Family :

    Now that nearly one million children are sailing the high seas each year, you can find family-friendly amenities and programs on everything from luxurious ocean liners to low-key tall ships. As each new ship makes its debut, cruisers can choose among increasingly innovative perks, like onboard nurseries, planetariums, ice-skating rinks, and movies on a giant screen under the stars (or opt for simpler, more basic sailings on smaller ships).
    And yet, while most cruise lines are now chock-full of child-friendly fare and comfy cabins, it's the differences (and how they match up to your interests and children's ages) that will determine which ship is the right fit for your family. Before we get started, we offer a handful of tips you should consider prior to even starting your search for the right ship, whether you are traveling with babies, teens or kids in between.
    Ask about the ratio of kids to counselors and counselor qualifications. Most lines have dedicated youth staff that are college-educated in the field, have professional childcare experience or are former nurses or nannies.
    Is it important to you to have a pager while your child is in the youth program? Disney and Princess provide pagers for parents; other lines have you sign your children in and write down where you expect to be on the ship.
    If you have firm rules you'd like followed about television and computer time, ask how much time kids spend parked in front of these massive video walls, about the type of shows shown, and if there are any restrictions when selecting appropriate video games.
    One of the biggest advantages -- these days -- of family cruising is the industry's embrace of U.S. homeports. Ships are increasingly establishing bases of operation on a seasonal or year-round basis in drive-to ports of call, ranging from San Francisco and San Diego to Galveston, Mobile, Charleston and Baltimore. The best news? The homeporting option eliminates both the additional cost and the extra bother of flying to traditional embarkation cities like Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.
    And there's a caveat to note for the small and/or luxury lines (like Crystal, Radisson and Windjammer). Since they offer relatively small children's play areas (if any at all), you'll want to be sure that you're on one of the holiday or other selected sailings where children's activities are in full swing.