Norwegian Cruise Line's Childrens' Program

Every minute that children spend in the youth programs on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship is carefully supervised by a staff of youth counselors from leading universities and organizations. Prior to coming aboard, they attend a special training course on team and confidence building, communication skills, safety and working with children who have special needs. Together they've come up with an impressive bag of tricks for kids.

Features and Activities

There are circuses, crafts, parades, sports, games, stories, and parties. Campouts with flashlights and tents, and cooking classes where they can make pizza or pancakes with funny faces. There is T-shirt painting, face painting, and poolside root beer floats. Treasure hunts and sand castle competitions ashore. And even shore excursions designed just for families. 

The regularly scheduled daytime programs in Splash Academy and Entourage are complimentary for children and teens. 

There is a port day Meal Fee, which applies for the supervision of children during meal times. Depending on the arrival of the ship into port, Port Day Meals may include a combination of breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.

Late Night Fun Zone is a group-sitting, drop off, fee-based service for children ages 3 - 12 years old. Late Night Fun Zone is run by the Youth Staff inside Splash Academy. Late Night programming continues the theme throughout the day. The hours of operation are nightly from 10:30 pm to 1:30 am, and the fees are based on a per child/per hour basis.

Complimentary Youth Programs Package

In addition to regularly scheduled hours on days at sea, Norwegian Cruise Line's program is available on some evenings. as well as on port days. Parents should check the youth activity schedules for their specific cruise as to dates and times. These detailed activity schedules are available on embarkation day, which advertise the schedule of activities that take Guppies Programs (Hosted Activities/Open Play) and Guppies Nursery (Escape), Splash Academy, and Entourage for each age group.

The youth are divided into three main groups: Guppies (6 months to 3 years), Splash Academy (ages 3 years to 12 years), and Entourage (ages 13 to 17). Splash Academy has three different age groups: Turtles (3-5), Seals (6-9), and Dolphins (10-12).

• Guppies Programs (ages 6 months to 3 years) - The Guppies Program offers parents opportunities to interact with their infants/babies/toddlers and promote growth and development. The schedule varies per ship and itinerary. Only the Norwegian Escape has a Guppies Nursery with a drop off program. All other ships have activities and toys for those from ages 6 months to 3 years with their parents.
• Turtles (ages 3-5) - Activities for Turtles include storytelling, T-shirt painting, arts and crafts, face painting, magic shows, and Circus at Sea. Outdoor and indoor games provide endless hours of fun.
• Seals (ages 6-9) - Onboard Norwegian Cruise Line, Seals participate in wacky cooking classes, decorative T-shirt painting, sing-alongs, and poolside root beer float parties. The "Kid’s Crew" program also coordinates on-shore activities including a treasure hunt and sandcastle building competition. The Circus Skills and Show includes Scarf Juggling, Plate Spinning, Devil Sticks, and Rope Spinning.
• Dolphins (ages 10-12) - Dolphins test their skill at video games and explore the ship to search for treasures on scavenger hunts. They also have a Circus Skills and Show (Stilts, Ball Juggling, Chinese Yo-Yo, Plate Spinner, and Devil Sticks). Evenings are filled with pajama parties, movies, and camp-outs with flashlights and tents.
• Entourage (ages 13-17) - Norwegian Cruise Line entertains teens throughout the daytime and into the evening. By day, teens enjoy pool parties, volleyball and basketball, The Newlymet Game, and trivia contests. Evenings are filled with Broadway-style shows and spectaculars, line dancing, teen disco, and special theme parties.

Program and age groups are subject to change.