Not all cruise lines are worth cruising on
right now, while others are really on the top of their game. Get ready to discover which lines I think
are today’s smart cruising choice category by category. If you’re new here, welcome aboard. I'm Gary Bembridge. It's my goal to make it fun and easy to discover,
plan and enjoy unforgettable cruise vacations. There are four distinct categories in ocean
cruising. Let's start with the category that more passengers
cruise on than any other. The mass appeal, resort, value for money cruising
segment. It’s got a lot going on, and one line stands
out more than the others. In this category are the lines with large
and mega ships carrying 3,000, 4,000 or more passengers. I can usually find a balcony cabin on these
cruise lines for between $100 and $200 per person per night, particularly in regions
like the Caribbean. These lines aim to create a bustling resort
experience that appeals to a very wide range of passengers as they must fill these huge
ships week after week. They have loads of facilities, attractions
like waterparks, rock climbing walls, and rides and daily program activities for kids,
teens, and adults of all ages. The activities are high energy and active. There are loads of different things to do
day and night. There is also a wide range of cabins on these
lines catering for all budgets, from inside to some of the biggest and most expensive
suites at sea. Some of them have created ships-within-the-ship
to create closed off neighborhoods for certain types of cruisers. Like the Yacht club on MSC Cruises with card-controlled
access for premium guests only, which contains all the suites, dedicated restaurant, bar,
and pool deck. The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line is the
same. They also have an access-controlled Solo travellers
Studio area with dedicated lounge and solo cabins. When it comes to fares, as I mentioned, I
am usually able to get a balcony cabin, depending on the time of the year and region, between
$100 to $200 per person per night. But once on board, there's lots of extras. Gratuities, drinks, Wi-Fi, speciality dining,
and from some of the activities and events. I easily spend another $100 to $200 a day
on board. When it comes to places that these lines go
to, it's limited, because these ships are big and need ports that can receive these
big beasts and have enough excursions and infrastructure to cope with and keep the wide
range of travellers entertained. So, they tend to focus on the 3 main cruising
regions of the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and to lesser degree Alaska. What lines are in this group to consider? The 4 biggest lines, in terms of passengers
carried, are in this group: Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line,
and MSC Cruises. In my view, P&O Cruises are shifting into
big mega ship wide appeal cruising are more in this category than before. So, what is the must-do of line? I believe, based on my experience, that is
Norwegian Cruise Line. They not only cater for a wide range of travellers
across the ship, but the areas within the ship, like The Haven for people who want to
have a premium exclusive suite experience and Solo Studio are travellers are appealing
options for those seeking that. While they have attractions, like Go-Karts
and Laser Tag on their bigger ships, their strength in my view comes in entertainment
and choice on board. They have full-on Broadway, West End and Vegas
shows, like Six, Rock of Ages, Priscilla Queen of The Desert, Choir of Man, Burn the Floor
and not simply cruise line created revue shows, included in the fare. They created and lead on the “freestyle
cruising” concept, which means there's lots of choice. There’s usually over 20 restaurants, 20
bars, and the ships themselves are stylish, modern and feel premium. Not brash and glitzy. The other very close choice is Royal Caribbean. They are the master of the mega ship. Their ships are enormous like their new ship,
the Wonder of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world that can carry 5,900 double
occupancy, but up to 6,900 when kids sharing cabins with parents. If you are more interested in attractions,
then they are the smarter choice. The ships are enormous which means they have
the space for bigger water parks, and ice rinks, water shows, flow riders, indoor skydiving
and so on. What if you want something less high energy,
more traditional and calling on a wider range of destinations - but without too much more
cost? Then premium, the classic cruise experience
is the category for you. And here there is also a standout line. On this category of lines, I usually pay roughly
double for a balcony cabin than in the previous category. Between $200 and $400 per person per night. Their ships are smaller, ranging from about
2,000 up to over 3,000 passengers. They have a more traditional classic cruise
experience and daily program of activities. They do not have those resort attractions
and facilities on board. It’s focused on dining, bars, enrichment
talks and events and activities like trivia, quizzes, deck games and smaller scale song
and dance production shows. It's more sedate than the previous category. Although on accommodation they also have inside
cabins through to suites, trying to attract a wide budget range of traveller looking for
a more classic and less resort cruise. Also like the previous category, there is
usually a lot of the same extras to the fare once on board. However, there is a trend in this category
to shift to more all-inclusive fares. Celebrity has “Always Included” fares
with gratuities, Wi-Fi and drinks, and others like Princess and Holland America give me
the option now of bolting on an all-inclusive option. These lines also call on more diverse places
than the previous category. Many run world voyages or have exotic voyages
down to South America, around Africa or parts of Asia. They cover all the main territories: Alaska,
