During a recent “sail away” party on the deck of the brand-new Carnival Valor cruising out of Miami, passengers were greeted not only by the everybody-dance-now strains of a Caribbean band, but also by performers – dancing on giant stilts. OK, I had expected the band – standard fare for when a ship sets sail. But the addition of stilt-walkers gave the festivities an authentic party atmosphere – almost like a traditional Caribbean carnival.

So, I wondered, what will the cruise programming wizards thing of next?

Experienced cruisers will tell you that practically every time they step on board a cruise ship these days there’s something new – from extravagant gyms and spas to kids’ programs, from computer classes to impressive guest speakers. First-timers will likely be floored by the diverse offerings.

Take Royal Caribbean, which has built its reputation as the active line based largely on being the first to install rock-climbing walls on all its ships.

“We’re not midnight buffets and shuffleboard and almost dead, overfed people,” said Jack Williams, president and cheif operating officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises, which includes the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises brands.

This is not to say gorging is a thing of the past. Royal Caribbean and other lines offer a plethora of dining options, ranging from grab-and-go to gourmet cuisine, and often including complimentary 24-hour room service – perfect for guests who want to squeeze as much activity as possible into each and every day.

And activity abounds.

What’s unique today? On board select Royal Caribbean cruises, Studio B is the place to, well, be. That’s where you’ll find the onboard ice-skating rink, which is open to passengers for freestyle skating (rentals and lessons are available) and also serves as the stage for professional skating shows. Featured on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager-series ships, Studio B is also the setting for game shows, onboard parties and cooking demonstrations.

“The ice rinks on our Voyager-class ships really sum up the vacation experience Royal Caribbean offers to guests – unexpected, exciting and innovative. Where else would you expect to find floating ice-skating rinks, especially in the Caribbean?” said Williams.

Looking for something a little less strenuous than rock climbing or ice skating? Check out Royal Caribbean’s roster of classes – wine tasing, cooking, ice carving and casino card-game lessons. Or, learn to dance the cha-cha, rumba, merengue, waltz, two-step, tango, foxtrot, jitterbug or even the hula.

You know the saying “there’s something for everyone.” Make no mistake, there is.

In addition to conducting extensive consumer research, cruise lines send representatives to leading-edge resorts and destinations around the world to keep abreast of what’s new and innovative. It was consumer research that led to Royal Caribbean’s decision to offer ice skating and professional ice shows and, more recently, to sister line Celebrity’s entertainment partnership with Cirque du Soleil.

Anyone who’s cruised recently – or even seen a television commercial for a major cruise line – is well aware that oceangoing stage productions have become progressively more extravagant of late with the addition of pyrotechnics, lasers, multiple custom changes and elaborate sets. But that’s not all. On board Celebrity’s Constellation and Summit, the “stage” spreads beyond the theater as guests enjoy a nightly Cirque-themed Bar at the End of the Earth – complete with surreal characters mingling with the audience – and a fantasy-like masquerade ball.

Norwegian Cruise Line, meanwhile, has just introduced improv at sea with a comedy revue aboard the 2,224-passenger Norwegian Dawn (which sails to the Caribbean from New York year-round) featuring six members of the famed Second City company. In addition to performing one night during each sailing, the comedic troupe conducts onboard workshops to introduce passengers to the art and philosophy of improvisational performance.

Drawing on Second City’s history of ensemble improvisation, satire and revue comedy, the workshops are designed to encourage aspiring performers to explore their artistic voices. The troupe also offers age-appropriate children’s workshops through the line’s onboard Kids Crew program.

Second City has spawned an impressive list of comedic talent, including such renowned performers as Bill Murray, Bonnie Hunt, Chris Farley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jeremy Piven, George Wendt, Mike Myers, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Tim Meadows and Tina Fey.

When the partnership with NCL was announced, Second City officials said that they were happy to extend the group’s “comic reach” to the high seas. NCL President and CEO Colin Veitch said, “There’s nothing better than a great laugh – especially while on vacation.”

Crystal Cruises offers Computer University@Sea, an innovative roster of lectures and classes designed to interest passengers at all levels of computer awareness – from newbies to techies.

“We’ve discovered that the majority of our guests are not looking to take a cruise to sit out in the sun and veg,” said Kristin Turner, manager of entertainment for Crystal Cruises. “People really want to be stimulated, and we really need to have a lot of different choices and courses and subjects.”

