Maybe you're not a port person or you've just seen the same old ports too many times. Maybe you just want to spend your cruise on board and enjoy the ship for what it is. Or maybe, like our family doctor, there's something more interesting happening on the ship — like a medical conference.
More and more, cruise lines are coming up with reasons for making the ship your destination…if you wish. Often this means the attraction of big names…entertainers, actors, athletes.
Disney has built a series of cruises with little names.
Little?
Okay, how many of you know who Sharon Calahan is? How about Harley Jessup? Or the big kahuna himself, John Lasseter?
In their industry, perhaps all of them are well-known. Certainly they are well-known in 
their company, and the company is well enough known to attract people to spend a week on the Disney Wonder.
They are Pixar.
The four Pixar 7-day Pacific Coast cruises start next week (the 16th) with the CEO — that would be Lasseter — headlining the exclusive talks that will give passengers an inside look at the Disney-owned animation. On that and subsequent sailings (September 23 and 30 and October 7, all from Los Angeles), "the cruises will include meet-and-greets with Pixar characters, a special exhibition of Pixar maquettes, storyboards, and concept art." A video of what to expect can be found at disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/california-coast.
Other speakers will be production designers (Jessup), photography directors (Calahan), creative directors (Roger Gould) and franchise guardians (Jay Ward, for CARS).
Oh yes…and the ports are San Francisco, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico.
Holland America Oosterdam
13 nights
March 3, 2013
Sydney, Australia (return): Ile des Pins, Lifou, Port-Vila, Suva, Dravuni Island, Noumea
Inside: $1,299
Cost per day: $99
www.hollandamerica.com