A cruise vacation is a great way to travel as a family, since many elements of the trip are conveniently wrapped up into one stress-free package. From accommodations and meals to entertainment and activities, the almost all-inclusive cruise experience is a tremendous value. The value aspect is precisely why cruising continues to attract more families and keep them coming back for more. It’s no surprise then that cruise lines are investing heavily in more family-friendly features and innovations in their youth programs.

Still, there are ships that stand out more than others. Here are the top ten ships for kids.

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder

Disney Cruise Line is the gold standard when it comes to kids cruising. Both the line’s vessels have nearly a full deck area devoted to the little ones, with activities that are overseen by a large number of counselors.

There are separate areas for each age group. The Oceaneer Club has separate activities for 3- to 5-year-olds and 6- to 7-year-olds. The Oceaneer Lab has interactive activities for kids ages 8 to 9 and others for kids ages 10 to 12. Kids 10 to 14 who don’t want to participate in organized activities can visit the Ocean Quest area, where they can chill out and play video games, create arts and crafts or just watch a movie.

The coolest part is the scaled replica of the ship’s bridge, where youngsters can “steer” the ship in and out of ports around the globe. For teens, there are the Aloft area (on the Disney Wonder) and The Stack area (on the Disney Magic); each area is a combination dorm room and apartment offering music, games, large-screen TV, a lounge area, Internet area and shipboard programs like animation, moviemaking, karaoke, fitness classes and pool parties just for teens. There is also a large arcade area. Outdoor fun includes the popular Mickey’s Pool, which has a winding water slide and a sports deck area where kids can let off steam.

Both ships offer a 3-D cinematic experience in both the Walt Disney and Buena Vista Theatres where guests can enjoy first-run, full-length 3-D films such as Walt Disney Pictures’ “Bolt” and “Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience.” This past spring the Disney Wonder premiered a lavish theatrical production, “Toy Story-The Musical.”

Also from July 9 through August 2 Disney Channel stars will be onboard for “Disney Channel Summer at Sea.” Disney Channel stars will participate in onboard deck parties, join guests for Q & A and autograph sessions, preview screenings of Disney Channel programming and participate in live musical performances. Disney also has abundant shore excursions geared toward kids and their families.

Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Independence of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships are tough to beat for all their onboard active offerings. All offer rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, in-line skating tracks, basketball and tennis courts, miniature golf, water parks and a totally cool surfing park. Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean Youth Program offers specially designed programs for babies and kids from 3 to 11 and teens from 12 to 17. For the tiniest cruisers, parents and babies 6 to 36 months old can participate in the Fisher-Price Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots programs, interactive playgroup sessions developed by early childhood experts at Fisher-Price. For the older kids, the program is divided into five groups: Aquanauts (ages 3 to 5), Explorers (ages 6 to 8), Voyagers (ages 9 to 11), Navigators (ages 12 to 14), and Guests (ages 15 to 17). Every program blends educational activities with games and arts and crafts for a unique onboard experience for the kids.

Teens in Adventure Ocean have their own area called the Living Room that offers a place to relax or take part in games, sports, theme parties and movies. When teens want to boogie, they have their own nightclub called Fuel.

One ship that is sure to be on the list next year is Royal Caribbean’s new vessel, Oasis of the Seas. Launching in November, Oasis will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. It will also offer a huge Youth Zone neighborhood covering a massive 28,700 square feet. The ship will also launch the cruise line’s first nursery for infants and toddlers (six months or older). Oasis will also introduce the first zip line at sea stretching 82 feet in length and suspended nine decks above the exciting Boardwalk area and the first beach pool at sea, featuring a true-to-form sloped entry and colorful beach chairs and umbrellas — the ultimate beach experience!

Ruby Princess, Emerald Princess, Crown Princess

Princess Cruises has one of the best children’s programs afloat and the line continues to add even more fun to its already terrific list of kids’ activities. Princess Pelicans (ages 3 to 8) have their own play area that offers a small rock-climbing wall, beanbag chairs, crafts area and a splash pool. The Shockwaves program, for 8- to 12-year-olds, also has its own area, which includes plenty of table games and lots of space for sitting and chatting, making crafts and playing games. Shockwaves kids can also participate in the Junior Chefs@Sea program, which takes kids to the ship’s galley to learn cooking from the executive chef and staff.

