Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas sails to the Bahamas.

Between outbreaks of norovirus, a robbery at gunpoint, a fire that crippled a ship, and the fatal crash of the Costa Concordia, wary vacationers are shunning the cruise industry. Bookings have dropped as much as 20 percent at some companies heading into the usual peak season, according to Time’s Moneyland, and cruise lines appear to have dropped prices in response.

Cheapism’s top picks for budget cruises start at less than $50 per person per night. They're based on analysis of reviews by passengers and industry experts, as well as features including entertainment and accommodations.

• Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas cruise is one of the company’s most affordable, taking up to 2,350 passengers on three- and four-night trips to the Bahamas from Miami. Consumers and experts laud the excellent service and broad selection of activities. Fares start at around $50 per night. (Where to buy)
• Norwegian Sky cruises seem to appeal equally to those looking to relax and those looking to party, with casual dining and flexible meal times. This 2,002-person ship also runs three- and four-night tours of the Bahamas out of Miami, starting at about $42 per night. (Where to buy)

Heavy competition tends to keep fares low on cruises to the Caribbean. The region’s proximity to the mainland allows for two- to four-night weekend cruises that cost less overall than longer voyages. Trips to far-flung locales such as the South Pacific and Antarctica command far higher prices. Generally fares include meals (if taken at designated eateries), but drinks, gratuities, on-shore excursions, and other activities often cost extra.

Frugal travelers can save more by booking a low-cost cruise during the shoulder season of May to mid-June. October, November, and December promise similar savings, with the potential tradeoff of less-than-perfect weather. The changing seasons also bring deals on so-called “repositioning” cruises, when a ship relocates to another region. For example, a cruise line might leave behind sweltering Florida and the Caribbean to cross the Atlantic, with a stop in the Canary or Azores islands, and spend the summer cruising around Europe. Keep in mind that these are one-way trips, so you have to factor in the cost of return transportation.

The cheapest fares buy an interior cabin without a view. If you plan to spend a lot of time lounging in your stateroom, you may want to spring for an outside cabin with more room and amenities, including a balcony or veranda. (Be aware that the advertised square footage often includes any outdoor space, so the room itself may turn out to be smaller than you expect.) Take note of where a cabin is on the ship. Steer clear of the upper decks if you fear that too much swaying may make you seasick. If you're looking to unwind, avoid noisy areas such as the pool deck and the lower levels, near the ship’s propellers.

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Luxury cruise ship Silver Shadow, which ran into a local vessel in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, on March 16, sustained only "limited minor dents," according to Silversea Cruises. The line reports that the incident is under investigation.

Silversea, which acknowledges in a statement that "there was contact between Silver Shadow and a local commercial vessel," says "guests' safety was never compromised." The ship, which was on a nine-night cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong, reached the port of Ha Long Bay, where tours took place as scheduled. Line spokesman Brad Ball told Cruise Critic in an e-mail that the ship remains fully operational and is embarking on its next itinerary from Hong Kong today. No itineraries will be impacted.

Although Ball did not address the reasons behind the incident, Cruise Critic member oregon50 was onboard and reports, "Today, in Gulf of Tonkin in dense fog the ship had a mild collision with a small freighter. No great damage and only a 90-minute delay reaching destination."

A CNN report, including an interview with passenger Andrew Lock who is onboard, says the collision left a hole in the local vessel (here referred to as a container ship). Passengers headed to their muster stations, but the captain soon announced that the ship was not in danger.

Ball had no further comment regarding the identity of the other ship. 

More from Cruise Critic

• Learn more about Silversea Cruises
• State of the Industry: Moving forward after Concordia tragedy
• The best luxury ships at sea

Angl / Frommers.com Community

A cruise ship moored at Geirangerfjord, a stop in one of the many fjords of Norway,

Cruising can be an affordable vacation option if you know how to avoid getting nickeled-and-dimed aboard the ship. We turned to three leading cruise experts for easy tips on how cruisers can spend less money next time they set sail -- and still have fun.

Slideshow: See all 10 money-saving tips

1. Buy meals and spa treatments in advance

"More cruise lines are creating pre-purchase packages for meals and spa services prior to departure.” says Tiffany Neidhardt, VP of sales & marketing for Cruises-N-More. “For example, Royal Caribbean just announced 25-percent-plus savings on dinner packages aboard the Oasis and Allure of the Seas as well as Radiance and Splendour of the Seas. Guests can pre-reserve dining at three specialty restaurants for just $65 per person, which saves them more than $25 each."

2. Don't automatically buy a beverage package

"We typically don't recommend buying a drinks package for alcoholic beverages,” says Kevin Weisner, vice president of CruiseDeals.com. “By our calculations, most people won't keep up the drinking pace needed to break even on these packages. However, for families that have youngsters that consume a lot of soft drinks, juices and bottled water, these are an area for potential savings."

3. Pack light

"With the increased cost of checking bags, I recommend packing a bit lighter,” says Weisner. “Laundry services aboard cruise ships are reasonably priced, and your clothes will look fresh versus wrinkled from your suitcase. A couple could easily save $50 to $100 on luggage fees alone. That would cover a good bit of laundry, and save your back at the airports."

4. Consider a megaship

Some megaships can accommodate more than 6,000 people -- that's a lot of cabins to fill. "Book now for the best pricing on the biggest ships at sea, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. You can try an 80-foot zip-line across the aft of the ship. Fares have tumbled to a new low of $749 per person for inside cabins on 7-night cruises through late fall,” says Sherry Laskin, owner of Cruise Connexions.

5. Pick a shorter cruise

Can't afford a 7-night cruise? "Cruisers can find the best values in the shorter cruise market from January through April, and not just aboard older ships,” suggests Neidhardt. “For example, Royal Caribbean has the Jewel of the Seas sailing from Tampa for four and five nights or the Liberty of the Seas departing from Ft. Lauderdale for the same length of time. Both vessels have been updated. On the Jewel of the Seas, you can climb the rock wall or retreat to a new adults-only area. On the recently refurbished Liberty of the Seas, the family can enjoy DreamWorks-themed entertainment, 3D movies by the pool, or a Broadway-style show.”

6. Cruise during hurricane season (June 1-Nov. 30)

"If you're willing to roll the dice and cruise during hurricane season, a Caribbean cruise offers the best cruise value,” says Laskin. “For instance, Carnival has some incredible deals: a 7-night cruise aboard the recently upgraded Carnival Liberty starts at $389 per person for an inside cabin on the Sept 22. sailing round-trip from Miami. That's under $60 per person a day."

But please don't forget to consider travel insurance.

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Courtesy Princess Cruises

Princess Cays in the Bahamas, along with Nassau, is among the 10 most popular cruise ports in the world.

