A cruise line company operates passenger ships sailing to popular travel destinations. Such line brands differ from other passenger shipping lines. General passenger shipping lines (including ferry lines) are concerned primarily with passenger (and cargo) transportation.
Cruise companies' business is the leisure travel and entertainment. Most of the line's feature activities and signature amenities are onboard its vessels. Still, many activities and a selection of land tours are additionally offered in ports of call (which form the cruise itinerary route).
Cruise ship companies typically hire two separate types of staff: crew (commanded by the Captain) and service staff (hotel and dining operations) supervised by the Hotel Manager.
What is a cruise line?
A ship cruise line is a company that owns and utilizes travel passenger ships. Many lines are well-established traditional passenger shipping lines. Some have been founded in the second half of the 20th century, specifically for cruising. A wave of failures and consolidations in the 1990s resulted in many lines existing only as "brands" within larger corporations. Brands exist partly because of the repeat customer loyalty, and also to offer different levels of quality and service. The "BEST FUN" shipowner frequently sell, renovate or simply rename their ships just to keep up with the river or sea travel trends.
Cruise lines classification
According to the quality and price of their product, cruise lines are classified in 4 distinct types.
CHEAPEST lines (aka "massmarket" and "mainstream") are the "kids cruise lines" (excluding Disney, of course). They have the best fares for a travel vacation with included entertainment, complimentary-use onboard facilities and scheduled activities, complimentary enrichment and kids programs.
- good product at affordable prices fares from $50 to $300 per day/person (Inside - Suite) itineraries from 3 to 10 days typical passengers: mix of "veterans" and "first-timers", from truly young to singles/couples in their 50s large ships; great variety of activities; average food/service quality; "large resort like" experience rather than a traditional cruise; up to 3000 passengers. Exemplary lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Costa, MSC.
BUDGET lines deliver a basic product at a basic price.
- fares from $200 to $500 per day/person itineraries from 3 to 17 days typical passengers: predominantly "first-timers", kids and families smaller and older ships; good food/service quality; such cruise lines are usually regional, with numerous passengers from the local territories Exemplary lines are Celebration Line, Disney, Celebrity.
LUXURY lines are classified in 2 main categories by the type of the itineraries:
Luxury RIVER lines operate river travel voyages with some of the best small ships on inland waterways (rivers and canals) mainly in Europe and North America, as well as in Russia, China, Egypt, the Peruvian Amazon.
- good product at a more affordable price fares from $250 to $450 per day/person itineraries from 7 to 15 days (some can last for more than 3 weeks) typical passengers: regular and loyal customers - miscellaneous: the vessels are usually smaller, and accommodate an average of 90-240 passengers (up to 1000 on some ships); very good food/service quality. exemplary lines: Viking, and Uniworld.
SPECIALTY & EXPEDITION lines operate "different cruises". They sail to unusual destinations (such as the Europe's Arctic, the South America's Antarctica and Galapagos Islands, The Asia's Indian Ocean exotic islands (featuring Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius). In this category fall also the small ship cruise lines operating in Alaska.
- prices depend on the length/itinerary fares from $150 to over $500 per day/person itineraries from 7 to 14 days passengers: vary by itinerary - from fairly young and lively (on sailing trips) to older and more experienced (on expedition trips) miscellaneous: a real bouquet of itineraries (culinary, cultural, health and well-being, romance, expedition, etc.); vessel types vary from restored ocean liners to coastal steamers and ice breakers. exemplary lines: Windstar, Star Clippers, Metropolitan Touring.