While some cruise lines cater to wealthy vacationers with money to burn, others are marketed toward vacationers on a budget. Many of these lines focus on a particular location, like Hawaii or the Caribbean, and attempt to corner the market in that port area with affordable vacations. Even travelers on a budget want to choose among the best rated cruise lines within the category.
The highest rated budget cruise lines include:
Carnival Freedom in Cayman Islands
- Carnival. As the world's most popular cruise line, according to CruiseCompete. com. Carnival provides a broad spectrum of affordable options. Many younger vacationers are thrilled with the service they receive onboard Carnival 'fun ships'. These ships create a youthful environment with casual dress and no pretension. It's no wonder World Ocean and Cruise Liner Society gave Carnival their Best Cruise Value award in 2013 in two categories - 4 Star Plus and Short Cruises. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL): A mainstream cruise can be the right choice for people who want the cruising experience and all-inclusive travel in their favorite location. Norwegian's ship Pride of America is a great example. NCL America employs a 100 percent U. S. crew in order to meet international regulations for sailing the Hawaiian islands. This avoids a trip to international waters like other Hawaiian cruises and creates a unique seven day island-hopping itinerary. This ship overnights on Maui and Kauai, and it's more affordable in the off season than multiple hotels and flights to see them separately. Porthole Magazine named this trip as the Best Hawaiian Itinerary from 2005 to 2013.