Cruise Lines Welcome Kids

Q . I have a 16-year-old I'd like to take on a cruise. Can you give me information on ocean liners that accommodate teens?

A . With more than a million children sailing each year, your daughter will hardly contract cabin fever -- or teen ennui.

"Many cruise lines have programs onboard that cater to kids, from toddlers to teens," says Robert Sharak, executive vice president of Cruise Lines International Association ( www.cruising.org), which represents the major cruise lines. "With the camps or organized activities, the kids get together in a supervised atmosphere with children their own age."

Most cruise lines have children's programs; even Carnival's party-hearty Fun Ships organize Club O2 for ages 15 to 17. Many programs, which are included in the price, provide teens with a separate space where they can hang out sans parents, as well as activities such as scavenger hunts, disco parties and casino nights.

"With morning, afternoon and night programs, parents can have three or four hours at a time to themselves," says Else Daniels, a cruise specialist with Vacations at Sea in D.C. (202-686-7447), singling out family-friendly Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity and Princess. "Then they meet for meals and compare notes."

To winnow down the choices, Sharak says to approach a cruise like any other vacation, with a roster of questions. On that checklist: where you want to go (Caribbean, Alaska or Mediterranean), what you want to see and do (snorkel, view wildlife, tour European capitals), when you wish to travel (May to September for Alaska or the Mediterranean, anytime for the Caribbean) and what your budget is. Also consider the demographics of the cruise line or destination. For example, luxury lines such as Seabourn often attract older crowds, as do Alaskan cruises.

Daniels recommends the Caribbean, because of its vast number of diversions, from exploring Mexican ruins to snorkeling in the Cayman Islands. Also remember that this is a family vacation, so you don't need to enroll your teen in every shipboard activity. While the programs are optional, family ties aren't.

Andrea Sachs
Washington Post