Alaska is a wonderful destination – especially when the experience is shared by the entire family. Four of the most family-friendly cruise lines that sail Alaska are included in this section – these fleets feature special onboard activities and shore excursions designed exclusively for kids and teens. There's something fun for everyone, and a large selection of staterooms and suites mean plenty of space for the whole gang. It's the perfect way to bring a family together, and the memories you'll share will last a lifetime.

Remember – cruises fill up quickly during school vacation season. Triple staterooms, quad staterooms, and family suites sell out fast. Don't miss out – book your family's Alaskan getaway today!

Carnival offers families a wide variety of entertaining activities designed to teach kids about Alaska's unique culture, heritage, and natural beauty.

These activities are part of Carnival's fleet-wide Camp Carnival kids' program, and they've been created specifically for Alaskan sailings. Events include everything from Native American arts and crafts sessions – where kids can create their very own "dream catchers" and totem poles – to special kids-only lectures conducted by wildlife experts. Children will love the whale-watching sessions – they'll learn about Alaska's amazing marine life and enjoy a chance to spot Carnival's very own "adopted" whale. Carnival's photography contests are also popular – kids can win prizes for their pictures of Alaska's magnificent wildlife and scenery.

Families that want to experience Alaska's beauty on land can choose from more than 60 organized shore excursions (in three activity levels – easy, moderate, and adventure/considerable). Excursions range from exciting glacial flight-seeing tours and mountain biking expeditions to more leisurely pursuits like nature walks and city tours.

>> Browse Carnival Cruises A pioneer in the creation of Alaskan adventures for kids, Holland America offers a wide array of extraordinary experiences for children – float-plane rides, hikes, treasure hunts, and sea kayaking are just a few of the possibilities. A youth coordinator and naturalist oversee each activity.

Holland America offers shore excursions for both teens and "tweens" (children ages 6 to 12). The excursions are part of the line's Club HAL activity program for young cruisers, and they're both fun and educational.

In Skagway, tweens can participate in the Skagway Streetcar Wild Ride, a madcap journey aboard a vintage motorcar guided by a costumed conductor. They'll visit Skagway's historic district, Gold Rush Cemetery, and "the largest gold nugget in the world."

Teens will love the line's Dyea Mountain Bike and Float Adventure. This three-hour excursion includes an entertaining tour of Skagway, a mountain bike ride to historic Dyea, and a raft trip on the gentle Taiya River.

In Ketchikan, children can take a tour of the Totem Heritage Center, where colorful19th-century totem poles are preserved and Native American arts and crafts kept alive. Another popular choice for teens is a visit to the Deer Mountain Hatchery and Eagle Center, where visitors can feed the fish, view mature salmon, and get up close and personal with majestic eagles. In Sitka, kids can tour the Bald Eagle Raptor Center, where injured eagles and other beautiful birds of prey are nursed back to health before being returned to the wild. Exciting excursions in Juneau include treasure hunts and rainforest trail walks.

>> Browse Holland America Cruises Passengers cruising Alaska aboard Princess can choose from a number of family-friendly features. Princess' Teen Centers are packed with big-screen televisions, video games, movies, jukeboxes, and more. The line's National Park Service Junior Ranger and Teen Explorer programs are designed especially for children and teens cruising to Glacier Bay.

Princess Cruise Tours feature plenty of onshore fun, too – everything from horseback riding and panning for gold to special children's menus at each riverside wilderness lodge and aboard the line's very own Midnight Sun Express railcars.

>> Browse Princess Cruises Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean Youth Program offers supervised, age-appropriate activities for kids ages 3 to 17. Young children participate in games, sing-alongs, and art and science projects. Special Alaska events include a frontier theme night and a trip to the Alaska State Fair. Children ages 3 to 11 can learn about the region's culture and create their very own Kwakiutl sun masks and Eskimo oil lamps.

Teens enjoy a less structured atmosphere featuring scavenger hunts, video games, and adventure sports. Most Royal Caribbean ships include teen nightclubs with video screens, music, a dance floor and lounge area, contests, and more.

Royal Caribbean's Adventure Family events are an opportunity for kids and parents to have fun together. Families can take part in talent shows, karaoke, and bingo. Everyone has a chance to win cool prizes!

>> Browse Royal Caribbean Cruises