Her Gone Life

During summer break is the time many families look for fun and affordable activities to enjoy together. While many families don't think of going on a cruise ship, it's a great family activity!

Please Note: I was invited as media for a tour of Norwegian Gem Cruise ship. Views expressed are always 100% my own.
Recently I was invite to an exclusive lunch and tour on board the Norwegian Gem Cruise Line ship to learn how Norwegian can give families a great vacation with Freestyle Cruising, new youth and teen programs, exclusive Nickelodeon entertainment and more.


For the first part of my tour I was given a first hand look at the Norwegian Garden and Courtyard Villas. The Garden Villas include a living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms each with a king- or queen-size bed and bathroom. Butler service and a concierge are available and each villa comes equipped with a private garden with hot tub, outdoor dining area and terrace. Garden Villas sleep six adults, plus room for two rollaway beds and a crib.


In the Courtyard Villas all staterooms have a television, refrigerator, safe, duvet, Internet access and bathroom with shower and hair dryer; most lower beds are convertible to a queen-size bed. Courtyard Villas also include a living area, private balcony, dining area, separate bedroom with a queen-size bed and a separate children's bedroom. One bedroom features a luxury bath and separate shower. Butler service and a concierge are available, and guests have access to an exclusive concierge lounge and private courtyard area with a pool, hot tub and sundeck.


Then it was time for a lunch! I was greeted by a very nice waiter with a tray filled with Mimosas, Bloody Mary and other yummy midday cocktails. Then I was seated for the Mommy's Appreciation Brunch, where I had the chance to sample some of the dishes available on Norwegian Cruise Line ships.


I enjoyed a variety of "appetizers" and then my "Pan Fried Fillet of Norwegian Salmon" followed by 2 yummy desserts. Oh it was all so good!


During the Mommy's Appreciation Brunch, I learned about Norwegian Cruise Lines and highlights of happening on their different cruise ships.

Norwegian Cruise is known for their signature Freestyle Cruising which offers freedom and flexibility in a cruise vacation. This on board program include up to 11 restaurants, open seating and extended hours in the main restaurants, "resort-casual” attire each night, and a more leisurely disembarkation procedure.

The Norwegian Breakaway launches in April 2013 and will feature the first Aqua Park at sea with five full-size water slides, including twin Free Fall slides, and a three-story sports complex, a nine-hole miniature golf course, basketball court, rock climbing wall and more. The Norwegian Breakaway will also feature Nickelodeon experiences and a Nickelodeon themed Kids’ Aqua Park.

Norwegian was the first cruise line to offer guests a chance to experience Nintendo’s Wii video game system on its ships. Equipped with Wii Sports, the systems offer five distinct sports experiences: tennis, golf, baseball, boxing and bowling. On each ship, Wii systems are in the atrium and other public rooms allowing guests to gather and play against each other while viewing the game on two-story video screens


During the presentation some of the moms were invited up to learn plate spinning, one of the activities provided for the kids through Cirque Du Jour, which teaches children real circus skills such as scarf juggling, ball juggling, plate spinning, etc. It's not as easy as it looks!

Norwegian Kid's Crew and Teen's Crew programs are no additional cost except for late night after hours after 10pm when it's just $6 per hour. Trained youth staff provide a variety of engaging activities for every age group. For children will special needs, they're integrated with the other children and parents are provided with portable phones to keep in contact with the staff.


Then a special Nick celebrity, SpongeBob SquarePants! came out singing and dancing to introduce the exclusive partnership between Norwegian Cruise Line and Nickelodeon, that includes Nickelodeon-themed family events, shows and activities including:

• Nick Live Poolside!, where families can take part in interactive games and activities by the pool
• Breakfast with the Characters, where kids and adults, can eat, sing and play with SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Patrick, Diego and more;
• Dora’s Dance Party, where kids can join Dora and the Nickelodeon cast to dance and sing along
• Meet and greets with popular Nickelodeon characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and many more.
• Other family activities offered, include Nick Jr. Story Time, family trivia and special arts and crafts sessions.
  

After learning all about the Nickelodeon-themed family activities, the group had a chance to take a photo with SpongeBob SquarePants!

During my tour I learned just a little about what Norwegian Cruise Line has to offer for families but as you can read it's all quiet impressive. There's lots more for families to do both on and off on Norwegian Cruise Line ships so make sure you visit the website to learn more about taking a cruise for your next family vacation.

To learn more, visit - www.ncl.com

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