There are so many great things you can say about cruising.

Accoring to the International Council of Cruise Lines:

It's the best vacation value.

It's the "hot" vacation - appealing to a wide range of tastes, lifestyles, pocketbooks and interests.

It's one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry.

Nine out of 10 people who cruise say they'll cruise again.

By sailing the seven seas, cruise ships visit - literally - all corners of the earth, calling at more than 1,800 ports worldwide.

More than 90 million people have enjoyed the safety, comfort and excitement of traveling on cruise ships over the past two decades.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, cruise ships continue to be one of the safest forms of transportation.

Cruise lines are committed to protecting the ocean environment.

Cruise lines are investing substantial amounts of money and exercising worldwide leadership in developing state of the art waste treatment equipment and procedures, as well as educating passengers and crew in environmentally friendly practices.

Cruise companies contributed more than $17.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2000.

Travel agents and the cruise industry have forged a strong partnership over the years, with nearly 95 percent of cruises sold through travel agents.