Costa Cruises’ Will Let Your Child Be ‘Captain for a Day’

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. Aug. 26, 2015 – What kid wouldn’t want a chance to captain a cruise ship? Costa Cruises is making junior cruisers’ dreams come true with the new “Captain for a Day” experience on Costa Diadema and Costa Fascinosa. Kids can see what life is like at the helm on a daylong adventure that begins with donning their captain’s stripes and ends with dinner with the Captain at the Captain’s Table in the Main Dining Room. (Something most adult passengers would envy!)

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Kids that participate in the program will receive a captain’s uniform for the day to wear during their captain’s training. They’ll learn the ins-and-outs of the ship, nautical terms and navigation. Kids will receive their own map and compass. Additional training will include signal flag communication. They’ll learn each flag’s meaning, how to spell their names, and how to leave secret messages with the flags. They’ll also learn how weather affects the behavior of the sea and have a chance to broadcast the day’s weather forecast on the ship’s in-cabin television network.

“Kids get excited when they see the captain and officers walking around our ships and many say they may want to be a cruise ship captain when they grow up,” said Scott Knutson, vice president, sales and marketing, for Costa Cruises North America. “With the Captain for a Day program they’ll get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the role the master fulfills onboard, learn a few tricks of the trade and enjoy an experience unlike anything else they’ve ever done while at sea.”

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The Captain for a Day program, which can be booked onboard, offers three levels:

The Aspirante Comandante (Captain Trainee) package includes a uniform to wear for the day, the full captain’s training and dinner at the captain’s table in the main dining room with other participants. After dinner, the junior captains graduate and receive a diploma with two 8-by-11 photos to remember their experience. The Captain Trainee package costs 49.99 Euros (Approx. $59.00 USD) and 29.99 Euros (Approx. $33.55 USD) for each additional child from the same family.

The Comandante (Captain) package includes all of the perks of Aspirante Comandante, as well as a captain’s hat autographed by the ship’s master for the trainee to keep. Comandantes additionally receive two 11-by-17 photos. The Comandante package is 79.99 Euros (Approx. $89.50 USD) for the first participant and 49.99 Euros (Approx. $59.00 USD) for each additional child from the same family.

With the Comandante Superiore (Senior Captain) package, trainees get to keep their uniform, including an autographed captain’s hat, in addition to all of the Aspirante Comandante and Comandante perks. The Senior Captain package costs 124.99 Euros (Approx. $140.00 USD) and 59.99 Euros (Approx. $67.10 USD) for each additional child from the same family.

The Captain for a Day program complements Costa’s Princess for a Day program which began in November 2014. Princess for a Day program treats junior cruisers to a day of beauty. They have their hair, nails and make-up done. After their salon treatment they are dressed like a princess, with a gorgeous dress, a crown and a wand. Once they are dressed like a princess they attend a Princess Tea Party and participate in a Princess Parade around the ship.

Liam Cusack

Liam P. Cusack is the Managing Editor of Cruise & Travel Report (www.cruiseandtravelreport.com), a publication dedicated to providing travelers the same news that industry insiders receive. A self-described “travel nerd”, Liam is an Ocean Liner and Cruise Industry historian who has traveled to more than 60 countries, every US state and sailed on more than 60 cruises. After nearly two decades as an award-winning political journalist and investigative reporter at a major NYC daily newspaper, he decided to dedicate his career to helping avid travelers, like himself, be more well-informed. With Cruise & Travel Report, Liam strives to provide news and tips to make every vacation a dream vacation.