In my last post, I introduced some of the more modern questions that parents need to consider when going on holiday these days, with decisions about whether to try and drag kids away from video games or indulge these tastes. In this post I’m going to cover some of the better arcades and gaming features at sea, before I’ll next look at alternatives.
Norwegian Cruise Line has definitely been one of the more embracing cruise lines when it comes to gamer technology. The entire fleet of ships features a Nintendo Wii console which can be played on a giant screen, with a selection of games. You aren’t just limited to Wii Sports (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but you can also play Excite Truck, Wii Play and WarioWare: Smooth Moves, with plenty of fast-paced and hilarious mini games.
Disney Cruise Lines has the Magic Play Floor on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, a large screen mounted to the floor where 32 children can interact using the touch screens with games themed around Disney movies. It’s still gaming but it’s more active and makes for a change from the usual games consoles that kids are used to.
But if it’s those games consoles that your children really want to play on, a number of cruise lines have various game stations in their kids clubs, such as those on Carnival which let them try their hand at Guitar Hero, or Celebrity Cruises which has Xbox 360 areas with Kinect games.
And then there are the arcades. Most modern ships that are family-orientated have an arcade of some sort on board these days, with a whole wealth of games to enjoy. Arcades these days are very different to those even ten years ago, and it’s rare that you’ll ever see a single joystick. Instead it’s all neon air-hockey tables, Dance Dance Revolution games with light-up arrows, driving games with full bucket seats and steering wheels, and shooting games with plastic replica guns to make the experience all the more authentic.
Pick your ship carefully, and there’s a good chance your child will never miss a single minute of their gaming time at home, if that’s what they love. But if you want to get them out doing new things more, look out for part three of my blog.
By Ian Lewis
Google
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