Experts talk about cruising:

What are the latest cruise trends? Should consumers worry about Caribbean cruises after last year’s hurricanes? Do cruises still battle the perception that cruising is for the “overfed, the newlywed and the nearly dead”?

Three experts discussed these issues and more in a Jan. 4 forum in Miami aboard the Seabourn Sojourn. The panel was moderated by The Associated Press with a live audience of Seabourn passengers. Panelists were CruiseCritic.com editor at large Carolyn Spencer Brown, Miami Herald business editor Jane Wooldridge and Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald, speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The forum was taped for the Jan. 24 and Jan. 31 episodes of AP’s weekly travel podcast, “Get Outta Here.” The podcast is sponsored by Carnival Corp., which also owns Seabourn.

WHAT’S NEW IN CRUISING

Brown says there’s a “huge shift” underway to “small ship cruising,” whether luxury, river or expedition trips. “People are looking at cruising as a way to be a traveler rather than be tourists” by choosing itineraries and shore excursions “that help you meet local families or learn local culture.” Brown said another trend is how the cruise industry has embraced healthy eating and fitness “so you can continue your regimen from home or start a new one.”

Wooldridge says she’s excited about the growth in expedition ships going to “great places” (like Antarctica), though often those trips are expensive.

Donald noted that cruising is booming, with 27.2 million passengers projected for 2018. While small ships are popular, he added, “There’s also a huge appetite for the large ships.” A total of 27 new ships, big and small, debut this year, from brands represented by CLIA.

CARIBBEAN

Donald said “five ports that are heavily frequented by cruise ships” were impacted by hurricanes, but more than 80 ports were not. At this point, he added, “Even the places impacted are receiving ships . ... People are having a great time in the Caribbean.”

Wooldridge said that as a resident of Florida, she understands the stress of living through hurricanes and asked that passengers heading to a port that’s been impacted “just have a little extra forbearance and empathy if things aren’t perfect.”

Brown said “the perception of the damage is so much worse than the actual damage . ... You can still go to so many islands and have a great vacation.” She said some people are reluctant to go to the Caribbean, thinking it’s “insensitive” to go back so soon in case locals were still coping with cleanup, but “what we heard on the ground especially in places like St. Martin’s, St. Bart’s, is, ‘We can’t wait for you to come back.’”

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS

Do cruises still fight the stereotype that they are for the “newlywed, overfed and nearly dead”?

Wooldridge said the saying was once true, but no longer is. “It is easy to be overfed on a cruise, but it is not as difficult to be judicious as it once might have been because there’s been much more emphasis on healthy food, healthy eating.”

Donald noted that there are “so many different brands,” each catering to a different “psychographic” segment (referring to the mind-set of passengers rather than their demographics). He said anyone wondering whether there’s a cruise that’s right for them should “just talk to someone who has gone on one,” adding that “word of mouth is still the most powerful marketing tool” for cruises. He said research shows that millenni-