If you're planning a cruise in 2012, chances are high that you'll be traveling to the Caribbean. According to CruiseCompete.com's annual report, nine of the 10 most popular cruise ports in the world are in the Caribbean (or close enough to count).

The website's list, which is compiled from cruise quotes requested by potential customers, shows that Alaska is also a perennial favorite for cruisers. Several Inside Passage ports made the cut, with Juneau coming out as the most requested cruise stop in the 50 states.

With so many people wanting to go to the same places, you might worry about crowds—but you don't need to. It turns out that even the hottest port has a few places where you can get off the beaten path. Here are some recommendations that will make you feel like you're in the know, before you get off the ship.

Slideshow: See all the most popular cruise ports 

1. Nassau, Bahamas
Just 180 miles from Miami, the Bahamas are usually the first or last stop on an eastern Caribbean cruise (even though the archipelago is technically in the Atlantic). People love the islands — there are approximately 700 in all — for first-class snorkeling, casinos and fine dining, and it's top four ports are Nassau, Princess Cays, Great Stirrup Cay and Half Moon Cay, it's the most requested country in the world for cruising, according to CruiseCompete. Two of them made the list for the top 10 most visited ports in 2011, including the capital, Nassau, which is a major shopping center.

Secret: If you'd rather mingle with locals than join the crowd heading to Senor Frog's, take the Number 10 Jitney to Arawak Cay, where you'll find several stands serving up fried seafood. Go to Goldie's, and order a cold Kalik beer with some conch fritters; if you go to the back porch, sometimes you'll see workers pulling up the conch from the water.

2. Cozumel, Mexico
Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula continues to draw sun seekers who want some culture with their cruise, particularly this year when the Mayan calendar predicts the end of days. But there's plenty of room for fun, too. Cozumel, an island off the coast, offers countless snorkeling and water-based activities, as well as gorgeous beaches: Corona ads are often shot here.

Secret: Can you stand the heat? If so, the Mayan Steam Lodge/Temazcal experience — a spiritual sauna-like ceremony that includes native rituals — may be for you. Afterward, you'll jump into the property's freshwater cenote (underground spring) to cool off (there are also showers, if you'd prefer to rinse off there). The four-hour excursion costs $80 per person, and includes transportation to and from the ship.

3. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
If you're on an eastern Caribbean cruise, you'll probably stop in St. Thomas, as it's one of the world's busiest cruise ports. A Mecca for duty-free shopping, the Charlotte Amalie port has plenty of jewelry, perfume, and electronics stores; check prices at a few shops before you buy to ensure the best deal. St. Thomas can also be a good place to unwind on a beach or provide a good jumping-off point for exploring the nearby island St. John, which is quieter and less developed.

Secret: While everyone else on your ship heads for the famed Magens Bay beach, pick up some groceries at Crown Bay Marina for a picnic lunch and catch a ferry to Water Island, sometimes considered the fourth Virgin Island. Not only is the sea at the island's palm-lined Honeymoon Beach calm, the cove is quiet — you won't find the shops or tour operators here that you see on other St. Thomas beaches. 

4. Philipsburg, St. Maarten / St. Martin
One island, two cultures: With portions settled by the French and the Dutch, the island is one of the smallest to be governed by two countries (don't worry, though, almost everyone speaks English). Philipsburg, on the Dutch side, rivals St. Thomas for duty-free shopping, while the towns of Marigot and Grand Case on the French side are filled with  fine and casual restaurants with French flair where you can find dishes like escargot (snails) or bouillabaisse (fish soup).

Secret: If you don't want to join the crowds breathing jet fumes at Maho Beach, take a short cab ride to French Cul-de-Sac, where you can catch a ferry to Pinel Island (regular service starts around 9 a.m.). The uninhabited island off St. Martin has several restaurants where you can rent beach chairs, have drinks and go snorkeling; there's a designated snorkel trail in a protected marine reserve on the island's south side, where you can spot sea fans, urchins, turtle and rays among the coral. 

5. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Known for offshore banking, the Cayman Islands have a natural side beyond the shops of George Town. Grand Cayman is one of the few places where you can see the world's most endangered iguana, the blue iguana, and thousands of tourists converge on Stingray City to watch the sea animals. Seven Mile Beach offers an uninterrupted view of the Caribbean that seems like a postcard come to life.

Secret: If you like Jimmy Buffet music, catch the Grand Cayman's resident beach bum, the Barefoot Man (in real life, George Nowak). He plays most Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Reef Resort on the island's East End. If you don't have time to catch a show, pick up a CD for $16 in one of the souvenir shops in George Town.

6. San Juan, Puerto Rico
It's hard to escape history in Puerto Rico; its capital, San Juan, dates back to the 16th century. The immense San Felipe del Morro fortress anchors Old San Juan and Ponce de Leon, the island's first governor, is buried at the Cathedral of San Juan. If you venture off into the countryside, you'll find beaches, rain forests and a bioluminescent bay where you can kayak.

Secret: Puerto Rico's cuisine is infused with unique Latin flavors that you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the Caribbean. Why not spend a few hours learning how to duplicate the recipes at home? Flavors of San Juan teaches you how to make either tapas or Puerto Rican food in two-hour group classes that include a full meal and a recipe book that you can bring home. SanJuanfoodtours.com, advanced reservations required, $98 per person for a 2-hour group class 

7. Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Although technically in the Atlantic Ocean instead of the Caribbean, the island chain of Turks & Caicos has the glorious, talcum-powder-soft sand beaches and turquoise skies that make the region famous. While luxury vacationers flock to Providenciales and celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Christie Brinkley, and Keith Richards have homes on Parrot Cay, Grand Turk has become the country's main cruising center, with a large terminal and new shops.

Secret: If you love stamps (or love someone who does), make a stop at the Philatelic Bureau, located on Church Folly street. The island is known for its colorful and unusual issues, which are prized by collectors. 

8. Juneau, Alaska
An Inside Passage cruise appears on many bucket lists, and no wonder. The state's scenery, particularly its magnificent glacier- and wildlife-viewing opportunities, are unparalleled. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, Juneau, the state's capital, is accessible only by water or air. Nature is all around you: Look for bears fishing in the streams near Mendenhall Glacier, and eagles nesting on the slopes of Mount Roberts.

Secret: Once you get out of downtown, cruise ship crowds disappear, or at least it feels that way; Alaska's vastness has a way of making people seem insignificant. With hiking trails and a stone labyrinth garden, the Shrine of St. Therese, on a peninsula about a 20-minute drive from Juneau (take a taxi), is a reflective place to commune with nature. Visitors often spot seals, whales, and otters nearby. 

