cruising - Pitstops for Kids

Disney cruise checklist: Five items we were glad we had (and five we didn’t need)

June 9, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

When you and your family feel safe cruising again, be ready!

On our voyage on the Disney Fantasy, we packed carry-on only for four people to Disney World and the Bahamas, which I felt was a feat in itself. Turns out, we still brought things we didn’t need (and others we were very glad we had). If you’re lucky enough to be packing for a Disney cruise, learn from our triumphs and mistakes using this Disney cruise checklist.

Read also: how to know if a Disney cruise is right for your family!

Disney Cruise Checklist! Five things we were glad we had:

1. Water bottles. Water bottles can be bulky, but with free soda and water refills all day, every day aboard the Disney Fantasy (and all Disney cruise ships), we put them to good use. With drink refill stations located only on the pool deck (and the cups provided not very portable), it’s easy to get dehydrated. Plus, trekking up to refill water after bedtime is a pain! If your kids like water by their beds at night, fill up their bottles before bedtime to ensure everyone has enough until morning.

Cash for tipping. Once onboard a Disney cruise ship, you virtually won’t need any method of pay except your Key to the World card (in fact, good luck even trying to use anything else). The only exception: the cash you’ll want on-hand to tip bell services and bus drivers pre- and post-cruise, and the tip you’ll give to your servers and stateroom staff on the final day of your cruise. While you can ask that these tips be automatically included as a stateroom charge, you’ll want cash-in-hand if you’d rather decide on the tip amount yourself.

Sweaters or sweatshirts. Don’t skip this on your Disney cruise checklist! While irritatingly bulky in our luggage, we were glad we had sweatshirts during our 4-day cruise to the Bahamas. While the temperature was comfortable most of the time, morning and evenings on deck can get windy. And of course, nice weather is never guaranteed (even by Disney).

Autograph books. If you have children who will want to get autographs from Disney characters, they’ll be in heaven: characters abound on a Disney cruise, and long wait times are the exception rather than the norm. We were so glad we remembered to pack our seven-year-old’s autograph book (and carted it everywhere we went on the ship, as most our sightings were impromptu).

Sneakers for exercise and the sports deck. Even if you don’t anticipate working out on the ship, your kids will! Mine spent hours on the sports deck, playing basketball and miniature golf, and though I expected this, I didn’t anticipate their newly discovered love of shuffleboard and the running track. While we spent 90% of our time in sandals and flip-flops, we were glad we’d packed the sneakers.

Up next, five items we DIDN’T need! Click on the button below to continue!

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First time cruising with children

May 19, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

While a lot of people absolutely love going on a vacation, especially on those nice private charters where everything is taken care of for you, and all you have to do is enjoy, planning things out is definitely a challenge. And if you also have children you intend on taking along with you, that challenge is a lot more difficult, especially with small children. They make things a lot more complicated and you need to know how to deal with all the hustle that comes when traveling with family.

First time cruising guide:

With that in mind, going out on a cruise with your children and making the most of it isn’t all that far-fetched. All you have to do is consider a couple of things when planning, and you should be set for a beautiful cruise with your kids.

Set Some Ground Rules

When children go out on their first cruise, you’ll find that almost everything is new. And their desire to explore and have fun every minute is something you’ll need to deal with because they can get in trouble very quickly if they do that out on the water, or in a city, they’ve never been to.

If you want to make sure that doesn’t happen, it’s important that you set ground rules your kids need to respect, and by all means, do this before you embark on the cruise. Cruise ships do come with their own rules and etiquette, which you’ll need to introduce your kids to, and you should make sure you explain that they should absolutely stick to the rules.

Both you and your kids head out with a single goal – to enjoy your cruise and have fun while exploring new destinations. If you set reasonable expectations for them (and for yourself), you’re already halfway there.

Go for a Small Ship Cruise

When your kids see all the things they can do on a large cruise ship, from pools to theme parks, it’s understandable that they’ll want to go there. However, there are multiple reasons why a small ship is a better idea, and that’s in addition to the obvious advantages of small ship cruising.

The first reason is the fact that you have an almost one-to-one ratio of staff to guests. If you or your children need something at any point, chances are you’ll get a staff member available to assist you within a couple of minutes. This is a seriously underrated advantage of a small ship.

