What are the hottest new cruises this year?

The interesting thing about cruising is that the two hottest trends represent opposites! On the one hand, bigger-is-better and new ships debuting this year, such as Ruby Princess, Independence of the Seas and MSC Fantasia, all have interesting amenities and features and then some (such as boxing rinks, spa-centered accommodation, adult-only pool areas and lots of dining options from sushi to Italian).

Same goes for P&O's Ventura, which will launch next month with a circus school and a Marco Pierre White restaurant. On these ships, it almost doesn't matter where you go -- the ship is the destination and the port is a distraction.

On the other hand, also growing in popularity are ships that eschew the frilly stuff (not a rock climbing wall or indoor shopping mall among them) and focus on ports of call, enrichment programs, and exceptional dining and service.

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All are smaller in size and cozier in ambience. Swan Hellenic relaunches this year - a big plus - and Fred Olsen performs major surgery on one new ship (Balmoral, which it acquired from an American cruise line, and which launched last month) and Braemar, which will get a major refurbishment and expansion (by cutting the ship open and inserting a new midsection) this summer.

Hebridean is another that's trying new things; it expands its off-the-ship walking adventures from Hebridean Princess to include Hebridean Spirit as well. And river cruising continues to reinvent itself - this type of cruise, on river boats that hold between 75 - 200 passengers - introduces the cruise-type experience to areas of Europe that are beyond the coastal ports. Of late, river cruise lines are introducing more active and enrichment oriented programs, both onboard and onshore, and are also trying to be more flexible in terms of dining schedules and such.

Do cruises still have dress codes?

Yes, they all do even if it's to say "resort casual". Cruise Critic is a good source of information for the vagaries of dress codes. Formal-style dress is, however, becoming less popular (suits and ties for men, for instance, regularly trump dinner jackets on many lines).

But you'll still want to make sure to pack clothes that are a bit dressy (trouser suits and such) for evenings, regardless of how casual things are becoming. Yes, the more value-oriented cruise lines (Island, Ocean Village) allow casual, comfy wear at all times, but jeans, shorts and bare feet are still pretty much verboten.

Is it true that a lot of people go missing on cruise ships?

No, that's ridiculous. Most times, nearly every single time, that a person goes missing it's because of bad behavior or, sadly, because they wanted to go missing. Cruise ships are designed to make it rather difficult to simply topple over a rail. You have to make an effort.

If you're worried, though, try to pick the newest, latest models of ships because they're being designed to prevent jumpers at any cost - with high glass walls in pool areas and balconies with rails that are chest-height. I'm on Fred Olsen's Balmoral this week and it's slightly less restrictive. I am pleased to see that standard rails exist - so you can enjoy the view and the sea smells.

Are there cruises catered specifically to gay and lesbian travellers?

Absolutely. Some lines are more gay and lesbian friendly to begin with; I'd put NCL and Celebrity in that category for a number of reasons; NCL's great spas and flexible dining (there's no designated seating onboard) are appealing and Celebrity's emphasis on upscale food and drink, not to mention its spas, appeals.

Royal Caribbean is another popular choice. Despite its not-too-flexible main dining scenario, it's got the industry's best fitness regime, from boxing rings on some ships to excellent gyms. If you want a gay-themed cruise, check out a company called Atlantis. It's a gay (and lesbian) tour operator that's really embraced cruising and charters whole ships for special cruises. Another nice choice is a company called R Family Vacations (its president is Rosie O'Donnell's life partner) and the emphasis is on gay and lesbian families.

Carolyn Spencer Brown is Editor in Chief of CruiseCritic.co.uk. Send your cruising questions to Carolyn at yoursay@timesonline.co.uk

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