4 minute read
Better together
by Ensemble
What’s new and noteworthy for traveling families.
By Aimi Mayne
Take the Family on an Eco-adventure
Imagine trekking hand in hand through the rainforests of Belize or taking the kids on safari in Tanzania’s treasured national parks — just two of the new National Geographic Family Journey trips offered by small-group tour operator G Adventures. Four more new itineraries (bringing the total to 16) built around National Geographic’s wildlife, history and cultural storytelling will take off in June to Ireland, Greece, Italy and the American Southwest. Whichever adventure you choose, an initiative with Planeterra sees a tree planted for every day each family member spends on the trip.
Exclusives for Every Age Group in Punta Cana
Families can dive right into the fun at the newly remodeled, 1,059-room Sunscape Coco Punta Cana. This recent addition to Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, on the crystal waters of the Dominican Republic’s east coast, has exclusive clubs for kids aged 3–12 and 13–17, featuring games, sports and sandcastle competitions — no parents allowed. Parents can get their alone time in either of two adults-only pools (there are seven pools in all) and everyone can join beachside activities like scuba diving, water sports, beach soccer and water volleyball.
For Ensemble Exclusive Amenities, from early check-in to hotel credit, contact your Ensemble travel advisor.
Get Creative at CAMP Club
Marriott Bonvoy is reinventing the kids’ club experience for families, starting at the allinclusive Marriott Cancún. Following its renovation, the resort has become the first to welcome toddlers and tweens to CAMP Club, themed to the destination by familyexperience company CAMP. The club keeps kids engaged in sensory, visual and experiential play with arts and crafts workshops (slime-making!), sports, interactive storytelling and disco cabins.
Recreational Fun for All in Utah
Utah’s Park City Mountain got an accessibility boost with the recent opening of a state-of-the-art adaptive recreation center for individuals and families with disabilities. The fully accessible 9,400-square-foot McGrath Mountain Center, home to the National Ability Center’s ski and snowboard programs, offers lessons for people of all ages. Adventure seekers can access winter sports equipment — such as 2-, 3- and 4-track, mono- and bi-ski, snow slider, ski bike, snowboarding, Nordic skiing and fat biking — as well as adaptive gear for other seasonal activities like wakeboarding and mountain biking.
All Paws on Deck!
Young golden retriever Rover is the newest four-legged crew member on board Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. Alongside her fur parent, Allison, who has been a Royal Caribbean crew member for six years, Rover is quickly settling into her new role as the ship’s Chief Dog Officer. Check out her Instagram, @chiefdogrover, for glimpses of Rover at work, where she has an important responsibility — to bring smiles to crew and guests (and the occasional game of fetch).
Things You’ll See on Jubilee
Fresh interactive experiences await kids cruising on Carnival Jubilee. Before spending your day beside the grown-up pool, bring the kids to the Currents zone, where they can draw and display their own sea creatures in a virtual aquarium. Or sign them up for the Green Eggs and Ham breakfast, after which an immersive storytelling activity drops kids right into a digital underwater world inspired by Dr. Seuss. And at Camp Ocean, young travelers explore the galaxy in a spaceship experience designed with captivating imagery from NASA and an LED display that looks like the dashboard of a spaceship.
Jump into a Disney Flick at Sea
Come aboard for a big-screen experience on Disney Treasure, setting sail in December, where popular movie scenes will be brought to life all day long. Step into the fantasy world at the Grand Hall, transformed into an Aladdin-inspired palace with surprise entertainment and performances, then visit the Sarabi space (named for the lioness matriarch from The Lion King) for savanna-themed kids’ entertainment (and adult-exclusive shows at night). Come evening, the first theatrical dining experience of Coco features Miguel and his family on a colorful Día de los Muertos journey. Try everything — including Zootopia-themed ice cream from Jumbeaux’s Sweets, and the splashy two-person winding water tube, AquaMouse: Curse of the Golden Egg.
