A cruise vacation is my favorite type of vacation. If you want me to relax, put me on a ship where there's little to plan other than which drink to sip poolside and whether to spend the evening playing trivia or taking in a show. And those exciting ports ...

Other popular activities include world-famous salmon fishing and scenic float trips on the Kenai River, which flows 75 miles from Cooper Landing (where the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge is) to Cook Inlet. There's also hiking on trails near the lodge's front door.

Family demands coronial inquest after cruise ship allegedly abandons 80-year-old passenger on remote Australian island, leading to her death during luxury voyage.

Mazatlán is welcoming back cruise ships for another season, but their arrival won't fully compensate for security concerns earlier this year.