Nickelodeon Family Cruise Trips Launch in Los Angeles

Other posts by MudslideMama

Mariner of the Seas, Voyager Class Cruise Ship
Mariner of the Seas, Voyager Class Cruise Ship

Next summer is going to offer something great for families; two new Nickelodeon cruise vacations on massive, classy, 4-star Royal Caribbean cruise ships. My children love Nickelodeon, and when I let them watch TV (who am I kidding, this means almost every evening), they usually choose to watch kiddie fare like iCarly, Drake and Josh, and Spongebob Squarepants. A Nickelodeon cruise trip sounds like a perfect way to spend a family vacation at sea.

We have never been on a cruise before, unless kayaking around the Long Island Sound counts (it doesn’t).  So when Nickelodeon and Royal Caribbean offered a 2-day, one-night mini-vacation, it seemed like an offer we couldn’t refuse.  It’s an easy drive from West LA to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, and when we pulled into the parking lot, my daughters asked if the massively huge ship we saw docked was ours. No way, I answered, that’s too big a boat. Turns out I was wrong! The Mariner of the Sea is a Voyager class ship, over 1,000 feet long with 15 passenger decks and a capacity of 3,835 guests and over a thousand crew. Wow. It’s the size of a town!

Rock Climbing Wall

When it’s not hosting a Nick Cruise, the Mariner of the Seas still has a child-friendly deck with rock-climbing, mini golf, 3 pools, a basketball court, a video arcade and many more fun activities. My kids were shocked speechless – and I though they were going to pass out when they realized that all-inclusive meant they could have all the food they wanted. We all overindulged.

But the highlight was beyond a doubt the Nickelodeon portion of the cruise. My kids met “Spongebob,” but it

Kids Meet Spongebob on a Nick Cruise
Kids Meet Spongebob on a Nick Cruise

was two of the stars of the Nick show iCarly that got them really excited. Jennette McCurdy, who plays Sam on iCarly, was friendly and sociable. My 9-year old was a little shy, but when Jennette learned that they are both brown belts in karate. she and my daughter had a conversation about the different schools of the martial arts (Jennette McCurdy is a brown belt in Uechi Ryu, and my kid’s a brown belt in Yoshukai karate).  My younger daughter had a long talk with another actor on iCarly, Nathan Kress. What a good sport he was, answering a 7-year old’s questions! (Example: “How do you like having adoring fans?” This, said adoringly.) Stay tuned, I’ll have that little interview up on Traveling Mamas next week. Both Jennette McCurdy and Nathan Kress hung with the group for a couple hours, touring the Mariner of the Seas, trying rock climbing and basketball, and generally being terrific guests.

iCarly Stars Play Mini-Golf
iCarly Stars Play Mini-Golf

After Nathan Kress and Jennette McCurdy left – they’re teens, they have to go to school sometime – the Mariner of the Seas was no longer a Nickelodeon cruise, but more of an adult overnight vacation. I didn’t see any other children on the ship. My kids had to do a little of everything, so we went on the rock climbing wall, had some (more) to eat, saw an ice show at the ice skating rink, laughed a lot, and acted silly. We had a wonderful time, and it ended too soon: I had to keep them in our room after dinner, as the other 2,000 or so cruise ship travelers were getting pretty drunk. That all-inclusive includes drinks! Some people so inebriated, they clearly were past the point of having fun. I thought it would be best to shield my kids from all that.

Suffice it to say, a regular, week-long Nick cruise will not be filled with totally drunk adults. It surely will be full of families with children and young teens, and oriented towards a youthful Nickelodeon-themed vacation. The Mariner of the Seas, as partnered with Nickelodeon, will leave the Port of Los Angeles on July 26, and round-trip travel to the Mexican Riviera. Another cruise on the Freedom of the Seas leaves Florida for the Eastern Caribbean on August 9.  For children and young teens that enjoy Nick televisions shows – and c’mon, who hasn’t watched Spongebob? – these cruises sound like a terrific way to spend a summer family vacation together.

Right before we disembarked the next morning I asked my kids what they thought of their first cruise travel experience. Did they like it? Their answers speak for themselves.

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March 3, 2009 | Filed Under Family Travel, Luxury Travel, Travel News 

Comments

33 Responses to “Nickelodeon Family Cruise Trips Launch in Los Angeles”

  1. L. Diane Wolfe says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Competing with Disney perhaps?!

    You will have a BLAST! Never thought I would enjoy a cruise, but my first one a couple years ago left me wanting more…

    L. Diane Wolfe
    http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
    http://www.spunkonastick.net
    http://www.thecircleoffriends.net

  2. DesertMama says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Sounds like so much fun! My kids love Sponge Bob. Actually, my son wants a “Gary.” Glad the girls had such a great time!

  3. MountainMama says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Your snippet of the girls is SO cute!

  4. A Maui Blog says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Yes, this sounds like fun! My son loves Spongebob :) He’s now 10 but he still like Bob’s silliness ;)

  5. Marilyn_Res says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    If Sponge Bob falls overboard will he sink or swim?

  6. Donna Diegel says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    YAY! 500 posts! Congratulations!

  7. aktaplin says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Congratulations on your 500th post! Although I have never been on a cruise, we can sometimes see the Queen Mary 2 from my apartment window. Some day I’ll roll my suitcase straight down the sidewalk and onto the boat…

  8. kim/hormonec-colored days says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Now that my boys are older elementary school students, I think a Nick cruise would excite them more than a Disney one! Congrats on 500 posts.