But the second, and arguably a lot more important reason when you’re cruising with children, is the fact that you can keep your kids in check much easier on a small ship. It’s almost impossible for them to get lost, and even if something does happen, there’s plenty of available staff to help. And best of all, wherever you are on the ship, your kids are well within walking distance and you’ll be able to get to them within minutes.

If you want to make sure your kids enjoy the small ship cruise and don’t feel like they’re missing out, a good idea would be to include them in the planning stage of the cruise. Show them the options you’re considering, and ask them what their wishes and preferences are. You can make a family bonding activity out of this, and children tend to act a lot better if they know their wishes are being listened to.

Be Selective With Excursions

A cruise will give you a couple of options when it comes to shore excursions, and you should aim to go for ones that are kid-friendly if you want everyone to have fun. It’s a good idea to involve your kids in the planning stage, as they’ll be able to tell you what they like and dislike, and you’ll pick something everyone enjoys.

For example, going on a ride with ATVs isn’t the most family-friendly activity. On the other hand, visiting a wildlife reserve that’s full of exotic animals will make your children’s jaws drop, and they’ll remember the experience for years to come.

Here’s a tip that might come in handy – do the excursions planning as early as possible. Some of the excursions on cruise ships might come with limited availability, and the earlier you book, the better your chances of something you like being available.

Choose the Right Rooms

Last but not least, a family trip is a lot better if you choose the right room. While some small cruise ships offer large staterooms that fit an entire family, even if this isn’t the case, you’ll probably be able to get two adjacent rooms and still have your children close.

A thing to note here is that you should make sure you let the staff know about this well in advance, so they can consider it when they’re planning things for the cruise. That rule that says “the earlier you book, the better”, definitely applies here.

Aboard a small ship cruise: Day by day with Alaskan Dream Cruises

July 1, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

When I told friends and family we’d be experiencing SE Alaska on a cruise ship, the image that came to everyone’s mind included a huge ocean liner, busy ports of call, fancy restaurants, kids clubs, and maybe a climbing wall. After all, kids don’t go on those intimate small ship cruises you read about, right? Wrong! (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?) Small ship cruise options are more accessible to families with Alaskan Dream Cruises family cruise itineraries.

Why book a small ship?

Small cruise ships can go where the mega ships cannot, offer a more personal travel experience, afford families with hands-on learning and intimate ports-of-call, and include educational and cultural experts to enrich the travel experience. The cruise industry defines small ship cruising as 150 passengers or less; our Alaskan Dream cruise carried a whopping 28. Itineraries are more flexible, excursions are more in-depth, and service is more personal. A small ship cruise is also more expensive, and we know families need all the information they can gather before making such an investment. In this first of a three-part series, we offer our day-by-day Alaskan Dream Cruise experience, to help you decide if small ship cruising is for you.

An overview: nine days on the Baranof Dream in three minutes:

Day 1: Sitka to embarkation

An Alaskan Dream Cruise starts before your family boards one of their three cruise vessels. We arrived in Sitka, Alaska the day prior to our sailing, and were met at the airport by an Alaskan Dream representative. She quickly tagged all our luggage, loaded us into a van, and drove us to our hotel for the night, the Totem Square Inn. We explored the town during the evening on our own before bedtime.

The first morning of our cruise, we met our Expedition Leader Emily and our fellow passengers for a morning of Sitka sightseeing. (Our tagged luggage went directly to the ship, and we held onto only our day luggage.) Together, we toured Sitka, seeing the Alaska Raptor Center, Sitka Sound Science Center, and Sitka National Historic Park. This was a good way to get to know the other families (six families in total, with members ranging from grandparents to children; the young people ranged in age between 6-19).

At lunchtime, we boarded an Allen Marine Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest vessel (Alaska native-owned Allen Marine is a sister company of Alaskan Dream Cruises) for a tour of Sitka Sound and a rendezvous with our home for the next nine days, the Baranof Dream.

One of the most exciting moments of our cruise arrived when our Allen Marine vessel turned a corner around a small island in beautiful Sitka Sound to the sight of the Baranof Dream waiting for us. We boarded at sea, and explored our 144-foot ship. The Baranof Dream has 25 cabins, but only a handful were in use for our family cruise itinerary (passengers are generally capped at 30 during family cruises). With 28 guests onboard, we found the common spaces (such as the dining room, lounge, and sun deck) to be comfortable and never crowded.

