USS Youth

Q. I have a 16-year-old I'd like to take on a cruise. Can you give me information on ocean liners that accommodate teens?

Dianne Allison, Bowie

A. With more than a million children sailing each year, your daughter will hardly contract cabin fever -- or teen ennui. "Many cruise lines have programs onboard that cater to kids, from toddlers to teens," says Robert Sharak, executive vice president of Cruise Lines International Association ( http://www.cruising.org)/ , which represents the major cruise lines. "With the camps or organized activities, the kids get together in a supervised atmosphere with children their own age."

Most cruise lines have children's programs; even Carnival's party-hearty Fun Ships organize Club O2 for ages 15 to 17. Many programs, which are included in the price, provide teens with a separate space where they can hang out sans parents, as well as activities such as scavenger hunts, disco parties and casino nights.

"With morning, afternoon and night programs, parents can have three or four hours at a time to themselves," says Else Daniels, a cruise specialist with Vacations at Sea in D.C. (202-686-7447), singling out family-friendly Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity and Princess. "Then they meet for meals and compare notes."

To winnow down the choices, Sharak says to approach a cruise like any other vacation, with a roster of questions. On that checklist: where you want to go (Caribbean, Alaska or Mediterranean), what you want to see and do (snorkel, view wildlife, tour European capitals), when you wish to travel (May to September for Alaska or the Mediterranean, anytime for the Caribbean) and what your budget is. Also consider the demographics of the cruise line or destination. For example, luxury lines such as Seabourn often attract older crowds, as do Alaskan cruises. You can also expect more kids' programs and participants over summer and school holidays.

Daniels recommends the Caribbean, because of its vast number of diversions, from exploring Mexican ruins to snorkeling in the Cayman Islands. Also remember that this is a family vacation, so you don't need to enroll your teen in every shipboard activity. While the programs are optional, family ties aren't.

When is the best time to see the foliage at Niagara Falls?

Helen Spencer, Gaithersburg

When it comes to fall foliage, the Niagara Falls region is a late bloomer. Though it's weather dependent, the Niagara Gorge usually begins to turn in mid-October, weeks after the Adirondacks and Vermont. "The Niagara region is very unique because the foliage comes later and stays longer," says Allen James, spokesman of the Niagara Falls Region of New York State Parks. "It's a lot different because of the gorge and its microclimate."

For a fall foliage walk-and-drive tour, James suggests starting at Niagara Falls State Park and following the easy Gorge Rim Trail or the sloping path by the Discovery Center, which parallels the old railway bed 150 feet down.

Back in the car, head north on the Robert Moses Parkway to Whirlpool and Devil's Hole state parks; the hiking is tougher here, but the colors are equally dazzling. Before heading back to the falls, swing by Old Fort Niagara ( http://www.oldfortniagara.org/ ), site of a new visitors center. You can witness the wine harvest -- Niagara Wine Trail on the U.S. side or the wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario -- and poke around the farm-filled Fruit Belt. However, if you prefer to stay on home turf, you'll still get an eyeful. "We're less developed than the Canadian side and have a few more trees," says James, "but both sides of the gorge are similar."

Info: Niagara Falls State Park, 716-278-1796, http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/ ; Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp., 877-FALLS-US, http://www.niagara-usa.com/ .

What is the most direct ground transport from Varna to Istanbul to Plovdiv and back?

Nora Yeh, Falls Church

For this Bulgaria and Turkey route, Paul Kaufmann of Rail Europe ( http://www.raileurope.com/ ) suggests purchasing the Balkan Flexipass, which covers Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro. The five-day, first-class pass (good for a month) costs $197 per person. You can buy the pass in the United States but must book reservations locally.

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