Table Of Content
- The 11 Best Luxury Cruise Lines, According to T+L's Experts
- Best cruise lines for families: Disney Cruise Line
- Best cruise line for families
- Going early or late in the sailing season means fewer crowds and better weather.
- The best cruise lines for every type of traveler
- Princess CruisesPrice Starting from $138
If a ship topped with the cruising equivalent of an amusement park doesn't sound like your idea of fun, your best bets among the biggies are Princess, Holland America and Celebrity. There are exceptions for service animals, which many cruise lines allow. But the furry companion must perform specific tasks for its owner, such as guiding to assist in overcoming sight-impairment. The minimum age requirement to go on cruises varies depending on the cruise line and itinerary.
The 11 Best Luxury Cruise Lines, According to T+L's Experts
Five of Seabourn's seven vessels, with room for 450 to 600 passengers, are noticeably smaller than Regent's larger vessels. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection — a new line that debuted in 2022 — launched with a vessel that carried just 298 passengers. There's also Italy-based Costa Cruises, which draws about 80% of its customers from Europe but does market to Americans, and United Kingdom-based P&O Cruises. The "fun ship" line is also the budget line among the biggies — a brand all about great value. I've been cruising for nearly 30 years on just about every line out there, and I can tell you it's a wonderful way to travel. Your only choice might be the Cunard line's pricey Queen Elizabeth 2.
Best cruise lines for families: Disney Cruise Line
Departure cities include Barcelona, Rome, Fort Lauderdale, Sydney, New Orleans and San Diego. As someone who's taken over 50 cruises all over the world, I know firsthand how popular cruising is this year. But one seabound itinerary people often forget to add to their bucket lists is a Mediterranean cruise. Inside cabins on the 'P&O Arvia' cruise ship are a good value accommodation option. Cabins on higher decks will provide better views from balconies and suites, and good access to many of the ship’s amenities, but passengers may feel the ship's movement more. You may also hear more noise from outdoor activities on the pool deck.
Best cruise line for families
All Viking cruise ships are adults-only, so couples can enjoy their trip without interruptions from other travelers' children on board. The cruise industry includes many lines offering a wide range of experiences. If you want to find the right cruise line and ship for you, do your homework in advance. Think hard about the type of vacation experience you want, and read up on the lines and ships that seem the closest fit for your travel style. Notably, many cabins on Windstar and SeaDream vessels lack balconies — a feature that was rare on cruise ships a few decades ago but now is standard.
The four brands are major players in both the traditional luxury ship market and the expedition cruise ship market. You can easily pay several times as much for a luxury cruise as a mass-market cruise. Indeed, it's not uncommon to see cabins on luxury cruises listed for $1,000 or more per person, per day. Each of these brands operates medium-size to big ships that are not loaded up with water parks, rock climbing walls, surfing simulators and all the other things that are hallmarks of the floating megaresort lines.
Best cruise line for kids
A giant of cruising in Europe, Switzerland-based MSC Cruises is making a big play for North Americans with newer, bigger ships sailing year-round from Florida to the Caribbean and Bahamas. This much-beloved luxury line recently restarted operations under new owners after shutting down for 18 months. For years, it was considered the ultimate luxury cruise operator, and our take after sailing on Crystal Serenity after its relaunch is that the line is even better than before. But it recently announced plans to expand rapidly with four more ships over the next six years.
Oceania Cruises has just seven ships, but the debut of the brand-new Oceania Vista catapults this cruise line into the luxury division. The cruise line's relatively new Go Local shore excursions for small groups bring travelers to under-the-radar destinations, T+L contributing editor and long-time cruiser Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon reported recently. Her 2022 cruise on Riviera included 70 excursions "from canoeing Croatia’s Cetina River to cooking classes in Athens."
These lines offer a specialized product, often with just a handful of ships. As you can see, there is no shortage of companies in the river cruise business. The list above doesn't even include river lines that primarily cater to Europeans, of which there are many, including France-based CroisiEurope and Germany's Nicko Cruises. Like expedition cruising, this has been a fast-growing segment of the cruise world in recent years, with capacity among the major river cruise lines growing at a rapid pace.
Consider booking tours through third-party sites.
