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Cruise ship guide: 20 popular lines explained

whats the best cruise line

Both ships are intimate with a capacity of 100 passengers in 50 staterooms. Best for a taste of Norwegian cultureHurtigruten offers two styles of cruising. The traditional fleet operates a year-round service up and down Norway’s fjord-indented west coast, with excellent chances of seeing the northern lights in winter.

Riviera Travel

whats the best cruise line

French luxury cruise line Ponant aims to make passengers feel as if they're traveling on their own private yachts. Guests enjoy Ladurée macarons, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, and luxurious Hermès bath products on board. Each of the company's ships features an onboard spa with massage cabins and either a Turkish bath or sauna. 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.

Best cruise lines for luxury travelers: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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.

Best Ship Refurbishment

With each new ship, Carnival packs more and more into its fares – with fewer upcharges than most lines. The included food options are tasty and satisfying, the drink packages remain reasonably priced and there’s nonstop entertainment and activities all day. Whether you’re with friends, a significant other or your family, you’re bound to have a good time, with minimum damage to your wallet.

Best Cruise Lines You’ll Want to Book Right Now

There aren’t many lines where, when the clubs and bars wind down, the party continues deep into the night. And they’ve won numerous awards for not just being LGBTQ-friendly but for being totally inclusive and wholeheartedly embracing and encouraging diversity. Surrounded by their favorite characters—led, of course, by Mickey and Minnie—children will love made-for-them activities like the AquaDuck Water Coaster and Nemo’s Reef Splash Zone. They will also be happy to have food specifically geared toward them, including pizza, chicken fingers, soft-serve ice cream and all-they-can-eat waffles shaped like mouse ears, in restaurants themed around beloved Disney classics.

Every cruise also features a glamorous White Nights party under the stars. Best for spaMarella’s friendly, informal cruises are affordable and all-inclusive, with a wide range of departures to join its ships from regional airports in the UK. In summer 2023, the family-orientated Marella Voyager became the latest member of the fleet.

whats the best cruise line

The Best Cruises in the World: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards - Condé Nast Traveler

The Best Cruises in the World: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards.

Posted: Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Choose from more than 90 itineraries that let you visit some of the most remote destinations in the world and focus on everything from photography and history to marine biology and conservation. This line hosts LGBTQ+ welcome parties, social hours and other events on almost every cruise, from the Bahamas to the Mediterranean to Australia. You’ll want to book now for the fifth annual Pride Party at Sea, which will held next June. Each ship in the fleet will participate in this vibrant celebration of the LGBTQ+ community—and that, in itself, is worth celebrating. Whether you just need some "me time" or are looking to meet new people, Norwegian features an extensive inventory of single cabins called studios. These staterooms are an average of 100 square feet with a full-size bed and separate sink and shower areas.

That access makes it easy for first timers to cruise with Royal Caribbean from close to wherever they call home or to wherever they hope to explore. PortMiami’s enviable location, near Miami Beach, and ease of access has long made it the world’s busiest cruise port. Cruise lines have also imprinted their personalities on the port’s terminals, with Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival and Virgin Voyages serving as land-based extensions of the onboard experience. Plus, sailing in or out of PortMiami as the city unfolds or fades in the distance is one of the most magical moments in cruising. Virgin perfected onboard entertainment in 2023, introducing fresh, eye-popping shows like Lola's Library and Persephone. The ship's 2023 Eastern Mediterranean itineraries match its beachy vibe, and the detox-retox atmosphere carries over to ports like Santorini and Mykonos, thanks to exceptionally generous shore time.

Cruising offers something for every traveler, allowing you to visit multiple destinations while sleeping in the same bed every night. Whether your next vacation is with your family, your partner or solo, there's a ship that’s right for you. The best cruise lines offer promotions regularly, so keep an eye out for specials that match your budget. For travelers whose vacation budgets have no limits, consider upgrading to "the most exclusive address at sea" — the Regent Suite.

