We enjoy cruising, especially when we want an easy, stress-free vacation. On all the different cruise lines, your meals, accommodations, and entertainment will be taken care of. Simply choose your destination and get to the boat on time!
Cruises can also be a convenient means of transport. Originally, we had planned to take a train from Marseille to Genoa, but it ended up being cheaper (and more fun) to hop on an MSC cruise for the night.
You may also prefer cruising if you are going long distances. For example, if you are traveling from North America to Europe, but hate tiny airplane seats, you should consider a transatlantic cruise. We recently enjoyed a luxurious sailing from New York to Southampton on the Queen Mary II.
Cruising can be fun, but you should pick a cruise line that suits your lifestyle. Some ships are designed for families with children; others attract party animals; and some cater to senior citizens who prefer peace and quiet. Below, we will discuss some of our favorite cruise lines and give you an idea of what to expect on each.
VIRGIN
If you are looking for an adults-only vacation, Virgin Voyages is the cruise line for you. Virgin currently has three ships operating – The Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, and Resilient Lady. All of the ships feature modern designs, delicious food, unique shows, and fun parties.
We did a 4-day Caribbean cruise on the Scarlet Lady and were very impressed. Virgin had the best cruise ship food by far! Rather than buffets where the food sits out for hours, Virgin has “The Galley” where chefs at various food stalls make food fresh to order. We also enjoyed the test kitchen, the steakhouse, and the Korean BBQ restaurant. We appreciated the fact that all dining options were included in our cruise fare, and we did not have to pay extra for specialty restaurants like with other cruise lines.
Virgin cruises are famous for their nightlife, and we embraced all the evening activities. Rather than traditional Broadway-style shows, Virgin has dance battles, circus performances, drag shows, and even a presentation by a sex therapist. The ships also have theme parties, and passenger participation is encouraged! Our favorite was the pajama party.
The cruise was not a constant party. We had plenty of time to relax in the pool and hot tubs, stroll along the top deck, visit the spa, and chill in the numerous lounges and bars.
If you are looking for a kid-free vacation on a hip, stylish ship, you should consider booking a Virgin cruise.
*Update: We did a second voyage on The Scarlet Lady a year later and were disappointed to find that the onboard vibe is now similar to a traditional cruise ship. The food quality has gone downhill, the more edgy entertainment has been replaced with standard variety shows, and the guests onboard were significantly older than on our previous sailing.
CARNIVAL
Carnival is known for its affordable fares and fun amenities. The cruise line has 24 ships of varying sizes, but all of them have colorful, vegas-style decor. The family-friendly ships have pools, waterslides, mini-golf, and arcade games that appeal to children. They also have comedy shows, casinos, and nightclubs to entertain adults.
Each Carnival ship has a main dining room with revolving 3-course menus. You are not assigned a specific table; you simply choose the early or late dining option. You can also pay extra to eat at specialty restaurants such as “The Steakhouse,” “Ji Ji Asian Kitchen,” and “Rudi’s Seagrill.” The “fine dining” on Carnival cruises is not the best, so you can find our favorite food venues poolside. You can enjoy juicy cheeseburgers at Guy’s Burger Joint and tasty burritos at the Blue Iguana Cantina.
Our favorite spot on a Carnival ship is Alchemy Bar, where friendly bartenders make delicious craft cocktails.
We appreciate that Carnival offers some short itineraries. The cruise line understands that you won’t always have time for a week-long adventure, but can almost always sneak in a quick weekend getaway. We have enjoyed some 2-night cruises on the Carnival Victory from Los Angeles to the Bahamas, drinking piña coladas and racing down waterslides.
If you are looking for a cheap, short vacation with lots of on-board amenities, you should consider booking a Carnival cruise.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Royal Caribbean is the king when it comes to family-friendly cruising. Its ships are more expensive, but have more impressive amenities. In addition to regular waterslides, many Royal Caribbean ships have flow riders, ice rinks, bumper cars, zip-lines, and escape rooms. Kids will feel like they are at a floating theme park.
Most Royal Caribbean ships are huge, carrying over 5,000 passengers. If you are looking for peaceful solitude, we recommend choosing a different cruise line. That being said, you can escape to some quieter areas such as the spa or solarium.
