Frommer's EasyGuide to Cruising

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choosIng the right ship

Choosing a cruise is a complicated decision. You have to decide where in the world you want to go. Then, you have to figure out which line suits your taste as well as your budget, and then which of the ships within the line is the right fit for you (since they can vary greatly, even within the same cruise line).

So why is it such a hard decision? While you may think that the moment you decide to take a cruise is when you define your vacation, it’s really the moment when you pick your ship that determines the fate of your holiday. People tend to lump cruising together as one type of vacation, but cruise lines are as different from one another as hotel chains—usually even more so. Some lines are young and fun and loud and even a little messy; some are older and sophisticated with intellectual leanings or a posh and refined atmosphere; others are full of energy and designed for families with children of multiple ages. Choose the wrong ship and you’ve chosen the wrong vacation.

Get it right and you’ll find that cruising is a more varied an activity today than ever, with superb choices for people of all income levels, interests and ages. The problem is, as we said at the start, choosing the perfect ship for you. Fortunately, we’re here to help! We hope to make the planning not only enjoyable, but fun as well. So here goes.

The best of the Mainstream ships

Gold Award: Disney Cruise Line

Silver Award: Celebrity Cruises

Bronze Award: Holland America Line

It’s hard to beat Disney Cruise Line, which has been consistently wowing cruisers young and old since Disney Magic first set sail in 1998. Disney’s attention to detail is legendary: Staterooms have special split bathrooms with separate toilet and vanity areas; kids have their very own deck with age-specific activities and public rooms; and waiters follow families from one dining room to another as they rotate throughout the several options over the course of the week. You don’t have to love Mickey Mouse to love a Disney cruise—but you can count them: Designers have hidden the visage of the famous cartoon mouse all over the fleet.

Celebrity Cruises, on the other hand, wows adults with its handsome Solstice-class ships that feature a half-acre of real grass on their top decks; expansive spas bordered by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and dramatic main dining rooms that span two decks in height. Best of all, Celebrity pays close attention to refitting their existing fleet with new dining and entertainment choices.

Holland America Line sometimes gets a bad rap for their supposedly older clientele, but that’s a stereotype that is quickly winding its way into cruising’s dust bin. Expect a relaxed, traditional cruise experience aboard these elegant dam ships.

The best Ships for Luxury

Gold Award: Silversea Cruises

Silver Award: Viking Ocean Cruises

Bronze Award: Crystal Cruises

Silversea Cruises gets our pick for top luxury cruise line thanks to their diverse fleet and worldwide itineraries. Butler service, pillow menus, and small, intimate ships with superb cuisine set the tone for onboard offerings. Amenities like Wi-Fi, shore excursions and nearly all beverages and gratuities are included in the cruise fare. The line earns bonus points for pioneering the concept of the luxury expedition cruise; in addition to five classic luxury ships, Silversea has three luxury expedition cruise ships that sail from the Arctic to the Galapagos and Antarctica.

Viking Ocean Cruises is hot on their heels, however. This classic river cruise line’s first foray into ocean cruising took the form of the 932-guest Viking Star in 2015, and she’s been wowing guests and media ever since. Rarely do brand-new, first-off-the-line ships get it right on the first try, but Viking Star ticks off all the boxes, from the stunning (and complimentary) Thermal Suite in the Nordic Spa to the myriad of dining options. Sumptuous but subtle décor features windows that can fully open in both the main restaurant and the casual buffet eatery. Viking took everything that annoys most guests about ocean cruising (photographers, extra charges, kitschy entertainment) and removed it, and the results are superb.

Crystal Cruises gets the bronze for its new luxury liners, a dedicated expedition yacht with its own submarine and even its own air service. It’s playing do-si-do with Viking and is now plying rivers as well as oceans.

The best of the Niche Ships

Gold Award: Lindblad-National Geographic Expeditions

Silver Award: Un-Cruise Adventures

Bronze Award: Windstar

Lindblad-National Geographic Expeditions shines with its onboard naturalists, National Geographic tie-in, and overall soft-adventure expertise. Sailing to some of the world’s most remote places—like Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands—Lindblad’s onshore experiences are unparalleled.

Seattle-based Un-Cruise Adventures shines in Alaska and along the Pacific Coast, where its fleet of small ships offers guests the ability to see the places the big ships can’t go—with some of the friendliest, most personable crews and expedition teams at sea.

Windstar Cruises, on the other hand, has undergone a resurgence since emerging from near-bankruptcy in 2011. Since then, the line has heavily refitted its three sailing cruise ships and purchased three ex-Seabourn luxury yachts. Refitted to Windstar’s exacting standards, the company managed a massive expansion while actually improving the quality of their onboard cuisine and service.

The best Ships for Families with Kids

Gold Award: Disney Cruise Line

Silver Award: Carnival Cruise Line

Bronze Award: Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean

If you have kids, it’s hard to beat Disney Cruise Line, a line that brings its park prowess to the high seas and manages to teach the competition a thing or two about how to deliver service to families with young children while still catering to the needs of the adults who are, after all, footing the bill. How good is Disney with kids? It starts when you embark and a crew member welcomes families on board by name over the ship’s public address system. Even adults aren’t immune to Disney’s unique brand of cruising whimsy.

