Kids Program

P&O’s family-friendly cruise ships, Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Ventura and Azura, are packed with lots of exciting features that will definitely tick all your boxes. Each family friendly ship offers dedicated clubs for all ages from morning till late evening. In addition to the clubs a night nursery, children’s tea, discos and activities are all included in your fare!

The P&O Cruises exciting free on-board program for 2 – 17 year olds is called The Reef and is split into four distinct age groups so that the needs and level of play in each group can be met. There are a whole host of exciting activities organized daily by qualified and enthusiastic DBS-checked Reef Rangers, to keep children of all ages entertained safely throughout the day and evening and to ensure that they have the chance to make friends their own age. In addition to The Reef, P&O offers a Night Nurseryfor children aged between 6 months and 4 years.

Opening times for all playrooms are subject to change dependant on the itinerary of the cruise and the seasonal period.Theywillbe clearly advertised and made available on-board.

'Splashers' for 2 – 4 year olds

Ball pool, outdoor play areas and fun activities such as glove puppet shows and creative play all combine to make Splashers a great place for children at that age when they are constantly on the go.

'Surfers' for 5 – 8 year olds

From imaginative play to fun and games and sports challenges, 5-8 year old passengers can be kept endlessly entertained. They can enjoy outdoor play, board games, table top games and active games such as mini Olympics.

'Scubas' for 9 – 12 year olds

With music, consoles and fun game shows there is something for everyone in Scubas. After dark, the fun continues with everything from discos to games and karaoke. P&O also organizes a whole host of arts and crafts and sports sessions, so younger guests will never be short of something to do.

'h2o' for 13 – 17 year olds

The mix of music, interactive games and discos will keep teenage passengers occupied for the whole holiday. For the more active, there is also table tennis, football and much more. Plus, during the school holiday season, P&O runs activities such as sports coaching and talent shows.

The exact age groupings for older children will depend on the number of children travelling on any particular cruise.

Please note that at least one parent or guardian must remain on-board with your child at all times and access to the children’s facilities is on a first come first served basis.

Children's clubs will be open, regardless to the number of children on-board, except if the occasion should arise that there are no children on-board or during staff training.

Children may only participate in the club designated for their age group. It is not possible to join a club for a different age group.

There is no additional charge for the children's clubs.

Who looks after the children?

P&O’s Youth Team, The Reef Rangers, have extensive experience of planning and facilitating activities for 2-17 year olds, as well as having an enhanced DBS check.

Opening Times

The Reef and Night Nursery allows parents to enjoy the evening with the peace of mind the children are having a great time too!

The Reef is open from approximately 9:00am* through to 11:00pm* on sea days with breaks for meal times. Openingtimes for port day mornings may vary depending on the time of year and ship.

The night nursery (6 month - 4 year olds) is open from approximately 6:00pm* through to 2am*

*Please note opening hours are subject to change dependant on the itinerary of the cruise, ship and the seasonal period. They will be clearly advertised and made available on-board, please seeThe Horizon.

Dining

When it comes to dining P&O offers a special early tea (time and location will be confirmed once on-board) with children’s favorites to suit younger tastes. If you prefer, the relaxed, informal buffet is available from early morning to late evening and has a wide selection of dishes, and if you’d rather all dine together in the main restaurant, that’s fine too.

Shore excursions

Optional shore excursions feature everything from treasure-hunts, trips to waterparks and beaches, plus specifically designed adventure trips and family city tours, complete with arranged transport, entrance fees and English speaking guides. All you need to do is turn up and enjoy your time together.

Security

The clubs feature secure entry systems to allow authorized entry. Children 12 years and under are required to be signed in and out their age specific club by their parent or guardian or authorized adult. This means that only pre authorized adults will be able to collect your child/children from the club. Please make sure parents/guardians who are collecting the child have their shipboard ID available for inspection.

Children under the age of 18 may NOT sign out your younger children.

Parents and guardians of all children aged 17 and under must complete a registration form even if your child will not be attending the child/children clubs, to ensure P&O has all the necessary information about your child/children and that you are fully aware of operating procedures. It is recommended that you attend one of the initial registration sessions on embarkation day so your child can be registered from the first session.

Wristbands

Children aged 2-12 will be required to wear a safety wristband. These are made of Polyethylene/Polyester/White Polyethylene. This is to ensure that they can be correctly identified and returned to parents should it be necessary.

Toilet / Potty Trained

The staff on-board can change your child's diaper if you agree to this. P&O requests that you consent to this on the Registration Form which you will be asked to complete as part of the Initial Registration. Please bring a change bag (with spare diapers and wipes) with you each time your child is signed into the facilities.

Children are welcome to use the friendly family pools. Due to public health regulations, children in diapers, swim diapers, pull ups, or who are not completely toilet trained are only permitted to use designated pools.

Infants

Night Nursery

The Night Nursery, available on all family friendly ships for children aged between 6 months and 4 years of age, is open from 6pm to 2am nightly.It’s very popular and spaces are limited, so places are on a first-come, first-served basis. Also for your peace of mind, you’ll receive a pager in case you need to be contacted.

The latest time children may be checked in to the Night Nursery is 11pm. This service is complimentary.

A quiet area is created to enable an infant to sleep and parents are contacted via a pager, should their infant wake. Room temperatures and frequent checks are made and recorded.

A copy of the Sleep Safe policy which is the Carnival UK policy to ensure that safe sleep environments can be maintained to prevent SIDS is on display in the Night Nursery.

Each ship has the following number of beds and cots on-board:

  • Aurora has 8 beds and 6 cots
  • Azura and Ventura's has 6 beds and 8 cots
  • Britannia has 4 beds and 8 cots

P&O does not operate a baby sitting or in cabin listening service, and it is recommended that children 12 years and under must not be left alone in the cabin.

Children under the age of two cannot be signed into the supervised daytime activities; parents/guardians must be present with them at all times, Britannia, Ventura and Azura have rooms which families can use with their under twos during the day (at night these turn into Night Nursery). On Aurora families may use the facilities in the 'Splashers' age group when the rooms are not too busy and both parents/guardians and child need to be signed into the facility as a visitor. Please note visitor places are available on a first come first served basis. Families are also encouraged to participate in any family events taking place - discos, magic shows etc.

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