9. Roatan, Honduras
The Bay Islands, which lie about an hour north of the Honduras mainland, have become a major attraction for cruise ships, which come for the area's colorful fish and clear, warm waters. Roatan has become the center of commercial development for the islands, and you'll find countless opportunities for snorkeling, diving, and interacting with marine life such as grouper, moray eels, turtles, and rays.

Secret: Give your tastebuds a charge with a jam and jelly tasting at Marble Hill Farms on the East End of the island. Sample flavors include hibiscus jelly, mutton pepper jelly (made with chili cabro, this one has quite a kick) and island plum jelly made from fruit grown on the property. You'll need to take a taxi to get to The Farm; once you're there, have spiny lobster for lunch at their restaurant, the Crow's Nest. 

10. Princess Cays, Bahamas
Eleuthera, one of the Out Islands, is the other Bahamas port that made the top 10. Here, you can swim and sunbathe at private beaches and resorts without safety concerns (the U.S. State Department does warn about the possibility of muggings and other crime occurring on New Providence Island, where Nassau is located).

Secret: Located on the island of Eleuthera, the private beach resort owned by Princess gives you a glimpse of how laid back life on the Out Islands can be. Most people spend their time on Princess Cays either on the beach or in the water (head to the sand early to corner a lounge chair and bring your snorkel gear to get up close and personal with the colorful corals, fish, and sponges that blanket the ocean floor). If you want to do some exploring, there's a small local cemetery that contains the graves of some of the island's early 1900's residents. The cemetery is walking distance from the beach — just make sure you wear bug spray and solid shoes for the mile-long trek. 

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Cruise lines are staying the course and keeping Puerto Vallarta on the schedule, days after 22 Carnival passengers were robbed just outside the Mexican resort town during a ship-sponsored tour.

"We are aware of the recent incident," said Julie Benson, Princess vice president for public relations. Benson said Princess' security has reviewed the situation and, "based on the information available at this time," decided that it was safe to proceed with Sapphire Princess' call today.

"Princess Cruises does not offer this specific tour, nor do we offer any excursions to this area," she added.

The ill-fated tour took Carnival Splendor passengers to El Nogalito, an area some 40 miles outside of Puerto Vallarta known for its lush natural setting. While they were returning to the ship, masked assailants stopped the bus and robbed the cruisers of their money, watches, cameras and other valuables. A statement from Carnival said there were no injuries, and all passengers returned safely to the ship.

Calls by Disney Wonder, due in port Wednesday, and Carnival Splendor (Thursday) also remain unchanged, according to spokesmen from each line. Like Princess, Disney does not offer the tour in question.

After the robbery, Carnival announced it was canceling the tour in question — a guided nature trail excursion sold and booked through the line — indefinitely.

Meanwhile, Guillermo Ohen, director of Puerto Vallarta's Tourism board, told Cruise Critic that the operator chosen by the line went off course, deviating from the route as planned. Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen refuted that claim, saying that the tour was operating as scheduled at the time of the robbery.

On Saturday, Latitude International, the public relations firm representing the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, called Thursday's robbery an "extremely rare incident." A statement on Latitude's Facebook page said, "minutes after we learned of the incident representatives from the local and state government, tourism leaders and tour operators [moved] to provide assistance to those involved and police and the district's attorney office started their investigation."

The robbery comes at a rough time for the beleaguered Mexican Riviera cruise region, which has seen numerous lines pull out over safety and security concerns, as well as issues with demand. Lines have primarily cut calls in Mazatlan, which has seen its scheduled ship visits plummet from 200 in 2010 to roughly a dozen in 2012, but Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta have also suffered.

Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department issued a new travel warning for Mexico. It re-affirmed an earlier warning, in effect since April 2011, saying that millions of Americans safely visit the country annually, and that the majority of drug-related violence happens near the Mexico-U.S. border and along drug-trafficking routes, rather than in resort towns.

This is not the first case of cruise passengers being targeted while on shore excursions. In November 2010, 17 Celebrity Mercury passengers on a tour bus in St. Kitts were robbed at gunpoint. In 2009, 18 cruise passengers on two separate ship-sponsored tours were robbed, again at gunpoint, in the Bahamas.

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The diplomatic row between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands escalated a notch today when two ships carrying British passengers — P&O Cruises' Adonia and Princess Cruises' Star Princess — were turned away from the Argentine port of Ushuaia.

A spokeswoman for P&O Cruises said the official reason given for Adonia being denied entry to the port was "due to the ship having been in the Falkland Islands on Saturday." Adonia is on an 87-night round South America cruise.

Mention of Star Princess' visit to the Falkland Islands was also given in a statement from Princess Cruises. The ship is currently on a 14-night South America cruise that departed Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 18, and visited the British territory on Saturday.

Cruise Critic member Scrapchick is onboard Star Princess and commented on the message boards this morning: “We … were due in Ushuaia today after two days at sea since leaving Stanley, Falkland Islands [the islands' capital]. Last night we were told a container ship was in our berth and its crew were on strike so we could be delayed arriving in Ushuaia. At 7AM this morning the captain announced we were being denied entry to Ushuaia, along with the P&O Adonia, because both ships had come from the Falklands.”

The port from which a ship has just departed is usually not a point of contention. But 30 years after the Falklands War, the dispute between Britain and Argentina over sovereignty of the islands is threatening to boil over again. To that end, the Argentine government has recently issued a decree that all ships traveling between Argentina and the Falklands now need its permission to do so.

Although Star Princess visited Buenos Aires before Port Stanley without any problems, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph, both it and Adonia have been forced to bypass Ushuaia for that very reason: permission denied.

The antagonism works both ways. In January, Star Princess was refused entry to Port Stanley, ostensibly because it had a small outbreak of norovirus onboard, but suspicions arose that the ship was turned away because it was carrying some Argentine passengers.

Both ships have continued on to Punta Arenas, Chile, their next scheduled port of call. The cost of the passengers' excursions will be refunded. The next few ships due at either Port Stanley or Ushuaia — which include Holland America Line's Veendam and Silversea's Silver Explorer — are either coming from or headed for a Chilean port, so in theory they shouldn't be affected by the row.

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Picture kids armed with squirt guns, overrun pools, ice-cream cones upended and dripping down railings, card games in hallways, stampedes of kids running on deck -- these are just a few of the tales we've heard on our message boards about unruly kids at sea.

These stories, like many kids-run-amok incidents at sea, can't be blamed on the cruise line. While cruise lines can set and should enforce policies, it's a parent's responsibility to ensure his or her children are aware of -- and abide by -- the rules. We're not saying that all kids misbehave onboard; many will be well-behaved without additional parental intervention. But now that more than 1.5 million kids (ages 18 and younger) are sailing each year, the potential exists for a great many happy or unhappy children and adults.

How can you control your brood for smooth sailing? Here's some advice based on what we've learned -- sometimes the hard way -- during our years of family sailing.

