Choosing the right cruise for you and your family can be daunting. There are so many factors at play: price, crowd, ship size, port location, and so on and so on. Luckily, Travel + Leisure created a nifty cruise finder tool to help you choose the right one, no matter if you want a relaxing tropical getaway or adventure packed snowy scenery. There is a cruise out there tailor-made for your wants and needs but first, you have to know what your options are and what factors to consider.
1. Where do you want
to go?
Used to, the only available cruises were in the Caribbean, greatly reducing
access to many Americans, not to mention international travelers. Now it seems
there isn’t a place on the globe that a cruise won’t go yet, not every line
goes to every destination and some lines are stronger than others in particular
areas. In Alaska, for instance, two lines — Princess and Holland America — dominate with seven ships apiece. Carnival, on the other hand, always has been a leader in the
Caribbean, with more voyages there from more home ports than any other line.
How long do I want to be away?
This can have a huge influence on which line — and ship — you choose. Some
lines, such as Carnival, specialize in shorter cruises of three to seven
nights. Others, such as Oceania, rarely offer a voyage of fewer than 10 nights. On the far
end of the spectrum, a few lines such as Cunard and Holland America operate annual around-the-world cruises
of 100 nights or more.
What’s my budget?
Like hotels, cruises come in a wide variety of price points with features to
match. Mass-market lines such as Carnival offer voyages for as little as
$399 per person, per week. Luxury lines such as Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas can charge as much as $1,000 per person, per day. Rates also can
swing significantly depending on the season and the lead-in price you see in
advertisements often is for a small, “inside” cabin without windows
onto the sea. You might pay hundreds of dollars more for an outward-facing
cabin with a balcony. Also, be warned: The upfront cost of a cruise is
only part of the expense, particularly for the less expensive, mass-market
lines. While companies such as Royal Caribbean and Princess include most on-board entertainment, activities and meals in main
restaurants in the base cost, passengers pay extra for alternative specialty
restaurants and drinks. Most mass-market lines also add a gratuity for the
staff that can be as much as $12 per person, per day, and there are additional
charges for everything from on-board Internet use to shore excursions.
What’s my cruise personality?
Every line has its own personality — and appeals to a different type of person.
Carnival, for instance, is known for a gregarious, fun-loving crowd. Celebrity,
by contrast, draws a quieter, more style-conscious customer. The two lines
operate ships of similar sizes, and often on similar routes and at similar
prices, but a regular Carnival customer would likely be miserable on a
Celebrity ship — and vice versa.
Am I bringing the kids?
Some lines are much more focused on families than others. In addition to Disney Cruise Line, which has staked its business on families, mass-market lines
such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival are leaders in family-friendly cruising,
with extensive onboard children’s areas, deck-top water parks, family pool
areas and other kid-friendly amenities. In general, the biggest mass-market ships
also tend to be the best for families, given the wide range of deck-top
activities.
How much do I care about entertainment?
Some lines, such as Disney, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian offer large theaters
that stage Broadway-worthy productions such as the musical Chicago and the Blue Man Group. Other lines focus less on on-board entertainment, and the
variety and quality of shows even can vary within a line from ship to ship. In
general, larger ships offer more elaborate and diverse options than smaller
ships, which have less room for large theaters. Some of the smallest ships have
no entertainment at all, other than the occasional on-board lecture or port
talk.
How important is the food?
Dining always has been a big part of the cruise experience, and many lines
pride themselves on their selection of restaurants. That said, some cruise
lines place far more emphasis on food than others. Lines such as Oceania,
Cunard and Crystal have brought in big-name chefs such as Jacques Pepin, Todd
English and Nobu Matsuhisa to create and manage eateries. And diversity also
varies widely, with some lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian offering
more than a dozen restaurants on some ships.
Do I want to get dressed up?
Overall, cruise ships have become a lot less formal in recent years. The days
of black-tie nights are virtually gone. But the dress code at sea still varies
from line to line. Want to keep it super casual? You might want to go with
Norwegian, where the “freestyle” philosophy extends to the dress
code. By contrast, on U.K.-based Cunard, formal nights (black tie for men,
evening wear for ladies) still take place several times a week, and passengers
wear jackets even on casual nights.
No matter what you choose as your
cruise line and destination, it is sure to be an experience to remember!
For more travel tips, click here.