Carnival Cruise Lines runs a close second thanks to their much-improved kids’ programs and upgraded facilities. Of particular note is the line’s new Seuss at Sea partnership that includes a special Cat in the Hat parade from the ship’s atrium to the main theatre; Dr. Seuss story time; and a focus on encouraging kids to read that we absolutely love.

Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean earn honorary mentions thanks to their diverse kids’ programs that are tailored to children and teenagers of all ages and whiz-bang onboard toys, like twisty waterslides, bumper cars and sky diving simulators.

The best Lines for Romance

Gold Award: Oceania Cruises

Silver Award: Celebrity Cruises

Bronze Award: Paul Gauguin Cruises

Finding the right cruise for a romantic vacation can be a challenge. A lot of the more mainstream megaship lines have excellent restaurants and bars, but can carry hundreds of children. For that honeymoon feeling, Oceania Cruises gears its offerings to adults, from swank spas run by Canyon Ranch to luxurious digs and a multitude of culinary options. Itineraries tend feature longer port calls than many competitors, meaning you can have a special night out on shore, too (a nice change).

The big, classy ships of Celebrity Cruises allow children, but the line tends to cater more to adults with its elaborate onboard spas, chic interior decor and plenty of classy bars and lounges.

Paul Gauguin Cruises’ eponymous vessel specializes in year-round sailings throughout French Polynesia. The intimate size of the ship (just 332 guests sail aboard the Paul Gauguin), her decidedly French styling, and excursions allowing guests to snorkel lagoons and explore motu—deserted isles—are romance-enhancers par excellance.

The best Lines to Sail Solo

Gold Award: Norwegian Cruise Line

Silver Award: Holland America Line

Bronze Award: Cunard Line

Norwegian Cruise Line made a splash when it launched its Studio Staterooms—small, inside Cabins designed exclusively for solo cruisers and loaded with cool features like colored mood lighting and funky design. Introduced aboard Norwegian Epic in 2010, Norwegian has since expanded their solo accommodations across the fleet. A key element: These solo areas have a shared lounge that allow people traveling alone to meet likeminded travelers to pal around, and dine, with while on board.

Holland America Line earns brownie points for having some of the most single-friendly amenities in the industry, from cocktail parties for solos to Gentlemen Hosts on longer voyages. The line even has a Single Partners Program that will match travelers of the same sex to a stateroom, supplement-free. If the line can’t find another traveler to share the cabin, you’re not out any extra money.

Cunard recently refitted their flagship, Queen Mary 2, with single-occupancy staterooms, allowing guests to cross the Atlantic in style without having to worry about the dreaded single supplement.

The best Shipboard Cuisine, Luxury

Gold Award: Crystal Cruises

Silver Award: Seabourn Cruises

Bronze Award: Oceania Cruises

Crystal Cruises With Silk Road sushi bar created by Iron Chef Nobuyuki Nobu Matsuhisa himself, Crystal has the finest Asian food at sea. But sushi is just one of several onboard culinary offerings, each of which excels. Guests can even elect to dine privately with the ship’s Head Sommelier by booking a private dinner at The Vintage Room. How good is it? The first Ultimate Vintage Room Dinner Crystal offered was an eight-course meal paired with a nearly impossible-to-get 1959 Château Lafite–Rothschild from Bordeaux and a Screaming Eagle 1996 from Napa Valley, considered to be a pinnacle year for the region.

Sometimes who you know matters when it comes to food, and Seabourn has partnered with Thomas Keller, creator of what many consider to be the finest restaurant on earth, the Napa Valley’s French Laundry. Starting in 2016, Keller rolled out special menus, and in some cases, special restaurants, for ships across the Seabourn fleet. The first reviews have been rapturous.

Aboard Oceania Cruises’ two newest vessels, Marina and Riviera, the culinary options are memorable, especially the French bistro designed by famed chef and restauranteur Jacques Pépin. Even the Asian restaurant, a sore spot on most ships, impresses with authentic Thai and Malaysian dishes.

The best Shipboard Cuisine, Mainstream

Gold Award: Carnival Cruise Lines

Silver Award: Royal Caribbean

Bronze Award: Azamara Cruises

You read that right: Carnival Cruise Lines beats the competitors in their price point when it comes to their onboard food offerings. We’ll take the complimentary poolside burgers from Guy’s Burger Joint (where the buns are baked in house and the cheese always oozes over the side) and the made-to-order burritos from BlueIguana Cantina over any others at sea. Carnival can also be classy, too: Their onboard steak houses are better than the competition’s, and the Wasabi-infused mashed potatoes are to-die for.

Royal Caribbean gets credit for substantially upping the game, particularly aboard their newer ships like Allure of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas, where a variety of cuisines are presented in specialty restaurants of all sorts.

Azamara has long offered very fine food on board, and we give it a hat tip for its healthy cuisine, which is not only blessedly low-cal, but also tasty.

