Fact File
by Candyce Stapen

Like resorts and rock bands, cruise lines have distinct personalities and dedicated followers. While you might enjoy many companies, decide which one you want for your next trip.

Listed below are typical fees for interior cabins accommodating four passengers. These rates do not include taxes and gratuities. The first two passengers pay the full fee while the third or fourth passengers sharing the cabin sail for a reduced rate. Since fees change with availability, season and sailing, the fares listed are indicative but may not be available on a particular voyage.

**CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES

Personality:

Carnival gains fame for its glitzy, themed ships and make-the-scene bars. The over-the-top décor, such as the Miracle’s dining room supported by silver pillars shaped like wine glasses, some label tacky while others find entertaining.

Kids’ Program and Facilities:

Carnival, the Pied Piper of the industry, expects to carry 450,000 children in 2004, nearly half of all youngsters afloat. Carnival’s program, divided into ages 2-5, 6-8, 9-12 and 13-15, operates year-round on every ship.

Family Amenities and Services: Preschoolers like the splash pools and bigger kids and adults giggle all the way down the curvy water slides.

Costs: A 7-day Caribbean , non-holiday cruise in Dec 04 costs $599 per person, and $329 for third and fourth passengers. The same cruise in May 05 costs $699 per person, and $399 for third and fourth passengers. 800-Carnival. carnival.com.

**DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Personality: Forget about gambling on a Disney ship as there’s no casino.

Entertainment and ambiance center around the make-believe world of Disney from first-run movies to production numbers populated with Snow White, Cinderella and other come-to-life characters.

Despite a dance club admitting ages 21-and older, and, on 7-day voyages, adult workshops on navigation, storytelling, and cooking, some grown-ups get bored with the insistent “sweetness” pervading a Disney voyage; others, don’t want to leave the floating “Neverland.”

Kids’ Program and Facilities: The program operates for ages 3-4, 5-7, 8-9, 10-12, and 13-17 and the facilities for ages 3-12 impress even the most blasé kids. The Captain Hook themed Oceaneer’s Club for ages three to seven, features big, rubbery fish to play on, barrels to climb through and a two-story slide so kids can walk the plank in style. In the dress-up nook, kids put on costumes to become Belle, Aladdin, Winnie-the-Pooh and other loveables.

The Oceaneer’s Lab, themed like Buzz Lightyear’s space station, engages eight-to twelve year-olds with a bank of computers, science experiments, and wall-size video games.

Family Amenities and Services:

Disney’s oversized cabins, especially the outside staterooms equipped with one-and-a-half baths, ease the getting dressed for dinner crunch. In the evening family game shows and deck parties bring out the goofiness in parents and kids alike.

To celebrate Disneyland’s 50 th anniversary, the Magic repositions in mid-May 04, offering 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles through September 3.

Costs: 7-night Caribbean cruises typical rate $900 per person; children under age 3, $139; ages 3-12, $399; others $599. Four night cruises typical rate $575children under age 3, $99; ages 3-12, $329; others $379. 888-DCLL-2500, www.disneycruise.com.

** HOLLAND AMERICA

Personality: For years Holland America made waves as a grande dame, luxury line whose classy ships offered fine service to genteel retirees. Children were seen only when grandparents pulled out snapshots. But by the time the Zuiderdam, the first of the Vista class ships debuted in 2002, Holland America refocused, adding children’s programs to lure younger parents as well as to accommodate the blossoming number of multi-generational travelers. On holiday and summer Caribbean sailings, you’ll see parents in their forties, but other times, the line tends to attract more seniors.

Kids’ Program and Facilities: Holland America floated out its expanded Club HAL with the Oct. 10 sailing of the Ryndam to the Mexican Riviera. New elements: a starting age of 3 ( instead of five), an expanded facility with designated spaces for ages 3-7 and ages 8-12; an indoor and outdoor teen hang-out; and, for the first time, group babysitting from 10 pm to midnight for a fee of $5 per child, per hour. The new services expand to other ships by January 05, but the enlarged children’s rooms won’t be fleetwide until 2006.

Holland America offers kids-only excursions in Alaska and in the Caribbean. Despite these developments, Holland America emphasizes that Club HAL is not “daycare but an activity program.” Hours vary and kids eat meals with their parents who must be ready to pick-up their progeny when ping-pong, Playstation challenges, or Karaoke ends.

Family Amenities and Services:

Holland America encourages togetherness by scheduling family Olympics, Karaoke, amd Cranium Family Game time, board game challenges. Horseback riding, swimming with stingrays and navigating an obstacle course on a WaveRunner, the new activities on Half Moon Cay, rate with “tweens and teens

Costs: 7-day Caribbean cruise departing Ft. Lauderdale in Dec, non-holiday: $799 per person/ $299 for ages 2-18; older third or fourth passengers $399. Departing May 05: from $860 per person/ $299 for ages 2-18; $399 older third or fourth. The line offers only a few short cruises. 4-day Zuiderdam cruise departing Ft. Lauderdale Jan. 29, 05: $399 per person/

877-Sail-HAL. www.hollandamerica.com.

**NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Personality: Foodies have fun aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) where “freestyle cruising” means never having to eat dinner in the same place twice. To give guests meal choices similar to a resort, the ships feature six to ten restaurants, including a sushi bar, Tex/Mex cafe, Italian buffet and a formal venue with Continental fare. Some require reservations, some charge extra fees, and at some you just show up. And on an NCL ship, don’t pack your tux or gown unless you want to; formal attire is optional.