Pick the right ship and itinerary for your family
Most mainstream cruise lines have nonstop activities for children, morning 'til night, yet all programs are not created equal. They run the gamut from small, personalized programs to those with rowdy teen discos. Some vessels offer evening entertainment you can attend as a family, and others sequester kids in late-night events while parents party about the ship. To help you find the ship that best matches your family's interests and kids' ages -- and, therefore, increase your chances for a fun time for all -- read our stories on Family Cruising Basics and Best Cruises for Teens.

Keep in mind that luxury lines may only operate youth programs on select sailings. In addition, off-peak sailings on lines like Princess, Holland America and Celebrity may not have a large enough number of children onboard to entice your young cruisers to hang out in the youth lounges (although some kids love the attention a small group brings). A lack of kids' programming or activities can lead to boredom and bad behavior, as can an itinerary with too many sea days, when teens prowl around looking for action. Consider itineraries packed with family-friendly ports of call, as well as those that offer teens-only shore excursions. Also, have your kids help pick the tours so they're invested in the choices and, hopefully, more well-behaved on them.

Lay down the law
Tell your kids what is expected of them. Yes, it's a family vacation, and there will be fun: curfews stretched, unlimited slices of pizza daily and other we-never-do-this-at-home occurrences. But insist that basic good behavior still applies. No running, pushing, shoving or cursing in public areas. Say please and thank you. No cutting in lines, shouting in the halls or throwing food in the dining rooms.

Then, create consequences. If you or anyone else catches your progeny misbehaving, let them know what will happen. After family travel expert Candyce Stapen's teenage son missed a midnight curfew by two hours, she "grounded" him the following evening, insisting he stay in the cabin after dinner with no friends visiting. For the rest of the voyage, she reports, he came in on time (though not one minute too soon). Personally, I've found locking a beloved D.S. or other electronic gadget in the safe can also go a long way in making a point about expected behavior, especially with younger children.

Talk about sex, drugs and alcohol
Think of a cruise ship as a weeklong party for teens. Now think of what you warn your kids about before going to a land-based bash: sex, drugs and alcohol. On a Caribbean sailing when we asked a mother of two lively 13- and 16-year-old daughters why her girls weren't participating much in the teen program, she told me the boys only want one thing "and my girls aren't interested." On another Caribbean cruise, an outgoing and popular teen was busted mid-voyage for selling marijuana. He and his family were not forced off the ship, but he was booted from the teen program and shunned by his peers -- for getting caught, we think, not necessarily for selling. So don't be naive.

Read the cruise rules to the gang
Before you go, make sure you and your family have read your cruise line's code of conduct. Princess posts a short and clear statement asking that parents or guardians supervise children and teens not participating in the youth programs, restrain children in public areas from running or engaging in loud or disruptive behavior, and accompany children in elevators at all times. Norwegian Cruise Line adds a teen discipline policy, noting that an unruly adolescent will be warned, then given a time-out with his parents notified. If the problem persists, the unrepentant faces suspension from the activities program for 24 hours. After he is allowed back in, the first instance of bad behavior gets him expelled from the teen scene's organized activities.

According to a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson, youth club counselors review expected behavior and safety rules with participants during orientation. The cruise line's code of conduct specifies that "responsible adults" will be charged for failure to "adequately supervise, control or care for minor children" if there are damages to shipboard property.

Royal Caribbean offers the most comprehensive code of conduct, spelling out rules for all passengers, adults as well as children. The code appears on the Safety and Security section of their Web site, as well as in all staterooms. In addition, Royal Caribbean's Code of Conduct even lists the consequences, which can include: removal of certain onboard privileges like admission to Adventure Ocean, removal from the pool area while parents are contacted, confinement to stateroom and even removal from the ship at the next port of call.

Check the minimum age
Minimum ages for fitness centers, solarium use, casinos, nightclubs and alcohol consumption vary by cruise line so don't assume what was true on one cruise line will apply to another.

On Carnival the minimum drinking age is 21. Princess also has a drinking age of 21, yet permits young adults (18+) in the nightclubs. Royal Caribbean's minimum drinking age is 21 from U.S. homeports and 18 pretty much everywhere else; passengers ages 18 and older are permitted in nightclubs. Norwegian Cruise Line has exceptions to its alcohol consumption policy, allowing passengers 18 and older to consume alcohol while onboard (except for Alaska and Hawaii itineraries) with the consent of an accompanying parent and a completed Young Adult Alcoholic Beverage Waiver form, which can be obtained at the Guest Services Desk. The form is not needed, however, on roundtrip European voyages.

On Carnival and Royal Caribbean, the minimum age to gamble in the casino is 18 (except in Alaska). Carnival passengers younger than 12 years of age are not permitted in Spa Carnival or the fitness center; passengers between the ages of 12 and 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Royal Caribbean passengers 16 and older can use the fitness centers and whirlpools and attend the theater without parental supervision; those between the ages of 13 and 15 are allowed in the fitness centers with a parent or guardian at certain times. Norwegian Cruise Line's policy does not permit anyone younger than 18 to use the spa facilities (even if the facilities are complimentary for the category booked).

Table manners
On mainstream cruise lines (except Disney), many passengers book the later seating thinking there will be fewer kids, so behavior expectations are high. If your children are still unpredictable in restaurants, book the earlier seating, where there are at least more children in attendance, or hit the buffet instead. Another option is to ask if children's program staff pick up children from dinner and escort them to the various kids' club activities. Disney and Royal Caribbean both offer this service, which allows parents to have dessert and cappuccino in peace and kids an opportunity to scoot out of a long meal. Whatever the length of dinner, my family of preteen boys has found that a paper and pen go a long way in wait-for-your-meal entertainment. We've played everything from hangman to name every NFL (or NBA or NHL) team (we give geographic clues). I've even allowed an extra Shirley Temple for the kid who can name at least fifteen former "Dancing with the Stars" contestants. Have fun with it.

Monitor your kids
Now that my oldest son is 14, we allow him to come and go from the teen program, basketball court and pool, as long as he checks in with us and lets us know where he'll be. We tell him to leave a note in our cabin or find us at the gym or cafe at a certain time, and we do the same. This enables us to touch base and make plans for things like family mini-golf or dinner later that night. Better still are Disney's new wave phones, which look like cordless phones and function like walkie-talkies, eliminating the need for cabin notes. There are typically two per stateroom, making it easy for kids to call you on the other most anywhere on the ship or in the stateroom. Phone or not, go to where your child is hanging out, and observe from time to time.

Reminders
Kids need reminders. They're excited, like an adult might be when let loose in a Vegas hotel. So, remind them while you're sitting poolside not to do that cannonball and splash people sunbathing nearby, to use indoor voices on balconies even though, yes, they are technically outside, and to look over their shoulders when going through a door in case they can hold it open for the next person.

