Taking The Kids: A fall cruise when family doesn't necessarily mean kids

Liz Kowalzyk, on board with her husband and in-laws to celebrate their 60th anniversary, indulged in a spa treatment nearly every day at the always busy Mandara Spa with its Hydrotherapy Courtyard, complete with heated benches, hydrotherapy pool, steam chamber and more. "At home in New York I don't take time for myself," she said. "It's go-go-go."

Karen Neff, a grandmother from Santa Barbara, California, is a fan of cruises for multigenerational trips -- this time she and her husband are just traveling with one of their four children and two youngest grandchildren, including a 9 month old. On other trips, there are more than 20 of them, she said. Her secret is to book the expansive Haven Suites, a kind of a ship-within-the-ship experience that includes villa accommodations, a concierge to attend to every need and a separate, quieter spot for breakfast. "The Haven always books first," said Jovo Sekulovic, the Gem's hotel director.

October, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), is Plan a Cruise Month with special deals and promotions, as well as the chance to win a cruise each week with the Cruise Smile social media contest. (Post a photo of a great "Cruise Smile" on Twitter, Instagram or the campaign landing page using (hashtag)CruiseSmile and (hashtag)sweepstakes from Oct. 1 through 31, 2016.)

Consider that you have your choice of more than two dozen ports around the country making a no-fly cruise vacation a real possibility -- even in winter from New York when Norwegian and other lines cruise south rather than north.

In case you are wondering, the kids on board couldn't have been happier with food whenever they wanted, the Splash Academy staff ready to play games and, of course, the water slide. The play room was stocked with toys for "Guppies" (those under three) to play with their parents, as well as a small kids' pool in a shaded area.

This is Brooklyn and Kaitlin Vaughn's first cruise -- courtesy of their grandparents who thought they'd enjoy seeing the country beyond their native Arkansas. Their mom, Charlotte, who left her husband and preschooler home for the trip with her 6- and 7-year-old daughters, parents and sister, said the duo would forgo dessert at dinner to make sure they didn't miss anything at Splash Academy. "It's the best!" declares Brooklyn.

Along with the food, her sister added. There is nonstop food starting with the breakfast buffet at 6:30 a.m., huge deck barbecues on sea days, afternoon tea and multicourse meals whether you opt for the dining rooms, steak house, French bistro, sushi or Italian. Want 3 a.m. fish and chips? No problem!

"Eating too much is a given on a cruise," said Stacy Thompson. Her parents, she added, were already talking about when they could cruise next.

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)