Those of all ages are well-catered for on a holiday at sea for all the family. Keeping the kids entertained on holiday can be stressful but many cruise brands are well prepared for their younger passengers. A cruise can be a great way to enjoy a family holiday with kids of all ages. Children will have fun sleeping on bunk beds or sharing a sofa bed in family cabins or even with interconnecting rooms. The main dining rooms usually have kids’ menus and there will be dedicated sections in the buffet with child-friendly dishes if your little ones are picky, such as pizza, burgers and hot dogs.

Read more: The best cruise ships to travel on in your lifetime. For time away from their children, parents can sign their little loved ones up for free kids’ clubs on board – this means you can have time to relax onboard and visit adult-only areas while your kids are entertained and can make their own friends. Many ships also have attractive activities outside of the kids’ club that the whole family can enjoy, such as sports areas for football, tennis, pickleball and basketball, as well as karaoke and quizzes.

Some ships have become floating entertainment resorts with swimming pools, waterparks, slides and even rock climbing walls, bumper cars and ice-skating rinks. Here is our pick of the best cruise lines for a family-friendly holiday. Read more: The best hidden cruise gem ports. Disney Cruise Line is the ultimate family-friendly cruising brand. There are meet-and-greets and immersive dining experiences across the fleet so you are almost guaranteed a picture with Mickey and other fan favourites.

Waterslides and rides are an important part of Disney cruise ships and attractions differ per vessel. Disney Dream and Fantasy passengers can enjoy the AquaDuck, a 765-feet long water coaster around the ship that finishes in a lazy river. Disney Magic has a more high-octane AquaDunk, where passengers start by standing in a slide before the floor drops and they plunge three-storeys down a waterslide. The ship also has a more child-friendly double-looping Twist and Spout waterslide in the onboard AquaLab waterpark.

The Twist and Spout waterslide can also be found on Disney Wonder. Disney Wish and Treasure have an AquaMouse water coaster that takes passengers on a wet and rocky journey through a tube around the ship while being entertained - and splashed - while watching a classic Mickey cartoon. If you want time away from the kids, there is babysitting available for an extra fee in the It’s a Small World Nursery. For those aged three to 10, the free onboard Oceaneer kids’ clubs cater for all different types of fans.

Oceaneers can hang with Woody and friends in the Toy Story-themed Andy’s Room on Magic, Dream, Fantasy and Wonder. Kids can also join the Rebel Alliance in Star Wars themed room on Dream, Wish and Treasure. Alternatively, they can hone their world saving skills in the Marvel Super Hero Academy on Magic, Wish, Fantasy and Treasure. There is also a more craft-orientated Fairytale Hall aboard Treasure that has three princess-themed rooms, Rapunzel’s Art Studio, Belle’s Library and Anna and Elsa’s Sommerhus.

The ships also cater for tweens, with an Edge lounge for 11- to 14-year-olds where passengers will find a dance floor, music and video games. Those aged 14-17 can also use the Vibe teens-only lounge and there is even a dedicated spa for this age group aboard Disney Dream, Fantasy and Magic. Read more: The best Disney cruise ships. The daily planner on MSC Cruises is packed with family fun including quizzes and pool games, while ships such as MSC World Europa offer bumper cars and roller skating in the Sportsplex.

Many of its ships such as MSC Virtuosa, Euribia and World Europa have onboard arcades, 4D cinemas and F1 simulators. You will also find great waterparks and slides. For example, MSC Virtuosa and Euribia have an aqua park, high-speed racing slides and also a high-ropes course that takes you over the sea. MSC Seaside has a zip-line that takes you from deck 20 to 18 while getting a 360-degree view of the ship and the water.

MSC World Europa has interactive waterslides, including one where you wear a virtual reality headset and another with a scary vertical drop at the start. There is also the Venom dry drop slide that takes you on a fast and thrilling ride down 12-decks, providing great views of the ship. MSC Cruises has five dedicated kids’ clubs, from ones for babies all the way up to age 17, across its fleet. Parents can attend MSC Baby Time play sessions with children up to age three and there is also a Baby Care service during set time slots where you can leave your child while you enjoy the ship.

Both services are free and allow a maximum of 15 babies at a time. The Mini Club welcomes children aged three to six years and passengers can play with Lego and take part in other events such as sports activities. There is also a family disco with kids’ club mascot Doremi. Passengers aged seven to 11 can attend the Junior Club, which hosts Masterchef at Sea Juniors baking competitions as well as football tournaments. Video games and karaoke sessions are also available.