You’ll also find lots of great included dining options, such as Guy’s Burger Joint from Food Network star Guy Fieri. And since you’re saving money on the cruise itself, you may want to consider a meal at specialty restaurants like Emeril’s Bistro 1396 or Rudi’s Seagrill, even though there’s an additional charge. Best for contemporary styleCelebrity offers an upmarket, elegant experience on 14 ultra-modern ships featuring high-tech entertainment and a wide choice of dining venues. Upgrade to The Retreat for perks including Kelly Hoppen-designed accommodation and access to Luminae, an exclusive restaurant for suite guests. Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or have a couple of sailings under your belt, choosing the best cruise line for you can prove to be an impossible task. There are dozens of companies out there, offering hundreds of options ranging from enormous vessels packed with activities to small ships with a focus on the destination.

Our research team has identified a hidden gem – an AI company with cutting-edge technology, massive potential, and a current stock price that screams opportunity. Best for active familiesRoyal Caribbean operates some of the most innovative ships in the world, along with the biggest — Icon of the Seas (debuting in 2024). There are plenty of “wow” moments, from skydiving simulators and zip-lining to dazzling ice shows, high diving displays and a bar that glides up and down between decks. The youth programme, Adventure Ocean, is one of the finest at sea, whether you’re travelling with babies or adrenaline-hungry teens — and the Ultimate Family Suite has a slide between two floors. The latest Silversea ship, Silver Nova, will spend the summer cruising the Inside Passage between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. In the fall it heads to Asia for trips that include a 16-day Tokyo-to-Singapore swing.

Stateroom options run the gamut of choices between interior and suites tucked away in a ship-within-a-ship enclave called The Haven. Top deck attractions include slides, spray parks, and even go kart tracks on the largest ships. Silversea offers annual world cruises and has a strong presence among the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, as well as seasonal routes in Alaska, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, the South Pacific and Bermuda. AmaWaterways leans heavily on its array of European river cruises, with itineraries on the Rhine, Danube, the Seine, the Rhone and the Douro in Portugal.

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. Some themes are cruise-wide, while others are group itineraries with exclusive activities. Free at Sea, a popular promotion offered by Norwegian, does not apply to all bookings; some rooms are sold with traditional a la carte pricing for drinks, Wi-Fi, excursions and specialty dining.

Spa fans should go for Marella Explorer or Marella Explorer 2, both of which feature a superb spa by Champneys, the only seagoing venture for the wellness brand. Otherwise, expect high energy entertainment aimed at British tastes and a friendly vibe. Best for BritsP&O’s fleet sails from Southampton all summer, with fly-cruises in winter in sun-soaked destinations including the Caribbean and the Canaries. Two ships, Arcadia and Aurora, are aimed at adults only, while others are ideal for families, thanks to the first-rate children’s clubs. The line’s Food Heroes, including chefs Marco Pierre White and José Pizarro, and wine expert Olly Smith, often join special themed cruises.

Many of the line’s ships feature impressive technology-based attractions like robotic bars, virtual reality games and entertainment venues. Cabins range from budget-friendly rooms to two-story suites with five-digit cruise fares. Oceania Cruises has just seven ships, but the debut of the brand-new Oceania Vista catapults this cruise line into the luxury division.

Passengers are spoiled for choice, from upscale Italian in Onda by Scarpetta and delicious Teppanyaki and sushi, to fine French food or Mediterranean fare. The line also offers thoughtful dining packages to help make visiting these venues less restrictive and costs more manageable. Cruises are booming right now, buoyed partly by the popularity of domestic seacations that hauled in first-time sailors. So much so that Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 34,000-mile world trip for 2024 sold out in just over two hours, while the adults-only Virgin Voyages, which aims to throw cruise stereotypes overboard, rose to first place in Large Ships. And we’ve brought back last year's new category showcasing the expedition cruises – small, often sustainable vessels with a shoal of scientific experts onboard – that follow in the wake of adventurers such as Sir Ernest Shackleton. Best for older travellersOver-50s specialist Saga operates two almost identical ships, the 987-passenger Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure.

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