In its computer classes, Crystal is not just teaching grandmothers how to surf the Web and email the grandkids back home. The line also offers courses in things like creating dynamic presentations and spreadsheets, and even digital video editing. Offerings vary by cruise, but all classes are taught by bona fide computer professionals specifically hired to staff the program.

In addition, the Crystal Cruises Creative Learning Institute offers classes in watercolor painting, quilting, fashion design, foreign language instruction, estate planning, real estate appraisal, yoga, screenwriting, astronomy and golf.

The line successfully launched a program last year with Yamaha to offer piano lessons at sea on Yamaha keyboards.

“People are clamoring for more progressive classes,” Turner said.

Like its competitors, Crystal has also added more guest lectures to enlighten and entertain. Lecturers are not paid, Turner said, but they do get free passage for themselves and a companion. Turner said she watches the talk shows to see who’s hot. Most popular, she said, are those lecturers with “big personalities” who enjoy socializing with passengers.

“One of our best lecturers is an ornithologist. Who would have thought that would go over so big?”

Also popular are speakers on world affairs such as Ambassador Marc Ginsberg, a frequent guest on Fox News, and Gen. Perry Smith. CNBC financial expert Dr. Bob Froehlich also proved popular, she said.

Cruise lines draw some of their inspiration from high-end hotels. Crystal Cruises, for instance, has introduced a pillow menu (choose the one that’s right for you). Celebrity Cruises says passengers are enjoying its new hotel-like Concierge Class – 228 designated cabins aboard the Constellation, Infinity, Millennium and Summit where guests enjoy concierge service and special amenities like a choice of pillows and pillow-top mattresses. Holland America, meanwhile, is touting its new, plush Euro-top mattresses.

Cruise lines are looking to new and more exotic locals. Several lines have or will soon introduce port calls to Libya. Europe will be a hot cruise destination this year – advanced sales have been surprising even cruise executives. Last year Celebrity Cruises started an offshott, Celebrity Xpeditions, offering a small ship experience in the Galapagos, Antarctica and the Arctic. The line is also making plans to sail its bigger ships to an expanded roster of destinations, including Asia and the South Pacific.

Probably nowhere is the transformation of the cruise industry more dramatic than in the dining room. Dinner on a cruise ship used to mean eating at a set time in a main dining room. But the lines have gotten a lot more flexible, not only about times, but also about atmosphere. If you don’t want to do the formal thing, ships have more casual options. Or, splurge and pay extra for onboard alternatives ranging from steakhouses to Tex Mex.

High technology, of course, is de rigueur. Royal Caribbean’s Williams said Internet cafes, now standard cruise-ship fare, had a major impact on the industry by convincing people who may not have otherwise have considered a cruise to give it a try – while remaining “connected.” Carnival’s Valor is now one big Wi-Fi hot spot, bow to stern. Princess Cruises has expanded the range of its onboard Wi-Fi hot spots. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are adding cell-phone technology to their ships. Within the next year, passengers with GSM phones will be able to send and receive phone calls and text messages just as they do when on land. Norwegian Cruise Line is also working on technology to allow cell-phone use at sea.

The fitness craze has not been ignored by the cruise lines either. The big new ships devote prime space to gyms and spas, which boast ocean views and the latest and greatest in equipment.

“I never thought I’d see people in 12,000- to 15,000-square-foot gyms and spas,” said Carnival President Bob Dickinson. “In the old days, if you found a gym on a ship it was below the waterline and had one of those belts-around-your-fanny kinds of machines, a cast-iron rowing machine and a couple of floor mats. That was it.”

Name-brand outfits – like Canyon Ranch on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 – now operate onboard spas. And, nearly every line has expanded its fitness offerings beyond standard aerobics and yoga classes to include the workout du jour – be it cardio-kickboxing or spinning. Celebrity is experiencing success with its Acupuncture at Sea program. Could Botox at Sea be far behind?

With all the innovation, it is perhaps not surprising that Royal Caribbean has named a ship Freedom of the Seas. Two years from now, Carnival will launch its new ship, Freedom. An apt name. Freedom and innovation are what cruising today is all about.

What does the future hold?

“There’s always going to be new stuff,” said Williams. “At some point the rock climbing walls won’t be an icon.”

So what wacky ideas are currently being tossed around by those ever-innovative programming wizards?

“Skiing, a roller coaster going around the ship, blimps tied to the back of the ship – tons of stuff,” said Williams.