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A guide to navigating the muddied waters of hype surrounding cruises and the family programs found on major lines.

According to the trade organization Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), an estimated 13.5 million passengers will sail on CLIA members' cruises around the world in 2009. Not sure cruising is a family vacation option? More than 25% of those on board last year, according to CLIA's 2008 market profile, were children under the age of 18.

Should families look only for a Disney cruise? Is a cheap cruise the main objective? Almost half the young sailors in 2008 were on Carnival Cruise Lines, perhaps the outfit marketing most directly to families. However,  parents will be surprised at how many facilities and programs other companies have made available.

For instance, CLIA member lines have developed onboard programs that not only feature family together time, but also alone time for parents. “More than ever, people want to spend quality recreational time with their families,” said Terry L. Dale, CLIA’s president and CEO. Together, parents and kids can participate in mock game shows, story hours, basketball games, treasure hunts, pool games and make-your-own sundae sessions.

To ensure guilt-free alone time, most ships offer sophisticated, fun and entertaining supervised kids programs, though not always on a year-round basis. As ships become larger and larger (and the newest, largest ships have the most in family facilities), some even provide beepers so children’s counselors can contact parents at any time during the cruise.

While kids partake of age-appropriate activities, adults take in the sun on deck, enjoy a massage for two in the spa or take an enrichment class. In the evenings, many lines offer babysitting services so that couples can enjoy a night of dining, dancing and gambling.

Family cruises can also offer value. “Since most everything is included in the cost of a cruise – accommodations, meals, entertainment, children’s activity programs and more – cruises combine great value with the chance for families to experience a spectacular vacation together,” adds Dale.

Several lines feature accommodations that are tailor-made for families, including large staterooms with cordoned off sleeping quarters for parents, and inter-connecting cabins for families with older kids. The tiny four-person cabin with two pull-down upper berths may soon fade from early cruiser’s memory.