The best cruise line in the world?
Taking a cruise holiday is often a once (or twice) in a lifetime experience, which is why it's so important to think carefully before booking one. Naturally, such a holiday is so special because, apart from being fun, it's very expensive (unless we're talking about a claret stock-up on a day-trip to France).
So, how to choose your next cruise line? Which ships should you have your eye on? How to define ‘best'? The answers to these questions depend on what type of water-born adventure you want, and whether you're going as a family, a young couple, a more mature couple, or a solo traveller.
For romance
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If you want to wine-and-dine your favourite person, Cruise Critic recommends Seabourn Cruise Lines - (not to be confused with Seaborne Freight, the firm awarded a post-Brexit shipping contract, and which allegedly doesn't have any ships!). Cruise Critic awarded Seabourn it's coveted Best Luxury Cruise Line accolade for 2018. US News also believed Seabourn was the world's most luxurious line for 2018, placing it ahead of Viking and Crystal. Seabourn, with its five modern ships, has been praised for its superior service. What's more, the fleet boasts "spacious staterooms and elegant public spaces", according to Forbe, and even has a partnership with celebrity chef Thomas Keller, so you can expect some seriously delicious cuisine with this line.
Viking Ocean Cruises has also enjoyed a lot of praise, with its Viking Orion winning Best New Luxury Ship from Cruise Critic.
And if you wanted an adult-only cruise line, there are plenty to choose from, including Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Windstar Cruises.
Solo travellers
Taking a voyage by oneself is increasingly popular, with many people making a lot of new friends on the high seas. Cruise Critic found Seabourn to be one of the best lines for a solo cruise.
For families/children
Cruise Critic ranks Royal Caribbean as best for kids' cruises, with its ships Anthem, Symphony, Harmony, Allure and Oasis of the Seas delivering a myriad of entertainment (crucial for children) and dining options. Finding a child-friendly cruise ship was once a real challenge, but now there are a wealth of lines catering to this lucrative demographic. Cruise critic also ranked Norwegian, Carnival and Disney as being very family-centric. The online publication tends to recommend newer ships because they have better facilities and more space for things like rock climbing walls and water parks - big hits with the nippers!
For seniors
It may seem a little unnecessary to divide cruise passengers into age groups, since surely a cruise ship is a cruise ship however old you are? Well, not quite. Some seniors want a cruise without screaming kids (see adult-only cruises above), while others might be less keen on trying adrenaline activities while on board. Viking River and Ocean Cruises targets over-50s and offers all-inclusive packages covering accommodation, food, drinks, port charges, internet access, port excursions and other activities. The River-based ships sail around Europe and Asia, while the Ocean-based ships offer round-the-world cruises and adventures along the Norwegian coast.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises, meanwhile, target over-55s and operates four all-suite ships which sail to 450 destinations around the world.
Best ships in various size categories
You could also choose a cruise line based on the size of ship you want to sail on. Some folk love the idea of a super-liner, while others like a smaller, more intimate ship. Conde Nast Traveller reckons that if you love large ships, you should pick the Holland America Line, which it ranks ahead of Cunard, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and P&O.
For smaller ships, Conde Nast gave Seabourn Cruise Lines a big thumbs up (aren't they doing well?), followed by Silverseas Cruises, Ponant, Viking and SeaDream Yacht Club.
A wealth of choice
As you can see, settling on which cruise line is ‘best' is by no means straightforward. But we can all agree on one thing: there has never been so much choice for those who fancy an adventure on the high seas!
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