Your Cruise Your Way Cruise Blog

As a follow-up to any earlier post http://www.yourcruiseyourway.com/?p=27 , I just read where Holland America is now offering the Culinary Art programs for kids and teenagers. This is a continuation of the initiative by Holland America to develop it’s image as a family cruise line, in conjunction with the fabulous Club HAL, The Loft and The Oasis children’s centers.

Holland America wanted to take full advantage of their new million dollar show kitchens put in full the adults, so this summer they will offer similar classes and programs for kids and teens. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks, the youth will tackle fun recipes and classes which learning first-hand from the chefs onboard. Each group will be taught to prepare meals and snacks appropriate to their age group.
Some of the tasty treats the younger kids will engage in making are Bear Tracks (Alaska theme cookies), Fruit Leather (fruit roll-ups), Ice Cream Sandwiches, Salad People Art, and Denali Peaks (Alaska Theme Scones). Kids eight and over will create Soft Pretzels, Granola Bars, Pita Chips and Hummus, and Saltwater Taffy.
Class topics and times will be communicated through daily programs and Club HAL programs during a cruise. Teens are welcome to attend adult culinary demonstrations, too.
From the Holland America website, you will find these other fine children’s programs available:
Club HAL® - Kids*: Children, ages 3-7, can participate in story telling, fabric painting, indoor games, arts and crafts, ice-cream sundae parties, bingo, and other activities.
Club HAL® - Tweens*: Tweens, ages 8-12, might learn golf putting, have disco parties and other themed parties, compete in on-deck sports events, scavenger hunts, and more.
The Loft and The Oasis*: Teens, ages 13-17, will especially enjoy the teen disco, karaoke sessions, video games, teen sports tournaments, card games, movies, and other activities.
*On the ms Prinsendam, youth activities are offered for ages 5-17. All other ships offer youth activities for ages 3-17.
Daily Programs
Times vary based on age group, number of children on board and staffing:
Sea Day - Morning, Afternoon and Evening Activities
Port Day - Morning, Afternoon and Evening Activities
Extended Hours
Club HAL® After Hours is available on all ships (except the ms Prinsendam) from 10:00pm - 12:00am. The fee is $5 per child, per hour. Parents must pick up their children on time or a late fee is charged. For babysitting outside of the hours offered in Club HAL, guests may check at the Front Office to schedule this service provided by staff on a voluntary basis only.
Additional Family Services
Holland America Line is dedicated to making your family’s cruise vacation memorable and happy for each member of your family. We serve a wide variety of kid-pleasing food, including special sandwiches, tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza. Baby food, high chairs and booster seats may be requested in advance of boarding. Baby-sitting services are available for a small surcharge. Special-kid friendly birthday parties can also be arranged with advance notice.
Special Needs
HAL Youth Programs recognize that some children may have special needs. Special needs children are invited to attend activities based on their chronological age. HAL Youth Programs have many staff trained to work with special needs children. Guests should make HAL aware of this when booking their reservation.
Important Notes
A limited number of high chairs, booster seats and cribs are available at no charge. These must be reserved in advance at the time of booking. An international children’s menu is offered at dinner and includes a variety of appetizers, salads and soups, and standard items such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and chicken, plus chef’s specials like beef tacos, grilled cheese, fish and chips or spaghetti.