Adults need reminders, too. It can be tempting to allow your kids in an adults-only area you want to enjoy, as I discovered on a recent cruise when I left a note saying: "Bring your brother up to the cafe when you're awake and ready for breakfast." My husband and I slipped out to the adults-only cafe to indulge in quiet time with coffee and books. About an hour later, our 14-year-old slinked in. "We're near the Ping-Pong tables," he said. "Where's your brother?" I asked. "He's on the other side. Mom, it says no kids in here." He was right, and I'm sure the other adults in the cafe appreciated that the two of them hadn't come barreling in.

Be realistic
Nobody's kids are perfect, and neither are some adult passengers. But clearly stated rules and expectations, as well as frank talks, go a long way toward creating the type of family vacation you want to remember for the right reasons.

Finally, it's okay to want time without children -- yours or anyone else's -- especially if you came aboard for a romantic interlude or a girlfriends' getaway. Here are our tips for planning a kid-free vacation.

More from Cruise Critic:

• Best cruises for teens  
• Family cruising basics
• Best cruises for families

The Animator's Palate is one of the main restaurants on the Disney Dream.

It's no secret that cruises pack in extra value for families — most of the larger ships offer free kids' activities, lavish playrooms with computer games and toys galore, and family-friendly diversions like waterslides, miniature golf courses, and rock-climbing walls.

But with dozens of cruises to choose from, how do you know which ship is best for your family?

Read more: See other ships in the right shape for families

These ships all have a few things in common: drop-off age-specific programming and well-stocked playrooms, plus after-hours group babysitting (usually starts at 10 p.m.) or private babysitting (usually $6-$8 per hour per child).

Disney Cruise Line's Disney Dream
Minimum Age for Drop-off Programming: 3 months
Private In-cabin Babysitting: No

Much to the delight of even the youngest Disney fans, characters from "Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc.," and Tinker Bell's fairy forest make appearances in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab children's activity centers. Outside is Goofy's Sports Deck, with a miniature golf course, a full basketball court that can be used for soccer or volleyball, and a pair of digital sport simulators to play soccer, tennis, and other sports.

Though kids will enjoy splashing around the "Finding Nemo"-themed water play area, more daring passengers will ride the Aqua Duck, a 765-foot-long, four-deck-high flume ride. Sit in two-person inflatable rafts, zip around the edge of the ship's top deck, and zoom 13 feet out over the ocean inside a transparent tube.

Got a picky eater? The Animator's Palate restaurant has video wall displays in which a turtle named Crush (of "Finding Nemo" fame) actually interacts with passengers and calls kids by name. Other eating venues are popular for their kid-friendly burgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken tenders, and pizza.

The extravagant production shows in the Walt Disney Theatre feature impressive stage props and favorite Disney characters in Broadway-style shows with original story lines. Even Castaway Cay — Disney's private island in the Bahamas — is a dream for kids, with a water park both offshore and on.

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 2 years
Private In-Cabin Babysitting: No

Norwegian Epic has everything from Wii games and PlayStation 3 to one of the best waterslides at sea: a three-part slide that requires sitting in a giant inner tube before zipping down a giant shoot and into a large open-top bowl to do a few fast spins before splashing down to the end. For younger kids who don't want to feel left out, the Epic has a splash pool with mini slides and spray fountains.

Recreational sports activities include a 33-foot climbing wall with five routes, a trampoline (complete with harness and cables for doing flips), and a 24-foot-tall climbing cage called the "spider web" that's laced with giant rubber bands to climb through. Kids also appreciate the basketball court (that doubles as a mini soccer pitch), batting cage, and the two-deck-high video screen in the atrium that sometimes features special sporting events.

NCL also features Nickelodeon characters at a special breakfast for kids. Another perk: children under two sail free if sharing a cabin with two adults.

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 6 months
Private In-Cabin Babysitting: Yes

The two largest ships at sea each have pretty much everything you need to entertain the kids: a sprawling H2O Zone water park, a pair of rock-climbing walls, a miniature golf course, two surfing simulators, a basketball court, an ice-skating rink, and a hand-carved wooden carousel.

Ten play areas, which are connected to a main boulevard, include a big open gym for romping, rooms for arts and crafts, kiddy theater productions, and even a space for simple science experiments.

Super kid-friendly eating outlets include a donut shop and a pizzeria, both of which are free. At à la carte pricing, there's an ice-cream parlor, a cupcake shop, and a Johnny Rockets diner for burgers, fries, and milkshakes. There are kid-centric shops, too: one selling vat candy by the pound and another selling stuffed animals you can create and dress.

Fleetwide, you can pre-order baby gear (Gerber baby food, Huggies diapers, and more) in the Shop Gifts and Gear section of www.royalcaribbean.com, and the stuff will be waiting for you in your cabin. There is a drop-off nursery for ages 6 months to 3 years ($8 per hour).

Royal Caribbean's Freedom, Liberty and Independence of the Seas 
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 3 years
Private in-cabin babysitting: Yes

Aside from a huge playroom and video arcade aboard the Freedom-class ships, kids can't enough of the H2O water park, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, surfing simulator, mini golf course, and basketball court. Kids of all ages love the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream parlor and the Johnny Rockets diner on board for burgers, fries and milkshakes (both venues at an extra charge).

Daily mom-and-baby 45-minute play dates — offered for ages 6 months to 3 years old — focus on music, storytelling, and Fisher-Price toys. Starting later in 2011, these Freedom-class ships are also expected to offer a nursery for ages 6 months to 3 years. The fancy cupcake shop introduced on Oasis and Allure of the Seas will also be added.

Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 2 years
Private In-Cabin Babysitting: No

Carnival's newest megaships have impressive water features, including a pair of twin 80-foot-long racing slides and a 104-foot-long enclosed spiral slide called the DrainPipe. There's also the massive 303-foot-long, four-deck-high Twister enclosed corkscrew waterslide. This pair of ships also has a mini golf course and a basketball court.

Aboard Carnival Magic (slated to debut May 2011), there's a great space called Sports Square, which features the first ropes course at sea (suspended above deck); the line's first two-level nine-hole mini golf course; and a court for basketball, volleyball, and soccer.

On the mornings of port days and after hours, children as young as 6 months can be dropped off for $6 per hour. To lighten your load, a handful of strollers, bouncy seats, travel swings, and Game Boys are available for rent on board. But if you absolutely need a stroller, don't take a chance and be sure to bring your own.

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Millennium, Infinity, Summit and Constellation
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 3 years
Private In-Cabin Babysitting: Yes

Each of these Millennium-class ships has a kiddy pool and a ball pit, as well as an outdoor play area with a climbing maze geared to young kids.

