5. Regal Princess

The newest ship in the Princess Cruises fleet, the 3,560-passenger Regal Princess retains the line's sophisticated feel while also offering fun programs to keep the kids busy.

Dining: Children’s menus serve standard kid-friendly fare. There are also select nights where kids can dine with their peers from the kids' club, and these often include pizza and ice cream parties.

Activities: You won’t find the bells and whistles of larger ships (no waterslides here), but kids love Movies under the Stars, which feels a lot like a drive-in theater — but with unlimited soft-serve ice cream.

Clubs: The creative activities program goes beyond basic arts-and-crafts to “junior chef” classes and even science experiments. There is a lot of space to play, too, with large indoor and outdoor areas for children ages three and older. The younger set can ride tricycles on the deck and explore the playground, while tweens can play with the air hockey table and the DJ booth. Teens get activities their own activities, such as hip hop dance classes and late-night movies.

Babysitting: There is group babysitting available for children ages three to 12 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ($5 per child, per hour).

Cabins: This ship offers a variety of stateroom categories, including family suites that measure up to 932 square feet with a sofa bed, walk-in closet, and balcony.