The best Ships for Nighttime Entertainment

Gold Award: Norwegian Cruise Line

Silver Award: Disney Cruise Line

Bronze Award: Carnival Cruise Lines

You’ve got to hand it to Norwegian Cruise Line for making shipboard entertainment cool again. In 2010, they recruited the Blue Man Group to perform aboard Norwegian Epic, and quickly expanded that partnership to include Broadway productions like Legally Blonde and the New York–based spectacle the Rockettes.

Disney Cruise Line puts on shows with massive production values—and they don’t have to worry about copyright issues, either. Expect to see shows based on the Disney catalogue like Toy Story, Frozen, and even Star Wars.

Carnival has upped its act with both stellar comedians and a concert series of visiting superstar singers and bands (everyone from Gladys Knight to Journey).

The best Ships for Daytime Onboard Activities

Gold Award: Royal Caribbean International

Silver Award: Disney Cruise Line

Bronze Award: Carnival Cruises

Royal Caribbean International wins this one with ships that offer unheard-of-at-sea diversions like zip lines, Flowrider surfing simulators, and even a full-sized bumper car arena aboard Quantum of the Seas. Much as we hate to admit it, the bumper cars are pretty fun.

Disney Cruise Line is a close second. The line offers up first-run Disney movies, character breakfasts, trivia, animation classes, and even a Disney version of the Oscars, complete with red carpet rollout.

The Fun Ships of Carnival Cruises shines when it comes to activities, which can range from morning yoga to belly-flop contests. On sea days, we’ve counted nearly 100 individual activities from dawn until dusk. On its longer Carnival Journeys voyages, the line even offers a Throwback Sea Day designed to replicate the cruising experience way back in 1987. Fish out your Heart cassette tapes and get ready for some Baked Alaska.

The best Ships for Enrichment

Gold Award: Cunard Line

Silver Award: Viking Ocean Cruises

Bronze Award: Princess Cruises and Oceania Cruises

Cunard’s lectures are some of the best we’ve seen, particularly on the line’s transatlantic crossings aboard Queen Mary 2. Guest speakers from all walks of life routinely fill the 493-seat Illuminations Theatre to standing-room only.

Viking Ocean Cruises doesn’t skimp on the guest lecturers either, offering up destination-specific speakers who are engaging and knowledgeable. Plus, Viking extends that enrichment ashore, offering complimentary in-depth walking tours in many ports of call.

Princess’s onboard ScholarShip@Sea program is a real winner, with hands-on classes in such diverse subjects as photography, computers, cooking, and even ceramics (you can make take-home souvenirs).

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Different Types of Cruisers

Choosing the ship that’s right for you has as much to do with whom you’re cruising with than anything else (and that includes traveling alone). This chapter covers the best options for families, romance-seekers, solos, groups, and travelers with disabilities. Read on.

Family Travel

Many parents take their kids with them on cruise vacations. The big ship lines have responded with youth counselors and supervised programs, fancy playrooms, teen centers, and even video-game rooms to keep kids entertained while their parents relax. Some lines even go so far as to offer special shore excursions and spa treatments for children and teens, and most ships provide additional evening activities and in-cabin babysitting (for an extra charge). You may even find reduced cruise fares for kids; MSC Cruises is famous for offering kids-sail-free promotions at certain times of the year.

And children certainly enjoy cruising. The largest ships have splash parks, water slides, game show-style activities, and character meet and greets as well as sea day brunches with costumed favorites. On land, there are often family-friendly activities (sometimes at ships’ private islands) such as beachcombing, trampoline parks, splash parks, water slides, zip-lines, and kid-friendly barbecues. Cruise vacations can be a hybrid of a resort, an amusement park, and a shopping mall, meaning plenty of entertainment for kids of all ages.

Infants, Babies & Toddlers

While many lines are kid-friendly, far fewer welcome babies, so if you expect to travel with a baby you’ll want to make baby-friendliness a priority in your line selection.

bull.jpg Requirements: Most lines require babies to be at least 6 months old on their cruises, and some require them to be 12 months old. There are outliers: MSC Cruises has no age requirement at all and—on the other end of the spectrum—many luxury and expedition lines have a minimum age requirement of 14 and up.

bull.jpg Gear: The most baby-friendly lines will have cribs or playpens and high chairs at your disposal. Disney Cruise Line, for example, also offers loaner diaper genies and strollers. Many have programs that allow you to order formula, wipes, and diapers in advance and have them waiting on arrival so that you don’t have to schlep these products from home. Some luxury lines, including Crystal Cruises, offer handmade baby food in the dining room.

bull.jpg Swimming: Pool access is restricted on all cruises to potty trained children, and in play pools and splash parks lines will expect babies and toddlers to wear swim diapers.

bull.jpg Babysitting: Policies on babysitting vary widely. Cunard, Disney, and Royal Caribbean have nurseries for babies that are full-service. Other lines, including Celebrity Cruises and Regent Seven Seas, offer in-cabin babysitting programs for babies. Plenty of other lines require kids to be potty trained before you can leave them alone with a staff member, so be diligent in your research so that you’re not surprised on arrival. Costs can vary wildly, but expect to pay about $19 per hour for this service.

Kids’ Clubs

This is one place where what the lines offer ranges widely from full-service for children of most ages at most times, to very limited—or even no—offerings at all. It’s also important to ask your travel agent or cruise line whether a supervised program will be available on your specific cruise, because sometimes lines that allow children but don’t cater as specifically to them only provide programs if a certain number of children are on board.

