Mega-cruise for the big, close-knit family

At a shipyard in Finland, workers are constructing the largest cruise ship ever built, Royal Caribbean Cruises’ 150,000-ton Freedom of the Seas, which will carry 3,600 passengers.

When it begins service out of Miami in June 2006, the ship will introduce novel features such as a maritime park, in which there will be various simulated trees and animals, and statues that will spout water at passengers. One swimming pool (among several) will be devoted to water polo and other competitive sports.

It also will have some of the largest cabins ever offered, including some capable of housing family groups of up to 14. If that kind of gigantism appeals to you, you might be smart to make your reservations immediately. Experience has shown that the larger the ship, the more popular it is -- at least in its first months of operation.

The other big maritime news is the completion and launch of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, the first new U.S.-flagged cruise ship in 50 years, which is to begin sailing this month and will cruise among four Hawaiian islands, with an American crew. If you have a big anniversary to celebrate or a family reunion coming up, you might check it out at (888) NCL-HAWAII (625-4292) or www.ncl.com.

Pride of America’s seven-night sailings are being sold at full price -- about $210 per person per day in inside cabins -- on the websites of all the major cruise travel agents, as well as directly on the Norwegian Cruise Line site itself. The ship will have eight restaurants, 10 bars and lounges, three swimming pools and four hot tubs.

If the price seems too high, you might consider the weeklong Hawaiian Islands cruises offered by its older sister ship, the Pride of Aloha.

Because of service problems aboard the Aloha during its first year of operation in 2004, the cruise line will be discounting Aloha’s seven-day July, August and September sailings to as low as $114 per person per day in inside cabins and will offer the same low rates to seniors on many dates in October and November. Log on to www.ncl.com, and click on “specials.”

More cruise opportunities have been accompanied by the greatly expanded operation of a major cost-cutting airline. When you’re flying out of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Detroit or New York to those cities or others in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean, check the airfares and availability of fast-growing Spirit Airlines, www.spiritair.com.

Though not as well-known as JetBlue or Southwest, nor equipped with the individual TVs of some cut-rate carriers, its airfares often undercut those of many airlines.

Increasingly, you’ll want to check it for flights to other destinations in the tropics. Ben Baldanza, Spirit’s new president, has announced that the airline soon will fly to numerous places in the Caribbean and Latin America to supplement its current international flights to the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.