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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Ever since the movie <span class="italic">The Bucket List,</span> 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.”

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

In the competition among cruise lines for best budget inside cabins, Norwegian Cruise Line is taking a leap on its newest ship, the Norwegian Epic, which sails into the Caribbean in spring of 2010.

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.

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.

In a time when cruise lines are introducing behemoth ships and one-upping each other with extravagant amenities, the Bahamas Celebration is coming from the opposite direction. The ship -- a renovated Norwegian cruise ferry -- is the newest addition to South Florida's cruise fleet. At just under 700 feet and a capacity of 1,500 passengers, it's also among the smallest.

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: