It's not a politically correct topic to talk about, but not everyone wants to go on a cruise with a bunch of little ones running around underfoot. Even worse are some of the bigger kids who are up to no good. But how do you go on a cruise and make sure it will be a vacation you love, instead of a prison sentence you loathe because of the under aged attendees?

You know what you want in a cruise. You picture a wonderful relaxing time at sea, with those you are close to. You want to be able to dress up at night, enjoy quiet and romantic moments on the deck, and maybe just have some time to sit back, relax and read a book.

Now enter someone else's kids, that they don't want to deal with so they've let roam free about the vessel. They are running around screaming and chasing each other on the deck. They are jumping into the pool, splashing you with their cannonballs, not to mention all the pranks they may see as a lot of fun to play on unsuspecting cruise passengers. Your sparking holiday image has just become a nightmare.

There is a way to make sure this doesn't happen to you. It all has to do with doing a little research and careful cruise selection.

First, when considering a cruise to take, remember that not all cruise lines are as kid-friendly. Some of them fail to offer any sort of kid and teen-related activities, and chances are, there won't be as many kids on board. While parents don't always keep an eye on their little ones, they do tend to be drawn to cruises with programs geared towards kids. Think about the cruise lines you have looked at. All the advertising for cruise lines such as Disney, Carnival, and Princess show a number of programs geared towards the youth population. Essentially these programs let parents think it's ok to bring their children along on a cruise, because they will be able to send them away to these programs while they still enjoy their cruise. The problem with that is that the kids don't always stay in the program offerings, and choose to spend their time being noisy and causing trouble as you're trying to enjoy some peace and quiet. Instead you may want to consider cruise lines such as Radisson, Celebrity or Crystal Lines, which do not offer child or teen programs, and therefore are less likely to have passengers in those age groups onboard.

A final consideration is the time of year you are planning on traveling. If school is out, there is a much larger chance your cruise will be overrun by children and teenagers. If they're out of school and mom and dad want to go on a trip, they're going along. Instead try to gear your holiday towards times when the children are still in school. Most parents will not pull a child from their studies just to go on a cruise.