chron.com Cruise guide
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HOMEPORTS
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The Texas fleet
Not sure who sails where from Galveston? For a seasonal wrap-up, click on the picture above. Or click below to learn more about the three ships that start out close to home.
Mexico: Come back to see us
Mexico says it's open for business, seeks tourist bucks —As the first cruise ship in more than a month docked at Cozumel on Wednesday, desperate officials and islanders greeted disembarking passengers with mariachi bands, folkloric dancers and a free vacation for a lucky winning couple. READ STORY
Mexico put back on Carnival itinerary
Carnival says its cruise ships will dock in Mexico again —The company said its first cruise ship to return to Mexico would be the Carnival Holiday. READ STORY
CARNIVAL
Wash away tension on Splendor —The Mud Lounge in the Cloud 9 Spa includes a thalassotherapy pool and a thermal suite. READ STORY
CELEBRITY
Solstice rises and sets to its own tune —As a veteran of more than 50 cruises, I’m not easily dazzled — until the Celebrity Solstice.. READ STORY
HOLLAND AMERICA
Buzz aboard the Eurodam —Holland America rarely tinkers with its formula of dependably high standards. But this ship has some new features. READ STORY
BUDGET
Cruising looks like a good deal for 2009 —On the surface, it would seem as though cruise travelers have smooth sailing ahead. Will 2009 be cruising’s biggest year ever? Um, not so much. READ STORY
NEW SHIPS
World's largest ship set to be unveiled —At 220,000 tons and with space for 5,400 passengers, Oasis of the Seas will be the world’s largest cruise ship when it debuts in November. READ STORY
DINING
Can you believe what we eat on a cruise? —Travelers who have experienced a Carnival cruise know the emphasis is on three pleasures: Fun. Food. Drink. Not that these are mutually exclusive. READ STORY
TOP 10   FOR LARGE SHIPS

The top 10 large cruise ships, based on a Conde Nast magazine poll.
1 Disney
Wonder
2 Celebrity
Constellation
3 Celebrity
Summit
4 Disney
Magic
5 Coral
Princess
6 Celebrity Millenium
7 Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas (tie)
8 Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas (tie)
9 Celebrity Infinity
10 Emerald Princess
TOP 10   FOR MEDIUM SHIPS

The top 10 medium-size cruise ships, according to a Conde Nast magazine poll.
1 Crystal Serenity
2 Crystal Symphony
3 Seven Seas Voyager
4 Seven Seas Mariner
5 Viking lInes Viking XPRS
6 Holland America Prinsendam
7 Oceania's Insignia
8 Oceania's Nautica
9 Oceania's Regatta
10 Tahitian Princess
TOP 10   SMALL SHIPS
The top small cruise ships, based on a Conde Nast magazine poll.
1 Grand Circle’s Bizet
2 Sea Cloud
3 Oberoi Philae
4 Uniworld’s River Baroness
5 Uniworld’s River Duchess (tie)
6 Seabourn Legend (tie)
7 Paul Gauguin
8 Grand Circle’s River Anuket
9 SeaDream 1 (tie)
10 Viking River Cruises’ Viking Neptune (tie)
Life's a Trip
Travels with Harry Shattuck
Bargains, news and tips from a veteran cruiser
BEFORE YOU GO
CRUISE LINKS
Click or call:
• Abercrombie & Kent: 800-323-7308; www.abercrombiekent.com
• American Canadian Caribbean: 800-556-7450; www.accl-smallships.com
• American Cruise Lines: 800-814-6880; www.americancruiselines.com
• Avalon Waterways: 877-797-8791; www.avalonwaterways.com
• Azamara Cruises: 877-999-9553; www.azamaracruises.com
• Butterfield and Robinson: 866-551-9090; www.butterfield.com
• Carnival: 800-327-9501; www.carnival.com
• Celebrity: 800-437-3111; www.celebritycruises.com
• Club Med 2: 888-932-2582; www.come2clubmed.com/club_med_2.htm
• Costa: 800-445-8020; www.costacruises.com
• Cruise West: 800-888-9378; www.cruisewest.com
• Crystal: 800-820-6663; www.crystalcruises.com
• Cunard: 800-528-6273; www.cunardline.com
• Disney: 800-939-2784; www.disneycruise.com
• EasyCruise: 011-44-1895-651191; www.easycruise.com
• French Country Waterways: 800-222-1236; www.fcwl.com
• Grand Circle: 800-959-0405; www.gct.com
• Hapag-Lloyd: 800-782-3924; www.eurolloyd.com/hapaglloyd.html
• Holland America: 800-426-0327; www.hollandamerica.com
• Hurtigruten (formerly Norwegian Coastal Voyage): 800-323-7436; www.hurtigruten.com
• Lindblad Expeditions: 800-762-0003; www.expeditions.com
• Majestic America (formerly Delta Queen): 800-434-1232; www.majesticamerica.com
• MSC: 800-666-9333; www.msccruises.com
• Norwegian Cruise Line: 800-327-7030; www.ncl.com
• Oceania: 800-531-5619; www.oceaniacruises.com
• Pearl Seas Cruises: 800-983-7462; www.pearlseascruises.com
• Peter Deilmann Cruises: 800-348-8287; www.deilmann-cruises.com
• Princess: 800-774-6237; www.princess.com
• Quark Expeditions: 800-356-5699; www.quarkexpeditions.com
• Regent Seven Seas: 800-285-1835; www.rssc.com
• RiverBarge Excursion Lines: 888-456-2206; www.riverbarge.com
• Royal Caribbean: 800-327-6700; www.rccl.com
• Seabourn: 800-929-9595; www.seabourn.com
• SeaDream Yacht Club: 800-707-4911; www.seadreamyachtclub.com
• Silversea: 800-722-9955; www.silversea.com
• Star Clippers: 800-442-0553; www.starclippers.com
• Uniworld: 800-360-9550; www.uniworld.com
• Viking River Cruises: 877-668-4546; www.vikingrivercruises.com
• Windstar: 800-258-7245; www.windstarcruises.com

News and reviews

• Cruise Critic: www.cruisecritic.com
• CruiseMates: www.cruisemates.com
• Avid Cruiser: www.avidcruiser.com
• Cruise Addicts: www.cruise-addicts.com
• Cruise Diva: www.cruisediva.com
• Cruise News Daily: www.cruisenewsdaily.com
• Cruise Week: www.cruise-week.com
• Cruise Gourmet: www.cruisegourmet.com
• Cruise Travel magazine: www.cruisetravelmag.com
• Porthole magazine: www.porthole.com
• Ocean and Cruise News: www.wocls.org/ocn.htm
• Cruise Lines International Association: www.cruising.org
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