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You heard me right, my friends. One of the best family vacations with kids, in my opinion, is a luxury cruise.

1. One of the best facts is that some cruise lines allow young children to travel for free or at discounted rates. Between January 22 and May 28, children travel free on most Disney Cruise Line 3-night cruises when accompanied by two full-paying adults. Lines like Norwegian and Carnival also offer shorter cruises where kids ride for free or at deep discounts.

2. Typically, on many cruise lines, 10-day or longer cruises attract an older crowd, 2-3 day cruises attract party-loving adults, and 6-7 day cruises include more children and kid-friendly programs. So choose accordingly (unless you’re going Disney).

3. Most cruise lines offer programs for children/teens. Lines include Disney, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, Celebrity and Cunard. Check with other cruise lines for their offers. Most ships therefore offer a parent-child orientation with the youth workers on the first day of the cruise. Take advantage of the crucial information they offer. Program quality can vary to some degree, and it can be important to ask exactly what each program actually offers and whether it keeps the kids busy throughout the day and into the evening. (Also, if you have children in diapers or potty trained, make sure the ship has a program for them beforehand).

4. What about accommodation? Some cruises have cabins large enough to sleep five; others have adjoining cabins. But if not, note that cell phones do not work on the ships. Unless your cruise line offers larger or adjoining staterooms, it’s probably crucial that you purchase walkie-talkies for your family to use. The walkie-talkies can also be extremely useful, whether in the cabin, separately on the ship or on shore excursions.

5. Ocean liners are even bigger than you probably imagine. So, walk the entire length of the ship with your kids when you board, to make things a little more comfortable for them. Take your younger children to the children’s program each day and pick them up when it’s over. There’s a very good chance they’ll get hopelessly lost trying to navigate the ship on their own. Also, if your older children are wandering around the ship, it’s a good idea for them to write on a pad in whatever room they are in.

6. Show a little respect. Do not allow your children to yell, run, slam doors, jump on beds, bang on walls, etc. Other guests deserve to enjoy their cruise too.

7. Some shore excursions can bore the kids to tears (or pouts). Children usually love fish and animals. A visit to an aquarium, an underwater exhibit, a wildlife park, or even a submarine ride will be fun. And you might want to insist that everyone gets together for dinner. Possibly outings aside, it may be the only time the family is all together.

With programs for all ages on offer, a cruise can be one of the best family vacations you will ever enjoy.

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