NCL America, a brand of NCL, is the only line regularly offering inter-island cruises. Currently, the Pride of Aloha sails 7-day itineraries from Honolulu. Functioning with an all-USA crew, these voyages seem to be plagued by lines and slow service, problems NCL is dedicated to solving. In July, the new Pride of America begins three and four day Hawaiian voyages.

Kids’ Program and Facilities: NCL divides its Kid’s Crew into groups for ages 2-5, 6-8, 9-12 and 13-17, but only teens 13-years and older can sign themselves out of the supervised program.

Family Amenities and Services: Parents and their pre-schoolers enjoy the whimsical outdoor Splash Down kiddie pool with its mini-slides and water sprays. These get-wet play places exist on the Dawn, Star, and Spirit and will be on the new Pride of America , Norwegian Jewel , and the Pride of Hawaii .

Costs: A 7-day Caribbean , non-holiday cruise in Dec 04 costs $599-$699 per person, and $329 for third and fourth passengers. The same cruise in May 05 costs $699-$799 per person, and $399 for third and fourth passengers. 800-327-7030. www.ncl.com.

**PRINCESS CRUISES

Personality: Princess Cruises, the original “Love Boat, ranks in the mass market category but floats more upscale ships with tasteful décor and good food. With Personal Choice Dining, choose either fixed mealtimes with the same tablemates and waiter or come-when-you-want service.

Kids’ Program and Facilities: On Princess vessels sailing a family-friendly itinerary, the children’s camp breaks into groups for three to seven years-old, eight to twelve, and thirteen to seventeen. New ships such as the Caribbean Princess, feature a larger Fun Zone camp with separate areas for ages three to six years-old, seven to nine, ten to twelve and teens. Additional nice touches: a shaded, outdoor play area for the youngest cruisers to ride their tricycles.

Family Amenities and Services: The Caribbean Princess, which debuted in April 04, ushered in Princess’ newest signature element: Movies Under the Stars, feature films shown outdoors on a 300-square- foot LED screen, popcorn included. The experience marries the fun of an old-fashioned drive-in to the delight of being caressed by sea breezes.

At least once a sailing crew members, costumed as Dorothy and the Scarecrow, lead viewers in a “Sing-A-Long Wizard of Oz” as the classic plays. In November the Grand Princess, sailing from Galveston , will be the second LED ship in the fleet.

Costs: A 7-day Caribbean, non-holiday cruise in Dec 04 costs $549-$599 per person/$199 for third and fourth passengers. The same cruise in May 05 costs $749-$949 per person/ $199 for third and fourth passengers. 800-PRINCESS. www.princess.com.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

Personality: “Action” is Royal Caribbean’s catchword. First introduced on RCI’s Voyager class vessels--—Adventure, Explorer, Mariner, Navigator, and Voyager of the Seas-, rock-climbing walls proved so popular that now these come standard on all ships. To this the Voyager fleet adds inline skating, basketball, and ice-skating as well as the Royal Promenade, an indoor, faux European cityscape complete with “sidewalk” cafes, shops and sometimes magicians and jugglers. We always book the specialty restaurants as RCI’s dining room food is forgettable.

Kids’ Program and Facilities: What distinguishes Adventure Ocean, RCI’s youth program, are the especially age sensitive divisions that create separate activities for three to five, six to eight, and nine to eleven, twelve to fourteen and fifteen to seventeen. RCI also devotes much space to teenagers who can hang-out in the Living Room, and dance at Fuel, the teen-only disco. Onboard the Navigator, Mariner, Monarch and Sovereign of the Seas, teens can also take in the sun and sea breezes on the teen-only Back Deck.

Family Amenities and Services: In October RCI launches a program of six daily families activities featuring rock climbing, Karaoke, and basketball tournaments.

Costs: A 7-day Caribbean, non-holiday cruise in Dec 04 costs $809 per person/$549 for third and fourth passengers. A 4-night, Mexican Riviera, non-holiday cruise in Dec 04 from LA costs $399 per person/$199 third or fourth. 800-327-6700. www.royalcaribbean.com

WINDJAMMER BAREFOOT CRUISES

Personality: Windjammer Barefoot Cruises floats a fleet of tall sailing ships, each carrying 106-126 passengers, plus the 94-passenger former freighter Amazing Grace. Focused on eco-adventures and often anchored in small harbors the behemoths can’t enter, these vessels attract voyagers who eschew big ship pizzazz, preferring instead small group camaraderie and simple evening talks. For these sailors dressing for dinner means donning a clean T-shirt.

Kids’ Program and Facilities: Although youngsters age six and older may board all year, the line runs children’s activities only in summer. Forget about kids’ arcades and discos. Junior Jammers operates in summer only. The program turns the 6-to-11 set into seafarers, allowing young salts to hoist sails and tie knots on- board. On- shore kids build sandcastles, play as swashbuckling pirate and go on snorkeling safaris.

Family Amenities and Services: These voyages work well for families who like exploring together and making their own fun. Evening entertainment runs to naturalist lectures and conversation with shipmates and most cabins make for cozy quarters. The Legacy and the Polynesia offer a limited number of 3 and 4-person cabins, but the Amazing Grace has just double staterooms.

Costs: Prices and packages for 05 are not definite yet, but a 7-day Caribbean sailing June through August on the,Legacy, or Polynesia averages about $900 per person, double occupancy. Last summer the line offered free passage for one child ages 6-12 with two, full fare adults. A fourth person would cost about $450. 800-327-2601. www.windjammer.com