With its ice rinks, climbing walls and DreamWorks character parades; children’s nurseries and lively teen clubs, Royal Caribbean sets out to be one of the most family-friendly cruise lines.
Now it has set up a holiday advice line staffed exclusively by mums and dads to help make choosing the perfect family holiday an even easier experience.
The ‘Royal Mums & Dads’ advice line is claimed as a travel industry first. The specialist phone line is operated by knowledgeable parents who work for the cruise line and who have experience of planning, booking and taking family cruise holidays with their own children.
The Royal Mums and Dads can answer questions about taking children on a cruise, from what is on offer to keep them entertained, to health and safety questions.
Royal Caribbean International promises that all the staff on the Royal Mums line have cruised recently, many of them several times in the last few years. Some of the Royal Mums have teens, whilst others have younger children, so they are able to offer frank and insightful feedback on what to consider when cruising with children of different ages.
Royal Mum Janna Thomson of Royal Caribbean International, mum to Maddison aged eight, explains: “Trying a new kind of holiday for the first time can be daunting but it’s always reassuring to talk to another parent who has already cruised with their children. By sharing our own favourite family holiday memories and answering questions, we will aim to provide all the information that a mum or dad would want to know before taking to the ocean waves with their children”.
Offering a dedicated advice line for parents thinking about taking a cruise for the first time follows the cruise line’s significant growth in the traditional family package holiday market. Over the past ten years the number of British families taking a Royal Caribbean International cruise has grown by over a third, with many families taking to the sea for the very first time.
Staffed by working mums and dads, the advice line is open between 9.30am and 2.30pm every weekday.
Dominic Paul, UK and Europe managing director, and father to four young children between the ages of two and nine, added: “Our Royal Mums and Dads are united by their passion for spending fun and quality time with their children.
“Before I took my children on their first cruise I quizzed other mums and dads to get their true feedback on if this was the right family holiday for us. Reassurance for any parent is important – we all want to have the best time together with our children. We hope that by offering the no-obligation Royal Mums and Dads phone line, more people can make informed decisions about the best holiday for their family. The resulting happy smiles from my children are some of my favourite memories.”
The Royal Mums and Dads can share their experiences of some of the top family holiday options offered by Royal Caribbean International such as shows and parades with characters including Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona from the Shrek and other DreamWorks films; skating lessons; children’s theatres for their own drama club and productions; teen-only nightclubs and even science labs.
To talk to a Royal Mum or Dad call 0844 417 0201. You can meet them on the Royal Caribbean Mums and Dads web page.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
I love Shrek and Fiona! How I wish I can also experience this kind of cruise with my kids.