Family cruises: Best cruises for teens

For the teen who is relaxed and low-key
Try Windjammer's Legacy.

• Why: This casual, relaxed cruise is perfect for teens who like to venture off the beaten path, complete with sleeping under the stars and dining in flip flops and bathing suits.
• Best features: Shore excursions that active, nature- and water-oriented pursuits and an easy-going, just-about-anything-goes atmosphere on board.
• Beware of: This is a no-frills vessel and entertainment is pretty limited; teens should be self-motivated (i.e. enjoy solitary pursuits like reading and more social ones like conversation with fellow passengers).

For the teen who has younger siblings
Try Princess Cruises' Grand Princess.

• Why: This 2,600-passenger ship, which the cruise line dubs a "floating city," offers something for every conceivable age group (we love Caribbean Princess for the same reason). For teens in particular, there's a dedicated teen facility, a video game arcade, four pools, a huge gym, a sports court, and a nine-hole putting course complete with golf simulator. We also love its choice of itineraries. From its seasonal homeport in Galveston, Texas, the ship winters in the Western Caribbean. With calls at Cozumel, Costa Maya, the Grand Cayman and Belize, its voyages are ideal for more adventurous teens who would love snorkeling with stingrays and swimming with sea lions. In summer, the ship sails European itineraries -- also increasingly popular with families.
• Best features: The teen center on this ship really is fine. It's got a private whirlpool and sun deck, big-screen television, Nintendo, Karaoke and jukeboxes. Recently added to the ship is Princess' outdoor theater, "Movies Under the Stars." We also love the flexibility of dining options offered by Princess' Personal Choice so that families can dine together some nights and kids can eat with other teens on others.
• Beware of: With so much to do on the ship, there's a risk that teens may not experience the destinations -- such as the history-, archeology- and marine-rich Mayan Riviera and the history-, archeology- and culture-rich Europe.

For the teen who is already an exotic eco-adventure traveler
Try Lindblad Expeditions' Islander.

• Why: This is a great choice for a bonding trip between mom and teen (or dad and teen). Two hundred years after Charles Darwin's famous voyage of the Beagle, the Galapagos archipelago remains amazingly pristine, a place where animals are still unafraid of people. This 48-passenger ship offers an unforgettable nine-night adventure, where passengers meet marine iguanas and giant tortoises, penguins and sea lions, boobies and albatrosses.
• Best features: Survival of the fittest isn't an issue aboard the Islander. After a day exploring the wild and rugged islands, teens (who incidentally are treated as adults rather than a subset of a cruise line's youth program) will return to a comfortable ship and cabin. Naturalists lead daily excursions via four zodiacs which make it possible to access landfalls and cruise alongside reefs. The ship carries wetsuits and snorkeling gear, key for playing in the water with curious sea lions. We were surprised -- and pleased -- to find that even on this small ship there are two Internet stations for remote emailing.
• Beware of: Reaching the Galapagos takes time and money, with flights to Quito, Ecuador, and then Baltra Island in the Galapagos.

For the teen who is traveling on a multi-generational family trip
Try Holland America Line's Ryndam.

• Why: Where Ryndam (as does Statendam and other ships in the fleet's S-class) really stands out is with its teen-only facility. Teens have their own space at The Oasis, an outdoor area toward the ship's stern featuring a cave and waterfall, as well as The Loft, a bright, comfortable lounge designed to resemble an artist's studio. Activities run the gamut, including dance lessons, arcade games and sports tournaments (and there's a disco). Teen shore excursions like rock climbing and kayaking are also available. Teens with laptops can surf the Internet using an in-cabin connection or via wireless in public areas of the ship.
• Best features: What really smokes, though, is its outdoor Oasis. This newly constructed area, completely outdoors, feels like it's a shade removed from Gilligan's Island, with hammocks, a fabulous optically lit waterfall, and Adirondack-style chairs -- and the atmosphere is even further developed by the exterior, rimmed with wood slats, not to mention faux pineapples and palm trees (and vending machines for snacks and beverages).
• Beware of: The ships offer a set-seating assigned-table meal situation in their main restaurants though the lido buffet is open most nights and room service options are fairly plentiful.

For the teen who is internationally savvy
Try Star Clippers' Royal Clipper.

• Why: Star Clipper's 227-passenger, five-masted flagship sails from historic port to port in the Western Mediterranean on 7-, 10- and 11-night summer and fall itineraries. From the Colosseum in Rome to the famous Greek Theatre of Sicily, this voyage is ideal for teens who like history and sailing.
• Best features: A platform lowers from the ship's stern for water sports. Teens can climb the mast to the crow's nest and watch the dramatic hoisting of 42 sails each morning.
• Beware of: This ship attracts primarily European passengers, so teens need to be open to other languages and cultures. In general, teens will need to entertain themselves. There are no children's programs or menus for younger siblings.

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