(MONEY Magazine) – Everyone--or at least everyone who likes luxurious ocean voyages--was talking about the impossibly low cruise fares earlier this year. The cruise industry had built ships at a steady clip in the past few years and then sailed smack into the post-Sept. 11 travel slowdown. It was desperate to fill empty cabins at almost any price.

For better or worse, however, demand quickly rebounded. Among other reasons: Travelers started taking notice of the growing number of ships departing port cities that were previously unassociated with cruising, like Baltimore and Seattle. Rock-bottom prices are now pretty much a thing of the past.

But don't let that keep you ashore this winter. There are still impressive deals to be had, only now you need to be a little more savvy about where and how to find them. The box on page 150 should provide all the tips you need for getting the most from your cruise dollars.

More important, price simply shouldn't be your primary criterion for picking a cruise. Several hundred cruise ships sail the world today, and even those in the same price range can differ dramatically. Pick the wrong cruise and you're sunk--jumping ship, after all, isn't an option. So it's crucial that you find a cruise that pays special attention to what's important to you. With that in mind, we interviewed cruise-only travel agents, cruise line officials and frequent passengers about their favorites in a range of categories. Unless otherwise noted, prices are the best per-person, double-occupancy rates we could find for an outside room with a window. Meals--but not alcoholic beverages--are included; tipping policies vary by line. Prices change frequently, so look to our quotes only as guidelines.

Here's what we found.

FAMILY. It's unsurprising, perhaps, but true: For those traveling with kids, our reporting found, Disney's ships deserve their stellar reputation. The Magic and the Wonder each devote nearly an entire deck to children's activities, are staffed with the industry's highest counselor-to-kid ratio (about 1 to 15) and offer intelligently age-specific kids programs, from pajama parties with Goofy for the youngest to a teen-only Internet cafe. Parents get a pager to remind them of their kids' activities and pickup times. And, believe it or not, the boats are sensitive to Mickey overload: Parents can get time away from both kids and animated characters at adults-only restaurants and an adults-only beach on Disney's private Bahamian island. Disney (800-951-3532) quoted a seven-day cruise of the western Caribbean on the Magic, departing Jan. 18 from Port Canaveral, Fla., at $1,482 for adults and $602 for kids sharing a stateroom with parents.

Another winner with the underage set is Norwegian Cruise Line (800-327-7030), which is also one of the least expensive large-ship operators. Special activities for four age-groups are run by well-trained counselors. The 2,200-passenger Star departs Honolulu each Sunday in 2003 on a seven-day sail around the Hawaiian Islands. Karen Ann Kelley at Betty Maclean Travel in Naples, Fla. priced a Jan. 18 departure at $998 per person. Two kids under 12 sharing a room with their parents pay $388 each.

FOOD. What celebrity chefs did for Las Vegas, they've now done for the cruise industry. Crystal has signed up Wolfgang Puck and Nobu Matsuhisa. Cunard has Todd English and Daniel Boulud. Sure, these arrangements--in which the chefs design menus and sometimes train other chefs--are at least 50% marketing gimmickry. But their involvement has elevated the overall sophistication of cruise food--and, hey, it's not like these guys actually cook your food at their restaurants either.

Leaving that trend aside, we found that the Radisson Seven Seas line (877-505-5370) has earned a reputation for consistently great food. The all-suite Radisson Mariner, in particular, has a new restaurant, Signatures, that's staffed by the famous Cordon Bleu school of Paris. The chefs shop for fresh produce, meat and fish during port calls. Some itineraries offer cooking classes for a fee. Judy Lucas, an agent at Tucson's Concierge Cruises, found a two-for-one fare on the Mariner's 14-day trip leaving Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 7 for Los Angeles, traveling through the Panama Canal and stopping in Grand Cayman, Costa Rica and Mexico, for $4,243 per person.

