Our Guidance
We've
made cruising with autism our expertise and we're here to
help
you. Please feel free to
contact us with any
questions or concerns, especially as it relates to autism
and cruising.
Autism Awareness Cruise Staff
Many Cruise Staff members,
especially those in the children's program, have
experience dealing with children that have autism.
Additionally, we will be providing the cruise staff
members, who will be in contact with our group, with autism awareness cards
and awareness training that will contain characteristics of autism, as well as
providing ways in dealing with children and adults
with autism. We will also be working and assisting directly with the
cruise staff during the entire cruise with any issues that
may arise.
Disability Access and Services
(including the ability to bring Service Animals)
Please visit our "Access
on the Seas" web pages for more information.
All of your needs and requests will be coordinated by
us, see our Booking Form for how we gather your
information.
Pre-Cruise Questionnaire
This questionnaire will be sent to our guests to
complete approximately
4-8 weeks prior to their cruise.
It is designed to
collect some general information on each person that
will be traveling with us that has autism. This
information will be used to help us
customize each cruise and the
activities that we provide.
Priority Boarding onto
Ship
We provide our group a separate
"Priority Check-In" line at the port,
for getting on the ship.
Priority
Disembarkation from Ship
We provide our group with separate luggage arrangements
and first group called for getting off the ship.
Group Dining Seating (Early Dining)
We will be able to
guarantee approx the first 250 or so passengers in the
early dining time for dinner (the earlier you book the more likely
you will be guaranteed the early dining time).
Private Dining
You and your family
can dine in a Private Dining Room/Area and will be seated with
your family, friends and other Autism Group Families for
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
You and your family
will also have the SAME Table/Seating, with the
SAME Wait Staff for Breakfast, Lunch and
Dinner.
Other dining venues are
provided as well, as it is your choice to dine where you
please for every meal......
Private Muster Drill Area
We provide our group with an inside air conditioned
lounge, which replaces the traditional standing
side-by-side, outside on deck with hundreds of other
passengers.
Professional Autism Staff
Alumni Cruises has a Autism Group Specialist(s) on
staff in order to provide invaluable insight into the needs
of children and adults with autism. The Autism Group
Specialist(s) will be available to answer any questions as you
prepare for the cruise. See our
Contact page.
The Autism Group Specialist(s) will
coordinate the Private events and will be available to answer any
questions onboard the cruise.
Professional Medical Physicians and Nurses
The medical staff on-board the
ship will have information regarding autism. However, if
your child with autism has any specific medical issues, then
you will need to provide that information when booking your
cruise. It is important to remember to bring all
medications and any other paperwork that the doctor on-board
would need to properly treat your child.
Special
Children's Program Child Grouping
Royal Caribbean's policy is to group children by age in
their children's program, Adventure Ocean.
Our children with autism are allowed to be grouped by their
ability, not their age. A Private Group Meeting with the Adventure
Ocean Management staff is provided for the parents to
register their children (siblings too) and to discuss their
individual child's abilities and situation. Beepers
are provided so parents can be contacted, when their
children with autism are in the Adventure Ocean program.
Special Dietary Accommodations
We will do our best to work with the Cruise
Line in order to meet most if not all the dietary
accommodations of all participants. Special
dietary requests must be made when booking your
reservation, some of which include:
Food allergies
Vegetarian (except vegan/macrobiotic)
Low-fat
Low-sodium
Lactose-free/soy milk
Indian-style vegetarian meals
Kosher
Requests MUST be received 45
days in advance in order to be accommodated.
Kosher
for Passover meals
Requests MUST be received 60
days in advance in order to be accommodated.
Gluten/Cassien Free Diet
Each cruise includes
the following basic GFCF items available at meals:
Bread
French Fries
Chicken Fingers
Pancakes
French Toast
Scrambled Eggs
Grilled Chicken Breast
Steak
Fish
(Cod, Salmon, Tilapia, Lobster, Shrimp, ect),
grilled or broiled
Vegetables
Fruit
Ice Cream
Other items may be
available as well, and special requests are welcome,
once onboard. You are welcome to bring your
own GFCF food and beverages, as long as they are in
an un-opened original packaging/container.
