| Introduction | |
| Why Take a Cruise? | 7 |
| What's New for 2004 | 15 |
| Cruising's Irresistible Growth | 20 |
| A Chronology of Cruising | 24 |
| Where To? | 35 |
| The Cruising Experience | |
| Life Aboard (A-Z of Cruising) | 45 |
| 20 Practical Tips | 61 |
| Cruise Cuisine | 63 |
| Entertainment Aboard | 72 |
| Different Kinds of Cruises | |
| Cruising for Romantics | 77 |
| Cruising for Families | 81 |
| Cruising for the Physically Challenged | 84 |
| Alternative Cruises | 89 |
| Coastal Cruises | 89 |
| River and Barge Cruises | 90 |
| Steamboating | 95 |
| Expedition/Nature Cruises | 96 |
| Sail-Cruise Ships | 99 |
| Freighter Travel | 101 |
| Crossings | 102 |
| World Cruises and Segments | 104 |
| Choosing the Right Cruise | |
| What the Brochures Really Mean | 109 |
| The "Big Eight" Cruise Lines | 112 |
| Selecting the Right Ship | 118 |
| Picking the Right Cabin | 121 |
| Ships to Debut 2004-6 | 125 |
| The Ships and their Ratings | |
| This Year's World Beaters | 127 |
| How We Evaluate the Ships | 128 |
| What the Descriptions Mean | 133 |
| The Ships (in alphabetical order) | 134 |
| Practical Information | |
| Booking and Budgeting | 671 |
| Don't Leave Home Without | 674 |
| Your First Cruise: What to Expect | 676 |
| Cruise Lines Listed by Market Classification | 677 |
| Cruise Line Addresses | 678 |
| Ships Rated by Score | 681 |
| Maps | |
| Western Mediterranean | 28 |
| Eastern Mediterranean | 28 |
| Baltic & Northern Europe | 29 |
| Southeast Asia & Japan | 30 |
| Australasia | 31 |
| Caribbean | 32 |
| Canada, New England, Bermuda | 33 |
| Alaska, Aleutian Islands | 33 |
| South America, Antarctica | 34 |
| Tables and Charts | |
| Who Goes Cruising | 26 |
| Private Islands | 35 |
| Which Cruise Line Goes Where | 38 |
| The Big 8: Cuisine and Service | 65 |
| A Typical Menu | 68 |
| What Wine Costs | 70 |
| Facilities for Physically Challenged | 86 |
| Norwegian Coastal Express Ships | 90 |
| Coastal Cruise Vessels | 91 |
| Around the World Cruises | 106 |
| The Big 8: Facilities | 116 |
| Typical Cabin Layouts | 122 |
| The 10 Largest Suites Afloat | 124 |
| Ships to Debut 2004-6 | 125 |
| Typical Extra-cost Items | 672 |
| Index | 684 |
| Passenger Comment Form | 688 |