Cruises

Two Caribbeans:

Small ships can take passengers to islands where big ships can’t go and avoid the crowds at larger ports.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Wonder will move to Miami in December

Disney Cruise line will move one of its ships to Miami for the first time this December, trading cruises from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera for cruises to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Caribbean Mexico.

Travelwise

Guest safety is captain’s first responsibility

Cruise safety is back in the spotlight in the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster.

Cruise notes

Transatlantic sailings come with nostalgia

If you’re old enough to remember the big-band era of music, and love to dance to that kind of music, several cruises can provide a nostagic fix.

Luxury cruises

How prices, services compare to mainstream cruises

The basic fare for a cruise on a luxury ship usually includes some things that cost extra on mainstream cruises, such as alcoholic beverages, gratuities and some shore excursions.

Voyages to Antiquity

Voyages to Antiquity

Passengers get authoritative presentations followed by visits to the remains of ancient civilizations. Sorry, there’s no waterslide.

Cruise fleet’s growth slowed by the economy

Celebrity, Disney, Oceania and Carnival will launch new ships in 2012 that will sail all or part of the time from Florida.

Disney likely to set sail from Miami

Get your Mouse ears on. For the first time, a Disney ship likely will call Miami home.

Cruising

In New Zealand, standing on the thinnest crust on Earth

On a pre-cruise adventure in Rotorua, stress and the rest of the world are far away.

Cruises

Carnival Liberty: Even more fun

Carnival’s Fun Ship 2.0 program, with its new bars, eateries and entertainment, is aimed at amping up the fun quotient.

Small-ship expeditions

Cruising to satisfy your cultural bucket list

Ever since the movie The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill men taking off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die, travelers have been busy compiling their own “bucket lists.”

Cruise notes

New water play area on next Disney ship

Theme cruises, ship renovations, new entertainment and a zip line on Dominica.

Cruising

New smoking rules clear the air aboard ships

Some cruise lines toughened their anti-smoking rules this year and others are scheduled to follow in 2012.

Cruising

Farm-to-table cuisine for Oasis of the Seas

Royal Caribbean partners with Miami chef Michael Schwartz to bring local produce and seasonal recipes on board one of its biggest ships.

CRUISE NOTES

River boats returning to the Mississippi

New Caribbean ports are on the drawing board, star chefs partner with Royal Caribbean and Carnival, and Paul Gauguin Cruises expands beyond the South Pacific.

ADVENTURE AT WORLD’S END

Exploring South America’s southern tip by ship

With the wind in our favor, the sudden whiff of fish and a rumble of cavernous snorts announced that the quarry was within range. A few steps later, the mound of mottled boulders at the high tide line rolled and heaved, and a half-dozen dozen giant elephant seals came alive.

Transatlantic crossings

Repositioning cruise: bargain of the sea

We worried we’d be bored with seven days at sea and no port calls, but our ship provided a nonstop schedule of activities.

Travelwise

Cruising the Mediterranean on a budget

Whether you’re booked on a late-season European cruise this fall or one in 2012, Rick Steves offers advice on keeping your costs down.

CRUISE LINES

Here is contact information for the largest ocean-going cruise lines.

Cruise lines

Course changes mark new season

Cruise lines will be setting different itineraries and redeploying their fleets to new ports for the fall and winter this year.

Norwegian Dawn

Cruising from Boston to Bermuda

The itinerary on this newly renovated ship is a little different, with three days at sea and three docked in Bermuda.

Cruising

Costa is like floating on a slice of Italy

Even the line’s Caribbean itineraries sailing out of Miami come with a European flavor.

CRUISING

When kids are ready for shipboard vacations

My son and his family were planning their first cruise in 2009. Fortunately for my daughter-in-law, they cancelled their plans because she broke her foot. The good luck wasn’t the break; it was the decision to put off the Mediterranean cruise for another year. Her family wasn’t ready.

CRUISING

New ship aims to attract younger, hipper crowd

Inside cabins aboard Norwegian Epic will be decked out by the same designer responsible for the hip European Yotels chain.

CRUISE LINES

Market rewards Carnival earnings report

Carnival Corp. beat Wall Street's earnings expectations through cost controls and less price discounting.

Cruising in style: 'Premium' ships offer luxuries without top-tier prices

On the new Celebrity Solstice, cruisers dine in a barrel-vaulted Tuscan steak restaurant divined by superstar designer Adam D. Tihany, watch glass-art vases as they are blown at the Corning Museum's hot glass shows and walk barefoot in the grass -- literally.

CRUISE VACATIONS

Florida-port summer cruises offer family fun

Many South Florida families are sticking closer to home these days, and with 16 cruise ships sailing from Florida ports this summer, a sea vacation is a good option. An added plus: Even though summer is high season for family travel, families can still find some good deals, particularly in early and late summer.

NEW CRUISE LINE

Single-ship 'Celebration' targets bargain seekers

A new cruise line is appealing to the budget-minded passenger with a smaller ship, fewer amenities and lower prices than the competition.

WATCHING YOUR WALLET

Planning, restraint keep cruise budget on course

You've found a killer cruise deal -- but you're worried that once onboard, you'll bust your budget. It doesn't have to happen. A little advance planning -- and a little discipline -- can save the day. Here are our tips for keeping your budget in check: