The days when cruise ships were almost exclusively the preserve of the wealthy and elderly are long gone. Nowadays, cruising is a holiday the whole family can enjoy - and the latest generation of cruise ships have children's facilities which would put many land-based resorts to shame.

Why cruise with children?

• Prime consideration for any harassed parent planning a family holiday is that "the hassle factor" should be kept to a bare minimum - and nothing does this better than a cruise ship.
  Unlike stay-put holidays in land-based resorts, cruise holidays take travellers to a host of different destinations, keeping youngsters stimulated with new sights, sounds and worlds to discover virtually every day of their trip.

Benefits for parents

• And the good news for mums and dads - since no parent ever gets to travel light - is that a cruise provides a multi-faceted touring holiday without the sweat of lugging suitcases, worrying about railway timetables or trying to get the family packed and organised for a series of coach pickups.
  The even better news is that on today's cruise ships, parents get as much free time to enjoy themselves as the youngsters, thanks to extensive facilities and supervised children's programmes aimed at keeping the young ones happily and safely entertained while their mums and dads enjoy a well-earned rest.
  On the latest generation of giant cruise ships, youngsters get their own dedicated play areas and even their own exclusive pools, as well as age-related activities ranging from face painting and quizzes to treasure hunts and talent shows.
  On some ships, there are even night nurseries and slumber parties, so parents can enjoy a romantic evening secure in the knowledge that their children are safely tucked up and securely supervised.

Teenagers too ...

• And it's not just the tinies who are catered for; teens can get together in their own discos, games rooms, video arcades and activity clubs.
• With some cruise lines, the fun extends ashore, with special beach barbecues and even some shore excursions specifically aimed at younger passengers.

Which ship is right for us?

• Cruising is a vast and varied business, and there are as many different types of ship as there are cruise passengers.
  So, when seeking a family cruise, the first question to ask yourself is whether you'd enjoy a large, "floating resort"- style modern cruise ship or prefer an older, more traditional vessel.
• Ships like those offered by Thomson, Airtours, First Choice, P&O and MSC have a cosier feel than the state-of-the-art mega-ships run by companies like Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises, and their prices are lower - a key consideration for a family on a budget.
  But children's facilities will be more limited. Thomson's Sapphire, Airtours' Carousel, and First Choice's Bolero for example, have fairly small playrooms, though they have fully supervised children's clubs and use areas of the decks and even some of the ship's lounges for meetings, games and activities.
  At the other end of the price scale, babes and toddlers can sample life in a traditional nursery - staffed by fully trained Norland nannies - aboard Cunard Line's classic Southampton-New York liner QE2.

DID YOU KNOW?

The QE2 is the only ship which also caters for four-legged babies on her transatlantic runs; she has a kennel on board and even a lamp post to make dogs feel at home!
But for the biggest, best and glossiest children's facilities, the latest generation of mega cruise ships are hard to beat.