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THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST 2015
E XCELLENCE • E DUCATION • E THICS • E COLOGY Independent Co-educational Preschool – 8th ! ! ! 62 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940 973-822-3222 By: Tom Nero The modern day cruise industry first came into the American psy- che with the Television series “The Love Boat” in the early 80’s. Cruises were marketed to couples seeking romance or as a vacation where singles could meet. But today’s cruise industry has trans- formed itself into a family orient- ed vacation in overdrive. Ships are being built specifically for this market. No longer do cruises sim- ply offer babysitting services, an arcade and a kids club. How things have changed. From the Disney Cruises virtual theme park afloat, to Norwegian Cruise Line partnering with Nick- elodeon, and Royal Caribbean’s partnership with DreamWorks, families with small children have never had such a variety of choic- es to keep the little ones happy. Hanging out with Sponge Bob Square Pants, joining a deck party with Disney’s characters, or partic- ipating in a parade with Shrek and Fiona, well let’s just say, it couldn’t get any better than that. Oh wait it does. Disney cruises offers 3D Movies and live charac- ter Broadway quality shows that are thrilling families of all ages. Royal Caribbean also offers 3D movies, and character shows, and on two of their ships, the Oasis and the Allure, offer the only ice skating rinks at sea which feature an amazing Ice show. Royal Caribbean also offers an Aqua Show, a high diving spectacular at the open aft of their decks. But today’s cruises don’t just cater to younger children; they have captured the tween and teen market as well. With their own disco’s offering mixed virgin drinks, make your own music videos, incredible water parks, as well as a wave machine, the FlowRider, where you can surf right on deck. Zip lining, Rock Walls, Teen BBQ’s, and Movies on Deck at night under the stars. all add to the nonstop entertainment that keeps these junior cruises busy, and happy. And just in case they get tired, well, the cruise lines have also created onboard spas, just for them. If all of this fun sounds exciting, but you want to mix in a little learning and life enrichment into your vacation as well, your options are also unlimited. The cruise lines offer special youth programs with diverse onboard classes, from cooking to learning how to be a circus performer. Real adventure can also be found ashore, with the varied shore excursions offered. Hike on a glacier, take a wilder- ness tour, kayak around an iceberg or in the rain forest, mountain bik- ing, fishing, scuba and snorkeling, the list goes on forever. It’s often said, a happy wife, a happy life. But the Cruise lines have discovered that a happy kid, makes a happy vacation for Mom and Dad. Looking for a family adventure this summer? You should consider a cruise. www.theconnectionsnj.com