There are many factors that should go into selecting a cruise. Some of these include: Length of cruise, Cruise Itinerary, and Total Price (including taxes, fees, and add-ons). But this is simply a start to the process of selecting a cruise. However, there are more factors that must be considered, in order to have an enjoyable cruise.
To me, the most important factor in choosing a cruise is the stage of life one is in, and that of one’s travel companions. For example, if I were a young parent with small children that is cruising on a tight budget, my choice of cruise line would be a value conscious line that would serve the needs of both parents and children. If I were a solo traveler who does not have to worry about budgets, I would likely choose a different cruise line from that young parent.
Cruise Critic has a great article on How to Pick a Cruise Line. The following list contains the demographic profile of cruisers sailing on each major cruise line:
- Carnival Cruise Line: Younger, budget-conscious, families, and party-focused.
- Royal Caribbean International: Broad mix, younger families to active adults, multi-generational.
- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL): Diverse ages (30s-50s), casual "freestyle" cruising.
- Celebrity Cruises: Affluent, middle-aged (40s-60s), upscale experience.
- Princess Cruises: 50+ age range, mature, destination-focused
- Holland America Line: Primarily 55+, retired, traditional, and quiet.
- Disney Cruise Line: Families with children, significantly younger average age.
- MSC: Budget conscious, mostly 50s and families.
- Virgin Voyages: Primarily middle aged (30s-50s), a diverse mix of couples, friends, and solo travelers.
- Cunard: Mature, Affluent and international clientele, with an average passenger age of 60, seeking traditional formal luxury.
- Caribbean / Bahamas cruises.
These cruises are usually "closed loop" trips from a East Coast port to one (or more) Caribbean Island / Bahamian Island port(s). The highlights of most of these cruises are the beaches, island based activities of varying levels of activity and tours that one can experience while in port.
As I like to put it: Each Caribbean Island has at least 1 beach, 1 fort, and 1 shopping district where people can occupy themselves when in port. Each island visited usually has something unique that one can enjoy. - Bermuda cruises.
These cruises are very similar to those sailing to Caribbean Island or Bahamian Islands, save that they usually spend one to three days in Bermuda, depending on the length of the cruise. - Mexico cruises.
These cruises are very similar to Caribbean and Bahamian cruises, save that they may visit multiple ports in Baja California before returning to a West Coast port.. - Alaska cruises.
One usually takes an Alaska cruise for the opportunity to view wildlife and Alaska's majestic scenery. Cruises almost always include glacier viewing from the ship, and shore excursions of various difficulty such as Mushing Huskies, and Glacier tours. - European cruises.
There are two main categories of European cruises. One stops at ports, so that cruisers can visit sites of cultural and historical interest. The other is similar to a Caribbean Island cruise. Both have activities of varying levels. - Canada/New England cruises.
These cruises tend to focus on the sites associated with each port, such as lighthouse tours when visiting Portland, ME, city tours when visiting Boston, MA, etc. . - Others (e.g.: River Cruises, Expedition Cruises, etc.)
I can't say much about river cruises, save that they cruise into the hearts of cities, and provide cruisers with unique opportunities to explore cities along the cruise route. Expedition cruises tend to go to remote areas, and often involve high levels of activity on their associated shore excursions.
The process of selecting a cruise should also involve determining what activity level a person wants while cruising, and to make sure that that the cruise offers that level of activity. For example, I recently found out that I would not enjoy a Galapagos Islands cruise, as I am not prepared for the level of activity needed for the excursions. Yet, I enjoyed a port intensive Hawaii cruise, where I was able to visit sites such as Pearl Harbor and the Halealaka Crater, then cruise the scenic Na Pali coast without causing me to get overly exhausted.
A smart cruiser will check out the dress code required onboard ships in a cruise line. NCL has the most relaxed dress code of them all, while Cunard at the other end is very formal. One must take this factor into consideration when choosing a cruise, as many areas of a ship can be off limits to cruisers if they are not wearing cruise-appropriate clothing (as defined by the cruise line).
Even a ship’s size can be a factor in choosing a cruise. I have sailed on medium and large cruise ships, and I have found that I prefer smaller ships with fewer people on board. My favorite cruise was one taken at the end of 2021, when a medium sized ship was sailing at 40% of capacity. Other people thrive when a ship is at full capacity.
Just as important as itinerary and cruise duration is when the cruise is being offered. If one does not want to deal with lots of small children, one may want to sail when the kids are in school. Sailing in “shoulder seasons” also provides lower cost options for many people to sail, as off-peak rates are often lower than peak rates for many cruise itineraries.
In addition to the factors above, I would also factor in the age of a ship. Most newer ships on the 4 major ocean-going cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and MSC) have more amusement park like amenities (e.g., Go-Carts, Flow Riders, Roller Coasters, etc.) than their smaller and older ships. New ships on these lines tend to be larger than their older ships. Their size allows them to carry more passengers, but also limits the places they can go because many ports can not handle large numbers of visitors. So, if one wants a more quiet and sedate experience, one might want to consider an older ship instead of a new ship.
So, how would I put all of this into practice?
Example 1 - Traveler:
- Middle-Aged Single (traveling with companion).
- Low 6 figure income ($100k-$200k).
- Wants a one-week trip.
- Lives near Los Angeles.
- Enjoys trips with moderate activity.
I might suggest that this person consider a 7-day Hawaii cruise (only NCL offers this), enjoying activities such as snorkeling and hiking while in the islands. The same person might enjoy a 7-day Alaskan inside passage cruise out of Vancouver or Seattle.
Example 2 - Traveler:
- Young parent traveling with spouse and two young kids.
- "Value Oriented” cruiser - Mid 5 figure income ($50k-$60k)
- Can reach warm weather ports such as Galveston, New Orleans, Port Canaveral, and Miami with a ½ day drive.
- Vacations are limited to times when school is not in session.
I might suggest that this family try a 5–7-day cruise from one of these ports. Any cruise shorter than this is likely to be a “Booze Cruise,” and not appropriate for young families. One should be sailing on one of Royal Caribbean’s, NCL’s, or Carnival’s ships that are no less than 4 years old and no more than 8 years old. These ships are most likely to be affordable, while providing many of the amusement activities that children may enjoy. Additionally, most of their ships have areas where children can be left under adult supervision, allowing the parents to have some “us” time for themselves.
Example 3 – Traveler:
- Older solo cruiser (under 70 y/o) in excellent physical shape.
- Retired, with mid-7-digit portfolio ($4m-$6m net worth)
- Comfortable with travel to exotic destinations
- Interested in unusual wildlife and exotic destinations.
I might suggest that this person take a 14+day cruise from South America to visit Antarctica, sailing on a line specializing in excursions to exotic destinations, such as Hurtigruten. The southernmost continent is on many bucket lists, and traveling there on an excursion ship would be a once in a lifetime chance to visit this “empty” continent.
Example 4 – Traveler:
- Younger solo traveler (25-34 y/o) in average physical shape.
- Working, with a Mid 5 figure income ($50k-$60k)
- Looking for new, yet familiar experiences
- Has flexibility in scheduling vacations.
In this case, a cruiser has many options. The best ones will often involve flying to the origination cruise port. I might suggest a 7-day Alaskan cruise from Seattle or Vancouver, a 7-day Caribbean cruise from any of the major Florida ports, or a 7-day New England/Canada cruise from New York or Boston.
No matter what cruise a person ends up taking, it is best to have done some research before selecting a cruise to have the most enjoyable cruise possible.
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