  9. Sheila says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Congrats on your 500th! It’s a milestone worth celebrating!

  10. Mara says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Congratulations you all – keep up the good work!

    Cajun Mama – it was nice to hear your voice last night.

  11. Julie says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    There’s no doubt these family cruises are worth the money — think what you’d pay a la carte for the entertainment, food, transportation to sights, etc.

    But then there’s the practical stuff you know … and the pure fun you’ve captured here with your family. Who wouldn’t book a berth now?!

  12. cynthia says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    This sounds pretty cool. I know my son would love something like this.

  13. Dana says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Congratulations on your 500th post!

  14. Karon Warren says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Do they have the Nick Jr. characters my daughter loves? The Backyardigans, Dora the Explorer, Ki-lan, Diego? If so, she would love it!

  15. Lanora says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    OMG, we love Sponge Bob! We’ll be in SoCal in July, but I wonder if my 16 yo is suddenly too cool for cruising with Nickolodeon.

    HUGE congrats on the 500th post!

  16. Leigh Caldwell says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    My daughter would love, love, love a Nickelodeon cruise. SpongeBob and iCarly are our favorites!

    Here’s hoping they will expand this and use a ship that leaves from the East Coast soon, too.

  17. Sharon Davis says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    I need a cruise! This sounds perfect!

  18. Susan Lanier-Graham says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    We’ve been trying to figure out what to do for my grandson and my great-nephew for their 5th birthdays. The two boys love each other and play well together and both will turn 5 next year. This sounds like something they’d really enjoy. A great idea I hadn’t thought of before now.

  19. kris bordessa says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    I’ve only cruised once – sans kids. But I’m thinking that my kids – teens – are well beyond the thrill of Sponge Bob. ;-) Sounds like you had fun, though!

  20. feathermaye says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Are their Nickelodeon cruises for grown-ups only??

    Oh–um… I mean–this would be great to take the grandchildren on! :)

    Great article. Thanks for the information!

  21. Nancy D. Brown says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Awesome. I could live there, too, if it meant I never had to cook again.

    Happy 500th post!

  22. Randall Shirley says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    You mama’s are too cool for school! (Just don’t tell your kids). Congrats on your 500th post. And please, if I win a cruise, tell me it’s exchangeable for a non-Nickelodeon trip. My travel beat is, as you know, rather different than yours!

  23. Sarah Luebbert says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    Congratulations on your 500th post, that is quite an accomplishment!

    The cruise sounds like fun. I am sure my son would enjoy it in a few years. A 2-year-old on a cruise is not something I would want to endure!

  24. Ana says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    500th post? Well done! I’ve started about thirty blogs…most I’ve ever gotten to was 10 posts!

  25. John Graham says:
    March 3, 2009 at

    500 and counting, keep it going mamma’s.

  26. Emily says:
    March 4, 2009 at

    I’m so jealous! I LOVE iCarly, and Jennette McCurdy is probably one of the sweetest young actors out there. Hmmm…I wonder if it’d be weird to go on a Nickelodeon Family Cruise when you have no young children to speak of.

  27. Sharlene says:
    March 4, 2009 at

    Interesting. I have been thinking about doing a cruise for a while now. Do you think a two year old would get much out of a Nickelodeon cruise or should I ditch the kids and take an adult cruise?

  28. MudslideMama says:
    March 5, 2009 at

    Sharlene, the regular (weeklong) Nick cruises out of Los Angeles and the Florida coast both have plenty for the preschool set – such as Dora the Explorer types of activities. However, you know your own tot and his or her tolerance for unpredictability.

    It’s obviously an individual parenting decision. One thing I can say for sure, though, is that getting our kids traveling from an early age is a Good Thing. Even if by “travel,” in this case I mean a family cruise vacation.
    :)

  29. susan says:
    March 10, 2009 at

    I was on the 2008 First Nick Cruise. My daughter was almost 7 when we went. We were soooo proud, she walked Dunn’s River in Jamaica. We saw The Backyardigans, Little Bill, Avatar, Blues Clue, Dora, Diego, Jimmy Neutron, as well as Spongebob, and Patrick. This cruise isn’t just for toddlers. The kids from Dance on Sunset were also on the cruise. They also have a teen dance club and the stars from ICarly interacted with all on the cruise. This cruise is for ALL ages. There’s a Spa & Medical Spa. The best part was returning to your room at night to see what was left for you on your pillow. Nick went all out and made the kids extremely happy. We’re counting down our days til the 2009 cruise.

  30. autumn says:
    April 26, 2009 at

    me my family are trying tobook a trip but we cant find any good deals help

  31. Ultimate Vacation Spots » Blog Archive » Traveling With Kids Carnival - August 2009 says:
    August 11, 2009 at

    [...] else on vacation – with Jennifer Miner from Traveling Mamas talking about her great trip on the Nickelodeon Family Cruise Trips from Los Angeles. Some great snaps [...]

  32. Outer Banks Revealed says:
    August 18, 2009 at

    You’ll have a great time. Royal Caribbean does a great job. Its amazing the amount of food they want you to consume. No diet that week. We did the Western Caribbean tour and it was great.

    – Dan
    Outer Banks Revealed

  33. Charter Jet Service says:
    September 3, 2009 at

    This is a fantastic article and something very interesting to me. A friend of mine has just launched a website all about cruises and I know he will be interested in this. Thanks!

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