What cruise line fits you best?

Aboard a cruise ship, some retirees would probably have a blast at the poolside Jell-O shooter contest during college spring break. And surely there are a couple of teens out there who'd enjoy lectures on the history of the British monarchy on a deluxe cruise ship.

But most folks would probably get pretty peeved if they were stuck onboard a hard-earned cruise for a week with a group of un-likeminded people. Just as individuals have their own personalities, so do cruise lines, which do their darnedest to attract their target demographics.

So where do you fit in?

Here's a look at 14 cruise lines and who would have the grandest time aboard them.

Radisson

If you : Plan black-tie galas for your country club ...

Then choose : Radisson Seven Seas, 877-505-5370, www.rssc.com

This ritzy cruise line draws the six-figure crowd.

Ships include : Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Navigator and Paul Gauguin. Three hundred ports on all continents, except Africa.

Notes : Six Alaskan cruises and 12 Baltic trips this year include free airfare ... Three ships have kitchens run by Le Cordon Bleu ... Ed Asner is among celebs set for a "Theater at Sea" cruise — one of 26 specialty cruises.

Holland America

If you : Whip up gourmet meals for your children's school lunches. ...

Then choose: Holland America Line, 877-724-5425, www.hollandamerica.com

The Culinary Arts Center, with cooking demos and seminars, will be on all ships by mid-year.

Ships include: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Ryndam, Statendam, Veendam, Volendam, Westerdam and Zuiderdam. Destinations: Alaska, New England, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Asia, Canada, South Pacific, Europe, South America.

Notes: The 1,848-passenger Noordam debuted this year. The line has more than 150 Alaskan cruises in 2006.

Delta Queen

If you: Wrote your master's thesis on Mark Twain ...

Then choose: Delta Queen Steamboat Co., 800-543-1949, www.deltaqueen.com

Cruises and port stops are steeped in U.S. history lessons.

Ships: American Queen, Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen cruise along the Mississippi and connecting rivers and waterways.

Notes: The American Queen cruises New Orleans and the Lower Mississippi but is on hiatus until late November because of recovery efforts ... Cruise themes include quilting, Kentucky Derby and a veterans' reunion.

Celebrity

If you: Organize your family reunion each year.

Then choose: Celebrity Cruises, 800-647-2251, www.celebrity.com

Family members of all ages will have plenty to do.

Ships: Celebrity Xpedition, Century, Constellation, Galaxy, Infinity, Mercury, Millennium, Summit and Zenith. Destinations: North and South America, including Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii and Mexico; Europe.

Notes: Passengers on some cruises can check in for their flights home and hand over their checked luggage before disembarking. ... Most ships offer acupuncture.

Windjammer

If you: Think shorts and an old T-shirt are appropriate for casual Fridays. ...

Then choose: Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, 800-327-2601, www.windjammer.com The laid-back ships present frequent opportunities to booze it up with like-minded passengers.

Ships: Amazing Grace (a freighter), Legacy, Mandalay, Polynesia and Yankee Clipper ply the Caribbean, including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, St. Lucia and St. Maarten, plus Costa Rica.

Notes: The August "Serenity Sail," a holistic-themed trip, includes Thai massage lessons and beachside yoga. ... Free dive lessons for children in summer ... The largest ship, the Polynesia, accommodates just 126 passengers.

Disney

If you: Aren't sure who likes Mickey Mouse more — you or your kids ...

Then choose: Disney Cruise Line, 800-951-3532, www.disney.com/disneycruise

Kids will find countless activities, not just a token few your teen would deem "lame."

Ships: Disney Magic and Disney Wonder sail throughout the Caribbean, including a private island called Castaway Cay.

Notes: Half of each ship's capacity can be seated in its theater, where Broadway-like shows are put on. Special package deals combine stays at Disney World and cruises to the Bahamas.

Crystal

If you: Yawn at the thought of another long weekend in Paris.

Then choose: Crystal Cruises, 888-799-4625, www.crystalcruises.com This luxury line for Europhiles seeks out unique excursions, including driving a Formula 1 race car in Monte Carlo.