Cabins sleep 2-3 people, depending on the type, so our family of five had two. Kids cannot occupy a cabin alone (none are connecting) so we slept three of us in the more spacious Lydonia cabin and two in a standard cabin. While cozy, Baranof Dream cabins have adequate storage space as long as you put things away after using them and assign everything a space. We met our crew and experienced our orientation to the Baranof after embarking, and learned more about our course through SE Alaska thanks to a GPS-enabled interactive map always on screen in the lounge.

Our first meal set our expectations high (they were never disappointed). All meals (and wine or beer with dinner) are included in your cost, and the dining room is casual and friendly. Kids can order off the adult menu, which always offers three choices for a main course, or the kids’ menu (with both the adult offerings and staples such as burgers, hot dogs, and excellent mac and cheese). In addition to three meals per day, ample snacks, appetizers, and drinks are offered in the lounge.

We learned to go to bed our first night with the sun still trying to set (sunset is after 11 pm) but it wasn’t hard; we were all exhausted after our first day!

Day 2: Juneau

We awoke to the Baranof Dream cruising into Juneau, Alaska, where the mega cruise ships dwarfed our small vessel. Our itinerary of a Mendenhall Glacier tour followed by time exploring the city included a last-minute surprise (not unusual on small ship cruises): we’d also be visiting a sled dog and mushers’ camp. All transportation was provided to us: we took a guided bus ride to Mendenhall Glacier, where we hiked to Nugget Falls, then were issued tickets to the Mt. Roberts Tramway in Juneau. We found the tram to be overrated, but enjoyed the excellent views and ample hiking at the top of Mt. Roberts. We enjoyed vouchers for lunch at a restaurant of our choice (we opted to watch the float planes land from The Hanger), then made our way through touristy downtown Juneau to meet our bus to Sled Dog Discovery and Mushers Camp.

We spent the better part of two hours in this beautiful camp in the Tongass National Forest, where we met sled dogs, learned about their training, and held Alaskan sled dog puppies. On every Alaskan Dream cruise are both scientific and cultural expedition leaders who spend every day with you; ours, naturalist Emily and Tlingit Alaskan Native Howard (Koo Hook) were accompanied by two youth expedition leaders, Jess and Sophia, as well. Throughout the day, they offered guidance, friendship, and knowledge.

Days on the Baranof Dream usually end with a post-dinner presentation by the expedition leaders to help us prepare for the day ahead; in this case, it ended with a special treat. Forty-five minutes after departing Juneau, we docked at a private day lodge, Orca Point Lodge, for a king crab dinner. The kids explored the rocky beach with their youth expedition leaders and learned about the intertidal zone at a touch tank, and the adults enjoyed getting to know each other better over wine and beer and gorgeous views. We loved seeing the kids try new foods at dinner, and afterward, everyone enjoyed a beach bonfire.

Day 3: Hobart Bay

Hobart Bay is a private section of Alaskan Native-owned shoreline only native-owned Alaskan Dream Cruises can access. On the itinerary: playtime! Following breakfast, each family was issued a schedule, rotating through kayaking, Zego-riding (a Zego is a personal motorized watercraft), and RTV-riding. Kayaking offered a peaceful escape onto the water, where we shared the space with a Stellar sea lion, salmon, and sea birds, and the RTVs (though too noisy for my taste) took us on a fun adventure along logging roads to view black bears and pick berries. The kids loved the Zegos best, which they could drive as we zipped around the many narrow passage-ways surrounding Hobart Bay.

In the late afternoon, crew and passengers alike gathered to participate in (or watch) the ‘Killer Whale Club’ initiation, which involved a leap into the 38 degree water of the bay. Between events, we enjoyed a BBQ lunch, and after dinner, we sat around a second bonfire with s’mores. The bartender, John, made friends with the kids onboard by making smoothies with the berries they picked, and the pastry chef, Lemmick, followed suit with a muffin-making class. During free time on the Baranof Dream, anyone can access the bridge to talk with the captain, Stu, and his crew; our boys especially loved learning to tie knots from crew member Hank.

