If you an "affluent" Baby Boomer eager to try a very, very upscale cruise, the small luxury cruiselines have some good news: a brand new, even more luxurious cruise ship is being built just for you.

That was the word on March 13th from the Seatrade convention, annual expo of the cruise ship industry, where the lines with the small, most expensive ships announced plans to launch more of them about as fast as shipyards can build them.

By the time a session on luxury cruising was over, Silversea had announced plans for at least one new ship, Oceania said it had just placed a multiship order, Seabourn talked about two ships on the way, and American Cruise Lines said it was building two more.

"The luxury sector is booming," said Frank Del Rio, CEO of Oceania Cruises. "The pentup demand for upscale cruising is staggering."

The upbeat atmosphere at this year's Seatrade was in dramatic contrast to the early part of this decade, and reflected a new confidence by small luxury cruise lines -- based on the past couple of years -- that "Baby Boomers" will be taking to the seas in style.

"They are ready to reward themselves," said Pam Conover, CEO of Seaburn Cruise Line.

"They refuse to compromise their lifestyle," added Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "They expect the same lifestyle they have at home."

"These people simply do not want to go on a week or two week cruise with 3,000 other people," said Oceania's Del Rio.

Charles Robertson, CEO of Pearl Seas Cruises and American Cruise Lines, said he believes the next few years will produce "an unprecedented degree of innovation in the upscale cruise market.

"The ships we are going to see will go more places, get there sooner, stay there longer," Robertson said.

"Luxury is space per guest; it's personalized service; it's choices," said Greg Michel, CEO of Crystal Cruises.

"Boomer's will be the wealthiest generation in history," Michels said. "They are trading up to the luxury segment."

"The sky is the limit," added Del Rio.