Nothing compares to the ease and value of a family cruise vacation. For one price you get great (and many) meals, have the opportunity to participate in exciting shipboard activities, and get to enjoy quality entertainment. To parents, fancy dinners, late night shows and reading by the pool are just the ticket for recharging stressed bodies. But kids have more fun playing games, doing scavenger hunts, and going down waterslides. The good news is that all of these activities take place on a cruise.  On this vacation, you'll experience stress-free days without cell phones, traffic jams, valet parking and rushed lunch hours. Best of all, you will visit several destinations without having to pack and unpack.  So if your last family vacation resembled a scene from a National Lampoon movie, it might be time to try cruising!

KIDS’ FUN

Water slides, magic shows, pizza parties, scavenger hunts, karaoke, kids-only shore excursions, and disco parties. Who said parents get to have all the fun on a cruise?  From playrooms to Disco rooms, and waterslides to skating rinks, there is an abundance of activities to spark the interest of your little cruiser. In addition, most cruise lines offer private and group babysitting options from around 9 a.m. until the wee hours of the morning. They also provide age-specific, organized programs run by trained professionals. Although there are slight variations by cruise line, age categories for organized programs are generally geared to 3-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 13-17 year olds. 

Depending on age, you may have breakfast with your kids and not see them again until dinnertime (bring walkie-talkies to keep in touch with each other if your group splits up)

!  So before you book your cruise, consider the age of your child(ren) and make sure the cruise line you’ve selected offers programs that will match your family’s needs.  Here are some examples of cool kids’ programs:

Carnival
Carnival Cruise Lines' award-winning children's program is called Camp Carnival. Available year-round, the program provides elaborate facilities, age-specific programs/activities, youth playrooms with computers, children's water slides and wading pools, as well as special dining menus. The Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise house is a 2,500 square-foot children's world giving them the largest children's facilities in the Carnival fleet. Divided into three sections, the facilities offer educational computer labs and computer games, an arts and crafts section, and an indoor play area complete with a climbing maze and video wall where kids can watch movies, music videos, and cartoons. An outdoor play area has a schooner-shaped playhouse and wading pool for toddlers. The Carnival Spirit, Pride, Legend, and Miracle also offer Real Virtuality - a high-tech, game room housing video and arcade games.

Disney
Disney Cruise Line has some of the most extensive children's facilities at sea. Both Disney Magic and Disney Wonder offer an elaborate Walt Disney Theater that resembles a plush, Broadway house. Buena Vista Cinema features Disney flicks. Studio Sea is styled like a television sound stage and offers a forum for G-rated floor shows. These ships also offer a children's program called Oceaneer Adventure for children aged 3-17 and a nursery facility, Flounder's Reef, for children age three and under. All onboard programs are organized and run by caring youth counselors and have both scheduled and surprise visits by Disney characters every day.

Princess
Princess Kids, Princess Cruise's fleet-wide, youth program provides age-specific activities for children aged 3-17 years. The program is divided into three categories: Princess Pelicans (3-7), Princess Pirateers (8-12), and Off Limits (13-17). Princess partners with the California Science Center and uses National Wildlife Federation educational materials on wildlife and conservation with the children. Their Mexican Riviera program includes studies of the stars, ocean, and coral reef as well as building and racing sailboats, marine biology studies, and squid dissection. In Alaska, the Save our Seas environmental program teaches participants about endangered species like white pelicans, manatees, and sea turtles.

Royal Caribbean
Adventure Ocean, Royal Caribbean's kids' program, offers activities in-port, at sea, and in the evening. There are five categories to Adventure Ocean: Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8), Voyagers (9-11), Navigators (12-14), and Guests (15-17). Using edu-tainment, Royal Caribbean blends educational activities, daily itineraries, ports of call, games, individual and team sports, art, performance, and a general good time into a unique, onboard experience for children, teens, and parents. There are kids-only activities as well as those for the whole family. And Royal Caribbean also offers kids a special menu of hamburgers, pizzas, and other kid-friendly meals.