For lines that have kids’ clubs in a dedicated space with dedicated staffers, you will find the process usually follows this plan: On the first day of the cruise, you need to register your child, filling out paperwork. You’ll get a chance to explore the space with your child—which is important because later, once the voyage begins, no adults are allowed in the kids’ areas. These kids’ clubs are divided by age group. On some lines, they share a large room with dedicated areas; other lines, like Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean feature separate clubs for toddlers, kids, tweens, and teenagers.

character Partnerships

Think these programs are just frosting on top of the cake of children’s programs? The second you see a group of small children squeal as their favorite character walks into the room—like they’re seeing a rock star in the flesh for the first time—you’ll understand how far these programs go in entertaining the littlest cruisers.

Without a doubt, Disney Cruise Line has the most extensive character program. Mickey greets cruisers at embarkation and at the end of the gangway, and the sail-away party on the first evening includes Donald Duck’s band. Throughout the cruise there are meet-and-greets with Mickey, Minnie, and their friends, but also the princesses (who line up to sign autographs for a long, long line of little girls, many of whom have dressed up for the photo op). One special option: You can sign your children up to get a phone call from one of their favorite characters telling them how excited they are to meet them on the cruise, a treat that toddlers compared notes on during one of my sailings.

The Dreamworks partnership with Royal Caribbean Line includes screenings of Dreamworks films, some of which are 3D movies, as well as an evening parade of Shrek, Fiona, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, and the Madagascar animals. Cruisers can also sign up for character breakfast and luck into photo ops throughout the cruise. On Allure of the Seas there’s a Madagascar-themed aquatic show. One important note: Characters are not on all ships, and the line’s newest builds, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, do not feature the Dreamworks experience.

The Seuss-a-Palooza program on Carnival Cruises is a winner, the highlight of which is the Green Eggs and Ham brunch. Kids can also take part in a parade of characters (think Thing 1 and Thing 2 as well as the Cat in the Hat) which ends in the ship’s main show lounge where cruise director’s entertain kids with a special story time, read from an oversized copy of The Cat in the Hat. The line has also begun rolling out Dr. Seuss’ Bookville, a children’s reading room.

In recent years, MSC Cruises has ramped up its Lego partnership: You’ll find plenty of brightly colored classic and Duplo bricks in play rooms and, on some ships, in special Lego-themed play areas with Lego walls. On each sailing, a sea day is designated as the official Lego day, and passengers play games and compete in building contests. Guests can also have their picture taken with the Lego-based character on board.

When you bring your child back and drop him or her off, you will typically pay per hour for the service. You can drop your child off during the day for an hour so you can hit the spa, or for several hours so you can lie in the sun; at night, many lines offer dinnertime and evening kids’ club services as well.

If you’re worried about safety, you may feel better to learn about the precautions the cruise lines take. Some cruise lines (including Disney and Norwegian) place wristbands on children so that if they’re in the club the staff can bring them to the right lifeboat to meet you in the case of an emergency. A few lines—including Disney—offer pagers to parents so they can keep in touch.

Activities vary widely among age groups, but you may find arts and crafts, character-related meet and greets, open playtime with toys, and story hours. Some lines also offer pajama parties, movies under the stars, and other events geared toward kids and teens. On one sailing aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun, kids were encouraged to make paper airplanes that were then launched into the air from the top of the atrium. Carnival throws a kids parade through the main dining rooms, during which the young ’uns, dressed as pirates, chanting, We want dessert! We want dessert!

One of the better offerings for parents looking to combine a mix of family time and adult time: Some lines (most consistently Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival) will have members of the kids’ club staff pick up children during dinner, so that you can finish your meal as a couple and even catch a show or have some cocktails before picking the children up later.

Discounts for Families & Other Groups

Most cruise lines that cater to families offer discounted fares for the third or fourth passenger in a cabin with two full-paying guests, whether they’re adults, teenagers or young children. Some have special children-sail-free programs for kids who share a cabin with two adults paying the full fare. Those discounts are sometimes seasonal, so you will have to do some research but MSC is a line with consistently good deals for families.

Solo Travel

One of the nice thing about travelling solo on cruises is that you can always ask to be seated with other guests, so you never have to dine alone. (If you don’t want to be seated with other guests, seek a ship with alternative-dining options—although a steady diet of Table for one, please is likely to raise a few eyebrows among your shipmates.) You also needn’t worry much about finding people to talk to because the general atmosphere on nearly all ships is very congenial and allows most to find conversation easily, especially during group activities. Some ships host a party or lunches on sea days to give singles a chance to get to know one another, and some ships provide social hosts as dance partners for women traveling alone.

The downside is that you may have to pay for the privilege of traveling solo. Cruise ship cabins are traditionally designed for two people and so pricing is offered per person based on double occupancy. Historically the cruise lines have charged a single supplement for cruisers who take a whole cabin for themselves, in order to compensate the line for the fact that it is designed for double occupancy revenue. Today the single supplement fee ranges from 10% to 100% of the double-occupancy fare, with a few exceptions (see below). If you must pay one, find a line with a reasonable single supplement rate—Holland America, Regent Seven Seas, and Silversea frequently offer lower-than-average solo supplements on entry-level staterooms; top-of-the-line suites will always carry a hefty surcharge for single occupancy.

