Bring the family . . . and let the fun begin
HeRe i am shooting clowns as if my life depends on it. Scary, demented clowns pop up in the most unexpected places: on a roller coaster, in a dodgem car, behind a carousel.
My heart is racing and the boy next to me is screaming his lungs out. Minutes later, he’s back in the queue for another round.
we’re in the interactive XD cinema on palatial cruise ship MSC Seaview, and having a ball. it’s day two and my partner’s son Oliver, 12, hasn’t looked at the games on his phone, or the ‘rectangular child minder’ as his dad likes to call it. he hasn’t even realised it’s locked in the room safe.
Accommodating over 5,000 passengers, MSC Seaview was built for warm climates, and the Mediterranean itinerary which David, Oliver and i are on sails to italy, France and Spain.
‘it’s ginormous, the coolest thing ever!’ Oliver had exclaimed when we arrived at our floating home for the week, docked at Genoa cruise terminal.
Our shipmates are noticeably younger than on many other cruises and in true european style, they also stay up later.
Families, couples and multigenerational groups from the UK, europe, the U.S., Canada and Australia are on board lapping up the excellent facilities, including a multi-storey aqua park, four pools, ten dining venues and five water slides. Built to bring guests closer to the sea than ever before, the style is Miami beach condo and we love the glass panoramic lift that sweeps you from the sunset pool on deck seven to the main pool on deck 16, Swarovski crystal staircases and the ‘Bridge of Sighs’ glass walkway that’s positioned 131ft (40m) above the ocean. Out and about, it’s clear that deck 16 is the place to be: activities range from daytime dance classes for all the family (and presented in four different languages) to kids’ parties under the stars. There’s a real family atmosphere on the ship. There are five dedicated kids’ clubs catering for tots to teens. Young Club (for 12 to 14-year-olds) activities include tech challenges, discos and bowling in the full-size alley, and it’s easy to sign up once on board. if you’re worried about them getting lost, tracking wristband devices are given free to guests staying in Aurea premium accommodation and the Yacht Club.
Oliver makes friends quickly and is soon asking to escape the dinner table each evening so he can hang out with his new buddies.
we are staying in a veranda stateroom with a double bed and a large sofa bed for Oliver — and taking young ones on a cruise needn’t bust your holiday budget, as children up to the age of 18 who share a cabin with their parents on Seaview travel free of charge.
when we aren’t ashore strolling along the Cannes’ Croisette or nibbling €2 cones of salty jamon at Barcelona’s Santa Caterina Market, we’re working our way through the ship’s excellent Marketplace buffet.
But it’s the adrenaline-fuelled thrills that lure us repeatedly to the entertainment area — we all love the interactive cinema, while Oliver and David enjoy flexing their skills in the F1 simulator.
After a session destroying werewolves with his Canadian friend Russell in the cinema on the last night, it’s with some reluctance that we drag Oliver to bed.
‘i don’t want to go home,’ he declares. we have to agree.