The Remix area for teens is a mature living-room setting similar to a coffee shop. It comes equipped with air hockey tables, foosball and PlayStation2 consoles. Teens also have an outside whirlpool (no adults allowed) and a small arcade room across the hall. A bonus is the teen makeover program, run by youth counselors and boutique staff in conjunction with Clinique, which teaches skin care to both girls and boys and makeup techniques to the girls. Princess also has a Youth Security Program, in which staff in their early 20s watch over the teenagers. These highly trained personnel continually monitor the hallways and public areas to make sure kids don’t get out of hand.

Outdoor fun includes great pools and a sports court, where kids can play basketball or tennis, and a nine-hole miniature golf course. Lastly, there is “Movies Under the Stars” where kids can lounge on a deck chair, eat popcorn and watch movies on the giant 300-square-foot screen.

Carnival Freedom and Carnival Splendor

Camp Carnival offers morning-til-night activities in its expansive indoor play areas, which are stocked with a wide variety of games, toys and activities that focus on art, reading, science, geography and physical fitness. Kids are divided into four age groups: Toddlers (ages 2 to 5), Juniors (ages 6 to 8), Intermediates (ages 9 to 11), and Teens (ages 12 to 14). Outdoor play areas offer mini-basketball hoops, jungle gyms and other playground equipment, as well as game rooms offering the latest video and arcade games.

Kids who like to have fun in the sun also enjoy acres of deck space for outdoor games and activities such as ping-pong, volleyball and shuffleboard, along with many swimming options, including children’s wading pools and main Lido Deck pools, which have cascading water slides. Also poolside is a giant 300-square-foot screen lights up with a variety of programs throughout the day and night, including first-run movies. Carnival also offers YSPA, a youth spa program that offers teen-specific body and beauty treatments. Club 02 teen program is for kids ages 15 to 17 and has dedicated facilities and energetic counselors.

Over the next several months “Laser Tag” will be implemented onboard the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Splendor. The game is played in a large inflatable arena that is over 50 feet long. Inside the arena kids can battle among obstacles and go through a maze lit by glowing black lights. Laser guns use “sensors” that are worn around the player’s arm, which makes it easy for players to move throughout the arena’s maze.

Another ship that will be on next year’s list is the Carnival Dream. Slated to launch on September 21, the Carnival Dream will be Carnival’s biggest ship and will offer more than 19,000 square feet of space catering just to kids, ’tweens and teens. There will be expansive indoor and outdoor play areas to a sprawling aqua park housing the 303-foot-long, four-deck-high corkscrew water slide — the longest slide at sea!

With all the inventive program offerings on board these top 10 cruise ships, you no longer have to listen to the kids complaining, “I’m bored!” These ships are hip — and that’s something family cruisers can stand up and cheer about.

What the heck is flying over Oasis of the Seas as it undergoes its first sea trials? Would you believe a blimp? Well, it’s not exactly a blimp, but according to Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean’s chairman and ceo it is called an aerostat.

In his Oasis of the Sea Chairman’s blog, Fain said the aerostat is being tested as one of the “weird and wonderful” ideas dreamed up by the company’s creative team. He dubbed the aerostat “interesting” and one of many ideas being floated (pardon the pun) for the world’s biggest cruise liner.

Fain admitted that the aerostat has less than a 50 percent chance of being used on the ship. ‘If we don’t use it on the ship, I will consider it just another of the many ideas our people develop that didn’t work. On the other hand, if it is successful and we do decide to use it on the ship, I will consider it another of my better ideas.” Mr. Fain’s flying fantasy said the company decided to be upfront with the test projects because they want to stop Internet rumors.

The Oasis of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, has been floated out of its dock.

The 5,400-passenger Royal Caribbean International ship is under construction in Turku, Finland.

The vessel, 40% bigger than current world beaters Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Independence of the Seas, was moved from dry dock to wet dock to begin the final stages of interior work prior to its debut in a year’s time.

Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said: “After more than three years of intense planning and collaboration and with 65% of the ship already complete, it’s exciting to see Oasis entering its final stages.”

Oasis of the Seas will enter service under the command of Captain William S. Wright and Captain Tor Olsen.

When Oasis launches in December 2009 from Florida to the Caribbean, it will feature a neighbourhood concept giving passengers seven distinct areas.

