Getaway: Take the kids on a cruise
When families go on a vacation, the kids want to have fun. You as a parent want your kids happily entertained - to like the experience and maybe learn something. And you want to enjoy yourself, too, and hopefully find a little time to relax.
Cruise lines, recognizing all this, have set out to become the perfect family-friendly vacation product.
Ships themselves are increasingly being designed as family playgrounds, with plenty of kid-appealing features.
All the major lines now have kids' programs during the day and into the evening with age-appropriate and fun activities catering to various ages from toddlers to teens.
Kids are no longer an afterthought - in fact the cruise lines realize it's important to make them happy today because they are the cruisers of tomorrow.
Here are my picks of the best cruises for families.
Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas
New, big and active, these 3,634-passenger Royal Caribbean ships are packed with fun stuff to do from onboard wave surfing to ice skating. Young mall rats will feel at home in the expansive indoor promenade with shops and a Ben & Jerry's. There's a shipboard Johnny Rockets too. The Adventure Ocean program for kids ages 3 to 17, offers a plethora of activities for five distinct age groupings including 'tweens and teens, with counselors leading the action from expansive facilities.
The ships cruise in the eastern and western Caribbean on one-week itineraries.
Carnival Liberty and Carnival Freedom
As the big Kahuna of the industry, the "Fun Ship" line is well established in catering to the younger set. On these new 2,974-passenger ships, kids' clubs are equipped with PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles, computer games and candy-making machines for the bigger kids and a soft play area and outdoor wading pool for toddlers. Teens get a hip disco complete with DJ. Activities are offered for four age groups (2-5, 6-8, 9-11 and 12-17). Potty training is not required.
Especially for families with older kids, try the 12-day Mediterranean on Carnival Freedom, an excellent opportunity to introduce the kids to Europe. Or do a week in the eastern or western Caribbean on Carnival Liberty.
Disney Magic and Disney Wonder
It's no surprise that these 1,760-passenger ships pull out all the stops for families, with nearly an entire deck dedicated to kids' programming. Activities are offered for ages 3-4, 5-7, 8-9, 10-12 and teens (who get a clubhouse on top of the ship). A nursery cares for babies from three months. More than any other line, nighttime shows on Disney are family-oriented. First-run Disney movies are shown, and contests and other participatory events encourage family togetherness. Costumed character spottings are frequent.
Spend a week in the Mexican Riviera on the Disney Magic, or do a four-night Bahamas cruise on the Disney Wonder (easily combined with a few nights at Disney World).
Caribbean Princess
At the Fun Zone on this pretty 3,100-passenger ship (and sister shops Emerald and Crown), Princess Pelicans (ages 3-7) do arts and crafts, games and scavenger hunts and splash in the kiddie pool. Shockwaves (for ages 8-12) includes PlayStation 2, movies and backstage tours as well as a science program in conjunction with the California Science Center. Teens get Remix, with their own teen center, sports competitions, late-night movies and hot tub parties. Choose Personal Choice Dining and take the kids to the dining room when they are hungry, rather than at a set time.
East Coasters can drive to the nine-night Caribbean cruises from New York.
Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem