Question 1

Children with special needs - Carnival Cruise Line

Accepted Answer

Carnival Cruise Line provides accommodations and support to help children with disabilities and special needs participate in its onboard youth programs. Available accommodations may vary depending on the child's individual needs and the activities offered.RegistrationParents or legal guardians must register children before they participate in Carnival Youth Programs.Carnival’s current youth programs include:Turtles™ for ages 6 months to under 2Camp Ocean® for ages 2–11Circle “C”® for ages 12–14Club O2® for ages 15–17Parents or guardians should provide Carnival Youth Staff with relevant information about their child's needs during registration so the team can determine how best to support their participation.Age GroupsCarnival groups children according to their age at the time of sailing.Children generally cannot be moved into a different age group. Carnival may evaluate individual accommodation needs based on the child and the activity involved.Guests age 18 and older are not permitted to participate in Carnival Youth Programs because they are considered adults.Individual AssistanceCarnival Youth Staff do not provide dedicated one-on-one care.If a child requires additional assistance, a parent, legal guardian, or other authorized caregiver may be permitted to remain with the child during applicable activities.MedicationCarnival Youth Staff cannot administer medication to children participating in youth programs.Non-expired EpiPens and self-administered inhalers may be permitted in youth facilities. If a child requires other medication while participating, a parent or guardian must return to administer it.Diapers and Personal CareChildren do not need to be toilet trained to participate in Camp Ocean or Night Owls.Parents or guardians should provide diapers and necessary toiletries.Children over age 5 or weighing more than 50 pounds will not be changed by Youth Staff. In these cases, the parent or guardian will be contacted to assist the child before they return to activities.Meals and Dietary NeedsChildren participating in supervised youth programming should generally be able to feed themselves because one-on-one meal assistance is not provided.Parents or guardians should discuss food allergies, dietary restrictions, and other meal-related needs during youth registration.Meal schedules and supervised dining availability may vary by ship and sailing.Accommodations, youth programming, procedures, and availability may vary depending on the child's individual needs, ship, and sailing and are subject to change without prior notice.

Question 2

Children with special needs - Holland America Line

Accepted Answer

Holland America Line's Club HAL program. It's great to know that Club HAL recognizes the unique needs of children and has staff members trained to work with them.Club HAL invites all children to participate in activities based on their chronological age, allowing them to engage in age-appropriate experiences. The presence of trained staff members ensures that children with special needs receive the necessary support and assistance during their time in the program.To ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for your child, it is important to make Holland America Line aware of any special needs when booking your reservation. By doing so, the cruise line can better understand your child's requirements and make the necessary arrangements to provide appropriate accommodations and assistance.

Question 3

Children with special needs - Norwegian Cruise Line

Accepted Answer

Norwegian Cruise Line understands that parents may have concerns about the cruising experience of their child with special needs. For this reason, an Access Desk has been set up. Its team is trained to assist you in every way possible and can provide you with comprehensive information about Norwegian Cruise Line’s policies and procedures.Whether it's a physical disability or a medical condition, the cruise line wants to make sure that your child feels safe, and comfortable, and has an unforgettable cruising experience.So, if you have a child with special needs, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Access Desk team. They are always available to answer any questions you may have and provide you with the assistance you need to make your child's cruising experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Question 4

Children with special needs - Princess Cruises

Accepted Answer

Princess Cruises welcomes children and teens ages 3–17 to participate in its Youth & Teen Programs.If your child has medical, accessibility, dietary, allergy-related, or other special needs, Princess recommends providing this information before sailing and again when registering for the Youth & Teen Program.How to Provide Special Needs InformationParents or guardians can add accessibility and dietary requirements through the MedallionClass® app:OceanProfile → Accessibility & Dietary RequirementsInformation regarding allergies, medical conditions, special needs, and other accommodations should also be provided when registering the child for Princess Youth & Teen Programs.Princess states that its youth team will make every effort to accommodate children with special needs so they can participate in youth-center activities.Supervision and Medical AssistancePrincess Youth staff may not provide individual one-on-one supervision.If a child requires continuous one-on-one assistance during program sessions, an authorized caregiver must remain with the child.Youth staff also may not:Administer medicationAttend to medical conditionsBottle-feed childrenChange diapersProvide meal serviceAdditional Accessibility RequestsFamilies with broader accessibility or mobility needs should notify Princess before sailing.Princess may request additional documentation for certain accommodations. Its current age-requirement guidance also notes that minors requiring special-needs accommodations may need a physician's note describing the child's needs and any required medical equipment.Princess recommends contacting its accessibility team in advance when significant accommodations are required.Available accommodations depend on the child's individual needs, ship facilities, staffing, and program requirements and cannot always be guaranteed.

Question 5

Children with special needs - Royal Caribbean

Accepted Answer

Royal Caribbean aims to welcome children with disabilities and offers reasonable accommodations to meet their needs, particularly in its Adventure Ocean program. Some of the accommodations they provide include:Adventure Ocean grouping by ability: Instead of grouping children solely by age, Adventure Ocean may group children with disabilities based on their abilities, ensuring a more inclusive and suitable experience.Adventure Ocean toilet-trained policy exception: Royal Caribbean may make exceptions to their toilet-trained policy for children with special needs who require assistance or have specific toileting needs.Pagers for parents: Parents of children in the Adventure Ocean program may request pagers or phones, subject to availability.