Not all cruise ships are created equal – they come in all shapes and sizes. Photo courtesy Royal Caribbean
In the cruise industry, we’ve come up with a way to categorize ships. There is certainly a blurring between the categories, but it may help you to think of cruises in the following categories:
Got money to burn? Go Luxury All The Way
One of the luxurious Category AB balcony staterooms aboard Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity. Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises
Actually, though these cruise lines command higher fares than the rest of the cruise lines on this page, luxury cruises can be a great value .
Also, because most luxury cruise ships are small ships, you may also want to read Five Reasons Why I Prefer Cruising On Smaller Ships
Looking To Save A Bit But Still Go In Style? Go Premium
The Hydrotherapy Pool aboard Holland America Line’s Eurodamis a great example of an upper-premium cruise offering. Photo courtesy of Holland America Line
For a bit less investment than luxury cruises. you can cruise on the upper-premium ships operated by Azamara Club Cruises and Oceania Cruises. as well as the mid-sized premium-class vessels that make up the fleets of Celebrity Cruises and Holland America Line (often erroneously called, Holland American ) .
Big Ships Can Offer Big Value
Big ships offer plenty of advantages, particularly for multi-generational cruisers. Photo © 2014 Aaron Saunders
Families traveling together may want to look at Disney Cruise Line. although any of the big ship cruise lines mentioned in the preceding paragraph also do a great job with families.
Windstar Cruises’ Wind Star off Portovenere, Italy. Photo © 2013 Aaron Saunders
If you love the sensation of sailing, take a look at Star Clippers and Windstar Cruises. These companies offer intimate experiences that connect you with the wind and waves while providing a closer view of marine life and ship operations. It can be an exhilarating experience, feeling the power of the wind as it fuels your voyage.
Ice Cruise: Hurtigruten’s Trollfjord in Kirkenes, Norway. Niche expedition cruising never looked so good! © 2013 Ralph Grizzle
Niche Cruises offer some incredible vacation experiences, that are not only enriching but also potentially life-changing. Hurtigruten plies the Norwegian coast, and sails to Spitzbergen, Greenland and Antarctica. Lindblad Expeditions operates National Geographic expedition vessels in destinations that span the globe. Un-Cruise Adventures offers expeditions to Alaska, Baja California and Hawaii.