 |
Cruise Line Choices |
|
Home
|
An Overview of the Major Cruise Lines Carnival Cruise Lines Although they still bill themselves as the "fun ships" Carnival has come a lont way form their former reputation of being wild and glitzy. Dining has been upgraded and many of the new ships are a bit more subdued in decor than the older ships. A very strong children's program means that Carnival is a good choice for many families. Cruises to: Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Bahamas, Alaska, Hawai'i, Europe Celebrity Cruise Lines The emphasis here is on a more traditional cruising experience. This means set dining times and tables and a bit more stringent dress code. Celebrity gets high marks for its dining. You will most likely find a very service-oriented experience here. Cruises to: Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Europe, Alaska, Hawai'i, South America, Australia / New Zealand (2007-2008) Disney Cruise Lines Obviously, the emphasis here is "family cruising" and virtually all ages--from toddlers to grandparents--will feel at home here. There are activities aplently so no one should feel left out. Even adults traveling without children can usually find activities (and areas of the ship) that are designed for their needs. Cruises to: Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Rivieria, Europe (2007) Holland America Holland America has frequently been thought of as an "older clientele" cruise line. This perception is changing, though, as the line has put more emphasis on families, "Club HAL" (the children's program) and activities designed for more active cruisers. Holland America offers a wide variety of itineraries. Cruises to: Worldwide Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian pioneered the "Freestyle" concept which allows cruisers to dine when they want and with whomever they want--no assigned seating or dining times. Freestyle cruising also means a more casual dress code: Although formal nights are available, you can spend the entire cruise dressed casually if you wish. A subsidiary, NCL America, does weekly Hawai'ian cruises out of Honolulu and Maui. Cruises to: Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Hawai'i, Alaska Oceania Cruises Oceania nicely fills the gap between the main-line cruise lines and the luxury lines. The dress code is "country-club casual" and the dining is highly rated. They feature a number of unique itineraries, often to smaller ports and with overnight stays. Cruises to: Europe, Caribbean, South America, Far East Find a cruise on Oceania Cruises Princess Cruises Princess has some of the most extensive itinerary choices of all the major cruise lines, from the Caribbean to Europe to the Far East. Princess also offers "Personal Choice" dining, which allows you to select either traditional (set time and place) dining or "anytime dining" which lets you choose the time you would like to dine. Princess features ships ranging from small (under 700 passengers) right up to very large (sailing with upwards of 3000 passengers). Cruises to: Worldwide Royal Caribbean For many cruisers, Royal Caribbean offers the best of all worlds. Medium sized ships to mega liners, lots of dining choices and the availability of many activities. Cruises to: Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Alaska, Hawai'i Luxury Cruise Lines
The "Luxury" Cruise lines offer a wide variety of choices, both in itinerary
and style. Fine dining is generally the rule as is impeccable service. Ships are generally mid-sized or smaller,
and the crew to passenger ratio is higher than the main-stream lines. Children's programs will be limited or non-existent. Web Resources for Cruise Line Comparisons
|
||||||||||||
Although
some of the "personality" of a cruise line is a myth (for example, that all Carnival Cruise Lines ships
are non-stop party boats or that no one under the age of 75 cruises on Holland America Lines) there are some general
traits that you will want to consider when choosing a cruise line.