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What’s included on a Disney cruise (and what you’ll pay extra for)

April 12, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Before our first Disney Cruise Line experience on the Disney Fantasy, I had no idea what to expect. What I learned: it’s important to know what’s included on a Disney cruise, and what you’ll pay more for.

What’s always included in a Disney Line Cruise:

1. All meals, from you embarkation lunch to your departure breakfast. Remember, there’s no additional charge for ordering extra appetizers or desserts, kids ordering off the adult menus, or room service! (Stay tuned on the latter, however: there are exceptions.)

2. Deck 11 fun. This includes all pools, water slides, splash play areas, miniature golf, basketball, hot tubs, shuffleboard, and ping-pong.

3. Fitness center: While spa treatments on a Disney cruise will set you back, the fitness center is included, and provides a nice environment for exercise, including stretching and yoga space. I really enjoyed running the treadmill in front of the bay of windows overlooking the sea.

4. Soda, coffee, iced tea, and water. An industry first, Disney Cruise Line offers unlimited soda refills in their drink station, as well as coffee, tea, and water. We didn’t feel the need to buy bottled water at all; just bring a refillable water bottle and keep it filled!

5. Castaway Cay. Disembarking and enjoying the beaches, trails, water slides, play areas, Scuttle’s Cove child care, and Cookies 2 BBQ is free at Castaway Cay. (There is a long list of things you’ll pay extra for, however. See below!)

6. Kids’ clubs. All kids’ clubs facilities, with the exception of It’s a Small World Nursery, are included in the cost of your cruise. This refers to: Oceaneer’s Club, Oceaneer’s Lab, Edge, and Vibe. All food and drink served in the clubs comes included as well, with the exception of the make-your-own smoothies bar in Vibe.

7. Onboard entertainment. All evening Broadway style shows, deck parties, poolside movies, and first-run movies in the onboard movie theater come included in the cost of your cruise. (Movie concession snacks, however, have a charge.)

Up next, what you’ll pay extra for on a Disney cruise! Click on the button below to continue!

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Disney Fantasy photos: Three days at sea and Castaway Cay

April 1, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Preparing for your Disney cruise? Enjoy Disney Fantasy photos!

Embarking upon the Disney Fantasy:

Pools and deck spaces on the Disney Fantasy:

Disney Fantasy Oceaneer’s Club and Lab, and tween Edge Club:

Castaway Cay:

Disney Fantasy at night:

(A small sample of) Disney Fantasy character sightings:

Disney Fantasy deluxe family stateroom:

Small ship cruising: you CAN expedition travel with kids

December 2, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The following is Part 2 in a two-part series on small ship cruising with AdventureSmith Expeditions’ founder Todd Smith.

Last week, I asked AdventureSmith Expeditions founder Todd Smith to explain the philosophy of small ship cruising, reinforcing my belief that a lasting travel impact is made through personal, intimate experiences with the culture and environs of a destination. But is small ship cruising practical for families with children? The short answer? Yes! AdventureSmith offers dozens of cruises specifically geared to families. For the long answer, including a detailed description of a typical day aboard a small cruise ship with kids, read on!

Pit Stops for Kids: You’re a father yourself: what itinerary do you most recommend for families?

Todd Smith: It really depends on the destination. I like trips that are close to home, choosing destinations in North America to minimize flying time and jet lag for younger travelers. Our five top family destinations are Costa Rica (December-August), Galapagos (year-round), Alaska (May-September), Baja (November-April), and Hawaii (November-April). It is also important to focus on a cruise that has dedicated family departures. Family departures offer specialized programs and meals that are suited for younger travelers and offer the advantage of traveling with other families with kids of similar ages. A few of my favorites for 2012 include departures to the Galapagos aboard the National Geographic Endeavour, Alaska’s Eastern Coves, and Baja, aboard the 22-passenger Safari Quest. Of note: all of these itineraries and more offer significant discounts to child passengers.

PSFK: What can AdventureSmith offer families with babies and toddlers? Or are they better off waiting a few more years?

TS: Some small ships will allow babies and toddlers on board, however we recommend travelers wait until their children are six years old before booking small ship cruises. Small children may or may not be able to participate in off-vessel activities and there are no babysitting facilities to watch kids while parents are away. As an alternative, charters are a great option for families with toddlers and babies. You’ll have a boatload of family to help watch kids and you will not upset any other guests!

