Will kids like cruise so much they won't notice Alaska?

Well, our family is finally joining the 51 million people who've vacationed on a cruise. We've bought our tickets for a seven-day trip in Alaska at the end of August.

Believe it or not, this was not an easy decision. I was lobbying for a land-based trip; my husband was pushing for the cruise.

It's not that I don't think we'll like the cruise. Actually, my biggest worry is that the kids will like the ship so much, they won't really care that this is their once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Alaska. Our ship will have a rock-climbing wall, mini-golf and all manner of pools and playrooms, not to mention 24-hour access to food. Who needs glaciers when you can be rocked out on soda and pizza by 10 a.m. every day?

What's even funnier is our ship, with all its razzle-dazzle attractions, didn't even rate on a list of "Best Family Ships" featured on www.cruisecritic.com. But Cruisecritic editor Carolyn Spencer-Brown acknowledged that she was "splitting hairs" when she came up with the list, simply because these days, there are so many ships that are good for kids.

She notes that cruise programs for children have come a long way from the days of on-board, glorified baby-sitting to activities that are now geared not only to younger children and older children, but divided even further into programming for 3- to 5-year-olds, 6- to 8-year-olds, and so on. Of course there are the usual children's menus and arts and crafts, but there are also karaoke competitions for 'tweens, video arcades, splash pools, and teen programs that include everything from spa treatments to shore excursions.

Brown's top picks for best family ships include Royal Caribbean's Voyager-class ships (Voyager, Adventure, Explorer, Navigator and Mariner of the Seas), because, she notes, they have rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, miniature golf and in-line skating, in addition to pools, video arcades and basketball courts. They also offer programs that subdivide kids and teens into smaller age categories, 3 to 5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17. Teenagers get their own nightclub and coffeehouse hangout, not to mention discounted rates when using the Internet.

Brown also recommends Carnival's Conquest-class ships (Carnival Conquest, Glory, Valor and Liberty). Again, she attributes part of the line's success to its age breakdowns — 2 to 5, 6 to 8, 9 to 11 and 12 to 17.

For families with kids from 4 to preteen, Spencer-Brown says the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder ships are excellent, offering everything from Mickey's Pool for the youngest set to a champagne breakfast for adults only.

Also on Spencer-Brown's list is Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess, which has games for kids like painting their own T-shirts, scavenger hunts and science programs.

As for our family cruise, our trip to Alaska will include lots of land-based excursions to see everything from wildlife to totem poles. And when the cruise is over, we plan to spend a few days touring Alaska by car, bus and train, so that we get the best of both options. I just hope I can persuade the kids that Alaska is just as much fun after we get off the boat as it was when they had access to soda and video games 24 hours a day.