Parents love cruising because they get a lot of bang for their vacation buck--activities, meals and l

Jersey Shore Hosts Family Country Festival Jun 24, 2014 Located along the Jersey Shore, Red Bank will host the Rockin’ new york city hotel accommodations Country Festival June 28-29. This family-friendly event features specialty food vendors, activities for kids, line dancing, and live music from country, rock, folk, and bluegrass bands. more
For family vacations or family reunions, or just to get away, cruising is increasingly popular for all generations.  Whether new york city hotel accommodations you choose the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska or far-flung destinations like the Galapagos Islands and even the Arctic, you’ll find all-inclusive deals and the advantage of packing and unpacking just once.
Cruise Lines International Association reports that some 1.5 million kids now are cruising every year—more than 1,000 on some sailings. And cruise lines have never done more for them, from featuring hip teen and tween hang-outs with the latest music and video games, to centers for the littlest cruisers (that are better equipped than many preschools) and even nurseries at sea.
Parents love cruising because they get a lot of bang for their vacation buck—activities, meals and lodging all for one price, including supervised morning-till-night programming for kids, at considerably less than many resorts charge. Grandparents are fans because cruises can prove an easy way to get the whole gang on vacation, especially in Alaska and Europe. Kids—especially tweens and teens— give ships a thumbs-up because they love the freedom they have onboard and the chance to make new friends. Kids and parents alike love the major lines’ private Caribbean islands, too.
Kids with special needs and severe allergies routinely are accommodated in organized programming. Another plus: there have never been more ports, from New York to California, eliminating the need for many families to fly. And you can cruise for just a few days or more than a week, checking out beaches or historic sites. Visit the Cruise Lines International Association website for a list of ports. Find online cruise guides complete new york city hotel accommodations with deals and specials.
I’ve cruised with my family around the world, from the Caribbean to Europe to Greece to Alaska. I’ve written The Kid’s Guide: Cruising Alaska . I’ve found along the way that the key is to choose the right cruise for your family and age kids. Here are some great options to consider:
AdventureSmith partners with small capacity, specialty-oriented ships to sail around the world to domestic North American regions like Alaska, British Columbia, and Oregon Washington’s Columbia River and such far-flung locales as Baja, Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador new york city hotel accommodations and the Galapagos, Peru, the Arctic, Antarctica and Australia. They can steer you to special family sailings and deals. Company founder Todd Smith helped pioneer the concept of wilderness cruising that combines the comforts of a small cruise ship with the adventure of sea kayaking, hiking and exploring remote wilderness new york city hotel accommodations areas seldom associated with more mainstream cruise itineraries. The company also has launched a carbon-free cruising initiative and includes family programs as well as substantial savings. Look for deals like $100 off per person on select land and sea trips, early booking Galapagos, and special youth rates.
What’s New: AdventureSmith is excited to offer new adventure cruises for 2014 including a 7-day excursion to Bali featuring coral reef snorkeling, visits to coastal villages, and more. You can also choose from new itineraries like Alaska’s Golden History, trips to historic Croatia and Montenegro, or an Anakonda Amazon Cruise.
What’s New: Carnival’s Fun Ships (many with Fun Ship 2.0 entertainment and dining upgrades) new york city hotel accommodations continue to be top choices new york city hotel accommodations for families with kids of all ages. This spring new york city hotel accommodations marks the debut of the newly renovated Carnival new york city hotel accommodations Sunshine featuring the fleet’s longest water slide (334 feet!) and open-air recreation areas. Also new this year is the Seuss at Sea program set to launch in February aboard Carnival Splendor. In partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Carnival will offer families immersive new dining and entertainment new york city hotel accommodations experiences including a special Green Eggs and Ham breakfast with beloved Dr. Seuss characters, themed activities, Seuss movie screenings, and more. This exciting program will be available throughout the fleet by 2015.
Carnival’s dining options also get a reboot in 2014 with the launch of the American new york city hotel accommodations Table and American Feast initiatives featuring new menus and serving styles inspired by guest feedback. Fun Ships also offer family favorites like 24-hour pizza, poolside restaurants, Guy’s Burger Joint (created new york city hotel accommodations by the Food Network’s Guy Fieri), and a new confections and gift shop called Cherry on Top.
Kids Programs: Carnival Cruise Lines offers complimentary programming and facilities for kids in three age groups – Camp Carnival (2-11), Circle “C” (12-14) and Club O2 (15-17). new york city hotel accommodations Camp Carnival is designed for younger cruisers and features indoor play areas  stocked with games and toys along with indoor climbing mazes, computer labs and video walls.. Kids can also eat with their counselors so parents can enjoy a night to themselves.
