If you've hung out on a pool deck recently, it's no secret that cruising has become hugely popular with families. Where once it was a struggle to find ships that were kid-friendly, the challenge now is wading through the bevy of activities, kid's clubs, and child-themed bells and whistles many of the newer ships offer to determine which cruise ships are best for your children.

Cruise vacations are popular with families for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, the value of a cruise is terrific since lodging and meals are wrapped up in the fare. Second, your family can visit many destinations on a cruise without checking in and out of hotels and wrestling with luggage along the way.Finally, cruise lines have perfected the family vacation by offering something for everyone: fine dining, luxurious spa options, pools with waterslides, quiet pools and hot tubs, rock-climbing walls, videogame competitions, pub crawls, and so much more.