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sales, too, enticing passengers to spend their money on casual shirts, gold chains, sunglasses and jewelery.

8. Entertainment: Cruise ships could be considered mini Broadways with their huge musical revues and guest performers. Passengers can expect to see at least one large musical song and dance revue, and has-been star performers, like Charo or John Davidson. (Actually both Charo and John were surprisingly very good, very funny.) Most evening shows will feature magicians and comedians, too.

9. Bars, lounges and discos: All ships are littered with bars and nightclubs from dusky English style cigar-friendly hideaways to rock-the-night-away discos, complete with strobe lights and colored gels. (Tip: Ask your travel agent where the nightclubs are located as they can be loud at night and may interfere with a good night's sleep.)

10. Movies: All ships offer a small comfortable movie theater, complete with popcorn; the larger ships offer outdoor movies, too, on large screens, on one of their top decks.

11. Casino: Yes, absolutely you will find a casino onboard every ship, no matter its size. Ships pull out of port and the casino doors open, luring passengers to spend their money very quickly. (Advisory: Ship casino slot machines do NOT pay well especially when compared to payouts in Vegas.)

12. Under 18: Cruise ships offer some form of entertainment for children and teens. With the popularity of grandparents traveling with their grandchildren, ship programs have been designed to keep kids busy for most of the day. Video games machines and arcade game rooms are also available.

Today's cruisers should expect a host of amenities, like the ones listed above. The cruise ship market is highly competitive, so check out cruise line web sites before putting down your deposit, to find out exactly what amenities you can expect, on your next ocean voyage.

Learn more about this author, Sheree Zielke.
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