How to Get freebies on Board

No need to lug toiletries on board with you: Nearly every cruise line offers soap, shampoo, body wash, and conditioner free of charge. On some lines, the amenities can be quite upscale, with Viking and Windstar featuring L’Occitane toiletries and Silversea trotting out the Bulgari and Ferragamo. Stateroom bathrooms often have little extras like cotton balls, nail files and shower caps. If you’re trying to minimize packing, ask the line or your travel agent in advance what will be in your loo.

If it’s free drinks you’re looking for, many lines serve them at sail-away parties and others offer them at ship-sponsored cocktail hours. Past guest of the line are usually plied with free drinks (and canapes are typically doled out in liberal quantities) at special parties just for these loyal customers.

Other freebies vary from line to line. Some have lanyards for your cabin card, others have playing cards, postcards, combs, and wine keys. Many will offer seasickness or pain-relief medicine gratis if you ask. After all, it’s in their best interest to see that you enjoy your cruise. In addition, many lines give out logo-covered items—such as T-shirts—for people who win onboard competitions. Holland America, Princess and Windstar provide guests with handy little tote bags before setting out on shore excursions, while Viking ships out leather luggage tags and destination guides with guests’ tickets that can be very valuable.

If you’re taking an expedition cruise to colder climates, you may not have to pack that hefty parka: Hurtigruten, Seabourn, and Silversea each equip guests with jackets and parkas that are theirs to keep on cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic. Many expedition lines also provide guests with complimentary backpacks.

Sadly, the days of leather document holders and printed tickets have gone the way of the 8-track: Most cruise lines nowadays issue electronic tickets and luggage tags in PDF form that guests print off themselves.

Studio Cabins

Your best choice as a cruiser who wants to travel alone, but hates the idea of a single supplement: Book a cruise with a line that offers cabins specifically for solo travelers. In 2010, Norwegian Cruise Line launched Norwegian Epic with a block of 128 single-occupancy cabins known as Studio Staterooms. Created to be smaller, but efficiently and even playfully designed, these cabins are all insides but they have access to a shared lounge that serves as a coffee shop, bar, and meeting place. The line has rolled additional studio staterooms on its new builds, with Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway each blessed with 59 single occupancy cabins and Norwegian Escape with 82.

Other cruise lines are following suit. Royal Caribbean has 28 studio cabins on board the new Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas. Cunard Line added nine single staterooms on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, along with the first solo staterooms on board Queen Mary 2. Holland America’s Koningsdam has 12 solo cabins, its Prisendam has 3. Costa Cruises has singles cabins on about half of its fleet.

Gentleman Hosts & Social Hostesses

A few decades ago, most cruise lines had gentleman hosts. These single male travelers would get free passage, and in exchange they would commit to dining and dancing with the single women on board. All but a few lines have eliminated the program. Today, Cunard, Crystal, and Silversea still offer gentleman hosts, and they often do more than just dancing and dining—some lines have them accompany single travelers on shore excursions, as well.

Most cruise ships have what are known as a Social Hostess. These crew members do a lot to make single travelers feel included: They organize morning coffee chats on sea days and group lunches, and make an effort to introduce people who travel alone to others. On luxury lines like Silversea, the Social Hostess may also be the International Hostess, able to assist guests who need information in languages other than English.

Larger Group Travel

Traveling with 10 other people or more? You may be surprised to learn how much the line will do to bring you and your group on board.

bull.jpg Discounts: Crystal Cruises’ offers free passage to the 11th person in a group; Carnival Cruises and Costa Cruises’ offer free fare to the 15th passenger. Some lines offer a free upgrade for the leader of a group instead, and many provide onboard credits for everyone in the group.

bull.jpg Freebies: When it comes to free stuff for everyone in the group, many lines—including Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line—start offering per-person handouts when you get up to eight cabins. It’s also worth asking if your line will host a private cocktail party as a value-add.

bull.jpg Coordinated Booking: Booking as a group has another benefit: It allows your travel agent and cruise line to link your reservations together, ensuring you are all given the same dining times and seating arrangements and, if requested, staterooms that are in a block next to each other.

Cruisers with Disabilities

It’s important to let the cruise line know about any special needs when you make your booking. If you use a wheelchair, you’ll need to know if wheelchair-accessible cabins are available (and how they’re equipped), as well as whether public rooms are accessible and can be reached by elevator, and whether the cruise line has any special policy regarding travelers with disabilities—for instance, whether it’s required that a fully mobile companion accompany you. Based on various court cases, it’s clear that when operating in U.S. waters, ships are expected to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Newer ships tend to be better equipped, however, offering a larger number of cabins at various price points for passengers in wheelchairs as well as those who are sight- or hearing-impaired. But even older ships undergoing renovations are being retrofitted to provide more access.

holiday Cruises

The way cruise lines celebrate holidays tends to vary from line to line and holiday to holiday, so it’s important to ask in advance what programs and activities will be offered if the celebration is important to you.