PORTS OF CALL. Not interested in the knickknack bazaars that line most cruise ship-accessible waterfronts? Windstar's four-masted, 148-passenger Wind Song sails year round through the islands of Tahiti, starting from Papeete and stopping at places that large ships can't, including Raiatea, Moorea, Huahine, the tiny island of Taha'a and the spectacular atoll of Bora Bora. Passengers can sign up for any of dozens of onshore activities. On Bora Bora, for example, you can take an outrigger canoe to feed small sharks or drive into Moorea to visit the first Christian church in French Polynesia. The shore excursions cost extra, but most water sports from the ship's pop-down marina are included in the price.

Windstar (800-258-7245) has reduced rates by 45% from its brochure rate to $2,795 per person, and travel agents can often do better. Windstar is also throwing in free air fare to Papeete from 31 U.S. cities if you book any of its weekly cruises through Dec. 13.

SPECIAL INTEREST. There are dozens of special-interest cruises these days, focusing on subjects as wide-ranging as spy craft (with lectures by former intelligence agents), solar eclipses and golf. We can't even scratch the surface here, so we will refer you to the most comprehensive list, at www.cruise-news.com.

One interesting cruise did happen to catch our eye. For those seeking a genuine learning experience, World Explorer Cruises (800-854-3835) offers an 18-night cruise to Central America aboard its 700-passenger Universe Explorer, with professional historians and scientists acting as guides to the region's culture and natural wonders. If you're looking for a hopping night life, this ship isn't for you: There's no casino or nightclub. But it does have the largest library at sea. A two-for-one special for the Dec. 12 sailing to, among other places, Belize, Guatemala, the Panama Canal and Costa Rica comes to $2,375 per person.

SPA AND WELLNESS. Crystal Cruises does many things well--as it should, given its relative costliness--but its spa services are delivered at a particularly high level. The line has some of the most extensive spa and fitness facilities afloat, but what truly sets Crystal apart is the excellent service from a well-trained, professional staff. If you want to devote your entire cruise to good health, Crystal (800-446-6620) is offering an 11-day itinerary devoted to yoga, health and fitness on the Crystal Symphony, departing Nov. 29 from Fort Lauderdale and passing through the Panama Canal, for $2,795.

ACTIVE ADVENTURE. Royal Caribbean (800-398-9819) is still the best at making sure you stay active while afloat. It's the only line with rock-climbing walls (on six of its 16 ships), and the 40-foot climb puts you a vertiginous 200 feet over the open sea. You can also speed around the in-line skating track or ice skate on a nearly full-size rink. New York City's Valerie Wilson Travel priced a seven-day cruise aboard the Explorer, leaving Miami on Dec. 14, at $969.

SINGLES. The best thing about traveling solo is that you operate at your own whim and on your own schedule. The worst: the annoying "single supplement" you pay for occupying a room built for two people, which can run anywhere from 50% to 100% of the double-occupancy per-person rates. World Explorer is the only line we found that carries no single supplement at all, but a handful of others keep the extra charge within reason. Silversea Cruise Lines' (800-722-9955) single supplement is only 10% of the standard per-person fare, but its luxurious cruises are somewhat expensive: A nine-day trip on the Silver Cloud from Fort Lauderdale, making stops in Mexico, Belize and Panama, is $5,548 for solo travelers. But when you consider what's included (air fare, drinks and excursions, among other things), you will end up paying little more than you would on one of the many less luxurious lines that charge a 50% supplement and a range of add-on fees.

CRUISES FOR NONCRUISERS. Star Clippers' (800-442-0551) two authentic clipper ships, built in the early 1990s, hold only 170 passengers and are a great option for people who prefer to leave the casinos and mini-malls on land. A casual environment prevails; in place of formal dinners followed by a floor show, you're likely to get some good barbecue and stargazing on deck. And though those prone to seasickness should be forewarned, these boats also offer the exhilaration of real sailing. All in all, it's clearly a popular twist on cruising: 50% of the line's clientele are repeat customers. A one-week Caribbean cruise aboard the Royal Clipper, departing Dec. 14 from Barbados and sailing to the Grenadines, Grenada, Tobago Cays, St. Lucia and Martinique, is $1,969.