In addition, you'll find cruise lines all over the map regarding price points. As with land-based resorts and hotels, there are cruise lines for people on the tightest of budgets and cruise lines that cater to people for whom money is no object. We only evaluated major lines with trips that depart from the United States – hence, we excluded such companies as Virgin Voyages, Cunard, Azamara and Silversea Cruises. You can expect to spend between 4% to 10% of your trip cost for cruise travel insurance. The final price will depend on your age, cruise cost, coverage type and trip length, among other factors. Themed cruises are cruises where a part of the trip is based on a theme or special interest such as Broadway shows, music, media or even crafts like knitting.
These Are the 8 Best Cruises Departing From New York City in 2024 - Condé Nast Traveler
These Are the 8 Best Cruises Departing From New York City in 2024.
Posted: Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
If you’re looking for something a little more kitsch, these themed cruises will be right up your alley. Staterooms are eye-opening as well, featuring transformational cabin beds that allow guests (referred to as “Sailors”) to customize their space. Opt for a suite and you’ll be considered—and treated like—”Rock Stars,” given VIP access to everything from onboard entertainment and restaurants to exclusive amenities like your own wardrobe team. With a huge selection of fitness classes, 20 included places to eat and drink, and original out-of-the-box shows, this adults-only line is likely to turn a whole new generation of cruise virgins into sailors.
Its trips revolve around hiking, kayaking, whale watching, birding and exploring by skiff. Like luxury lines, these lines have a high staff-to-passenger ratio — though often not quite as high as the luxury lines. They also generally offer more space per passenger than mass-market lines and bigger cabins — but, again, not quite as big as what the luxury lines offer. However, comparing such high pricing to the pricing of mass-market cruises can be misleading. That's because luxury lines typically include almost every extra charge you could imagine — drinks of all types, gratuities, Wi-Fi and even flights to the ship — in their base fares. If you price the cost of a cruise for a family of four, you'll often find that a sailing on a Carnival ship costs as little as half the amount of a cruise on a Royal Caribbean ship, assuming similar cabins and itineraries.
11 Best Cruise Lines to Book in 2024 — Best Cruises for Every Traveler - Reader's Digest
11 Best Cruise Lines to Book in 2024 — Best Cruises for Every Traveler.
Posted: Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
As a rule of thumb, the ships with fewer passengers offer a more premium experience — and are priced accordingly. River cruise giant Viking, for instance, designs its 135-meter vessels to carry 190 passengers. Avalon Waterways and AmaWaterways put 166 and 156 passengers, respectively, on the same-length ships. You'll also find expedition cruise vessels operating in remote parts of South America, Asia and the South Pacific but also in some more mainstream destinations such as Alaska. There are a few more relatively large, mass-market lines in the world that I didn't include in the list of biggies as they primarily cater to non-American vacationers.
Virgin Voyages dominates the Best Cruise Lines for the Money category for another consecutive year. This accolade is determined by assessing factors like average base fare per night, overall cruise line quality, and additional benefits like complimentary Wi-Fi and all-inclusive package options. In some cases, these lines only operate in a certain part of the world, such as Alaska or the South Pacific. In other cases, they only cater to a narrow range of people, such as sailing aficionados. While the outsides of river ships often look similar, their interiors can vary greatly, with some being more luxurious and pampering than others. On an expedition cruise, the focus is often on remote wilderness areas and the wildlife that inhabits them.
When visiting ports of call, Viking itineraries feature the highest average hours in port per day, which gives travelers extra time to explore destinations and their unique attractions. Food options include gourmet specialties, quick-serve bites and 24-hour room service, so you and your family can eat anytime you're hungry. Parents can even book a romantic dinner while the kids have fun at one of the supervised youth clubs.
Princess Cruises' customers also like its wide range of itineraries, including voyages in Asia and Australia, as well as closer-to-home places like the Caribbean. It's long been one of the dominant lines in the Alaska cruise market. Oceania has carved out a niche with relatively small, upscale ships that offer a significant upgrade from mass-market vessels but aren't quite as fancy (or pricey) as luxury offerings.
Exquisite service, refined dining and well-appointed accommodations are hallmarks of this Monaco-based luxury line with 12 vessels. Silversea Cruises is also known for its industry-leading array of off-the-beaten-path itineraries. Another leader in luxury cruising, this seven-ship brand offers all-suite vessels, top-notch service and elegant cuisine.
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