boulders

I'm organizing a family reunion cruise to Alaska for next year, and we'll have four kids, ages 5, 7, 7 and 9, along, plus an elderly grandpa and four parents. Does anyone have a favorite ship/cruiseline for traveling with kids this age in Alaska? We've done a Disney cruise but would like to try something new. I thought NCL would be good, but our AAA travel agent today told me that she's only heard bad reports about NCL--a surprise to me. I'd love to hear from anyone who's cruised in Alaska with kids recently who has an opinion about a ship to recommend. Thanks!

Welcome to Cruisecritic! Check out the Alaska board further down under ports or call.

I've sailed RCCL's Radiance of the Seas to Alaska 2 years ago. It was a beautiful ship. RCCL's programs have lots of things for the whole family to do. Princess is the most highly recommended for Alaska. We are trying them next month.

I took my 4 year old to Alaska last year. He had much more fun in Alaska than he did on any Caribbean cruise. The wildlife and natural surroundings were great. In the Caribbean, it seem that the main activities are swimming and shopping, which really aren't our style. The variety of shore excursions in Alaska are much more kid friendly IMO.

There is some confusion about terms here. The law is to protect all parents, not just the custodial ones. Custodial, at least in the two states I've lived in, merely is a term to describe the parent with whom the child resides most of the time.

 

Custodial parents aren't supposed to kidnap their children either.

 

Custodial is different from having full legal or physical custody. My DH shares legal and physical custody with his ex, but she is the custodial parent. She must obtain his permission to take minor child out-of-the-country.

 

OP has sole custody of her child, and therefore, does not need permission from her ex, who apparently isn't even involved in the child's life anyway. It appears her frustration is merely from the difficulty she was having finding information about this issue. I don't think she advocates any parent kidnapping their child.

It doesn't sound like she has sole legal custody. In that case, the father's parental rights would have been terminated. I cross the border between the U.S. and Canada frequently. I always carry proof that I have sole legal custody of my children and I am usually asked for it.

I have booked tours in Rome and Naples with Rome in Limo. We leave in a few days. Should I purchase tickets to the Colosseum/Catacombs/Pompeii on my own, go through Rome in Limo or? We're not visiting the Vatican.

There were some nasty sailings weather-wise in Med this past October. If you do a search for Brilliance of the Seas or Brilliance of the Seas vets, you'll find them. Ports missed, arrival back in port was a day late, very rough seas etc.

Your hotel may have a shuttle service to the port.

I have been on at least 6 cruises with my older kids and have never been asked for a copy of their dad's death certificate. Better safe than sorry though, I do bring it.

And I'm asked for mine almost every time. It's best to have the proper documents. Parents have been denied boarding without it.

On a recent visit to a local waterpark that has a flowrider, I noticed that a lot of the riders had their shorts pulled down a little further by the current than was comfortable when they fell. :o I would go with one-pieces for girls.

Does anyone know when they will open up shore excursions for booking? We are on the July 12 cruise and can't wait.

My dh spent his life studing and working hard. The "real" travel would wait until he was established in his career and the children were a little bit older. He died at age 42 after 4 months with cancer. Next summer, I'm taking 3 kids, including a 3 year old :rolleyes: on a Mediterranean cruise. Life can't wait until the "perfect" time.