8, accompanied by their parents, can experience a special driving adventure on the Fisher-Price Power Wheels® Track, featured on the cruise line’s private island, CocoCay, in the Bahamas. Young driving enthusiasts have the newest Power Wheels® vehicles to choose from, including the Jeep® Hurricane, Ford® Mustang, Cadillac® Escalade(TM) Custom Edition in either black or Barbie® pink versions, and the Barbie® Beach Party Jeep® Wrangler®.
‘Build and Grow’ with Lowe’s
The ‘Build and Grow’ with Lowe’s program invites parents and their children, ages 5 to 11, to take part in constructing and decorating a Lowe’s wooden cruise ship, designed exclusively for Royal Caribbean. The ‘Build and Grow’ workshops, developed by Lowe’s, are interactive and encourage children and parents to work side-by-side. Budding builders receive a cruise ship kit, a Lowe’s apron, safety goggles, a certificate of completion and merit patch. ‘Build and Grow’ is part of Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean program, long recognized as one of the industry’s premier shipboard youth programs.
“Royal Caribbean’s new Power Wheels® Track and ‘Build and Grow’ programs will be a great complement to our existing Adventure Ocean activities and give children more opportunities to learn and interact with their parents while on vacation,” said Charly McDonald, manager, guest vacation and leisure activities, Royal Caribbean International. “Based on guest feedback, our youth programs are hugely successful with families and continue to exceed our guests’ expectations.”
In addition to the new Power Wheels® Track, Fisher-Price will continue its popular infant and toddler programs fleetwide, in which curriculums created by early childhood experts were developed exclusively for Royal Caribbean. Learning groups are divided into age categories – Aqua Babies, 6 to 18 months and Aqua Tots, 18 to 36 months. Each class offers 45-minute play groups in which parents and their children can explore, discover and imagine with great toys, songs and themed activities.
“High Touch-High Tech” Adventure Science
In a continuing effort to offer its youngest cruisers amazing adventures, Royal Caribbean has re-launched its Adventure Science program. The new “High Touch-High Tech” Adventure Science program, also part of Adventure Ocean, provides participatory science experiences for children of every age. Each interactive program is 45 minutes long with such themes as: Meteorology Madness, Buccaneer’s Bounty, The Power of the Sun, Volcanoes, Think Snow and Jurassic Jr.
“Adventure Science continues to be the most exciting program for children on the high seas,” said Jaclyn Fink, Adventure Ocean specialist, Royal Caribbean International. “Young cruisers don’t expect to conduct fascinating science experiments while on vacation, but ‘High Touch-High Tech’ brings science to life 1,000 miles out to sea. Before they know it, they’ve learned the impact made by Isaac Newton in everyday life.”
With fiscal year 2005 sales of $43.2 billion, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE® 50 company that serves approximately 12 million customers a week at more than 1,250 home improvement stores in 49 states. Based in Mooresville, N.C., the 60-year old company is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit www.lowes.com.
Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT – News) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. The Company has a 75-year legacy of high-quality toys that enhance early childhood development. Its often-emulated Play Laboratory was the first child research center of its kind in the toy industry, allowing researchers to observe the way children play and how play benefits their development. Some of the Company’s best-known “classic” brands include Little People®, Power Wheels® and View-Master®. Fisher-Price is also a leading developer of baby gear products (nursery monitors, infant swings, high chairs) as well as a wide array of character-based toys inspired by high quality children’s programming such as Sesame Street®, Dora the Explorer(TM) and Winnie the Pooh. The Company’s web site, at www.fisher-price.com, provides valuable information and resources to parents.
Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 20 ships currently in service and three under construction. The line also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand through its cruisetour division. For additional information or to make reservations, go to www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) 327-6700.
Source: Royal Caribbean International