Highland pipers and Celtic dancers led the celebrations as Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas was christened April 30 in Southampton, United Kingdom, its homeport for the summer months. Richard Fain, the cruise line’s chairman, called the ship ”the largest, most innovative cruise ship ever to sail from these shores.”

Royal Caribbean’s decision to inaugurate and homeport its newest and largest vessel in the UK is a testament to the growing strength of the local market. Several years ago when Freedom of the Seas was introduced in Southampton, sales increased by 280 percent for the company. The UK is now the line’s second largest market behind the U.S.

What’s new

As the third Royal Caribbean Freedom-class ship, Independence is pretty much a cookie-cutter version of its sisters, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas. But there are differences.

With the ship operating from Southampton and drawing mostly British customers, some service changes were made. These include the addition of kettles for tea and coffee in all staterooms, the heating of outdoor pools and the inclusion of some British-style entertainment.

Another difference is the ship’s 6,500 piece, $7.7 million art collection, which is themed on how the masters continue to influence today’s artists. Nevertheless, the one piece getting the most attention is Kylix — a gigantic golden bowl with two handles that soars over the Royal Promenade. Created by artist Larry Kirkland, it was inspired by the ancient Athenian artist Exekaias and recreates a wine-drinking cup decorated with a scene from the Greek god Dionysus.

Perhaps the biggest and most important change on the vessel is that it will burn 6 percent less fuel than its sister ships. Royal Caribbean says the reduction in fuel consumption is made possible thanks to new “foul release coating” technology along with new construction techniques that pared down rivets on the ship’s hull all of which reduce water resistance.

Comfy quarters

Artwork and technology aside, Independence’s guests will greatly appreciate their comfy quarters during their cruise. As with all Freedom-class ships, Independence offers several cabin categories, ranging from inside cabins to suites. Of the 1,817 staterooms, 842 have private balconies and 172 have promenade views. All cabins are compact but very cozy beds offer thick pillow-top mattresses, fluffy pillows, and duvets. Additionally, each stateroom has a flat-screen television, mini-bar, ample storage space, a large closet with lots of hangers and a bathroom with a shower stall.

The balconies on standard veranda staterooms are larger and deeper than most cruise ships and offer chairs and table for al fresco relaxation. The top of the line Presidential Suite is 1,215 square feet and offers four bedrooms and four baths and there is an additional 800-square-foot balcony with a whirlpool, bar and dining area.

Lots to do

Independence has more facilities than a small town. There’s an ice rink, a nine-hole miniature golf course, a 43-foot-high rock-climbing wall and a full-size boxing ring. There are three pools, a full-size water park, the wave-generating FlowRider for surfing, and two cantilevered whirlpools that are suspended 112 feet above the ocean.

Passengers can also visit the Royal Promenade, a 445-foot boulevard for shopping, dining and entertainment that looks like an atrium mall and hosts nightly street parades with performers, music and a laser light show. And for fitness buffs, Independence’s large fitness-and-spa center offers many options for rejuvenation and refreshment.

Those who like to take their entertainment sitting down can visit the enormous casino or listen to the live bands that can be found in various venues around the ship. There is also a theater with excellent professional entertainment. Not to be missed is the ship’s nightly ice show with professional figure skaters.

Dining decadence

As befits a ship this size, there are many dining options. There is a Johnny Rockets hamburger joint near the pool deck, and the Royal Promenade hosts a Seattle’s Best Coffee cafe, a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop, the Dog and Badger pub, and Sorrento’s pizzeria. The ship offers the usual two nightly seatings, with assigned tables and tablemates, in its three-deck-high main restaurant; each level is named for a famous Shakespeare play (King Lear, Romeo & Juliet, and Othello).

For those wishing to dine on buffet fare, there is Windjammer Café, the ship’s buffet venue. It is arranged like a food court, which really helps to keep the passenger traffic flowing. There are three additional dining venues within Windjammer Café: Jade, serving Asian-fusion cuisine; Chops Grille, serving steaks and seafood; and Portofino, serving Italian fare (Chops and Portofino require reservations and have a $20 cover charge.)

Passengers who like an active vacation will love Independence of the Seas. It’s a real family ship and there’s literally something for everyone.

If you go

Independence of the Seas will offer 14- and 10-night Mediterranean cruises departing from Southampton for the summer months. In September, Independence will offer 11-night Canary Island cruises from Southampton. In November, the ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale where it will sail alternate itineraries between the Eastern and Western Caribbean.