That said, most mark Thanksgiving with a proper turkey dinner with all the fixings—from stuffing to cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie—regardless of where the ship is sailing in the world on that day. In fact, if you don’t like to cook, a Thanksgiving cruise is a wonderful way to toast the holiday with your family over a proper and traditional meal without having to turn on the oven or wash a single dish.

New Year’s may actually be one of the best times of year to be on a ship, as the cruise lines tend to throw a great party. The tone—from formal to mild or wild—depends on the line, but you can expect plenty of music, noise makers and toasts regardless of the ships you choose.

Christmas, too, is festive on many cruise ships, with twinkling lights, trees, and both traditional Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals. A variety of lines celebrate the Jewish holidays as well, with Passover Seders and Hanukkah candles (usually of the electric variety for safety reasons). That said, if a certain type of religious service is important to you, you should always inquire about it in advance.

Of course, holiday cruising comes with a significant downside: Prices rise into the stratosphere and voyages sell out early. It’s not uncommon for Christmas and New Year’s voyages to double in cost, particularly for the top-of-the-line suites. Airlines and hotels know the score, too, and raise prices accordingly. Cruise ships always operate at full capacity during this time, with many lines filling nearly all third and fourth berths as well—and that means more battles on the pool deck for your favorite lounge chair.

As an alternative, you might want to sail during the first week of January, when prices fall into the bargain-basement. You won’t get the holiday festivities, but your savings account will be in better shape.

Travelers with disabilities should inquire when booking whether the ship docks at ports or uses tenders (small boats) to go ashore. Tenders cannot always accommodate passengers with wheelchairs; in most cases, wheelchair-bound passengers require crew assistance to board tenders—though Holland America, for one, uses a special lift system to get passengers into the tenders without requiring them to leave their wheelchairs. Once aboard the ship, travelers with disabilities will want to seek the advice of tour staff before choosing shore excursions that are wheelchair-friendly.

theme Cruises

Theme cruises have exploded in popularity in recent years, giving cruisers an opportunity to dive into their favorite hobbies or see performances by their favorite artists while at sea. No matter what you’re into, chances are that there’s a sailing that focuses on your interests.

Carnival kicked the concept of the theme cruise up a notch a few years ago when it introduced its Carnival LIVE sailings. Initially focused on musical artists like Journey and Martina McBride, the line has expanded its entertainment offerings to include comedians and actors like Chris Tucker and Kathy Griffin.

Sometimes, outside companies charter out an entire ship for music-related cruises. Norwegian Cruise Line has partnered with a company called Sixthman to operate full-ship music charters that feature bands like KISS, Train, and events like the first Ubersoca cruise at sea aboard Norwegian Pearl. The line maintains a webpage at www.ncl.com/theme-cruises with all the details.

Food and wine-themed cruises have become popular in recent years, too. The focus can be on regional cuisines, local wineries and breweries, or cuisine in general. Many sailings feature headlining chefs; Jacques Pépin and his daughter occasionally host sailings on Oceania Cruises, home to his eponymous bistro restaurant. On these sailings the chef does cooking demos, signs autographs, and designs special menus. On cruises hosted by winemakers, there are often full degustation dinners on offer.

Hobbyists and crafters also have their own sailings, with knitting, needlepoint, and scrapbooking sailings. Sports fans often sell out their theme sailings early, whether the focus is on a sport or an individual team. Lines like Cunard, Seabourn and Silversea frequently feature guest speakers and lecturers that talk about political and intellectual topics. Usually, these are related to the itinerary that your ship is sailing, but quite often lecturers can present other topics, as well. Expedition lines take things one step further, with full-blown naturalists, botanists, and geologists (not to mention photographers, documentarians, and noted authors) who help add insight to the adventuresome destinations you’ll visit.

There are also cruises that cater to nudists, swingers, and gay and lesbian travelers, though these tend to be full-ship charters, meaning there’s not much chance of you accidentally winding up on a ship full of nudists if that’s not your thing.

A comprehensive list of theme cruises is maintained at ThemeCruiseFinder.com.

Just consider yourself warned: Many theme cruises are annual sailings and so you may have to plan your vacation time around their availability. The good news: Itineraries and departure dates are typically released well in advance.

Tip: Because able bodied passengers have discovered that accessible cabins are often roomier, it’s become harder of late to get an accessible cabin (since able-bodied passengers have been booking them under false pretenses). So book early to ensure that you get what you need.

If you have a chronic health problem, we advise you to check with your doctor before booking a cruise and, if you have any specific needs, to notify the cruise line in advance. This will ensure that the medical team on the ship is properly prepared to offer assistance.

Weddings

Can you get married on a cruise ship? You sure can: Most big-ship lines offer wedding packages that allow guests to be married either on embarkation day or in a port of call. Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, and Princess Cruises even have legally licensed Captains that can perform this ceremony at sea, if you so choose.

Most cruise lines recommend you start planning your oceangoing wedding at least 1 year in advance, though some will let you do the whole thing in 60 whirlwind days. Although each line puts its own twist on the wedding festivities, most packages offered by the cruise lines include the services of a wedding planner, flower bouquets and boutonnieres, decor for the chosen venue (typically, each ship will have one or more venues to choose from), along with officiants and wedding coordinators, sparkling wine, and dinner in one of the ship’s formal specialty restaurants.

