Cruises for the <i> Whole</i> Family

When American Family Cruises--a cruise line devoted to families--failed this summer at a time when more children than ever are cruising, some industry experts said they weren’t surprised.

“They had an old ship and there’s only so much you can do with an old ship,” said Art Rodney, president of Disney Cruises. “And they didn’t give the adults the experience they expected. Parents still want pampering and all the good stuff.”

Julie Benson of Princess Cruises said that while her line’s ships are full of kids at Christmas, Easter and during the summer, the numbers drop considerably the rest of the year. “The family business is very seasonal,” she said.

“It was too narrow a concept,” agreed Larry Fishkin, president of Cruise Line Inc. of Miami, a major cruise discounter. “There wasn’t enough for adults.”

But does the closure mean there really isn’t a need for cruises dedicated exclusively to families? Perhaps, since cruise companies that are offering kid-friendly experiences in tandem with adult amusements claim to be doing well in a growing market.

In fact, more families than ever are cruising--half a million a year, according to the industry trade group Cruise Lines International Assn., and their numbers are increasing annually. Carnival reports that it’s carrying 86,000 children a year while Premier, with its Looney Toons characters on board for entertainment, boasts that families account for 60% of its business annually. Despite the fact that Premier will in February lease the Majestic--one of its three ships--to a British company, amid reports that Premier is not performing well, company officials claim it is actually looking for a bigger ship to replace the 760-berth Majestic.

“The family business is the fastest-growing segment in the cruise business. Every cruise line is promoting its family business,” said Art Rodney of Disney, which is pouring $350 million into developing a cruise operation--complete with two new 75,000-ton ships--that is scheduled to launch in 1998 with family-size staterooms and combined Disney World and cruise vacations, according to Rodney. (Disney World is now offered in combination with Premier cruises.) The excursions will not be targeted just at families, though. Rodney said he expects the trips to appeal to seniors, honeymooners and other childless cruisers, as well as families with children. “That’s the difference,” Rodney said. “Parents want fun too.”

While industry observers speculate that American Family Cruises went awry because it devoted all its resources to satisfying children without regard for anyone else, Bruce Nierenberg, founder of American Family Cruises, disagrees.

“When you take kids on a trip, the first eight things on everyone’s list are whether the kids are having a good time,” he said. Nierenberg lays blame on lack of support from the parent company, Costa, not on the concept.

Despite the American Family Cruises exit, the market appears competitive with plenty of programs and activities for children.

Among them:

* Premier--On the Big Red Boat kids can meet and party with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety, as well as participate in a range of children’s activities and educational programs designed for children and their parents to enjoy together.

* Carnival--Toddlers can paint their faces and finger paint while 5- to 8-year-olds pig out at pizza parties and 9- to 13-year-olds publish a newspaper distributed throughout the ship. Teens can disco at parties just for them.

* Royal Caribbean--Children design their own costumes to wear in a masquerade parade, show off their talents in a show or compete in table tennis and golf-putting tournaments.

* Norwegian--Kids learn circus routines and how to juggle and later perform for adults. They can visit the captain’s bridge and even have scavenger hunts on NCL’s private island.

* Princess--While all ships offer children’s programs, four have special youth centers with age-appropriate toys and games. The ships are Fair Princess, Star Princess, Golden Princess and Sky Princess.

By shoping carefully you can select the ship that meets your family’s specific needs.

For example, if there’s a baby in the house, Princess would not be a good bet. Children under 2 aren’t permitted on cruises. Norwegian Cruise Lines allow infants to cruise free and guarantees that baby-sitting will be available (at $8 an hour). Premier, which touts its family programs, does not offer baby-sitting for infants (the service is reserved for children 2 or older). Royal Caribbean has baby-sitting for infants, but suggests that parents bring their own portable cribs.

Some ships offer programs for children only during peak periods.

Taking the Kids appears the first and third week of every month.