Just like with airlines, cruise lines are abundant. You have a choice. Some travelers choose to stay loyal to the same company and collect reward points while others hop around, choosing a cruise based off of price, itinerary, or any other variable that strikes a chord.
What if you have only been on a few cruises (or none) or are looking to try something different from your old trusty cruise line that you've been with for years? How does each cruise line differ? What do they offer? You don't want to make a mistake and end up on the wrong ship with the wrong cruise line with nothing that suits your interest or wants.
In this guide, we'll breakdown several of the top cruise lines and what they each bring to the table in their own unique way. If you want to look for a particular cruise line, there is a table of contents below:
Carnival Cruise Line
Ships: 24
Destinations: Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, Transpacific, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Pacific, Greenland
Best for: Young adults, families, young couples, kids, rate-driven
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 3
Summary: Carnival Cruise Line is perfect for families, young adults, young couples, or those looking for the best rate on a cruise. Carnival has a reputation for being affordable as well as accessible with 24 ships in operation all over the world. Their ships feature a variety of activities geared towards the thrill seekers, young, and young at heart. It's definitely a family cruise line. Certain ships in the fleet can lack the luxury of other lines but that's not their target audience. Entertainment (shows) can be watered down and traditional but depending on your taste, can still be entertaining. Carnival can take you anywhere in the world and likely has a ship homeported somewhere near you. They've also recently made great strides into the mega-ship world with the launch of Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.
Royal Caribbean International
Ships: 26
Destinations: Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Dubai, India, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Pacific Northwest, Panama Canal, South America, South Pacific, Transatlantic, Transpacific
Best for: Young adults, families, young couples, kids, passive adventurers, middle-aged active adults, older loyalists
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 5
Summary: If you're looking for a cruise line in a moderate price range with great entertainment for all ages, Royal Caribbean is as close to a once size fits all company as you'll find. Lately, Royal Caribbean has moved into more of a space previously solely occupied by Carnival, but it still boasts entertainment that is a notch above and is a leader in the mega-ship category. While not as diverse in home port offerings as Carnival, Royal Caribbean can take you anywhere in the world and likely is homeported in a convenient location near you. If you want a few steps above the baseline while still staying within budget, RCI may be for you.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Ships: 18
Destinations: Africa, Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, Transatlantic
Best for: Young adults, rated-driven, free spirits, families, kids, young couples, passive adventurers
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 3
Summary: Norwegian Cruise Line brought about "freestyle cruising" in the early 2010's, taking a shot a stereotypical cruise lines that had set dining times, set showtimes, etc. Most companies have now adopted some form of this mantra but NCL always tries to find away to be a little different. At times offering fully all-inclusive cruises that include alcohol and even specialty dining, Norwegian is known for affordable fares. It falls in the category with Royal Caribbean and Carnival of you had to draw a comparison. NCL will be more in the category of Carnival in terms of ships, entertainment, and pricing. It's certainly an interesting alternative in the family-driven, affordable cruise line category.
Disney Cruise Line
Ships: 5
Destinations: Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South Pacific, Transatlantic
Best for: Families, kids, higher-budget travelers, Disney adults, Young couples, young adults, entertainment lovers
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 8
Summary: There's no question that while Disney Cruise Line falls in the category of family cruises, it is in a league of its own. From entertainment to dining it will be a notch above any that have come before it on this list. Unfortunately, Disney cruises are expensive. Like, sometimes double the price expensive. If you are a higher budget travel or looking for that bucket list trip to surprise the kids with, Disney could be great for you. Non-Disney adults should be advised that there will always be a large amount of kids and there is no casino onboard. Additionally, Disney does not offer all-inclusive adult beverage packages. There are plenty of places on the ship that are adults only. If you are looking for quality in a family cruise line, Disney is it, provided you don't mind paying for it.
Virgin Voyages
Ships: 2
Destinations: Caribbean, Europe, South Pacific, Transatlantic
Best for: Young adults, young couples, solo travelers, middle-aged adults, middle-aged couples
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 7
Summary: Richard Branson's cruise line is breaking the mold on what cruising has traditionally been about. This adults-only cruise line boasts two large, impressive ships, quality entertainment, quality food, and unique itineraries. There really is nothing traditional about this cruise line. With a ton of activities geared towards a variety of types of travelers, this cruise line is also highly rated for solo travelers. The down side is price and lack of variety in destinations due to only having two ships. If the company continues to grow, this one will be one to watch.