For kids who plan on being in the playroom most evenings for the group babysitting program, the V.I.P. Party Pass covers all group babysitting during the cruise at a 40 percent discount (it's normally $6 an hour per child between 10 pm and 1 am). Kids also get perks like behind-the-scenes tours and can attend one big-screen movie with free popcorn and drinks. Toddlers under age 2 can use the playroom if accompanied by a parent.

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 1 year
Private In-Cabin Babysitting: No

There are no stiff upper lips here; the Queens cater to little kids big-time. Certified British nannies are part of the staff in charge of the playroom, which includes a room with baby cribs. An outdoor play area next to the playroom has a climbing frame, a wading pool, and sprinklers.

The King's Court buffet restaurant has an area reserved for kids and "high tea" is served daily for them at dinnertime, offering favorites like pasta and chicken nuggets.

Princess Cruises' Caribbean, Star, Crown, Emerald and Ruby Princess
Minimum Age for Drop-Off Programming: 3 years
Private In-Cabin Babysitting: No

For bigger kids, each of these ships have basketball courts and mini golf courses. For toddlers, the Fun Zone kids' center has a large fenced-in outdoor play area next to the playroom. With tricycles and a mini-basketball set-up, this outdoor area is the best place for energetic tykes to run around while Mom and Dad sit on the sidelines and relax.

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A "salute" — or "sail-by" as it's also known — loosely refers to taking a cruise ship closer to shore to give passengers and/or land-based onlookers a thrilling view. But since the Costa Concordia disaster, which put sail-bys in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, cruisers may be wondering how often lines participate in the practice, just for the sake of scenery. 

Last week, beleaguered ex-Costa captain Francesco Schettino claimed in court that his bosses ordered him to "salute" the Italian island of Giglio — an accusation the line has vehemently denied. Schettino told magistrates that his Costa superiors had insisted on the move, which took Concordia within 150 meters of Giglio, to please passengers and attract publicity, reported Reuters. And it may not have been an isolated incident: Schettino conducted similar sail-bys at the island of Capri and the Sorrento coast near Naples, as well as previously at Giglio, because Costa thought "it was a good way to promote its cruises," said the U.K.'s Guardian. 

Costa's top executive, Pier Luigi Foschi, has asserted that Schettino's diversion, which led to the sinking of the ship, was "unauthorized, unapproved and unknown to Costa."

So is it a common practice? Cruise Critic reached out to a number of popular operators to ask if they had official sail-by policies. All but two declined to comment, referring us to the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry's trade organization. 

Those that responded said the practice was extremely rare or non-existent.

Sail-bys are strictly against Princess Cruises' policy, a company spokeswoman told Cruise Critic. "There is a voyage plan that is briefed to Deck and Technical Officers several days before the transit," said media relations manager Karen Candy in an e-mail. "It is not deviated from to get closer to land or to greet residents."

At Crystal Cruises, passage-planning meetings are held prior to departure, the company said in an e-mail. The meetings cover the navigational risks on the route, the safest and closest approaches to land, and weather, current and fuel issues. "With little exception, no deviations from that planned course, including opportunities to show guests a coastline, may take place without making an amendment to the passage plan," the company said. If changes are made, they must be reviewed with the entire navigation team and approved by the captain well in advance, Crystal said. 

For its part, Costa has admitted to at least one previous salute of Giglio. On the Monday after the disaster, Foschi revealed that a pre-authorized sail-by in August was timed to coincide with the island's patron saint day. The Costa chief said that route was planned with the local maritime authority.

Indeed, having a navigation plan is mandated in the International Safety Management Code, regulations that all shipping vessels must follow, according to the United Nations' International Marine Organization (IMO). In order to sail, every cruise ship has to have what's called a Safety Management System, or SMS, explained CLIA spokesman Bud Darr. The purpose of the SMS is simple, Darr said: "Each ship will have one and it will reflect the company's safety management and ship-specific policies." Even at the same company, the SMS will vary between different ships, because of vessel sizes and routes, he added. 

Part of that SMS is having that aforementioned navigation plan, said Brad Schoenwald, senior marine inspector for the U.S. Coast Guard's Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise. Paraphrasing the IMO guidelines, Schoenwald noted: "Before getting underway, a voyage plan should be charted to make sure weather conditions are OK, that there's sufficient sea room, that maritime and environmental regulations are followed, and that charts are accurate and up to date."

But even the most restrictive SMS has to leave room for the captain's judgment, Darr said. "The captain does have overall responsibility and has some discretion to make decisions," he noted. "You can see the inherent tension there."

Still, the decision to deviate from the authorized course is not made easily — or at least it shouldn't be, explained Captain William Wright, senior vice president of marine operations for Royal Caribbean, during a cruise ship safety conference last week. "It is standard protocol, known as bridge resource management, that mandates that the voyage plan is followed," he said. "If there should be an alteration, the bridge officers would go through a two-person check [as the captain of an aircraft does with his or her first officer] to make it. There would be an evaluation by the captain and the bridge team of the appropriate change in the ship's course to make."

The legality of the salute is another matter. "There are no national or international rules that forbid ships steering close to shore," a spokesman for Italy's Coast Guard department, which deals with maritime security told Reuters. "It's not that we knew about and allowed these salutes as you might suppose, it's that you can't really stop a ship from approaching within a minimum distance of the shore for tourism purposes." Cosimo Nicastri, a Coast Guard official in Rome, told La Repubblica (via Reuters) there was "no specific ban" on cruise ship salutes, but "general norms" about keeping a safe distance exist, and Schettino violated them.

In the aftermath of the incident, environmentalists and politicians have been calling for an end to the practice. Italian environment minister Corrado Clini told the parliament in Rome that the government was considering legislation to ban saluting, reported the Associated Press.

Last week, Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Costa and nine other cruise lines, announced that it would be auditing and reviewing safety and emergency response procedures across all of its cruise lines. When asked if the review would include examining sail-bys, a spokesman for Carnival would not comment. 

Some suggest there isn't much of precedent. "Sailing close to shore — for whatever reason other than for the safety of life, and especially not for entertaining passengers, crew or people ashore — is certainly not commonplace," John Dalby, a former oil tanker captain who now runs Marine Risk Management, told Reuters. "The vast majority of masters, officers and owners are far too responsible to indulge in such potentially dangerous practice. ... Neither do I know of any owners — including Carnival — who would advocate, propose, suggest or order such reckless, irresponsible actions."

But other industry watchers believe that the practice, no matter how infrequent, should be closely examined. 

"How much risk are these guys taking to give a wave? That's what we're talking about,” former captain Jim Staples told Cruise Critic. “It's not worth the reward to make people happy when you look at what can go wrong."

Information from Reuters was included in this report.

