The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) had some intriguing and exciting trends to report during its most recent State of the Industry Press Conference in New York this year. From brand-name entertainment to celebrity chef-driven cuisine to a focus on small-ship experiential cruising, the future of this waterborne form of travel is far more diverse and adventurous than it was in the past. And it’s moving toward less-charted waters, as well. Here are the trends we’re most excited about, and the cruise line that currently is setting the standard for each trend.

Specialty Cruising

Loosely defined as anything off the mainstream, specialty cruising encompasses river cruising, small-ship cruising, barge cruising and experiential cruising. French Country Waterways and Scenic Cruises are two specialty lines that span across multiple subcategories, share a passenger demographic, and both operate within Europe. American-owned French Country Waterways operates four luxury hotel barges and has long been known for its culinary program. While many large cruise lines have begun to introduce celeb chefs or specialized food experiences, French Country Waterways has small boats perfect for navigating the interior rivers and canals of France, taking passengers through the Loire or the Lorraine, and stopping frequently to pick up ingredients from local fields and farmers’ markets.

Photo courtesy of French Country Waterways

Scenic Cruises is equally luxurious, but not quite so food-focused. On these floating luxury hotels, music and art are as important to the program as food and wine. For people who might not want another wine-soaked lunch along the Rhine, there are complimentary bicycles to borrow from the ship once docked in key destinations, and GPS devices to help you sightsee solo. The point is to always give guests easy access to a destination so they can experience the alleys of Basel or the villages along the Aegean coastline at their own pace.

Photo courtesy of Scenic Cruises

Expedition Cruising

Although many people see cruising as a way to skip from port to port without worrying about driving and air travel logistics, for some, it’s a way to reach remote destinations that you couldn’t actually access by car or even by plane. It’s hard to say whether expedition cruising to the far-flung corners of the world has become more popular as more places have become accessible, or whether cruise lines are traveling to these places more in order to accommodate customer demand. But either way, we’re starting to see ships in the Poles and Papua New Guinea, in Melanesia, Micronesia, Borneo and beyond.

Photo courtesy of Orion Expedition Cruises

Australian company Orion Expeditions has only one ship accommodating 106 guests, and is specially designed to travel to the world’s most remote and uninhabited places. People who travel on Orion are adventurers and amateur anthropologists, not typical cruisers. They relish the opportunity to trek to remote indigenous villages that perhaps haven’t ever seen a tour group before; to explore abandoned trading posts and go flight-seeing above Australia’s rugged Kimberley Coast. And at the end of each adventure, they appreciate that there’s a comfy bed and a delicious meal waiting for them back onboard the ship.

Photo courtesy of Orion Expedition Cruises

Multi-Generational Cruising

Two ever-more-prevalent family trends, the “blended family” and the “global family,” make multi-gen cruising a popular travel option, especially for reunions. The cruise ship setup also works for birthdays, graduations and non-specific vacations. Large cruise ships are best suited to handle multi-gen, as they provide one contained space where little kids can enjoy supervised play, tweens and teens can own the arcade or any of a half-dozen other activities, and grown-ups can enjoy poolside cocktails or even a little shopping. Meals can be easily scheduled for the whole family or members can break off and do their own thing come meal time.

Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises

“We see many spread out families, who live in many different cities or even countries, joining up and reuniting on a cruise,” says Mimi Weisband of Crystal Cruises. Though you wouldn’t necessarily think of Crystal as a family cruise line, this ultra-luxury line has recently introduced “Crystal Getaway,” itineraries that run typically between 5-7 days (up to 11 days max) and are drawing passengers that are, on average, 10 years younger than the typical Crystal Cruises passenger. Global families fit nicely into this cross-section, especially because no matter how great any family vacation is, everyone’s typically ready for it to end after about a week.

Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises

Upping the Entertainment Ante

It used to be that cruise entertainment was so-so and maybe a little silly. Sure, people would go see whatever comedian or variety show was performing, but not with any real expectations. But that is starting to change, and not only is the entertainment getting better, it’s getting brand-name recognizable. We’re seeing full-scale Broadway shows onboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, the Blue Man Group on Norwegian Cruise Lines, and the smartest partnership of 2013: Stars at Sea officially licensed through the BBC, on Holland America.

Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean Cruises

This interactive ballroom extravaganza is an adapted version of the Las Vegas experience. Expect many of the biggest names from Dancing With the Stars, and they’re not just performing, they are mingling, teaching specialty classes, and even judging the passengers in competition. Holland America execs say the experience is all about “engagement and interactivity,” but it’s also more than a little bit about sheer stargazing. The first cruise of the 2013 season features Mark Ballas, Lacey Schwimmer, Joey Fatone and Sabrina Bryan. For any fan who ever dreamed what it might be like to "Samba with Sabrina” (an actual class) or “Lambada with Lacey” (we can always hope), this is THE cruise of the year.

Photo courtesy of Holland America Cruises