Around the Ship: Outdoor games and activities, along with children’s wading pools, and main Lido deck pools offering the line’s signature water slides. Outdoor play areas with mini basketball hoops, jungle gyms and other playground equipment, mini golf, as well as game rooms offering the latest video and arcade games, are available fleet-wide. The line also offers nightly babysitting and Carnival Night Owls featuring a full schedule of late-night activities running as late as 3AM (fees apply for babysitting new york city hotel accommodations and the Night Owls program).
These 11 ships are known for their sophisticated cuisine, upscale ambience, destination-focused itineraries and themed cruises focusing on art, food and wine. Still, new york city hotel accommodations families cruise Celebrity and the line offers popular kids’ programming.
What’s New: Celebrity has introduced a new (and free!) program new york city hotel accommodations called iTake where aspiring young directors learn to shoot and edit video using the latest technology. iTake is available new york city hotel accommodations on all ships with a Celebrity iLounge.
new york city hotel accommodations For Kids: Fun Factory new york city hotel accommodations programs are available for kids ages 3-11 from 9AM-10PM every day. The programs feature crafts, treasure hunts, theme parties, the latest gaming and more. Thanks to a partnership with LeapFrog Schoolhouse, there is special LeapFrog Edutainment designed exclusively for Celebrity Cruises that allow kids to virtually explore the ports they’re visiting. There are late-evening new york city hotel accommodations activities ($6/hour per child), and kids can eat with counselors at least once during a cruise.
For Teens: Cruisers ages 12-17 have their own X-Club with gaming consoles, new york city hotel accommodations late-night dance parties, and sports. There’s also a special YSpa program for teens featuring massages, spray tans, styling sessions and more.
Around the Ship: Kid’s pools and slides, as well as basketball courts, are available new york city hotel accommodations almost fleet-wide. In-room sitting new york city hotel accommodations is $19 per hour for up to three children. On shore days, some programming is available for an extra fee.
Europe’s top cruise line will give your family a chance to get to know European families and offers a youth program fleet-wide. There are reduced rates for kids under 17 sharing a cabin with parents new york city hotel accommodations and periodic “Kids Sail Free” deals in off peak seasons.
What’s New: Costa Cruises will introduce its new flagship, Costa Diadema, this October. This 4,947-passenger ship boasts new entertainment and wine-tasting venues among other luxuries including an expansive open-air promenade and spa. Look for new neoCollection “slow cruising” itineraries featuring small-group, customizable shore excursions new york city hotel accommodations and longer stopover times per port.
For Kids: Youth programs begin at age three, and youth counselors will take kids to dinner. They might interview the captain, stage junior Olympics, take dancing lessons, go on treasure hunts, and more.
For Teens: Dance lessons, sports and games tournaments, pool and beach parties, talent shows, and a new Grand Prix Race Car Driving Simulator where they can practice their three-point turns to prepare for their road tests..
Around the Ship: Kids’ pools, water slides, volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, table tennis, rotating table tennis, table football, water polo, water basketball, water volleyball, darts, hoops, bowling, shuffleboard, and video games on giant screens. In-room sitting is not available, but there is free late night group sitting until 1:30AM new york city hotel accommodations for kids ages 3 and up.
All of the newest ships have an enclosable pool deck- great for the occasional rainy day- and more than 3,000 square feet of space reserved for kids, including the Squok Lido for little ones and a Teen Club for older kids.  The Favolosa has its own waterpark too.
The all-inclusive cruise line, Crystal reports that growing numbers of families and multigenerational groups are opting for the line’s six-star service and designated spaces for kids and teens—rare at this level. The ships carry between 900-1100 passengers with all of the amenities you’d expect on a cruise line touting luxury, service, space and enrichment programs. Kids ages 11 and under are charged new york city hotel accommodations 50 percent of the minimum cruise-only fare when accompanied by two full-paying adults.
What’s New: For the first time since 2011, Crystal will be cruising to West Africa with new itineraries and a maiden call in Angola. The cruise line is also planning twice as many Asian sailings as last year, including trips to and from Bali and Polynesian excursions. European cruises will feature overnights in cities like Amsterdam and Bordeaux, while Crystal Serenity new york city hotel accommodations will be sailing to New England/Canada for the first time ever.
Onboard look for new menus and lounge areas, open kitchens, hypoallergenic staterooms (Crystal Serenity), and themed vacations. Crystal is continuing its signature onshore excursion program from 2013 featuring small group outings.
Around new york city hotel accommodations the ship: Tai Chi instruction, wellness seminars, wine tasting, and art