By MICHAEL COLEMAN, Bon Voyage

For the vacation-challenged souls among us, your ship has come in.

Norwegian Cruise Line, a company which pioneered ocean travel to the Bahamas some 40 years ago, offers three-and four-day Bahamian getaways from Miami aboard the 2,002-passenger Norwegian Sky.

The over-worked set can also relish in the fact that however brief the itinerary, one can enjoy an action-packed few days or a quiet, romantic respite from it all. Sky conveniently offers both ends of the spectrum.

The line’s “Freestyle Cruising” concept – where passengers receive a myriad of onboard entertainment and dining choices yet with no set schedules or even dress codes to adhere to – is ideally-suited for passengers enjoying Sky’s brief getaways.

The ship features 240 balcony staterooms, seven restaurants, nine bars and lounges, multiple entertainment venues, two pools, extensive children’s facilities, a sports deck and a variety of spacious public rooms.

The biggest passenger challenge is not so much what to eat each night but where to eat. Freestyle choices abound in the culinary department and guests may dine when they want, where they want, and with whomever they want.

At Cagney’s Steakhouse, look for broiled lobster tail, a 32-ounce porterhouse and Alaskan king crab legs; in Le Bistro, the line’s signature French restaurant, guests might select the Plateau de Fruits de Mar, a cold seafood platter featuring mussels, lobster tail, shrimp and raw oysters on the half shell. In addition, the ship features two main dining rooms – Palace and Crossings; Il Adagio, a casual Italian trattoria; and the Garden and Great Outdoors cafes.

Need a drink to unwind from the busy shore-side workload left behind? Look no further than a host of pleasant locales including a martini bar; a sports bar; a champagne bar; two outdoor bars plus the hopping Dazzles Bar & Night Club.

Look also for production shows in the Stardust Theater to calm the work nerves. “Soul Rockin’ Nights,” a high energy party celebrating the sounds of southern rock, R&B and pure rock ‘n roll and “On Broadway” featuring hits from “Wicked,” “Mama Mia” and “Hairspray” are sure to please.

Setting an appointment in the Body Waves Spa, however, may be the ultimate way to kick back. Look for traditional and exotic treatments to be offered in both the spa and salon. For those seeking to rid themselves of work-related stress, look no further than the ship’s Body Waves Fitness Center complete with state-of-the-art cardiovascular workout equipment plus aerobics, spinning and exercise classes.

Kid’s, too, have a host of play options. “Kid’s Korner” features areas for arts and crafts, movies and computers while “The Zone” for youths aged 13-17 features video games, a jukebox, foosball and air hockey tables. At night the locale becomes a teen disco.

The ship departs Mondays with stops in Grand Bahama Island, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island. On Fridays, Sky departs at 5 p.m. with stops in Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay.

The ship returns to Miami, and reality, at 7 a.m. Monday just in time for the morning rush-hour commute.

On the web: ncl.com.

Cruise travel columnist Michael Coleman welcomes your feedback at cruiseguide@hotmail.com