We did this for my daughter's 12th birthday but had kids from age 4 and up in attendance. First all the guests were sent boarding passes as invitations.
I just made up a ticket that looked like an airline ticket but the title across stated Admit One. Good for one Cruise Around the World Under that I had it listed as leaving Port of birthday child's name Dock address was listed as the address where party was held and docking times (party start-end). I had folding chairs set up sort of in a V shape 2 chairs on each side with roping (crepe paper tied to stakes) outlining the boat. I wore a captain's hat that I found cheap at a party store. When the guests arrived they were escorted onto the boat by attendees (other adults at the party that volunteered) and given a bon voyage bag. Each bag had a pair of sunglasses (bought at the dollar store 5 glasses for $1), passport (found a picture of the outside of a passport and photocopied it on to a cardstock material and folded the passport so it resembled a book), a bottle of confetti that pops open when you pull the string (also bought at the dollar store). When all the guests were seated the captain boards the ship announces we are ready to sail and instructs the ship guests to pull out there confetti bottles and spray the confetti at the friends wishing them bon voyage (Parents that stayed for the party and older family members) I picked 5 countries to sail to. I had all the kids put on their sunglasses because it was a sunny sail to Great Britain. Once we arrived I read them a letter from Sherlock Holmes asking them to help with a robbery that had occurred. Each child was given a treasure map that led them to different areas of the yard to discover the stolen treasure. Once they found the treasure (bags of candy and little bottles of bubbles or toys all from the dollar store) they boarded the boat where I stamped there passports. The stamps were pictures that copied from the internet and reduced to a small size. Great Britain's stamp was a picture of Big Ben that I took a glue stick to the back and pressed onto their passport. We also traveled to Italy where they dined on pizza rolls (Italy known for inventing pizza), France where they received wine (grape soda), Mexico where they received chocolate cake, and back to the US where they received ice cream. (party was held in July which is national ice cream month in US) Each country they received a picture stamp of something famous from that country. I also slid in a few history tidbits as we traveled. Occasionally I squirted a water gun over their heads letting them know it was mist from the ocean! When they left the kids were excited about their trip and couldn't wait for next year's party! This one is great because it took really no time other than to decide what countries to use and small activities to go with the countries.
