Best Kids Program

[Hooked-on-HAL]

I would like to know in your opinion, what cruise line offers the best kids program?
I have a 13 year old girl that I am considering taking on a well deserved vacation. It would be a 4-5 day caribbean cruise.
Would your recommendation change for a 17 yr old girl.
I have read the cruise web sites but each cruise line says their program is the best!! Go figure.
Any suggestions on what to look for?

[TrvlPro]

Disney, Carnival & RCCL are probably the best in the industry for youngsters. Disney more so for kiddos younger than you mentioned. Princess has a decent program as do most of the other lines but the three I listed are geared toward families in ways that the others are not. HAL is trying really hard to become more family friendly and change thier image of being a retirement home on water and they're making progress, slow diliberate progress.

Cheers, Neil

[Jim C.]

I agree with TrvlPro. CCL and RCCL are your best bets. If they are both going together, I would say to pick RCCL since they seem to be a bit more relaxed on age groups and they would be allowed to go to the same activities. I'm not sure CCL would do the same. Both of them have great programs with lot's of stuff to do.

RCCL may be a good choice too since if you are a HAL person, the RCCL ships are a little less party orientated and you may enjoy them more than CCL. My 13 year old perferred CCL but only because RCCL was letting older teens "invade" their activities. I'm not sure if most teens would care about that, but she did.

[Hooked-on-HAL]

Sorry, I had forgotten all about this discussion I started.
Thanks for the advice. I am planning this for 2008 or 2009. I would love to take her to Europe but $$$$$$ get in the way.

I sure hope HAL does not alter its "retirement home on water" image. There should be one cruise line that caters to the slower, senior crowd.