If you want top-notch entertainment, Royal Caribbean is a great choice. Its singers and dancers perform actual Broadway musicals such as Hairspray, CATS, and Mamma Mia. You can also see acrobats, magicians, ice skaters, and even synchronized swimmers.
Food-wise, Royal Caribbean ships have a mixture of large dining rooms, casual eateries, and specialty restaurants such as Chops Grille and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen (that have an extra fee). In our opinion, the quality of the food is average, but you have lots of dining venues and culinary genres to choose from.
If you are looking for a large ship with lots of activities, and have time for a longer itinerary, you should consider booking a Royal Caribbean cruise.
CUNARD
Cunard is a British cruise line that seeks to capture the elegance of historic sea crossings. It currently operates four ships: the Queen Mary II, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria, and the recently launched Queen Anne. All of the ships have beautiful decor and furnishings, including wood-paneling, crystal chandeliers, and plush carpeting.
We sailed on Cunard’s Queen Mary II, which is actually an “ocean liner,” not a “cruise ship.” It was constructed to withstand rough seas on transcontinental voyages, whereas cruise ships are designed for shorter trips closer to land. Cruise ship amenities such as dining rooms, gyms, and theaters are usually located on the upper decks, but if you travel on the Queen Mary II you should look for them on the lower decks, where the motion from the ocean is less rigorous.
We really enjoyed our time on the Queen Mary II, but Cunard may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The cruise line is very traditional and has a strict dress code. You must dress up in the evenings – suits, ties, long dresses, etc. We witnessed a gentleman being asked to leave one of the lounges because he was not wearing a jacket after 6:00 p.m.
Dining on Cunard is an elegant affair. In our opinion, the service was outstanding, the food was surprisingly good, and the rooms were gorgeous. Passengers have assigned tables in the dining room. We had a table for two, which gave us the privacy to talk amongst ourselves but also the opportunity to get to know the guests at neighboring tables. Our favorite dining experience on the ship was the Afternoon Tea. Each day we devoured tea and scones while listening to live musicians.
The entertainment options on Cunard ships are quite tame compared to some other cruise lines. Our ship had a library, a planetarium, ballroom dance classes, and theatrical plays, instead of waterslides and ice rinks.
We chose the Queen Mary II because it is the only ship that allows you to travel with your pet. Cunard has an impressive kennel program with 2 full-time staff caring for 24 pets. A portion of the top deck is set aside for the dogs to run (and do their business). There are also two social rooms for pets and their owners to socialize. The kennel staff were very attentive to our dog – even having the chef prepare fresh chicken and rice when she had a stomach ache. We also got adorable pictures of our dog in her Queen Mary II coat, next to the London lamppost and New York fire hydrant located on the pet deck.
If you are looking for an upscale, old-world experience (or want to take your pet across the Atlantic), you should consider booking a Cunard cruise.
The above are our personal favorites when it comes to cruising, but there are lots of cruise lines to choose from. Briefly:
DISNEY: Very pricey, but promises a “magical” experience for families with young children. Kids will get to meet their favorite cartoon characters, eat at princess-themed restaurants, and participate in a variety of age-appropriate activities. Many adults choose Disney because of its impeccable service and interesting shore excursions.
CELEBRITY: Modern, luxurious ships with delicious food and wine options. In fact, the complimentary dining venues are so good that you will not feel the need to splurge on specialty restaurants. In our experience, Celebrity is one of the more expensive cruise lines, and passengers tend to be older (50+). It is a good choice if you are looking for a quiet, relaxing vacation.
MSC: European ships with elegant decor, but reasonable prices. We loved the Swarovski crystal staircase and indoor promenade with artwork projected on the ceiling. The food and entertainment were good. One thing to note is that shows and announcements take extra time because they are presented in multiple languages.
NORWEGIAN: Middle of the road cruise line, and fine if there is a specific itinerary you are interested in. For example, we sailed on the Norwegian Bliss for nine days because we wanted to explore the Baltic countries. The ships are nice, with decent amenities. The food in the main dining room was disappointing, so we found ourselves paying extra for the specialty restaurants.
Hopefully, this article gave you a glimpse into the world of cruising. Now it’s time to find your ideal cruise and sail away!
If you are looking for more travel tips, be sure to read our article Paris – Things To See vs. Skip