Question:
We've heard so much about theme cruises, and it sounds like a great way to tailor a vacation to our interests. How can we find a cruise with a theme that's right for us?
Answer:
Theme cruises are becoming more and more popular, and so there are many ways to find information about specific themed sailings. To get you started, take a look at Cruise Critic's theme cruise roundups for U.S. and U.K. cruise travelers for an overview of the most popular themes and some related sailings.
If you've got a specific theme in mind, you might want to start by checking the Web sites and newsletters of organizations, bands or other groups you like to see if they're chartering a ship or participating in a theme cruise. You'd be surprised how many disparate groups jump on the cruising bandwagon -- for example, a singer-songwriter duo I like promoted their music cruise during a show at a folksy venue.
Or, if you've got a favorite cruise line, look on its Web site for cruise line-sponsored theme sailings. Crystal, MSC Cruises and Fred. Olsen are some of the lines that organize their own themed voyages and list them on the Web. You'll find everything from dance and healthy living to sports, food and music cruises -- often with celebrity guests.
Still can't find what you're looking for? Try Theme Cruise Finder, a new Web site that lets you search for theme cruises by topic of interest. You can also search by keyword under Advanced Search, which means you can sort theme cruises by line or date. (For example, select "Dance" from the theme drop-down menu, and then type in "Carnival" or "April" to further refine your search.) You can also browse sailings by topic in the Ad section.
This site can also be useful for travelers looking to avoid large groups on their cruises. If you're interested in taking a voyage, but don't want half of your fellow passengers to be sci-fi fans, political or religious devotees or exuberant crafters, go to Advanced Search and type in the name of the cruise ship and the month of travel (or other identifying details). If there are any organized groups on that sailing who publicly promote their onboard gathering, you may just find them listed on Theme Cruise Finder. While this isn't a foolproof way of avoiding all groups -- such as private company retreats or business meetings -- it can help you identify certain large-scale events on your intended sail date.
Have a question -- big or small -- for the editor? Send an e-mail to 
