These Sailings Have Appeal to a Variety of Tastes : From movie screenings to peanut butter, theme cruises offer something for everyone.

For any film buff, the highlight of a lifetime might be to sit in a darkened theater and hear critic Roger Ebert do a frame-by-frame analysis of “Casablanca,” with additional comment from renowned cinematographer Haskell Wexler.

This is not your normal cruise ship fare.

Nor is seeing prior to their release 12 major films, including “Howards End,” “The Mambo Kings,” “This Is My Life” and “Love Field” with Michelle Pfeiffer (still unreleased.)

Nor is hearing director Norman Jewison and actor Rod Steiger reminisce about their collaboration on the award-winning film, “In the Heat of the Night.”

Nor is being among a relatively small group invited to join Steiger and Paula, his wife of six years, as they renew their marriage vows before Capt. Hans van Biljouw.

Nor is packing up a collection of at least six custom T-shirts, a big beach towel, several visors and caps, all souvenirs left in our cabin night after night.

All this happened because we signed up for the Second Floating Film Festival, held aboard Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam in February and organized by Dusty Cohl, co-founder of Toronto’s popular film festival.

More theme cruises than ever are being offered now, according to Jo Kling of Landry & Kling, a Miami-based company that specializes in theme cruises. Typically, passengers signing up for the theme cruise programs represent a modest percentage of the total passengers on board of any given cruise.

Our Floating Film Festival turned out to be a delightful cruise, not only because we were able to totally immerse ourselves in the movie world, but also because the Nieuw Amsterdam, which we haven’t traveled aboard for some time, is better than ever.

We spent from four to eight hours a day in the ship’s theater watching films or listening to critics such as Kathleen Carroll, Richard Corliss and Jay Scott talking about films. And in between screenings, there were movie trivia quizzes, cocktail parties and late-evening tributes to Steiger, Jewison and actress/writer Evelyn Keyes.

We emerged from the darkened theater occasionally during the weeklong cruise to note with some surprise that we were still at sea, sailing from Tampa around the western Caribbean via Key West, Cozumel, Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman.

Meals aboard were delicious, both in the ship’s Lido Cafe, which produces mind-boggling displays of hot and cold breakfast and lunch dishes, and in the dining room at dinner. Other lines could take a lesson from Holland America on buffet service, which includes frequently replenishing trays and making certain that hot foods stay hot and cold foods stay cold.

Cabins were spacious, comfortable and scrupulously clean, and the service staff was caring and warm. The bathroom is stocked with Gucci toiletries, and has a deep tub with shower overhead, a wide counter with mirrors and plenty of storage space. In high season, this “C” category cabin costs $300 a day per person, double occupancy. One of equal size on a lower deck, also with windows or portholes, would cost about $275 a day per person, double occupancy. Both rates include air fare.

Before dinner, if there wasn’t a private party for the film festival participants, we usually gravitated to the Crow’s Nest, an observation lounge high atop the ship and forward, where a chafing dish of hot hors d’ouevres sat on a table. We never had time to help ourselves because one of the waiters usually delivered them the moment we sat down.

Because we were watching movies all day, we weren’t able to join fellow passengers who signed up for exercise classes or worked out in the gym to get their “Passport to Fitness” programs stamped. When the book is filled, the exercisers get prizes such as Windbreakers or sweat shirts with the ship logo.

Holland America has gotten on the film festival bandwagon this winter, with a month of Film Fest ’92 cruises also scheduled aboard the Noordam from New York. They are led by Richard Brown, professor of film and media studies at The New School in New York City. During the 10-day sailings, participants attend screenings of brand-new films and still-unreleased pictures, as well as meet guest stars and industry experts who discuss movie-making.

The last in the series leaves Saturday for 10 days in Bermuda and the Caribbean, calling at Hamilton, Bermuda; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. Fares begin at $1,745 per person, double occupancy.

Kling’s company has compiled a full list of all theme cruises for 1992 sailings--the first time, she believes, that any such list has been offered to the public.

Among upcoming theme cruises is a Premier Cruise Line sailing Aug. 7 for peanut butter lovers, leaving out of Port Canaveral, Fla. The package is designed for families, and includes a four-day Disney World pass good for admission to the park, Epcot and the Disney MGM Studios, plus rental car and breakfast with the Disney characters.

Scots can don their kilts for the Tartan Ball on a Scottish Ceilidh Cruise May 2 on the Cunard Countess, featuring nationally known Scottish entertainers, whisky tastings and two ceilidhs-- Scottish gatherings of dancing, storytelling and music.

For a free color brochure from Holland America, call (800) 426-0327. Landry & Kling will supply a full list of all upcoming theme cruises, including those geared to sports, history, murder mystery, jazz and Big Bands; call (800) 223-2026.