• Forty- and fifty-somethings looking for a couple’s vacation. • Travelers looking for a wide array of activities. • Seniors looking for new friends. • Solo travelers. • Couples looking for romantic getaways. • Destination weddings. • Honeymoons. • Adventure travelers looking for high thrills. Carnival Cruise Lines Minimum Age: Six months (twelve months for transatlantic, Hawaiian, and South American destinations) Children’s Programs: Extensive Babysitting: Yes Tickets: http://www.cruisecompete.com/lines/carnival_cruises.html See the Top 10 chapter for complete information! Click here for full line info. Costa Cruise Lines Minimum Age: Six months (twelve months on some destinations) Children’s Programs: Extensive Babysitting: Yes Tickets: http://www.cruisecompete.com/lines/costa_cruises.html Overview Costa Cruise Lines is the largest cruise line in Europe, and as it builds new ships regularly (just like its parent company, Carnival), it has one of the most modern fleets, particularly in the Mediterranean. And like Carnival, Costa Cruise Lines does regular upgrades. (In late 2013, the Voyager, Classica, neoRiviera, Victoria, and Mediterranea entered dry dock for multi-million dollar refurbishments.) Known as the line that cruises “Italian Style,” Costa Cruise Lines projects a lively and appealing Italian vibe (count on finding delicious pastas on the menus) that attracts an international mix of passengers. The onboard currency is the Euro and announcements are made in a number of languages, including English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish. Given the passenger mix, the entertainment bridges language barriers with theme parties, a mix of musical offerings from classical to rock, and games and contests cooked up by the youthful and energetic cruise staffs. While most Costa Cruise Lines ships home port in the Mediterranean and offer the greatest variety of cruises there and in Northern Europe, they also travel to other destinations (including the Caribbean in winter, and Canada and New England in the fall). Costa Cruise Lines has even pushed the itinerary map to include exotic ports in China and Southeast Asia, as well as the United Arab Emirates (the line home ports two ships in Dubai). Older Costa Cruise Lines ships have a sophisticated, European flair, but more recent builds, reflecting the parent company, have energizing color schemes. The onboard atmosphere is casual and fun, with lots of excitement, activities, and enter- tainment. Because the line attracts passengers of all nationalities, evening entertainment trends toward more music and dancing, and less toward language-based (comedy or theatre) productions.
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2017 Family-Friendly Cruise Travel Planner
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