Cruise vacations are a type of vacation that many people enjoy. They allow you to have an all-inclusive holiday where you can do your favorite things on and off the ship, as well as participate in selected excursions. Plus, it’s easy to indulge in fine dining that seems ever-flowing and never-ending.
Cruise Types to Consider
Many different types of cruises vary in cost, from river cruises to megaship cruises to yacht cruises and so on. Sea and river cruises, for example, Little similarity yet lot differences and target different ages and types of travellers.
For the purposes of this post, we’ll be focusing on the best larger ship cruises for 2022 that are the most affordable and affordable for families and couples in general. These ships carry thousands of passengers (between 1,000 and 4,000 guests depending on the cruise line and ship).
Cruise capacity: health and safety
If you’re concerned about the number of people on a cruise ship during a pandemic, we argue that cruises are one of the safest ways to travel during a pandemic and beyond. This was true before the pandemic and will remain true after.
CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) released a statement supporting this in December 2021. We have always appreciated the measures taken by cruise lines to provide the safest way to travel. This includes sanitizing the ship, cleaning all parts of the ship, and how far they go to communicate these practices to the public. No other sector of the tourism industry does so much publicly for its guests.
Ports for choosing the best cruises
US Ports of Embarkation
One of the benefits of cruising from the US is that you can potentially drive to a port or fly there quickly from the country. (Remember to check if you need a passport if your cruise is bound for other ports outside of the US.)
US cruise ports galore! There are dozens of ports on the coast of the United States, from California and Florida to Maryland, New York and South Carolina.
The five most popular of these, which are close to major airports and highways, are cruise ports:
- Seattle, Washington
- San Diego, California
- Los Angeles, California
- Miami, Florida
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
All major cruise lines depart from one of the above ports.
Destination ports
Let’s say you’re interested in a cruise to a specific region in the US, North America, or the world. In this case, you need to search by destination or port of embarkation.
Examples:
- For a cruise to Baja California (which sails to Mexico), leave Los Angeles.
- Want to take a cruise to Alaska? Find cruises departing from Seattle, Washington.
- If you want to go to the Caribbean, you will most likely start from the Port of Miami, Tampa, or Fort Lauderdale. These are all Florida ports.
- Are you going to the Great Lakes? You’ll want to move out of the Midwest or Northeast, including Chicago and Boston.
- If you’re looking to head to the Mediterranean in Europe, look for a cruise that departs from Barcelona, Spain.
Best Cruise Lines to Consider
The best cruise lines are the names you’ve probably heard, even if you’ve never been on a cruise. However, if you are just starting out in the world of cruising, some of them may be new to you!
Here are some of the best cruise companies to look out for on your next cruise vacation:
- celebrity cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- MSC Cruises
- Norwegian cruise line
- Princess Cruises
- Cunard
- Disney Cruise Line
- Viking Ocean Cruises (they also have a popular river cruise line)
- Carnival
- Cunard
- Dutch America Line
- Virgin Journeys
Cruise cost
The cost of the cruise depends on the following factors:
- Cruise duration.
- Cruise destinations (or ports visited by the cruise).
- The season you are sailing.
- Number of guests in your stateroom or stateroom (most cruise lines allow a maximum of two adults and two children).
- The category of cabin you are booking: inside, outside, balcony or suite, for example.
Additional factors to consider when choosing a cruise for you
Some other factors may influence your decision about which cruise you book that you may not have considered before.
Before booking a cruise, it is important to decide what amenities or perks you want. The next few sections provide helpful tips when considering a cruise.
Kickbacks and perks for travel agents
If you book your cruise through a travel agency, you may be able to get a cabin cabin credit to use on the ship. Many people use credit for cocktails, restaurant tables, or spa treatments.
Loyalty programs
If you like loyalty rewards, consider cruise lines that reward repeat cruisers.
For example, Disney Cruise Line has its own “Castaway Club” and Princess has its own Captain’s Circle. In some cases, check-in is automatic after your first cruise, while in others it is not.
Cruises “Ship within a ship”
The “ship on ship” category of cruises is for cruisers who want the amenities, activities, and entertainment on a large ship, but an exclusive approach to smaller cruises.
These are kind of clubs within the cruise that you book, for example, before you book a room, with access to the concierge level. Plus, you’ll get privileged access to private pools, restaurants, and services like a 24-hour butler.
Ship-on-ship cruises will of course cost you a bit more than other room categories. But that’s because of the extras you get along with it.
For example, Norwegian Cruise Line has The Haven and Princess has MedallionClass.
private islands
Some cruise lines have private islands that are interesting to visit.
They will only be visited by ships of this cruise line. For example, Royal Caribbean’s Caribbean itineraries go to their island of Coco Cay. Disney Cruise Line Caribbean cruises depart from Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island.
These islands are ideal for cruise ship vacationers. They have unforgettable excursion adventures, water slides, attractions (such as zip-lines), bars, restaurants and much more.
Family friendliness
Some cruise lines are more friendly to multi-generational groups.
The Disney Cruise Line has been repeatedly voted the best family cruise line, which is no surprise! Other cruise lines are not necessarily known for their “young” activity. Instead of wave pools and rock climbing, they focus on fine dining and casinos.
During the school holidays for children, there will be more children and families on cruises, regardless of the cruise line. You can expect this during the spring, summer and winter holidays.
There are things to keep in mind to determine if a cruise is right for your family, especially if you have small children:
- Activities on board such as laser tag, karting, ice skating and more.
- Are there childcare services on board, including the age of the children. Childcare on board means you can enroll your children in babysitting services. They can be supervised and play with other children their age while you enjoy the cruise as adults, just for a few hours. Some cruise lines require an additional charge for this service.
- Bathtubs: This may sound silly, but if you have a small toddler who doesn’t shower and need a bathtub to soak in at night, you’ll want to check out the bathtub. in cabins before booking. Some cruises have stand-up shower-only cabins, while others have bathtubs.
- Kids Travel Free: Sometimes, to encourage you to book a particular cruise, the company runs “Kids Swim Free” promotions if there are two paying adults in the cabin.
The future of cruising is bright
Regardless of the year, cruises are constantly growing and every year more people want to go on cruises. That’s why cruises have a bright future, with new ships sailing every year.
Embarking on one of the best cruises will only satisfy your desire to keep traveling!
This post originally appeared on Savoteur.