The Best Cruise Lines for Kids and Their Parents, Too!

Many years ago, cruises were considered a vacation primarily for couples and solo travelers. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, as cruise lines offer an increasing number of activities for children. Families now have a wide range of options when it comes to family cruising, regardless of their children's ages, to accommodate nearly any budget. Below are five of the best family cruise lines on the market today.

Norwegian Cruise Line's Nickelodeon At Sea

Nickelodeon is hot stuff among kids right now, with shows and characters that children of all ages love. Norwegian's Nickelodeon cruise incorporates all of the Nickelodeon characters that kids love to make it an experience they'll remember. Kids get a chance to meet all of their favorite characters, including Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer, onboard or up close at character breakfasts. They can also get "slimed" while participating in Nick's super-messy gameshow, Slime Time Live, or enjoy live Nick shows and activities poolside. And this is all in addition to the ship's great amenities for kids, including awesome water slides, movie and Wii play rooms, bowling and more. There's plenty to keep kids busy while parents lounge by the pool, hit the spa, dine at a gourmet restaurant or take in a show. Amenities vary by individual ship, so be sure to check out your ship before booking.

Disney Cruise Lines

When you hear Disney, you usually think of a busy and magical experience. So, what could you expect from a Disney cruise? First and foremost, there are activities for every age group, from 3 months to grown-ups. This means that no one is left out, and parents can relax and reconnect while their kids have fun. Quality live Disney musicals make for great family time, as do the latest Disney movies available for viewing. Character greetings let kids meet their favorite characters face-to-face. And each age group has its own "youth club" - with supervision and age-appropriate activities.

The nurseries for the littlest cruisers - ages 3 mos to 3 years - are clean, well-supervised and beautifully-themed from top to bottom. Older kids will enjoy the "tween" or teen-specific club areas, which include internet access, video games, watch movies and socialize. And, of course, Disney leaves plenty of fun to the adults. Parents can dance the night away at one of several nightclubs, kick back with a margarita at an onboard lounge, get a relaxing massage at the spa and more.

Royal Caribbean International Cruises

The Adventure Ocean youth programs make Royal Caribbean Cruises a truly great experience for kids. In addition to their teen program, these family cruises offer Royal Babies(6-18 mos), Royal Tots(18-36 mos), Aquanauts (3-5 yrs), Explorers (6-8 yrs), and Voyagers (9-11 yrs). Their teen programs are divided into two age groups, 12-14 and 15-17. Each age group has its own designated onboard areas and plenty of planned activities, many of them educational. For grown-ups, a Royal Caribbean cruise offers all of the usual amenities, like great dining, spas and relaxing pools. They also offer instruction lessons to help adults learn things they may have always wanted to know, like learn to dance, play the keyboard, play cards, cook, make jewelry and much more.

Carnival Cruise Lines

At Carnival, the focus is on fun for both kids and adults. Camp Carnival offers separate kid-focused spaces, pools and activities for kids ages 2-11. They also offer a separate babysitting service in the evenings, lasting from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. "Tweens" and early teens can enjoy the facilities and activities at Circle C, which include supervised parties and activity rooms with video games, air hockey, karaoke and more. Club O2 is for the older teens ages 15-17. Carnival's hang-out area for teens is available around the clock, offering all sorts of games, movies, activities and more. There are also dance and pool parties, in addition to teen-only shore excursions. Even adults have their own peaceful space to hang-out - kid-free, of course. The spas, casinos and steakhouses grown-ups can enjoy just make the family time spent on board even more enjoyable.

Princess Cruises

The only bad thing about Princess Cruises kids program? It doesn't take little ones until age 3. But if your children are 3 or older, their youth programs are wonderful. Worried about pleasing your little one's picky palate? Special kids-only dining in the youth areas offer selections that little ones will love. Kids can also enjoy ice cream parties, t-shirt coloring, pajama parties, educational programs and pizza parties. Teenagers from 13-17 can also try their hands at karaoke, The Dating Game, pizza parties, mocktails, sports tournaments and more. The list of fun and relaxing activities for grown-ups is even more expansive, with balcony dining, time at the Lotus Spa, casinos, boutiques and even a book club.

Information obtained on June 23, 2010 via:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/familycruising/home.do

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=Nickelodeon&s_kwcid=TC|18450|nickelodeon%20cruise%202010||S|p|5420325898

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/promo_content/obx/youth_programs.aspx

http://www.princess.com/