NEW YORK, Feb. 5 -- With National Cruise Vacation Month under
way and Valentine's Day just around the corner, Cruise Lines International
Association (CLIA) is reminding vacationers that a cruise could be the perfect
gift for that special someone.

"A pair of cruise tickets would make a very romantic gift," says James G.
Godsman, president of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). "Imagine
dancing on deck under a canopy of stars and dining on a specially prepared
meal for two, all against an ever-changing backdrop of ports. Now take it a
step further and imagine surprising your Valentine with a cruise that focuses
on his or her favorite interests, whether it's Big Band music, the Civil War,
whale watching, sports or opera."

To satisfy vacationers' diverse interests, CLIA-member cruise lines are
offering an assortment of theme cruises throughout 1998. Consider these
itineraries:

-- "Whales in the Wild," "Big Band" and "Aloha Festivals and Hawaiian

Heritage" aboard American Hawaii Cruises, with special lecturers,

presentations or demonstrations.

-- A Big Band Cruise, Maya Explorer Cruises and, believe it or not, an

opportunity to learn snow skiing techniques aboard Commodore Cruise

Line.

-- Italian "weddings," arts and crafts, lectures on fashion and history,

and popular Italian-American performers aboard Costa Cruise Line's

"Festa Magnifico" Caribbean cruises.

-- Cooking demonstrations and gala dinners prepared by world-famous chefs

(past guests are Wolfgang Puck and Jacques Pepin) during Crystal

Cruises' Wine & Food Festivals.

-- Explorations of Southern culture and cooking, and the "New Frontiers of

Sea and Space," during enrichment cruises hosted by special guests

aboard Cunard's Royal Viking Sun.

-- Gardens of the River, Civil War, Old-Fashioned Holidays, Cajun Culture,

1950s Hit Review, and The Elvis Years on Delta Queen Steamboat

Company's sailings.

-- An immersion in Disney culture aboard Disney Cruise Line, with Disney

decor and such features as the Animator's Palate restaurant, where the

walls come to fully animated life.

-- Ancient civilization lectures and natural history speakers aboard First

European Cruises, and a "Sole Mio" theme during which the dining room

is turned into a Venetian bistro.

-- Headline acts for country music and comedy theme cruises, and authentic

beers and music on an Oktoberfest cruise, aboard Holland America Line.

-- A jazz cruise featuring Reggie Moore, Hal Singer, Cornelia Moore, Benny

Bailey, Carol Cass Quintet and the Harlem Stride Project aboard

Mediterranean Shipping Cruises.

-- Blues, rock, country and Big Band cruises, plus sports cruises with

professional football, hockey, basketball, volleyball and baseball

players, aboard Norwegian Cruise Line.

-- Murder mysteries, food, wine and cheese, Italian culture, salsa, and

samba aboard every sailing of Premier Cruises' SeaBreeze from New York

(from May through September).

-- A sampling of Europe's finest orchestras, virtuosos, dancers and

singers, plus visits to historic opera houses, theaters and churches,

on Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' itineraries.

-- An opportunity to view a spectacular eclipse at sea from the Southern

Caribbean aboard Royal Olympic's Stella Solaris; the cruise features

special enrichment lectures.

-- For film buffs, a Twentieth Century Fox Film Retrospective with classic

Fox films and the movies' stars on a Seabourn Cruise Line sailing.

-- Three theme cruises in one ("Incas and Aztecs," National Geographic

photographers and journalists, and golf) aboard a Silversea Cruises'

voyage in South America and Mexico.

-- Lectures on fashion, healthy lifestyles and art, plus wine tastings and

cooking demonstrations, aboard selected Windstar Cruises' sailings.

"We know for a fact that cruises are the most popular gift to give at the
holidays, largely because they're easy to plan and a good value," says
Godsman. "Cruises are also a wonderful way to spend quality time with the
person you love. All the day-to-day concerns, such as cooking, cleaning and,
to an extent, taking care of the kids, are taken care of for you."

To learn more about theme and enrichment cruises, contact a nearby
CLIA-affiliated travel agency or visit CLIA's website at
http://www.cruising.org. For a free Cruise Vacation Planner, a 48 page guide
to cruising, call toll-free 888-Y-CRUISE, or 888-927-8473.