By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

updated 4:52 p.m. ET Jan. 2, 2008

If getting one terrific idea for a family vacation is good, then getting three super ideas is even better. The problem: A family of five wants to try cruising for the first time, but doesn’t know where to begin. The solution: We turned to three in-the-know family travel agents for their best advice. What we ended up with is a trio of terrific trip recommendations, plus a ton of savvy insider knowledge.

The family: Ted and Maria Butler would like to take a cruise with their children, aged 11, 7, and 4 years old. Nobody in the family has ever been cruising before. Ted isn’t convinced that he’ll enjoy being at sea and would prefer to find a cruise that’s shorter than the typical seven-day sailing. Maria is worried about finding a cabin arrangement that can comfortably accommodate their family of five and stay within their budget. Ted and Maria want to find a cruise line that offers a wide array of activities for each member of the family, as well as good kids’ camps.

At some point during the cruise, the parents would love the chance to reconnect alone occasionally over a meal or evening show. Ted and Maria are both foodies. Their 11-year-old son, Michael, loves water sports of all kinds, while and their 7-year-old daughter, Alyssa, is passionate about animals. Their 4-year-old son, Kevin, is still in preschool. The Butlers would prefer a warm-weather destination but are open to any ports of call. Their availability is wide open; they can travel any time between February and October in 2008. Their budget is $3,500, not including airfare or onshore excursions.

Lauren Goldenberg of The Family Traveler suggests:

The cruise line: “Royal Caribbean is my favorite cruise line for families because of the broad range of family-friendly amenities, dining and recreation on their larger ships. Families will love the rock climbing wall, ice skating, pools, mini golf, full-size basketball court, spa, gym, fitness classes, shopping promenade and in-line skating. The fun evening entertainment includes shows, a casino for mom and dad, and movies for the whole family. The children’s programs are well-organized and well-staffed, so each child can enjoy an array of age-appropriate programming, including hands-on science, crafts, theater, games and more. As for dining, there are enough options to keep everyone happy. The main dining room serves up special meals that even the foodie parents will enjoy. There’s also a steakhouse-and-seafood grill onboard, plus a Johnny Rockets and a Ben and Jerry’s. And there’s always 24-hour room service, which all children think is the coolest!”

The ship: “The Navigator of the Seas is the first megaship from Royal Caribbean to start sailing shorter cruises. This is an ideal scenario for first-time cruisers who may be shy about sailing a full week. It’s a great opportunity to fully experience Royal Caribbean.”

The itinerary: “I’d recommend the five-night Western Caribbean sailing to Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios out of Fort Lauderdale.”

The cabin: “For a quiet cabin, choose between other passenger decks, midship, but not too close to an elevator. For families of five, there are a few different cabin configurations. Large family cabins can be inside, outside, or balcony cabins depending on the cruise line and ship. If you get connecting inside, outside or balcony cabins, you pay four full rates and one discounted rate. A very popular option for families with older kids is to have the parents in a balcony cabin with the children across the hall in an inside cabin—although this family’s children are a bit young for that option.”

The damage: “I can get a Grand Suite on the Navigator, sailing February 2-7, 2008, for $3,150 total for five people. This includes taxes, port charges and the new fuel surcharge. This family will travel in style! This 390-square-foot cabin has a queen bed, two day beds, and a rollaway, plus an 89-square-foot balcony and a larger private bathroom with bathtub and double sink.”

The excursion: “The entire family will really enjoy swimming with stingrays in Grand Cayman and then visiting the turtle farm. These are great adventures for the entire family based on the Butler kids’ ages and interests! ShoreTrips offers a four-hour tour ($82/adult, $71/child) that includes interacting with the stingrays in waist-high water at Stingray City, a short snorkel at Coral Gardens (with a life vest, even a 4 year old can explore the sea life, including nurse sharks and moray eels), and finally a land tour that includes the Governor’s House and the turtle farm.

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Planning tips: “Flying into the port of embarkation the night before is a good idea, especially in the winter. Some hotels in Fort Lauderdale provide a shuttle from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the port, and their rates even include free breakfast. At the end of the cruise, it’s a 5-minute taxi ride back to the airport from Port Everglades. If you’re going on the stingray excursion, bring some snacks along in case the kids get hungry. Try snorkeling in the bathtub before the cruise so the little one can see what it’s like!”

Susan Kelly of Travel Magic suggests:

The cruise line: “Disney Cruise Line’s four-night sailing on the Disney Wonder meets the Butlers’ criteria perfectly. It is completely family-friendly with opportunities for adults-only fine dining and entertainment. The kids’ programs on Disney Cruise Line are the best at sea and will keep the children fully entertained with top-notch counselors and programs as well as those wonderful Disney characters!”

The ship: “The Disney Wonder is a magnificent vessel, designed with families in mind. Staterooms are 25 percent larger than the industry average. There are three different dining rooms to sample and a wonderful theater where Broadway-quality productions are performed each night.”

The itinerary: “The four-night sailing allows them to have a taste of cruising without a full week commitment. This cruise departs from Port Canaveral and sails to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas. There is also a day at sea.”

The cabin: “The ‘Category 4 Deluxe Family Stateroom with Verenda’ is the perfect stateroom for a family of five, located on Deck 8, the top deck with accommodations on it. It has a queen bed for the parents and three single beds for the kids. This also features a split bathroom—one room with a shower and sink and another with a toilet and sink—so two people can be getting ready at once. There is also a beautiful private verendah from which to enjoy your morning coffee.”

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