Princess Cruises
Ships: 15
Destinations: Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, California, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Japan, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America, Antarctica, South Pacific, Transatlantic, World
Best for: Middle-Aged Adults, Middle-Aged Couples, Foodies, Older Adults, Passive Adventurers, Relaxed Explorers
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 6
Summary: We are now entering the realm of the more adult-oriented cruise lines. I don't want to make seem like Princess Cruises is short on adventure opportunities, but for this cruise line, it's more about the destination than the ship. Princess offers more port intensive itineraries with longer stays and more unique destinations than most mainstream cruise lines. Ships have less thrill seeking and younger oriented entertainment and instead focus more on style, culture, and class. The same goes for the food selection. If you want a milder shipboard experience while still exploring exotic destinations, Princess Cruises could be a great option. From a pricing standpoint, they fall in the affordable range but will still provide a luxurious vacation.
Celebrity Cruises
Ships: 15
Destinations: Alaska, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos, Hawaii, Mediterranean, Mexico, Panama Canal, Pacific Coast, South America, Transpacific, Transatlantic
Best for: Middle-Aged Adults, Passive Adventurers, Relaxed Explorers, Middle-Aged Couples, Older Adults, Older Couples
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 6
Summary: Much like Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises has a very specific brand. More adults oriented, you won't find water slides or mini-golf courses. You will find green spaces, ocean-facing views with comfortable seating to unwind with a book or a glass of wine, and entertainment and educational lectures geared to the passive adventurer or relaxed explorer. It still falls into the affordable category but will provide a high quality and class experience while onboard. Celebrity also boasts a variety of destinations that are unique to most mainstream cruise lines including the Galapagos Islands.
Holland America Line
Ships: 11
Destinations: Alaska, Asia, Australia, South Pacific, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Europe, World, Hawaii, Mexico, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, Antarctica
Best for: Middle-Aged Adults, Passive Adventurers, Relaxed Explorers, Middle-Aged Couples, Older Adults, Older Couples
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 6
Summary: I toyed with even putting Holland America Line on this list as a "mainstream" cruise line but decided to include it as they have a ton to offer and fall in the category with Princess and Celebrity. In fact, Holland America Line and Celebrity were around the same size and scope 10 years ago before Celebrity took off after a big investment from its parent company (Royal Caribbean Group). HAL boasts a luxurious, educational, and immersive cruising experience with exotic port options. It is still very affordable and good for those that want a slower, classier pace onboard while still seeing the world. Holland America is heavy in Alaska, Panama Canal, South America, and even offers trips to Antarctica.
MSC Cruises
Ships: 23
Destinations: Asia, Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean, Bahamas, Dubai, Qatar, Egypt, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, World, Mediterranean, Europe, South Africa, South America
Best for: Young couples, Young adults, kids, families, international families, middle-aged couples, middle-aged adults, culture seekers
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 5
Summary: MSC Cruises has exploded the last 10 years. Entering the mega-ship realm and becoming more of a mainstream brand has made MSC a household cruising name. Still yet, the brand may still be unexplored or unfamiliar to most US cruisers. MSC is an Italian cruise line and many of the onboard experiences reflect that. English is spoken (as well as many other languages) but it will be different than most mainstream cruise lines. Boasting great ships, great destinations, and a wide variety of entertainment options, MSC is like an Italian-themed version of Royal Caribbean. It really has something for groups of all ages.
Cunard
Ships: 4
Destinations: Africa, Indian Ocean, Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Baltic, Canada, New England, Canary Islands, Caribbean, Europe, Mediterranean, Northern Lights, Norway, Panama Canal, Central America, South America, South Pacific, Transatlantic, World
Best for: Classic cruisers, older adults, older couples, middle-aged couples, middle-aged adults, luxury seekers
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 7
Summary: Cunard is classic cruising at its finest. Featuring its flagship Queen Mary II, Cunard has a long history of ocean-going and its ships reflect that history in almost every facet. Cunard was a former competitor of the White Star Line (Titanic) in the late 1800's and early 1900's before the two companies merged. If you're looking for a combination of class, luxury, and history with some great itineraries thrown in, check out Cunard. If you are looking for raunchy comedians, rollercoasters, mini golf, or anything in these categories, scroll back up to the top of this page.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Ships: 9
Destinations: Scandinavia, Europe, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, World
Best for: Middle-aged couples, middle-aged adults, older adults, older couples, passive adventurers, destination-driven travelers, luxury seekers.
Price Rating (Scale of 10): 9
Summary: Easily the most expensive cruise line on this list, Viking has a long history of cruising, just not on the ocean. Previously a river cruise only line, Viking broke into the ocean cruising category a decade ago and has been growing ever since. Offering smaller ships, unique ports and excursions, and luxurious accommodations, dining, and entertainment, its perfect for passive adventurers, destination-driven travelers, and luxury seekers. If you can stomach the price and don't mind a flight to meet the ship, Viking is a top notch cruise line.
Comentários