It looks as though 2017 will be a year of cruising for the Pit Stops for Kids crew, so stay tuned for more picks, but in the meantime, if you’re considering a cruise vacation in the immediate future, and have kids over age 8, consider this one:
Fathom cruise:
Fathom is a division of Carnival Cruise Line, and combines the idea of family camp with volunteerism and cruising. What does this mean? It’s a smaller ship than your standard mega cruise, with about 600 passengers. Cruising families are placed in even smaller groups with an Adventure Leader overseeing them; these groups meet regularly on the ship to get to know each other, learn about the culture of your destination, and plan your volunteer aspect of your cruise.
Sadly, Fathom will no longer be a dedicated cruise line offering in 2017, but, Fathom excursions WILL be continued through Carnival.
So you can still volunteer at your destination. We went to the DR, where we helped women’s co-ops in both a paper recycling business and a chocolate making business. In between these activities, we enjoyed the usual cruising excursions, like snorkeling and beach lounging. We found Fathom to be more affordable than small ship cruises, and more intimate and meaningful than large ship cruises. Win-win! Read more about our experience with Fathom Cruises!
Where we’re going in 2017:
Here are just a few of the destinations we have on the books for 2017. Let us know if you’ve been!
- Panama and Costa Rica with Uncruise
- Belize, Honduras, and Mexico with Royal Caribbean
- Iceland camper van road tripping
Need more inspiration? Read about our best trips of 2015, 2014 and 2013!