Ships: Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony sail primarily the Mediterranean, Aegean, Adriatic and Black seas, with other cruises worldwide.

Notes: The 25 percent single supplement fee for some rooms on the April 29 trans-Atlantic sailing has been waived ... Photos of China from the Smithsonian will be shown on the Symphony beginning in November ... Casinos are run by Caesars Palace.

Princess

If you: Only vacation where there's surf, sand and fruity frozen drinks.

Then choose: Princess Cruises, 800-774-6237, www.princess.com

More than half the fleet will cruise the Caribbean this year.

Ships include: Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Dawn Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess, Sun Princess and Tahitian Princess. Besides the Caribbean, Alaska, South America and Europe are popular.

Notes: Boyfriends can pop the question to their unsuspecting gals via video shown on a giant outdoor movie screen on the newest ship, the Crown Princess ... The line debuts Caribbean sailings from New York City in June.

Lindblad

If you: Think that "creature comforts" refers to whales, otters and seals.

Then choose: Lindblad Expeditions, 800-397-3348, www.expeditions.com

Passengers don't just view flora and fauna, they learn about it from experts and actively protect it.

Ships: Endeavour, Islander, Polaris, Sea Bird, Sea Lion and Sea Voyager visit nature lovers' locales such as the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia, Alaska and Baja California.

Note: Special permits allow Lindblad passengers to kayak in the Galapagos.

Carnival

If you: Yearn for your college days, when you partied a lot more than you studied.

Then choose: Carnival Cruise Lines, 888-227-6482, www.carnival.com

They don't call these floating nightclubs "fun ships" for nothing.

Ships include: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Valor, Carnival Victory, Celebration, Ecstasy, Elation, Fantasy, Fascination, Inspiration, Paradise and Sensation. Destinations cover every corner of the world, with a big presence in Alaska and the Caribbean.

Notes: Of Carnival's 3.3 million expected 2006 passengers, more than a half-million are anticipated to be children ... The line is offering 15 expanded Mediterranean cruises of 12 days each in 2006.

Norwegian

If you: Stash away money for a few years so you can afford one vacation.

Then choose: Norwegian Cruise Line, 800-327-7030, www.ncl.com The line's size and popularity keep prices comparatively low.

Ships include: Norwegian Crown, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Majesty, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Wind and Pride of Aloha. Destinations: Hawaii, Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mexican Riviera, through the Panama Canal, South America and the Mediterranean.

Notes: The newest ship, the Jewel, has 10 restaurants ... The new Pride of Hawaii is scheduled to begin sailing in June.

Royal Caribbean

If you: Hate taking long car trips because you get bored after an hour.

Then choose: Royal Caribbean, 866-562-7625, www.royalcaribbean.com With ice-skating rinks, rock-climbing walls and on-board scuba lessons, Royal Caribbean ships cater to distraction-seekers.

Ships include: Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Splendor of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. Destinations: One hundred ports in North America and Europe.

Notes: The Freedom of the Seas, with its own water park and ice-skating rink, debuts in June as the largest ship in the world, accommodating 3,634 passengers.

Cunard

If you: Cared more about the ship than Leo or Kate in "Titanic."

Then choose: Cunard Line, 800-728-6273, www.cunard.com

Stepping on a Cunard ship is a nautical throwback, as long as you have the money.

Ships: Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2 are known for trans-Atlantic cruises but also go to South America, Hawaii and around the world.

Notes: The QM2 rendezvoused with the original Queen Mary, now a museum in Long Beach, Calif., last month. Starting this month, the QM2 will depart for its trans-Atlantic cruises from Brooklyn, N.Y.

Seabourn

If you: Only shop online at Christmas because you loathe the mall crowds.

Then choose: Seabourn Cruise Line, 800-929-9391, www.seabourn.com

The all-suite deluxe cruises accommodate 208 people max.

Ships: Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. Destinations: Asia, Northern Europe, the South Pacific and Africa, among others.

Note: Select cruises are discounted on Seabourn's Web site.