More from Cruise Critic

• Latest news on the Costa Concordia disaster
• Travel insurance: what you need to know
• After Concordia: Is Cruising Safe?

Enzo Russo / EPA

Evacuated Costa Concordia passengers wear life vests and blankets Jan. 14 as they wait to disembark a rescue boat for shore.

The recent incident of the luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia running aground off the coast of Italy has refocused attention on safety at sea.

In response to the Concordia disaster, Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Costa Cruises and several other cruise lines, said Thursday it would review safety and emergency response procedures. "While I have every confidence in the safety of our vessels and the professionalism of our crews, this review will evaluate all practices and procedures to make sure that this kind of accident doesn't happen again," said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation's chairman and CEO, in a statement.

Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, walked msnbc.com through a typical safety drill on a cruise ship and answered some other important safety questions. 

What is covered during a typical safety drill?

“There is no typical safety drill,” Brown said. There are many different-sized ships and cruise lines, and they all originate from different countries, but there are some important points about what to do in the case of an emergency that most lines generally cover in drills, she said. These include:

• how to know if there is an emergency, which is signaled by a series of short blasts and one long blast over the ship’s loudspeaker.
• how to reunite with family members if passengers are separated. (Brown said it was not as much of an issue as it could have been in the recent Costa Concordia disaster, which occurred while many passengers were dining, so families were most likely together.)
• how to use a life jacket, which passengers typically bring from their cabins.
• where to go on the ship when an emergency occurs.
• what to do in the case of a man overboard.

Most drills “are pretty substantial,” Brown said. “But they are a big bother for some people. Nobody wants to do them when they are just beginning their holiday, but it’s important, and they are taken very seriously,” by most cruise lines.

Are drills usually held the first day?  

Drills on all cruise ships must be held within 24 hours of departing from port, Brown said.  Many times, especially for cruises that depart from U.S. ports, safety briefings are conducted on the first afternoon, and often before the ship leaves port.

“But 24 hours is a fairly long time,” Brown said. In the Costa Concordia case, the passengers who boarded the ship in Civitavecchia did not yet have a drill, but the ship did not go against standard procedure, she said. 

Some press reports have suggested that none of the passengers were given safety instruction, but that is not true, as passengers who boarded before the Civitavecchia port of call did have safety briefings, Brown said. “They were within their rights. That’s the big tragedy. But I think that will change.” Brown said she would not be surprised if the 24-hour window would be shortened so safety briefings would occur closer to the time of embarkation.

Do most people attend the drills and have they proven to be effective?

Brown said it was impossible to know, but that most ships were careful to have crews “go cabin to cabin” to check public areas to see if people were not attending, and to make checklists that reflected attendance. “It may be boring to attend, but the fact is, we’ve seen very few fatalities during cruise ship emergencies, until now,” Brown said. “That is an indication that safety measures are working." One main problem in the Costa Concordia case is “there was no leadership whatsoever,” Brown said. 

Cruise survivors: 'There was so much chaos'

What does maritime law require? 

The International Maritime Organization, a specialized United Nations agency, oversees maritime safety through international conventions. The Safety of Life at Sea convention, known as SOLAS, mandates that safety briefings be conducted within 24 hours of leaving port, Brown said. “But it is very broadly interpreted by individual cruise lines, and it is up to local authorities if they want to add measures.”  The agency, however, does not have policing powers. 

Are some cruise lines more diligent than others overall in terms of communicating about safety?

Readers of “Cruise Critic” frequently remarked on the publication’s blog that certain cruise lines, like Norwegian and Princess, are considered to be quite serious about their  safety briefings, Brown said.  Since the recent Costa Concordia tragedy, readers have indicated that its safety drills were lax and sloppy, Brown said. Other cruise lines, she said, “go above and beyond,” like Royal Caribbean.

How safe is that cruise ship anyway?

How does a typical cruise safety drill compare to a typical airline safety briefing?

Safety drills aboard most airlines usually last only about two minutes, and are often on video rather than in person, Brown said. Cruise safety drills typically last about a half hour to 45 minutes. However, there is a hierarchy in the cruise world. “Captains ultimately answer to no one -- on board,” Brown said.  The reasons are steeped in seafaring history, she said. "But I think that’s something that will change.” More checks and balances are needed, and she anticipates there will be changes in the future as a result of this tragedy. “A lot of standardization is probably coming out of this,” she said.  One area that will likely change will be to include instruction in multiple languages, which now only occurs on a regular basis on a few lines, Brown said.

How difficult is it to evacuate a ship the size of a small city?

It is not an easy task, Brown said, “but systems are in place, so no matter how big or small a ship, it can be done successfully.” Most crews are well-trained in emergency preparedness and are required to conduct practice drills every week, often when the ship is at port and passengers have disembarked. Simulated drills include basic procedures, like where crew members should be stationed during an emergency (checking cabins for passengers who remained inside or in public spaces directing traffic) as well as more elaborate scenarios, like man overboard drills or what to do if a fire breaks out in an engine room. In addition, new technologies are being developed and implemented that will make safety even better, Brown said. But currently, she said, when it comes to safety, most lines “take it very seriously and work very hard at it.” 

Related stories

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• What you sign away when you book a cruise
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Slideshow: Luxury cruise ship runs aground

DigitalGlobe

The Costa Concordia ran aground Jan. 13 off the coast of Italy, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of passengers as the ship began heavily listing.

Launch slideshow

Information from CNBC was included in this report.

Updated at 7:30 p.m. ET: Italian authorities hope to stabilize the wrecked cruise ship Costa Concordia as worsening weather on Friday could cause it to shift deeper into the sea, delaying plans to pump oil out of the vessel to prevent a possible environmental disaster.

Six days after the 114,500 ton ship capsized off the Tuscan coast, hopes of finding anyone alive in the partially submerged hulk have all but disappeared.

Eleven people are known to have died and 21 people are still unaccounted for out of more than 4,200 passengers and crew aboard when the ship struck a reef just yards from the shoreline.

In the wake of the accident, Carnival Corporation, parent company of Costa Cruises and nine leading cruise lines around the world, announced Thursday plans for a comprehensive audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures across all of the company's cruise lines.

"While I have every confidence in the safety of our vessels and the professionalism of our crews, this review will evaluate all practices and procedures to make sure that this kind of accident doesn't happen again," said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation's chairman and CEO, in a statement.

Most cruise ships put emphasis on safety

Attention is now turning to how to remove 2,300 tons of fuel aboard the ship, with bad weather threatening to make the ship even more precarious on the rocky ledge where it is resting.

Environment Minister Corrado Clini told parliament he had urged the ship's operator, Costa Cruises, to take all possible measures to anchor the ship to prevent it from sliding deeper into the sea.

