Province of the Chanel-soaked granny brigade? Cabinloads of boozy old buffers? The sniffy, blue-rinse image of the cruise ship has been washed away, along with rigid mealtimes and invitations to the Captain's table. From on-board basketball courts and juggling classes to wireless internet access and giant spas - it's official – cruising is cool...

Cruising for Adventurers
Hop on an ice-class ship and expect the unexpected. Sail past massive shimmering glacier caves, marvel at bald eagles soaring above while penguins strut their stuff on rainbow-coloured ice floats in the Arctic Circle. Test your nerve on adrenalin-busting shore excursions.

Daredevils will love the über-challenging mountain biking, sea kayaking, off-road go-karting or Harley-Davidson motorcycle tours. Shoot the rapids and experience precipitous drops, thundering hydraulics and powerful waves. Glide on ziplines at heights of up to a pulse-pounding 850-feet above the forest floor, while powerful grizzly bears forage below. If something less pants-scary floats your boat, try helicopter flightseeing, a fantastic way to take in the glories of wilderness areas. At the end of each day's adventure, relax in your swish cabin room, gorge on top-notch food or enjoy some on-board entertainment.

For more information, visit Holland America call 020 7940 4477.

Hip high seas
Ocean Village cruises offer zones crammed with places to eat, drink, shop and have fun, and are as dressed down, action-packed or laid-back as you desire. Pamper yourself in shamelessly decadent spas, chill-out in the meditation zone, try yoga, hot stone therapy or have your teeth whitened if you fancy flashier gnashers. Frolic in the pools and Jacuzzis, keep fit on the jogging track, play volleyball or basketball. If you fancy a flutter, have a spin at the Vegas-style roulette tables. Party hounds can ricochet to different bars every night, from cool Martini hang-outs to buzzy late-night haunts. Check out the full-on and fizzing mix of offbeat street theatre and dramatic moon show acrobats whose open air laser-light performances take place 27 feet above deck level - oooer, scary!

For more information visit Ocean Village or ring 0845 3585000.

Foodie cruising
Glitzy new cruise liner Carnival Freedom which made her wham-bam debut on March 5th 2007 is a foodie paradise. Sophisticated detail means award-winning meals including the exclusive Georges Blanc Signature Selection are enhanced by Bvlgari china, Riedel stemware and Frette linen. Enjoy the ambience in the ultra-stylish 'Posh' and 'Chic' dining rooms or the intimacy of the elegant 'Sun King' reservations-only supper club. Other excellent but more casual eateries on board include a 35-item salad bar, New York style deli and seafood restaurant serving delights including seared scallops, conch fritters and fried oysters.

Thankfully for our waistlines, the seriously fabulous Chocolate Extravaganza happens only once each voyage. And because you don't want to board as a passenger and leave as freight, you can work out in the state-of-the-art gym with wow-factor ocean views to assuage any guilt twinges about gorging that extravagantly more-ish food.

For more info visit Carnival Cruise or ring 020 7940 4466.