Some lines, like Cunard, really pull out all the stops for the bride and groom, offering pressing services, priority embarkation and disembarkation, a bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne, and a white-gloved bellman to escort the bride to the wedding venue.

If you love Mickey Mouse, you can tie the knot aboard the classy ships of Disney Cruise Line, or its private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. And because Disney owns the copyright, Disney’s own pianist can play a selection of your Disney favorites as you walk down the aisle, if you so choose.

Have a big wedding party? See our section above about group travel for info on discounts.

Honeymoons

A cruise is a great choice for a honeymoon, especially because it is an easy trip to plan for, and couples are generally distracted by wedding planning up until the big day itself. You will want to make sure to request a cabin with a double, queen, or king-size bed, instead of twins.

Rooms with private verandas are particularly romantic; you can take in the sights in privacy and even enjoy a quiet meal, assuming the veranda is big enough for a table and chairs and the weather doesn’t turn chilly. If you want to dine alone at dinner, request a table for two in advance; the same goes for couples’ spa treatments, which can fill up in advance.

Some ships—among them those of Princess, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity, and Holland America—offer special packages and sometimes honeymoon suites. Most lines provide special amenities, such as champagne and chocolates, if you let them know in advance that you’ll be honeymooning.

3

Choosing & Booking Your Cruise

Cruise lines have detailed websites and brochures, or sometimes many different brochures—including e-brochures—full of beautiful glossy photos of beautiful glossy people enjoying fabulous vacations. They’re colorful! They’re gorgeous! They’re enticing! They’re also confusing in that they all blur together very quickly. Sadly, while the lines themselves are very different from one another, their marketing strategies are not.

This chapter is about comparing and contrasting, so you can pick the cruise that’s right for you. And about not getting taken, so you can feel good about your vacation costs.

If you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that picking the right cruise is a lot like buying a car: Any one will get you where you want to go, but there are some that will make you happier than others.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

When you look at the attributes of the various ships and itineraries to make your choice, some determining factors will be no-brainers. For instance, if you’re traveling with kids, you’ll want a ship with a good kids’ program. If you’re a foodie, you’ll want a ship with gourmet cuisine. If you usually stay at B&Bs when you travel, you’ll probably prefer one of the small ships.

Also ask yourself whether you require resortlike amenities, such as a heated swimming pool, spa, casino, aerobics classes, and state-of-the-art gym. Or do you care more about having an adventure or an educational experience? If you want the former, choose a large cruise ship; if you prefer the latter, a small ship may be more your speed. Here are some more pertinent questions to help you narrow the field:

What Size Is Best for You?

The size of the ship contributes significantly to the atmosphere. Cruise ships range from small, adventure-type vessels or yacht-style options to megaships that carry thousands, and will have multiple dining venues, many types of entertainment, cutting edge gyms and elaborate spas. Size also dictates the social atmosphere aboard the vessel. Do you want, or do you need, to be with people and, if so, in an intimate daily setting or only on an occasional basis?

On a small ship, there’s no escape: The people you meet on a 22-passenger or even a 100-passenger vessel are the ones you’re going to be seeing every day of the cruise. The truth is that it will impact your vacation if they turn out to be boring, or bombastic, or slow-witted, or in some other way not to your taste. Personal chemistry plays a big part in the success or failure of any cruise experience—especially the small-ship cruise experience.

Some people may think that the megaships are too big, but they do have at least one saving grace: On a 2,000- or 5,000-passenger ship, there’s plenty of room to steer clear of people who turn you off. And because all these big, newer ships have lots of alternative restaurants, it’s even easier to avoid those types at mealtimes, something that’s not so easy on a smaller ship.

The hotel director on a Holland America ship once noted, If you want to stay out until 4am, gamble wildly, and pass out in a lounge, you don’t come on Holland America. And he’s right. Picking the ship that’s right for you is the key to a successful cruise experience.

How Much Time Does the Ship Spend in Port?

This varies widely, from Mediterranean cruises that are in ports every day to longer sailings in Asia with a handful of sea days required to cover the distance between ports. In the Caribbean, you may have 1 or 2 sea days on an itinerary and, generally, Alaska itineraries spend 3 or 4 days in port with 1 or 2 days of scenic cruising in-between.

Coming into port, ships generally dock right after breakfast, allowing you the morning and afternoon to take a shore excursion or explore on your own. Ships usually depart in the early evening, giving you an hour or two to rest up before dinner (although some ships do stay in specific ports, such as Juneau or Cozumel, as late as 10pm, giving passengers a chance to sample a dinner on shore). Some lines, like Azamara and Oceania, make a point of designing their itineraries with multiple overnight stays in port. And voyages to Bermuda, for example, typically feature 2 or 3 days docked in Hamilton before ships set sail across the Atlantic for the eastern seaboard.