"If the ship slides, we hope that it doesn't break into pieces and that the fuel tanks do not open up," he said.

Clini said there was a risk that the ship could sink to 50 to 90 meters below the reef it is now on, creating a major hazard to the environment in one of Europe's largest natural marine parks

Updated at 3:40 p.m. ET:

Minutes after the Costa Concordia struck a rock, a crew member told the Italian coast guard there was no emergency on board the ship, according to an audio recording aired on Sky TG 24, an all-news channel in Italy.

The crew member is believed to be an officer, but not Capt. Francesco Schettino, NBC News reported.

The conversation started about 30 minutes after the Concordia ran aground and was the first between the coast guard and the cruise liner.

"Good evening Costa Concordia, please, do you have problems on board?," a coast guard official asks the bridge.

The crew member  replies: "We've had a blackout, we are checking the conditions on board."

The coast guard asks: "What kind of a problem? Is it just something with the generator? The police ... have received a phone call from the relatives of a sailor who said that during the dinner everything was falling on his head."

The crew member says some passengers were already wearing life jackets, and repeated there had been a blackout. "We are checking the conditions on board."

REUTERS/Zhurnal Tv via Reuters TV

Costa Concordia crew member Dominica Cemortan gestures in this still image from a Jan. 17 television interview. Cemortan defended the captain's actions, saying he helped to save the lives of passengers.

Italian news reports say prosecutors want to speak to Dominica Cermotan of Moldova. Cermotan, a 25-year-old hostess who reportedly was working for Costa on the Concordia, said on her Facebook page that she wasn't on duty the night of the grounding but was with Schettino, other officers and the cruise director on the bridge. She said she was called to help with translations of instructions for how the small number of Russian passengers should evacuate.

She defended Schettino, telling Moldova's Jurnal TV that "he did a great thing, he saved over 3,000 lives."

"We were looking for them, searching for them (the Russians)," she said in the TV interview. "We heard them all crying, shouting in all languages."

Prosecutor Francesco Verusio declined to comment on whether he was seeking Cermotan as a witness, citing the ongoing investigation.

On Thursday, rescue teams resumed the search for victims from the Concordia disaster before the weather turns and salvage crews need to start pumping fuel from the wreck. The search is expected to focus on the fourth deck, around an evacuation assembly point where seven of the bodies found so far were located. NBC News' Michelle Kosinski reports that the search team has been using sonar to look at the sea floor as well.

A scuba team was poised to go inside the wrecked Italian cruise liner, Kosinski reported Thursday morning.

One of the specialist diving crews said on Thursday the available window to complete the search could be as small as 12-24 hours although the chief spokesman of the rescue services denied that any deadline had been set and said the situation was still evolving.

The Costa Serena, the sister ship of the Costa Concordia, passed the partially-sunken liner on Wednesday evening. International cruise goers put on a brave face as Costa's first Mediterranean tour since last week's tragedy set sail out of the same port near Rome as the doomed luxury liner.

Vincenzo Pinto / AFP - Getty Images

The Costa Serena, background, passes sister ship Costa Concordia on Jan. 18 off the coast of Italy's Isola del Giglio (Giglio island). International cruise goers put on a brave face as Costa's first Mediterranean tour since last week's tragedy set sail out of the same port near Rome as the doomed luxury liner.

Crew members returning home have begun speaking out about the chaotic evacuation, saying the captain sounded the alarm too late and didn't give orders or instructions about how to evacuate passengers. Eventually, crew members started lowering lifeboats on their own.

"They asked us to make announcements to say that it was electrical problems and that our technicians were working on it and to not panic," French steward Thibault Francois told France-2 television Thursday. "I told myself this doesn't sound good."

He said the captain took too long to react and that eventually his boss told him to start escorting passengers to lifeboats. "No, there were no orders from the management," he said.

Identifying victims
On Thursday, seven of the dead were identified by authorities: French passengers Jeanne Gannard, Pierre Gregoire, Francis Servil, 71, and Jean-Pierre Micheaud, 61; Peruvian crew member Thomas Alberto Costilla Mendoza; Spanish passenger Guillermo Gual, 68, and Italian passenger Giovanni Masia, who news reports said would have turned 86 next week and was buried in Sardinia on Thursday.

The first victim was identified on Wednesday as crewmember Sandor Feher, 38, of Hungary. Jozsef Balog, a pianist who worked with Feher, a violinist, told the Budapest newspaper Blikk that Feher was wearing a lifejacket when he decided to return to his cabin to pack his violin. Feher was last seen on deck en route to a lifeboat. According to Balog, Feher helped put lifejackets on several crying children before returning to his cabin.

The children of Barbara and Jerry Heil, a Minnesota couple aboard the ship that have been missing since the accident, said Wednesday in a blog posting that their parents are not among those passengers whose bodies were recently recovered.

Slideshow: Luxury cruise ship runs aground

DigitalGlobe

The Costa Concordia ran aground Jan. 13 off the coast of Italy, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of passengers as the ship began heavily listing.

Launch slideshow

Captain's 'complete inertia'
Schettino, blamed for causing the accident by steering too close to shore and then abandoning the vessel before the evacuation was complete, is under house arrest. Prosecutors said they would appeal against a decision by a judge on Tuesday to allow Schettino to return home, saying he may seek to flee.

"We do not understand why the judge took this decision and we don't agree with it," an official from the prosecutor's office in Grosseto said.

In the ruling, the judge said Schettino had shown "incredible carelessness" and "a total inability to manage the successive phases of the emergency," only sounding the alarm 30 to 40 minutes after the initial impact.

He had abandoned the ship and remained on shore in a state of "complete inertia" for more than an hour, "watching the ship sink," the ruling said.

"No serious attempt was made by the captain to return even close to the ship in the immediate aftermath of abandoning the Costa Concordia."

According to Schettino's lawyer, the captain has admitted bringing the ship too close to shore but he denies bearing sole responsibility for the accident and says other factors may have played a role.

Schettino was always available to provide information to coast guard and rescue services throughout the evacuation, even when he was not on board the vessel, his lawyer says.

Schettino said he did not abandon ship, according to a transcript published by Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper and reported by the Associated Press.

"I did not abandon a ship with 100 people on board ... the ship suddenly listed and we were thrown into the water," Schettino reportedly said during a recorded telephone conversation with Capt. Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno.

• Story: Owner of Costa Concordia pledges assistance to passengers

Schettino is accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck by sailing too close to shore and abandoning ship before all his passengers and crew scrambled off.

More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

• Protests over austerity cuts, corruption across Romania
• How to right a stricken cruise ship
• Brother keeps hope alive as cruise search is halted
• UK soldiers arrested after Afghan sex abuse report
• Syria's 'Big Brother' looms over a tense capital

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.