Some items, like pasta, can be brought onboard and
prepared by the ship chef's.
Special Gifts
Various gifts will be given to
everyone. Some of the gifts will include Autism Family
Cruise apparel, game prizes, etc.
Special Potty Training Provisions
The guidelines for individuals with
autism who are not
potty trained are as follows:
If an individual is less than 3 years of age
by the cruise date, then:
- Participation
IS allowed in the Fisher-Price Aqua Babies
and Aqua Tots
Programs. This program requires parents to participate as well.
- Participation IS NOT allowed in the
Adventure Ocean Program. This
program is for individuals 3 years or older.
- Participation IS allowed in the "Autism on
the Seas" activities and
events.
If an individual is more than 3 years of age
by the cruise date, then:
- Participation
MAY BE allowed in the Fisher-Price Aqua
Babies and
Aqua Tots Programs, if the parent feels this is the appropriate grouping
for their child. This program requires parents to participate as
well.
Special restrictions may apply here, please contact Alumni Cruises if
you have any questions.
- Participation IS allowed in the Adventure
Ocean Program. A consent
form must be completed by a parent or guardian, and:
• A pager,
walkie-talkie or ship phone is required to allow the
counselors the ability to
reach a parent if necessary.
• One
Parent or guardian must be present on the ship
whenever
their child is in
the program.
- Participation IS allowed in the "Autism on
the Seas" activities and
events.
Exemption for Dinner Dress Code
People with
Autism have been granted a complete
exemption
to these
guidelines, so they may wear whatever they are most
comfortable wearing, when attending Dinner in the Main
Dining Rooms.
Special Requests and Needs
If you have any other special
requests that would assist your child with autism in having
an extra special vacation, then please specify when booking
or contact us.
Adults with Autism Social
Gatherings
These are
opportunities for our adults to socialize in low key,
quiet areas. These gatherings plan to be a great
get-away from the hustle and bustle of all of the ships
activities.
Autism Group Private
Family Activities
These activities
may include some or all of the following:
Scavenger Hunts, Arts and Crafts, Animal Bingo,
Karaoke, Dancing and more.
Each of these events will be private to our group only,
and will allow the participation of everyone in our
group, including parents, siblings, grandparents and
friends!! Many of these activities include prizes.
Parent's Play Time
Some of our events (parties,
activities, movies) will
give parents an opportunity to enjoy some adult
activities while children are being cared for by staff.
Private Children's Program Family
Activities
Royal Caribbean's policy is to not allow adults to
remain in the Adventure Ocean rooms during activities,
for security purposes. We provide special and
private times within Adventure Ocean, where all of our
family members, including the parents, are able to
participate.
Private Group Party
We'll have parties, some themed
(Mardi Gras, Pirates, ect) that will allow all of our
family members to participate in. These parties will enjoy,
costumes, favors, music,
friendship, and lots of family fun.
Pool (water sensory related)
Activities
We will coordinate
various water related sensory activities in and out of
the pool.
Private Movie Showings
We will be showing
specially selected
Disney animated, non-animated and other movie favorites in a private room just
for our group throughout each cruise.
PRIVATE Ship Venue Entertainment
Sessions
We
provide private
sessions for our entire group (siblings, parents,
friends and family) to participate in many of the ships
entertainment venues, such as:
- The "Rock Wall"
- The "Jump
Zone (bungee trampoline)"
- The "Ice Skating Rink"
- The "Pool
Slide"
- The "Mini-Golf Course"
- The "Night (Disco) Club" for Family Dancing
- Bridge Tours
- Back Stage Theatre Tours
- Piano Sing-Alongs
Some or
all of the above mentioned activities will be provided
depending on ship facilities, cruise itinerary and other
activities.
Sibling Celebrations
Siblings of individuals
with autism will have the opportunity to interact with
other siblings who understand what each other is going
through. There will be special tables designated
for siblings during certain activities that will allow the
siblings to interact with each other in a less formal
setting. The siblings will also have many opportunities
throughout the cruise to share their story with others
that understand and support them.
Teen Social Gatherings
These are
opportunities for our teenagers with autism and siblings
alike, to socialize in and participate in teenager
related activities that are suited for all.
Visit a specific
Group Cruise
for more information