This is where your own personal tastes will come into play: You can easily find a Mediterranean voyage that is packed with port calls, or one that is interspersed with sea days in between. While a week of solid ports sounds like fun, the truth is that it can be very exhausting. A nice mix of sea days can provide that much-needed down time to relax and recuperate without having to worry about FOMO: the Fear Of Missing Out.

On days at sea, the emphasis will be on activities (think bingo, pool games, and wine tasting) or, in some parts of the world exploring natural areas and scanning for wildlife. Big ships stick to prearranged schedules on these days, but on small-ship, soft-adventure-type cruises, days at sea can be unstructured, with the captain choosing a destination based on reports of whale sightings, for example. Some small-ship itineraries include almost no ports, sticking instead to isolated natural areas that passengers explore by kayak, Zodiac boat or on foot.

Is the Cruise Formal?

If you don’t care to get dressed up, select a less formal cruise, such as those offered by many of the small ships, or larger ships such as those of Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises, which do not have official formal nights. If, on the other hand, having the chance to put on your finery appeals to you, select Celebrity, Cunard, or Holland America (and, to a lesser extent, mass-market lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival) or posh lines like Crystal and Silversea. These ships will have casual and formal nights over the course of a week, when women can show off everything from a sundress to an evening gown (though on formal nights, most show up in cocktail dresses), and men will go from shirtsleeves to jacket and tie. You can wear a tuxedo on formal night if you like, but many men are now opting for dark suits. Most lines also now have an option for those who do not want to dress up on formal nights—you can skip the dining room and eat casually at the buffet, or order room service in your cabin, where the dress code is pretty much whatever you feel like wearing.

What Are the Other Passengers Like?

Each ship attracts a fairly predictable type of passenger. On small ships, you’ll find a more physically active bunch that’s highly interested in nature, but you’ll find fewer families and single travelers. Larger ships cater to a more diverse group—singles, newlyweds, families, and couples over 55. A good general rule to follow: the longer the itinerary, the older the crowd.

For nightlife seekers, big ships are the way to go. The nightlife aboard Carnival, MSC, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean ships is plentiful and varied, and goes on well into the night. Princess cruise ships tend to quiet down around 11pm, while Holland America guests typically turn in even earlier.

What Daytime Activities Does the Ship Offer?

On small ships, activities are limited by the available public space and are usually up to the passengers to organize—maybe a game of Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit. There may be a showing of a video or two, and there will typically also be a lecture series dealing with flora, fauna, history, or religion. These enrichment lectures are also popular on larger cruise ships, along with edutainment classes that focus on cooking, art, photography, personal finance, computers and history. Cooking is particularly hot, no pun intended, with certain lines installing purpose-built demonstration kitchens.

Many big and small ships alike will offer beer or wine tastings, often under the supervision of the onboard Sommelier. Bridge, shuffleboard and poolside games are common; on ships with more retired passengers you may find bridge and mahjong, too. And then there are the behind-the-scenes tours that take guests into some of the more typically off-limits spaces, including the ship’s galley, provisioning areas, laundry rooms, and backstage theatre areas. Some of these tours are complimentary; others can run well over $100 per person and can include some special goodies like T-shirts, hats and complimentary photos. A handful of tours may include a supervised visit to the ship’s navigation bridge, though this is far more common on smaller vessels.

What Entertainment Does the Ship Offer at Night?

Forget the old jokes about the so-so quality of cruise ship entertainers: Productions at night are de rigueur on all but the smallest vessels, and they’ve gotten a lot better in the last few years. Now, on large the big ships, you’ll find Broadway-caliber productions complete with sets that rise and turn, smoke, lighting effects, and directional sound. Sure, the Tribute to ABBA! shows crop up every now and again, but they’re gradually fading into the sunset in favor of smarter and more elaborate productions.

Live music is also making a comeback on board many big ships. Carnival’s Fun Ships offer a surprising amount of music, with piano bars, pop and rock duos, and on-deck DJ’s. Cunard kicks things up a notch for classical music lovers with some of the best instrumental artists on the high seas, and themed voyages featuring the National Symphony Orchestra. Holland America Line has dedicated an entire area of their new Koningsdam to music, and even small-ship lines like Windstar Cruises employ at least a pianist to dance the night away to.

Obviously, entertainment varies from line to line—and a few lines have some additional perks. Disney Cruise Line, for example, gets to run the entire Disney library on board its whimsical ships, while Carnival spearheaded some of the best comedy clubs at sea with their Punchliner Comedy Club.

And kudos to Princess Cruises for reinventing the way vacationers watch movies on board. In 2004, they outfitted the then-new Caribbean Princess with a gigantic poolside movie screen and sound system, and Movies Under the Stars was born. The technology has since been adopted by many other lines.

Will I Get Seasick?

You’ll want to choose your ship carefully if you’re concerned about seasickness. Keep in mind that big ships tend to be more stable than smaller ships, but that all ships will move around if the winds or the swells are high enough. That being said, ship stability has improved dramatically in recent years. The vast majority of cruise ships built nowadays have stabilizers: finlike surfaces that swing out from the hull underwater, much like the wings of an airplane. These help to reduce the rolling (left-to-right) of the ship, which is what causes people the most discomfort. Stabilizers, however, do not counteract pitch, which is the ship rising at the bow and the stern.