Our own sort of Amazing Race fun onboard

[AmysonHenry]

I've posted this on the Alaska port of call board and am also looking for ideas that are Jewel specific / things we can do onboard.

 

Hi! I was concerned about my kids getting a little bored when we do our Skagway rental car excursion. I loved doing that stretch of Yukon highway before but I'm thinking from the 3rd row of a minivan - not so much fun for the kids. I've decided to come up with some "dare" cards that get handed out to everyone and will have to be done along the way, with camera proof. Sort of our own Amazing Race task list, I guess you could call it. Then I thought, why not make these for the entire cruise?

 

Does anyone have any fun suggestions? We will be traveling with our kids, ages 13 and 9, and the grandparents. Here are some ideas I have so far:

• Sing a verse of "Oh Canada" at the Welcome to Canada sign
  
• Challenge a gunslinger to a duel (really just pose for a pic)
  
• Climb the Chilkoot Trail (there's a photo background when you stop to play with the iditerod puppies)
  
• Crawl for thirst in the tiniest desert
  

So I still need some ideas. The above are all for Skagway but we will also be stopping in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria. Any creative geniuses out there that can help me add to my list? Thanks!!

 

Any additional ideas from anyone that we can do on the ship? We are a family centered around fun and laughter but at the same time we are quiet and like to keep to ourselves. Not looking for anything obnoxious that would draw attention or disturb other guests. But if you have any fun and safe "dares/tasks" for us, please tell me :)

[Sauer-kraut]

If the children are involved with the Kid's Club they will probably have enough to keep them occupied on the ship.

 

But if you do a photo scavenger hunt there are always things to find. :D

 

Right now I'm drawing a blank, thinking along the lines of various staff holding various things. Menus, towels, bar trays etc.

 

Have fun and enjoy the cruise.

[Warm Breezes]

My kids always come up with their own scavenger hunt on a ship. The 2 will go out and come up with a list of questions like (keeping track of the answers on a seperate sheet):

 

How many black keys on the piano in the piano bar?

How many televisions in the sports bar?

Color of the chairs in the aft lounge?

How many printers in the computer room?

How many holes are on the golf course?

etc

 

If they have digital cameras you could also add taking pictures of certain items (tell them what floor but not exactly where they are located).

 

After they make their own list they trade and set a time to meet back at the room. Whoever has the most correct answers wins.

 

This keeps them busy not only coming up with their own list but then doing the scavenger hunt themselves.

[marelind]

If I understand the spirit of your quest, dip a toe/foot in a glacier lake or stream at Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

[crew mom]

Pan for gold

See how many totem poles, stuffed grizzly bears or something like that they can find in port at the shops.

How many whales can they see while sailing.

Eat a piece of glacier ice

Count bald eagles

Find out 3 historical facts about the port

Take photos of letters that spell out the port names ie: a "J" from one sign, "U" from another etc. Then you can put them all together to form the word later in your photo album.

[AmysonHenry]

These are excellent! Thank you so much for the ideas!!!

[Bostoncruiser35]

For the kids you can also make it to find things to make them safe, like find a policeman and on the ship, find the doctor, or one woman I talked to had find someone breaking the rules( her daughter found a baby in the pool with a diaper, and a boy running with a lolipop that she videoed and told him not to in the video lol) stuff like that. I was thinking of doing something similar. Let us know how it goes.

[spacepotatoes]

At the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria (it's right in the Inner Harbour, downtown), there are usually people dressed up in Victorian costumes when they do their Afternoon Tea. It's quite an experience. You could get everyone to pose for a picture with them.

 

http://www.fairmont.com/empress/GuestServices/Restaurants/AfternoonTea.htm

 

They do it in the evenings too so if your port times are late, it may still work. I don't know if you have to pay for the tea itself in order to get pictures, I just remember seeing pictures someone's review thought it was neat. I have been to the Empress before and it is beautiful!