PSFK: Paint me a picture of a typical vacation day aboard an AdventureSmith ship. Is there such a thing?

TS: There is a lot of variety, depending on the ship and destination. However, a typical day might transpire as follows: wake up to the announcement from a naturalist that wildlife has been spotted on shore. As the ship slows down to observe, you wake the kids, grab a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and head to the observation deck where early risers and naturalists have gathered to watch the animals. After some time spent observing wildlife, it is announced that breakfast will begin soon.

Return to your cabin to prepare for the day before enjoying a hearty breakfast. Toward the end of breakfast, the naturalists appear again to review the day’s itinerary and activities. They announce a kayaking and/or hiking activity to begin shortly. The ship anchors in a quite cove and travelers begin the morning off-vessel naturalist guided activities.

Mom and son may choose the hiking trip with an exploration of nearby forest and tide pools, while dad and daughter take a guided kayak excursion in search of wildlife. For travelers (grandparents perhaps) not interested in the more active hiking and kayaking options, small craft zodiac excursions are offered. As you return to the ship from morning activities, you are greeted by a smiling crew member with a hot beverage (or in warm destinations, a cool beverage).

Once all groups are back on board the ship pulls anchor and begins cruising. Enjoy a bit of down time to relax, engage with naturalists about your morning activity, or enjoy cruising from the observation deck. The naturalists may offer a impromptu lecture on-board to exchange experiences from the morning activities with an emphasis on getting the kids involved in what they are learning. Lunch is served. After lunch enjoy time cruising and looking for wildlife. This is a great time of families to visit the wheelhouse to speak with the captain, and learn about navigation and the equipment used to steer the ship to its next destination.

Mid-afternoon, the ship reaches another anchorage and afternoon off-vessel activities begin. This afternoon’s paddle excursion is pleasantly interrupted by a crew member delivering fresh baked cookies by zodiac (kids love this). Return to the ship for happy hour and appetizers as the ship again pulls anchor and begins cruising. Before or after dinner, the naturalists invite families to the lounge for a slide presentation, discussion, or game highlighting local culture, wildlife conservation issues, or other interesting topics. Dinner can be a more elegant affair with several choices (always one vegetarian choice and family trips offer kid friendly choices) highlighting local and international fare.

After dinner and desert, the naturalists offer an overview of tomorrow’s itinerary and activities. Relax in the library, play a game with the kids, or stay on deck watching the stars. Get a good night’s sleep in your private cabin as the ship cruises to a new location to do it all over again tomorrow.

Small ship cruising: a travel philosophy that holds water

November 28, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The following is the first in a two-part interview with AdventureSmith Explorations founder and president Todd Smith.

In the past decade, cruising has morphed from a dowdy vacation your grandparents took to one of the most popular family options on the travel market. It’s not hard to see the appeal: the ease, all-inclusiveness, and high entertainment value of cruising makes it a tempting choice for families. As founding editor of Pit Stops for Kids, I’ve long said that no type of travel is the wrong type of travel: whatever your family enjoys, the key is to get out there and experience it. However, how you experience it can make all the difference in the world. What most cruising operations offer in fun, they can lack in the ability to provide intimacy with the destination, environment, or culture you traveled to see.

For travel to have its greatest positive impact, access matters, which is why I love the travel philosophy that drives AdventureSmith Explorations, a small ship cruising operation doing big things for family travel. Recently, I was fortunate enough to bend the ear of Todd Smith, AdventureSmith founder and president, to learn more about what makes small ship cruising different than the mega-ship industry standard.

Pit Stops for Kids: You’ve called AdventureSmith the ‘anti-cruising’ option. Tell me about the travel philosophy behind that.

Todd Smith: I have found that standard big ship cruises tend to focus inward, on what is aboard the ship. Large ship cruises boast waterslides, climbing walls, miniature golf, midnight buffets, broadway style entertainment, shopping malls and more. The destination tends to be of secondary importance. Our style of small ship and expedition cruising is the opposite. Our primary focus is outward, on the destination outside the ship. Of course, travelers can expect comfortable cabins, delicious cuisine and a wide range of on board amenities, but most travelers choose a small ship because they want to intimately engage with the destination in an up close and personal way, away from tourist crowds. Cruises aboard small ships offer parents, grandparents, and kids opportunities to experience authentic nature and culture not easily found on other types of tours, in a safe, comfortable and casual environment, as detailed in my blog post comparing big ships, small ships and yacht cruises.

