International Day of Families 2013 is an occasion to celebrate the importance of families to people, societies and cultures around the world, and families and friends across the MSC Cruises fleet will today enjoy a series of special events to mark the occasion.

With a fun-filled “Family Olympic Games” taking place on each ship, parents, grandparents, children and various friends and relatives can create teams and compete in swimming and ping pong competitions, football and basketball tournaments, relay races, table football competitions and many more events designed to thrill and test the skills of each generation.

Teams can be composed of more than one family and will be named after some classic and contemporary favourite families, including the Adams, Griffins, Robinsons, Flintstones and Simpsons.

Kids’ club staff have been busy preparing for today’s events and have created a number of fun activities involving MSC Cruises kids’ club mascot Doremi.

Children and parents can unleash their talents together –whether acting, dancing or sporting – to become the stars of the special Doremi Live Family Edition, before heading to the disco and enjoying the fabulous Doremix Family Edition Disco, with 5 top hit songs selected by children.

The master chef in each family can now prove themselves once and for all in a culinary show-down, as mums and dads compete with their children to create the finest treat with the Doremi Chef “Kids vs. Parents” challenge.

Finally, while mum and dad celebrate the occasion with their favourite cocktail, MSC Cruises will give children a fruit juice or an ice cream, so that the kids can join in the fun for free!

Activities will vary depending on the weather conditions and each ship’s unique facilities.