How to Choose a Cruise

One of the most common things I hear from first-time cruiser goes a little something like this:

"We want to go on a cruise! There are just so many options, and we don't know where to start. Can you help us?"

With over 60 cruise lines to choose from and more than 400 ships in the water, its easy to get a little overwhelmed by all of the choices.  However, if you can answer just a few basic questions, we'll be able to narrow down your options considerably.

What Destination Do You Have in Mind?

The very first thing you'll want to decide is where you want to cruise.  Most often, when clients think about cruising, they're picturing sandy beaches and palm trees such as one can find in the Caribbean.  However, cruises can be found visiting ports all over the world, including some really out-of-the-way destinations like Australia, Greenland, Fiji, Argentina, Israel, and even Antarctica.  

For some clients, the cruise ship itself IS the destination.  Some of the bigger cruise lines (I'm looking at you, Royal Caribbean) have really put a lot of emphasis on things to do on the ship.  Do you want to go rock climbing, drive bumper cars, visit a robotic bar, challenge yourself in an escape room, and top it all off with a Japanese steakhouse for dinner? You can do ALL of that one one of Royal's ships.  

One important thing to keep in mind when choosing a cruise destination is seasonality.  While it's possible to sail to the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Mexico year-round, other parts of the world only see cruise ships during certain times of year.  The Mediterranean, for example, plays host to several lines from March-November; the Alaska season is even shorter, with cruises generally running May-September.  

What Sort of Vibe Are You Looking For?

Now that you know where you want to cruise, the next choice is to consider what sort of atmosphere you're looking for onboard.  Every cruise line has a bit of its own personality, although most cruisers will feel relatively comfortable on just about any brand.  Some cruise lines - Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival in particular - have put a lot of emphasis on creating family-friendly cruise ships.  Others, like Holland America and Cunard, focus more heavily on attracting adult passengers; at least one - Virgin Voyages - is ONLY available to those 18 years old or older.  Small ship cruises, like Windstar or UnCruise, can get to ports and destinations that are tougher for the larger ships to reach (such as the San Juan Islands, for example). 

There are subtle variations from line-to-line, however.  For example, if you want the ability to eat dinner whenever your heart desires, it will be important for you to find a ship that offers "MyTime" or "AnyTime" dining for dinner rather than a set seating.  Just about all ships offer things like bingo, live music, and stage shows; only certain lines have movie theatres offering first-run movies, however.

Where Do You Want to Depart From?

One of the reasons cruising is so popular in the United States is that it's an easy way to have an international vacation for the cost of a domestic flight.  All of the major cruise lines have ships that sail out of multiple ports in Florida & California; some even sail from places like New Orleans, Charleston, Baltimore, New York City, Seattle, and even Honolulu.  For many people, at least one of these cities is within a relatively short flight of home, making cruising an attractive option for those who don't want to spend an entire day in transit.

Looking at Europe, many Mediterranean cruises depart from Athens, Rome or Barcelona; Northern European cruises tend to sail out of Southampton (England), Oslo, or Copenhagen.  Many vacationers who voyage from one of these ports choose to arrive a few days early to see the city prior to boarding the ship; it's sort of like getting two vacations in one.

If a certain departure port is important to you, that can help to narrow down the options for your cruise vacation.  For example, if you only want to consider cruises that sail out of Port Canaveral, you're essentially narrowing down your choices to either Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean or Bahamian itineraries.  

What Do You Want Included in Your Upfront Cruise Cost

All cruises, regardless of line, include your accommodation, some options for dining, and multiple entertainment options in the cost of your cruise; most cruises will also give you the option to pay for the crew gratuities upfront as well. Other items, like soft drinks, alcohol, shore excursions, specialty dining, and more are not always included in the cruise fare.

What if I still can't decide?

Maybe you've decided on a Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral on a family-friendly ship, but you still have six options for the dates that you're available.  The honest answer is: you'll probably have a great time no matter which ship you choose.  I'm firmly convinced that there's no way to have a BAD time on a cruise ship (unless you happen to get ill or have some other disasters ensue).  

All other things being equal, here's what I'd choose from the mass-market ships based on your priority:

Least expensive overall cruise: Choose Carnival

Most "bells & whistles" on the ship: Choose Royal Caribbean

Biggest, most intricate kids areas:  Choose Disney

Best complimentary pizza at sea:  Choose Princess

Best nightlife: Choose Norwegian or Carnival

Best private island in the Caribbean: Choose Disney or Royal Caribbean

Best for Alaska: Choose Holland America, Celebrity or Princess

Most interesting itineraries:  Choose Holland America

Best service: Trick question.  I've had great service on all of these lines!

After all of that, if you still can't decide: send me a message, and I'll help you narrow down your options!