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Multistory waterslides, ropes courses and even go-kart race tracks are among the gee-whiz attractions atop Norwegian Cruise Line's giant, resort-like ships. The vessels also are packed with eateries, bars, casinos and showrooms. Cunard fans love the line's relatively formal vibe (including nightly dress codes) and other nods to ocean liner tradition, including evenings with ballroom dancing. A storied line with roots that go back to the 1800s, this three-ship brand is perhaps best known for its 2,695-passenger flagship, Queen Mary 2. The ship lives up to its billing as a true ocean liner with semiregular, transatlantic service between Southampton, England, and New York.
Seabourn
On board, your family will enjoy live shows that rival Broadway performances, evening fireworks displays and visits from popular Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page.
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Even the biggest of these lines — Disney — is just one-tenth the size of industry leader Royal Caribbean when measured by passenger capacity. Some of these brands, such as Paul Gauguin Cruises and Alaskan Dream Cruises, are barely 1% the size of the biggest brands. You may end up loving these lines, but you probably won't sail with them all the time — if only because they don't offer all the types of cruises you will want to experience. Compared with the mass-market biggies, the entry-level pricing of this group still is significantly more expensive. Often, an entry-level cabin on a ship operated by these lines is on par with a suite on one of the mass-market lines.
Luxury cruise lines
This relatively new cruise line, backed by Richard Branson's Virgin Group, is reinventing mainstream cruising with a hipper, more inclusive, younger vibe (though not too young; its ships are adults-only). Think tattoo shops, karoake booths and no upcharges for tips or eateries. Its growing fleet of small expedition ships will take you everywhere from the Arctic to Papua New Guinea in style.
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The cruise industry likes to break down its offerings into a bunch of oddly named categories, such as "contemporary" and "premium" lines. After three decades covering the industry, I like to break things down into the six categories you'll find below and (in a few cases) several subset categories — each of which appeals to a different type of vacationer. These cruises are a step up from those on mainstream ocean liners, and so tend to cater to a slightly older crowd.
Ponant's luxurious small ships sail to remote destinations like Antarctica, incorporating once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as eclipse spotting from the edge of the earth. The company also partners with Smithsonian and Disney on certain sailings. Note that expedition cruises are expensive, with pricing on par with traditional luxury cruises. Expedition ships are expensive to build on a per-berth basis and require a relatively high ratio of staff to passengers to operate compared with mass-market cruise ships. On many rivers, the vessels these lines operate are all roughly the same size due to specific size limitations caused by lock sizes and bridge heights.
In short, Celebrity aims for sophisticates, not the party crowd (although it's not a luxury product). Disney has been named the top cruise line in the Caribbean for the past eight years, according to U.S. "With world class entertainment, fabulous food and amazing service, we will be cruising again with Celebrity in the future." Silversea Cruises topped the list as Best Luxury Cruise Line for the second year in a row. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices.
Which cruise line is best depends on what type of traveler you are and where you'd like to visit. Below are some things to consider when choosing which cruise to book for your next vacation. If you have more flexibility in your budget, consider what’s important to you in accommodation. If you plan to spend a lot of time in your cabin, you might value a balcony or a spacious room more. Families might look for cabins with connecting doors or extra bed options.
Star Clippers and Sea Cloud Cruises, which both operate sailing ships, are popular with people who want to experience what it was like traveling in the days before steam power. American Cruise Lines has developed a significant niche offering small-ship trips along U.S. coastal waterways and rivers, including voyages along the coast of Maine, up the Hudson River and in the Chesapeake Bay. As noted above, dozens of cruise lines operate ships around the world. At last count, I had sailed with 41 different cruise companies, and I still hadn't hit every major brand — despite it being my full-time job for years to test cruise ships. Cruisers who seek an ultimate luxury experience must typically take a trip with boutique, small-ship cruise lines such as Seabourn that have relatively few crowd-pleasing attractions. For a premium fare, MSC’s Yacht Club offers what’s called a “ship-within-a-ship” experience — a dedicated VIP enclave on a larger cruise ship that gives guests the best of both worlds.
Add in the next three biggest players — Carnival, MSC Cruises and Norwegian — and you're up to over 50% of the cruise business. One thing to understand is that the lists of cruise lines you'll find here at TPG and at other travel sites include companies offering an incredible range of experiences. While travel credit cards offer some trip protection, we suggest you check out our list of best cruise travel insurance, as these plans are geared specifically for cruise trips. Other types of travel may benefit from traditional travel insurance. Cruising is a popular vacation option for millions of travelers around the world in large part because of its convenience.
O.A.T. features 28 itineraries sailing to 33 countries, so you can cross off your bucket-list destinations while traveling confidently and comfortably. Ships are small to encourage bonding, and you’re likely to make such good friends, you may not be traveling solo next time. The transatlantic cruise from Southampton to New York (a traveler’s must-do at any age) is a great option for older travelers because you never leave the ship. You’ll get to fully enjoy the spa, the lectures, the food and, of course, the formal gala nights, which are arguably the crowning glory of any Cunard cruise. This is the cruise that proves it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Carnival’s low fares and fun amenities make it a popular choice for those looking for a quick, affordable cruise (although it also offers longer trips to Europe, Australia and more). Its ships cater to travelers looking for an entertaining, exciting getaway — with an emphasis on pools, waterslides, mini-golf and karaoke, plus comedy shows, casino games and nightclubs for adults. The line prides itself on offering longer stays in ports, including multi-day visits. Pricing is higher than at the big, mass-market lines but not quite as high as you'll find at luxury lines.
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