PSFK: AdventureSmith itineraries are highly unique. How would you define ‘adventure cruising’?

TS: The hallmark of adventure cruising is the ability to get off the ship, away from port. This in turn limits the number of travelers. In my experience working aboard small ships for many years, it becomes logistically difficult to achieve effective off-vessel activities on ships with over 150 travelers.

PSFK: Tell me about the various excursions offered on AdventureSmith cruises. How can I ensure I’m selecting off-ship adventures that will be age-appropriate for my kids?

TS: Excursions and activity levels can vary widely by trip. Depending on the region, off-vessel activities may include walking/hiking, kayaking, snorkeling/Scuba diving, paddle boarding, small craft/zodiac excursions, helicopter flightseeing, photography excursions, horseback riding, trekking, cave exploration, overnight camping, dog sledding, and more. Since activities also vary for travelers with kids, the following are my suggestions for various age levels:

For kids under six, I recommend sticking to easy activities where mom and dad can handle restless youngsters for a short period of time. Easy walks, short zodiac or glass bottom boat excursions, and city tours top the list. These activities are also great for older grandparents who are not as agile as they used to be.

For six to eight-year-olds, I recommend the above activities plus longer walks, easy kayaking, swimming, fishing, and photography. Kids this age love to explore the world in a physical way. Don’t be afraid to get them off the boat to experience surroundings up close! Stick to shorter duration (one or two hour) excursions.

8-12-year-olds can endure longer excursions (1-3 hours) featuring the above activities, plus snorkeling, paddle boarding, horseback riding, cave explorations, and even overnight camping. Kids this age become the best friend of naturalist guides. Let them be in front of the group, asking questions and engaging with the trip leaders and other travelers!

Kids over 12 years old are suitable for almost all activities offered aboard small ship cruises, depending on maturity and ability. Let them challenge themselves and they will become confident explorers. Ask them to keep a journal or blog of their experiences to share with classmates or family at home. Buy them guidebooks and identification guides to learn about what they are seeing. Encourage them to learn a few phrases of the local language and set out to engage with locals.

Most small ship cruises offer a variety of activity levels. Our specialty in the small ship cruise marketplace is to match travelers with cruises that fit their interests, ability, and budget. A benefit of AdventureSmith is the ability to speak with an expert who has been on-board and can compare one ship or trip versus another to help match you with your desired activity level.

PSFK: I have active, school-aged kids. One of the draws of mega-cruise ships for families is the abundance of on-ship activities and programs. How does an AdventureSmith ship or yacht compare?

TS: Small ships are quite different in that they don’t have as many on ship activities and diversions. However, this style of travel inherently brings families together through shared experiences in which they learn about the destination, grow personally, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Large ships offer distractions such as supervised play areas, rock climbing walls, and miniature golf that keep the kids occupied, but ultimately separate families. Small ships are inherently designed to bring families together in a safe, comfortable setting.

PSFK: Tell me about the eco-benefits to small ship cruising.

TS: Small ship cruises are eco-friendly for a number of reasons. A small ship is a closed system and inherently low impact. Impacts of on-board consumption (food, hotel supplies etc.) and off-vessel discharge (recycled material, food waste, sewage etc) are generally limited to population areas which can handle this additional infrastructure (but are not overwhelmed by it). Small ships primarily cruise close to shore and are not allowed to discharge waste into the ocean (in most locations), a common practice aboard big ships. Limited on-board space forces small ship crews to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible.

Small ships are often locally owned and operated, keeping passenger payments in the local economy. Local food vendors, fuel suppliers, restaurants, hotels, and transportation services are all used in conjunction with small ship cruises, and small ships often hire local guides and crew, again supporting local economies, and often providing seafaring cultures an alternative to resource extractive industries.

And of course, taking guests ashore in pristine wilderness or among authentic cultures creates a connection between the traveler and the place. Once that connection is established stewardship often follows. We hope that through our trips and conservation programs, travelers will become engaged with conservation and humanitarian issues in the destinations they visit, and in their local community when they return home.