As you know, usually my posts are short. I try to refer you to useful on-line destinations. This one is longer because I am importing something I found in print.

Many clients of our website are travelers. Many are specifically cruisers or want to go on their first cruise. But, how to get the best experience ...

Well, one of life's lessons is, "Pay attention to the experts." And Arthur Frommer is a genuine travel expert. When I read what follows in a major newspaper, I knew I wanted to pass it along. So, naturally, I looked on-line to see if I could give you a hyperlink to get you there. Unfortunately, until now it has existed in print only. It is my honor to make available what I am sure will become classic advice from Arthur Frommer. Read on.

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September 24, 2006, St. Louis Post Dispatch, page T2

"And still they come:
"Ever larger cruise ships

"By: Arthur Frommer

"The stubborn, headlong rush toward the creation of more absurdly large ships continues without letup. Last month, Norwegian Cruise Lines announced that it has contracted with a French shipyard to build at least two -- perhaps three -- 150,000-ton vessels, each capable of carrying at least 4,200 passengers.

"In a statement accompanying the release, the president of NCL, Colin Veitch, strongly implied that henceforth, all of the company's new ships will be of at least that size.

"Several passenger liners carrying 3,100 passengers apiece are already in existence, and they are soon to be eclipsed by the "Genesis" project of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, a ship planned to carry upwards of 6,400 passengers. Increasingly, the would-be cruise passenger looking for a moderately priced sailing will have no alternative but to book aboard these immense structures filled with crowds. Ships of 150,000 tons are so large that they will not be able to dock in about half the port cities of the world. They will need to park themselves far out to sea and take their passengers ashore on small barges navigating choppy seas. They will be packed with such crowds that you will rarely find a quiet deckchair where you can simply sit and gaze at the ocean or quietly read a book. Most of the modern ships have only two or so open decks, and those blessedly airy spaces are covered with people.

"The new, humongous ships present their shows in auditoriums the size of the largest of metropolitan movie theaters. Their passengers rarely know a moment that is free from crowds. They dine with crowds, join long cafeteria lines for breakfast, swim with crowds, shop in enormous malls and join crowds in fitness rooms and bars.

"If you prefer, instead, the traditional quiet pleasures of a cruise -- including intelligent lectures, high-quality cultural performances and the absence of crowds -- in all probability you'll have to book one of the far more expensive smaller ships, those of the so-called premium lines like Regent, Silversea, Seabourn or others of a far more costly type. The wealthy traveler will enjoy the maritime experience, while the medium-income American will be aboard ships so large and enclosed that you might as well be on land and not on sea. Indeed, why will it be necessary for these gigantic ships to leave the dock or their home port? How many of their passengers would even realize they are not at sea?

"Increasingly, over the years to come, smart travelers will heavily depend on those cruise brokers who ferret out the bargain-priced unsold cabins and other "distress merchandise" of the expensive, smaller ships -- and let me point out that a ship carrying fewer than 2,000 passengers is now a smaller ship! Even the most upscale of the smaller ships have occasional vacancies, and thus the need to discount many of their cabins. A number of cruise brokers, like Vacationstogo.com, Cruisesonly.com, Cruisewizard.com and Cruisebrothers.com make a point of bringing such values to your attention.

"If you agree with my own aversion to the new gigantic megaships, then you'll vote with your feet. You'll make every effort to avoid the 3,000-, 4,000- and 6,000-passenger liners, and give your patronage to those of sensible size."

Write to Arthur Frommer in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019, or e-mail afrommer17@aol.com.