Carnival Cruise Lines

Junior Cruisers

"Camp Carnival" earns high marks for keeping young cruisers busy and content. Run year-round by professionals, dedicated children's areas include great playrooms with separate splash pools. Toddlers from two to five years are treated to puppet shows, sponge painting, face painting, coloring, drawing, and crafts. As long as diapers and supplies are provided, toddlers do not have to be toilet trained to participate. Activities for ages six to eight include arts and crafts, pizza parties, computer time, T-shirt painting, a talent show, and fitness programs. Nine- to 11-year-olds can play Ping-Pong, take dance lessons, play video games, and participate in swim parties, scavenger hunts, and sports. Teens 12 to 15 particularly appreciate social events, parties, contests, and sports. Every night they have access to the ships' discos from 9:30 until 10:45 PM, followed by late-night movies, karaoke, or pizza.

"Club O2" is geared toward teens from 15 to 17. Program directors play host at the spacious teen clubs, where kicking back is the order of the day between scheduled activities and nonalcoholic parties. The fleetwide "Y-Spa" program for older teens offers a high level of pampering. Staff members also accompany teens on shore excursions designed just for them.

Daytime group babysitting for infants two and under allows parents the freedom to explore ports of call without the kids from port arrival until noon. Parents can also pursue leisurely adults-only evenings from 10 PM to 3 AM, when slumber party-style group babysitting is available for children from ages 4 months to 11 years. Babysitting fees are $6 an hour for one child and $4 an hour for each additional child in the same family.