Newsday (Nassau Edition) from Hempstead, New York • 136

their myriad theme cruises There are big band sailings Irish cruises country western Dixieland jazz polka One would have to look hard for a rock and roll or rap-themed cruise One cruise line that makes no bones about being senior-oriented is the Delta Queen Steamboat Co Ac- tress Helen Hayes spent much of her last 35 years cruising the Mississippi aboard the paddlewheeler Delta Queen which marks its 70th anniversary this year Besides the regular menu of big band river music Cqjun (with food to match) Civil War and Mark Twain cruises a Great American Performers theme (Van Johnson Pat Boone Debbie Reynolds) on its newest vessel the American Queen Prices start at $790 per person double occupancy for three nights 800-543-1949 Big bands blues and trumpeter A1 Hirt are featured on the Commodore Enchanted Isle weekly sailing for the Caribbean it has a loyal following one couple recently logged their 37th voyage Rates for seven nights start at $498 800-237-5361 Another old favorite Norwegian Cruise Norway serves up its ninth annual Big Band cruises for aging jitterbugs April 26 and Nov 28 Seven-night Caribbean cruise fores range from $549 to $3789 per person double occupancy To combat that discouraging supplement that singles on a cruise pay Carnival has an intriguing solution Singles pqy $650 each for an inside or outside stateroom shared with three others gender is all we a spokeswoman says guarantee smoking or nonsmoking religion snoring or nonsnoring Scone turn out to be a jolly foursome But no guarantee Rhoda Amon gladly accepts mail from fellow senior travelers Write to her at Newsday 235 Pinelawn Rd Melville NY 11747-2450 aboard honing a skill the Crystal Symphony now going around the world in 103 days is a floating computer university You might consider next world cruise (if you win the lottery) Fares start at $40830 for the fUll cruise individual segments are $7995 Less affluent seniors can find an inexpensive vacation by hunting for says Larry Fishkin president of The Cruise Line Inc a Miami-based cruise discount center Most lines offer early-booking specials or discounts on ships that are not filling lip Cruise Line Inc maintains a hot line on last-minute deals Call 800-777-0707 ext 610 for the latest update on popular-priced cruises ext 612 for upscale cruises Call the same number for the free booklet Guide to Royal current offer is a four- -in-a-cabin deal for the April 6 and 13 sailings of the Mqjesty of the Seas from Miami to the Western Caribbean The first two passengers in a stateroom pay $799 third and fourth passengers go for $99 each (Two Pullman beds come out of the wall) Senior discounts may also be offered to off a not fully subscribed To qualify only one of a couple need be over 55 "Most of us are going out for the family said company spokesman Richard Speck But the cruise lines also have grandparents in mind when they promote their toddler-to-teen programs can take the children for a safe holiday and not worry about entertaining them The ship does Speck says (Call your travel agent) Though Carnival bills itself as fun for all ages its 11 liners "cany more seniors than any other a spokeswoman says American' Association of Retired Persons members can get discounts of $100 per stateroom on seven-day sailings $50 on three-or-four day sailings Certain restrictions apply (AARP membership is open to anyone over 50) And guess what age group the cruise lines bait with Cruise Lines Still Woo Older Crowd CLARA MACBETH lived for 14 yean on the Cunard cruise ship Coronia' cruising to China Africa Scandinavia Her leisurely seagoing life ended in her 90s Though record in the and has never been equaled cruise line officials say not uncommon for well-heeled passengers to take back-to-back-to-back cruises sometimes staying aboard for months These are seniors who make up the majority on many cruises particularly the long voyages cruise ships will vary the program on each leg knowing that some people may be staying on for the says Bill Miller a ship historian who lectures summers on the upscale Crystal European cruises Miller a social studies teacher in Hoboken NJ finds more families aboard the shorter runs to the Caribbean on mass-market lines like Carnival Some cruise lines seek to cast off their citizen courting the family trade with water slides and bdby-sitting But all cruise lines continue to woo the senior class there are many berths to fill in this competitive industry More than 135 cruise ships now plow the seas with 29 more expected by 1999 some with space for 3000 passengers The cruise lines are trying to dispel two myths myth that cruising is just for seniors and the myth that seniors are elderly and says Crystal Cruise spokeswoman Mimi Weisband Aiming at the younger seniors who want to spend their time 3-7 Days RELM0MT NOTH COtf AND C0UNT1H CLUS 442S-7IR BS0W REACH RERMU0AA RMREL BOTH $4HL77 HE! 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