We''ve all heard of The Big Red Boat, but that is just the beginning. Most of the major cruise lines not only offer special pricing for families with children, but day camps, baby-sitting services, activities, and programs for children abound. We''ve assembled some great advice to help you understand vacation cruises, how to select the best cruise for you and your family, a comparison of the service and programs offered by each of the major cruise lines as well as a bunch of tips and FAQs to make traveling with your child(ren) enjoyable for all. Image it, the perfect family vacation. You work so hard and the kids are so busy with sports, activities and friends - you all deserve quality time with each other.

One of the best programs that some cruises offer is to identify specific age groups and build unique programs for each one. This means your four year old will be with other four and five year olds face painting, playing in a guarded baby pool, and making special crafts for you; while your 15 year old is entertained with a variety of water sports, video games and dances. What the cruise lines have done is to create a safe environment where you are not afraid to let your children attend activities without you, and they are not afraid to go by themselves. This gives you time to relax, see shows, shop or have fun doing whatever you like best. We are in a ship building frenzy at the moment. Between 1996 and 2001,

Think again, do you or your children want to spend seven days, 24 hours a day, tied at the hip with each other? For most of us, no. The perfect family vacation, whether at land or at sea, achieves the perfect balance between family time, children time and private adult time, combined with the activities to entertain every family member. Cruising offers a fantastic array of activities. Think about it. You find a nice quiet lounge chair and curl up with that novel you''ve been trying to read for the last two years while your kids are off with the most enthusiastic and responsible counselors you''ve ever met. What are they doing? How about: snorkeling, water sports, trivia games, treasure hunts, volleyball, magic shows, crafts, painting, dancing, singing...you name it.

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