With summer vacation just around the corner, it's the perfect time to start planning your family trips. Family travel is not what it used to be. Today's family has hundreds of vacation options ranging from the traditional to the more exotic, making information about what's available more important than ever.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel agents say they see three types of family travelers: mothers, fathers, and children; single parents and children; and grandparents and children. Since each of these groups has different needs when it comes to vacationing, we have found special packages that are tailored to each type of family.

When you plan your next family vacation, ask yourself these questions: Do you want to be with your children the whole time, or would you prefer a place that has planned activities for children? Do you prefer to be alone with your children, or would you like to be with other parents (or grandparents) and their kids?

The good news for grandparents is that there are now several specialty tours and cruises that cater to grandparents and children, taking into account the different needs of the two generations.

Regardless of the type of vacation you select, keep these tips in mind while travelling to make sure everyone has a good time:

• If your trip involves lengthy car travel, plan plenty of activities. There are a number of portable games available, and your local library will have books and books on tape for kids. Let them mark the route on their own copy of a road map. Also, plan a picnic if you can. It helps break up the drive, and it's a lot healthier and cheaper than fast food. It also gives everyone a chance to stretch.
• When traveling by plane, you should have games similar to car travel. It also helps to talk to your children before the trip, explaining what they will see and do. Most airlines have a gift bag for kids that will provide some amusement. If they can stay entertained, the trip will pass much faster. It's also very important to have chewing gum for children or a bottle for infants. Little ears are very susceptible to changes in pressure, and chewing or sucking will help alleviate ear problems.
• For small children, take a favorite blanket, pillow or stuffed animal along. This will make the child feel at home. It's also nice to let a child pack his or her own backpack with things they would like to take.
• If you're flying and there are empty seats available, ask the flight attendant if you can move. The more room the better. And if you are flying with an infant, ask your travel agent to book you a bulkhead seat. There is more room. Also your travel agent can request a special meal for the child, available on some flights.
• When flying, and especially on long flights, make sure everyone gets plenty to drink. The air is very dry at high altitudes and your body will dehydrate.
• Before you leave, make a few ground rules for older children. If you are going to split up, make sure everyone knows the time and place to meet, and have a place to meet if you get separated. For smaller children, make sure they have identification, and something that says where you are staying. And lastly,
• Loosen up the rules a little. Let the kids stay up a little later and play a little longer. The same goes for the parents. A vacation is supposed to be fun and relaxing. It is a special time for both children and parents or grandparents.

Watch whales frolic off the coast of Hawaii as part of a special series of cruises offered by American Hawaii Cruises Jan. 22 through April 1, 2000. "Whales in the Wild" cruises sail roundtrip from Honolulu each Saturday on a seven-night itinerary aboard the S.S. Independence. The cruises visit five ports on four islands: Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii.

The first full day is spent at sea, enabling passengers to watch from the deck of the ship for humpback whales frolicking in their winter playground. Often, the 40-ton mammals will spout, show their flukes and breach, jumping nearly clear of the water and landing with a great splash.

Marine naturalists from the Pacific Whale Foundation of Maui, a non-profit educational organization, will teach passengers about the breeding, feeding and migration habits of the fascinating, endangered giants.

Other activities will include videos of marine life, slide presentations and a "discovery table" with resource materials, handouts and artifacts such as sperm whale teeth and whale baleen. American Hawaii Cruises' optional, small-boat excursions travel to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. These tours bring passengers closer to the huge whales, while adhering to Federal Whale Protection regulations.

Each tour offers a different type of vessel and experience, and has a naturalist aboard to narrate the expedition.

The S.S. Independence is the only ocean liner that cruises exclusively in Hawaii year-round. All cruises feature award-winning entertainment and cultural enrichment, innovative Pacific Rim cuisine, more than 50 optional shore excursions and the service of an American crew. Fares start at $1,230 per person, double occupancy, including port charges/costs, all shipboard meals, entertainment and activities.

For more information and reservations, contact the cruise specialists at Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

The FAA has proposed stepping up security procedures requiring airlines using aircraft with 61 seats or more on domestic flights to use automated baggage screening procedures.

FAA administrator Jane Garvey pointed out that the domestic airline industry over the past year voluntarily implemented the Computer Assisted Passenger Screening, which eliminates the majority of passenger baggage from consideration and allows airlines to concentrate on only those automatically selected by the system based on pre-programmed criteria.

For the most part, passengers won't know whether CAPS selected their checked bags, because the security measures nearly always take place behind the scenes, the FAA said.

Although air carriers with scheduled operations using aircraft of less than 61 seats will not be required to use CAPS, many regional airlines have implemented the automated screening program and more may do so in the future, the agency said.

The U.S. Department of Justice already has reviewed CAPS and determined the criteria it uses are not discriminatory by race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion or gender, nor by such passenger traits as names or modes of dress.

If you decide to make a duty free purchase in an airport make sure that you pay with a credit card. In several countries, including the United States, duty free purchases are handed to you as you board the aircraft for your international flight.

There have been reports in the news lately regarding a duty free scam taking place at Washington Dulles, JFK, and O'Hare airports. A customer makes a duty free purchase, pays cash and gets a receipt, boards the plane and waits for the purchase, which never arrives.

If you have paid by cash, you have very little recourse if this type of incident happens. If you've paid by credit card, you can call your bank and dispute the charge

If you have had your laptop stolen, you know the likelihood of recovering it is slim. But that prospect has gotten brighter with the theft prevention program called Micro-ID. With this new technology, law enforcement can access hard drives and locate owner identification.