On a cruise with your friend Harley

Would this be your idea of "Hog Heaven?" Every morning you wake up in a different exotic location. You walk outside, where your Harley-Davidson awaits you. You hop on, and you cruise off -- looking for adventure or, as the song says, whatever comes your way.

That scenario has been a real-life dream come true in recent years for a select group of Harley owners. It's been made possible by Entertainment and Travel Alternatives Inc., a tour packager, in cooperation with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. This year the opportunity is being expanded, to include more ports, more sailings, and more riders.

"We will be adding the beautiful island of Bermuda beginning in 2007," said Steve Wallach, ETA's cruise organizer. "This is the first time in the history of Bermuda that bikes bigger than 250cc are permitted to drive on their roads, as well as arrive via cruise ship."

This year will also be the first time that owners of bikes other than Harley-Davidsons will be encouraged to go along. And a total of seven cruises are scheduled this year, three from the New York City area, and the rest from Miami. Cruise itineraries are for as little as two days (Bermuda only) to as long as nine days.

Wallach started the cruises in 2005, with stops where bikers can roam freely in San Juan, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas, U S Virgin Islands. He has since expanded his offerings to include Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and Bermuda. (Some sailings stop in the Bahamas, where bikes can be rented ashore).

The cruises aren't cheap, but all things considered, they can be very attractive deals.

First of all, the bike owner is responsible for getting his machine (and riding equipment) to the point of debarkation, either at the Port of Miami or Port Liberty, N.J. ETA will put those interested in shipping their bikes in touch with a company that handles such arrangements; those costs are negotiated separately.

Those are the only two departure ports available to date, and Caribbean routes are the only ones available for motorcycle touring. (There has been some interest in Alaska cruises, but most of those are one-way, and depart or arrive in Vancouver, British Columbia -- creating some as-yet insurmountable obstacles for bike pickup and delivery.)

Bike cruise prices start at round $1,200 and can go up to $3,000 or more, based on double occupancy, and depending on whether the traveler prefers steerage or a stateroom, or something in between. This is a modest premium over what nonbiker travelers would pay on the same cruises.

The riders don't take over the whole ship; in fact, the 70 or so participants on each cruise are just a fraction of the total capacity of the 3,600-passenger Freedom of the Seas. Some new perks are included, however, with that premium price: The riders and their bikes are first off at every port; immigration checks are fast-tracked to the front of the line; and, back at the home port, the riders are first to clear customs and head for home.

ETA has fine-tuned the concept over the years, eliminating unpaved roads, for example. They've also been preapproved by foreign governments, officials, and local police agencies for licensed U S bikers, temporarily, to legally use their bikes in those countries .

ETA's advertising stresses that it is the only company offering these motorcycle cruises. But there's nothing stopping an enterprising group of bikers from organizing their own tours, and negotiating an attractive price with a cruise line directly, or with a travel agent.

"Specific requests can usually be honored, with the help of a competent and well-connected travel agent," said Amber Blecker, of CruiseResource.com, a Denver-based travel agency. "Whenever dealing with unusual requests and specific needs, as an individual or group, it's best to work through an experienced agent so everything will be a smooth ride, both on the cruise and off."

Theme cruises are a growing part of the industry, attracting an ever-wider range of niche groups.

The worst thing about these bike-themed cruises is that they've become so popular, it's necessary to book well in advance. For example, most 2007 sailings are booked, and not only are 2008 slots already filling, some of those are also sell-outs.