PICKING THE PERFECT PORT

As important as selecting a family-oriented cruise line, is choosing one with an itinerary that will bring you to ports that match your family’s interests.  Destinations that offer plenty of beach time might be best suited for families with younger children.  Those traveling with teens will be looking for more adventure so a port that offers a variety of sports or exciting side-trips may be a better choice for you.  Be aware that some ports, though bountiful in beautiful scenery and fantastic shopping opportunities, will provide little in the way of family entertainment. Your relaxing vacation could quickly turn from magical to miserable in one afternoon when checking out the local sights with your 2-year old in tow.  Know where your ship will cruise to before you sign up.  The following reviews will give you an idea of how destinations can differ:

Nassau, Bahamas

Due to its close proximity to Florida, Nassau tends to be a popular destination for first time Florida cruisers.  Going to the beach, shopping and the surrey ride are the givens for parents with kids. An unusual tourist attraction is Ardastra Gardens and Zoo, one of the strangest sights in tourism: there you can see a flock of 50 trained flamingos following drill commands. The Gardens offer an interesting mix of animals, flora and fauna.  In addition, you can stay entertained with scuba and snorkeling, fishing and boating, para-sailing, windsurfing, and shark diving!

Alaska

A cruise into Alaska enables you to see areas that would be almost impossible to visit by land.  Alaska attracts cruise passengers from May to October, to see its vast and unspoiled landscape of mountains, forests, glaciers and fjords.  Its spectacular scenery and wildlife are the main attractions of the area that covers more than 580,000 miles. The Alaskan cruises offer a very wide range of shore excursions, which most passengers take in order to explore the relative wilderness of the area.  Excursions can include floatplane and helicopter flights over the glacier-filled valleys, flying low enough for passengers to see mountain goats and other wildlife such as bears; and rafting, boating and kayaking excursions. Watch for spectacular wildlife including killer, humpback and minkie whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, bears and bald eagles.

Hawaii

Aloha! Sandy beaches, surfing, volcanoes, jeep tours, golf, horseback riding on the beach, snorkeling, luaus, and so much more can be found in the islands.  This tropical destination offers activities that range from soothing to stimulating.  Each island has its own distinct identity. Around every bend in Hawaii's lush rainforests you'll discover cascading waterfalls and great swimming holes adorned with verdant jungle vegetation and fragrant flowers.  A visit to Hawaii . . .  truly a trip to paradise.

WHERE TO START

Many adventures await you on the high seas.  But before you throw your swimsuit in the suitcase and head out to port, you’ll need to do your homework.  Unless you’re a seasoned cruiser, finding a family cruise takes time.  Making certain to consider everyone’s interests and abilities can make the difference between a taking trip and enjoying a vacation! The Internet is a great place to get loads of information and find plenty of deals.  If you’re more comfortable letting someone else do all the planning, check with a travel agency that specializes in cruises and family travel.  The Travel section of your local newspaper also publishes travel deals and specials (usually in the Sunday paper).  One final resource is fellow cruise enthusiasts.  Getting the scoop from other families can often give you a perspective not provided by travel companies.  Those who have cruised often obviously enjoy it and are usually more than happy to share their vacation highlights (and lowlights) with others. 

TIPS AND TRICKS

Now that you’ve decided on a destination, keep these suggestions in mind when booking your cruise:

If it’s your first time, you may want to start with a short trip to make sure cruising is for you.  Keep in mind that, generally, longer cruises have fewer children.  However, be careful not to book on a “party cruise” designed for the single crowd – these are often shorter.

Be sure the cruise you select offer kid’s programs during your trip – some are seasonal.

Make sure your ship offers pizza/burger buffets for kids in case they opt out of fancy dinners.

Understand cancellation policies in case your child comes down with the flu 2 days before you leave.

Review your cabin options – some ships offer staterooms, adjoining rooms or discounts for additional persons in your cabin.

Additional Cruise Resources:

Find great deals at:

Cruise411

Expedia Cruise Spectacular 2004

Travelocity's Family Vacation Finder

Learn more with these books:

Cruise Advice 101: Expert Advice from the Cruise Doctor

Available at Barnes & Noble

Cruise Vacation for Dummies

Available at Barnes & Noble

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