Mediterranean, the Caribbean, but they do go further afield. Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland
America, Cunard, and even Disney falls into this category in my view, and also the new
entrant, Virgin Voyages, with their modern take on this classic premium experience. For me, the must do line here is Holland America,
which offers a classic experience. It is the most sedate in many respects, but
has a phenomenal music walk, covering four different music venues plus the main theatre,
Rolling Stone Rock Room, Lincoln Centre Stage, Billboard Onboard, BB King's Blues Club. They have a great interpretation of a classic
experience and good food. However, the must do, if you want a more upbeat
dynamic version, is Celebrity. They have interesting new ships with the Edge
class. They have the same classic cruising program
as Holland America, but with more modern take. Of course, Virgin Voyages is an even more
modern interpretation, but still finding its feet and moving along way. So, the smart choice right now is Holland
America and Celebrity I feel. Many people will argue Cunard Queen Mary 2
Transatlantic is a must-do. Which it is. But that is an itinerary rather than a whole
line choice. The others can take you more places more often
right now. But what if you find this category ship too
big still, and have a bit more money to spend? This next category is my favourite, the luxury
small ship experience. This is a step above the premium ships, and
they cost between $400 and $500 per person per day for a balcony cabin. These have small ships, ranging from 200 passengers
up to about 1,200 passengers. They’re a bit like staying in a boutique
hotel while the premium category I mentioned earlier are more like smart big hotels in
a chain. It’s a smaller, more intimate experience
and still a traditional cruise experience, but on a smaller and dialed down scale, with
much more emphasis on enrichment. Port talks, cooking classes, artwork classes
and that kind of stuff. The cabins are less predictable here. Some of the lines have inside cabins, some
have very few balcony cabins and more Oceanview and some, like Viking, only balcony and suites. As I mentioned, the fares are higher than
the premium lines, but more is included though within that, like speciality dining, some
drinks and one, Viking, even includes an excursion in every port. So, on a day-by-day basis, I sometimes find
it’s not that much more expensive than the premium lines like Holland America and Celebrity
in the end. When it comes to itineraries, they have more
diverse itineraries, and they cover large parts of the globe. Many have world voyages. They tend to not repeat itineraries. Even if they're in the Caribbean, they'll
keep doing different islands on each itinerary. They’re able to call on smaller, more out
of the way ports. The lines to be considered here include Viking,
Oceania Cruises, Windstar, Azamara, and Saga in the UK. For me, the must do is Oceania. The reason I chose Oceania is, they offer
two distinct options. I can have the even smaller experience with
their R-class ships, which take about 695 passengers. And then they have the bigger ships like Marina
Riviera, and the new Vista, which take 1,200, which is a good transition from the larger
premium line ships as similar choice of venues but less lines and crowds. Their big focus is on dining. They claim to have the finest cuisine at sea,
and they do have incredible food, very high levels of service. Viking is the other very strong contender. They have beautiful new ships. All of the ships are exactly the same and
they're incredibly consistent. So, no matter which ship you go on, anywhere
in the world, it is basically going to look the same, feel the same, and they have great
dining, with lots of inclusions. And I would say both Oceania and Viking have
probably two of the best afternoon teas at sea. The other plus with Viking is it is an adults
only ship. You must be over 18. There is another very exclusive category,
that is costly. Making it even more critical to make a smart
choice in. This is the ultra-luxury category. And here you pay significantly more - at least
$700 to $800 plus per person per night for their entry level balcony suite. That’s 7 to 8 times more than on the resort
mass category ships like Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian. The ships carry around 500 to 600 passengers,
and all cabins are considered suites. So, that’s also why you find that big leap
up in price. In this category, many have butlers, it is
an incredibly personalised service and very plush decor. The attention to detail and the quality of
everything is very high. Due to the size of the ships, while the entry
level balcony is considered a suite, it is more like a large balcony cabin in size in
the other categories, and I can book one of the much bigger suites on both the mass and
premium ships for the same price or less. The itineraries tend to lean towards the exotic
or going to interesting out of the way places. Many have world voyages. They cover most areas of the world, even skirting
around places like Antarctica. The lines to consider here are Seabourn, Silversea,
Regent Seven Seas. Crystal used to be in this category before
their troubles. Also lines like Hapag-Lloyd from Germany,
and new entrants like Ritz-Carlton Yacht Club. What is the must do line? This is one I find incredibly difficult. Most people choose Regent Seven Seas Cruises,
because they usually have the best, most personalised, formal, and detailed on-board experience. And importantly, they have more inclusions,
not only dining, drinks, but multiple excursions included within the fare, pre-cruise hotel
stays and transfers. For me, the must do is Seabourn. I find Seabourn ships beautiful. They have great service and great food. But I like the more informal and personal
approach over the more formal. It's hard to really put your finger on about
these experiences once in the ultra-luxury category and it ends up being all about atmosphere
and style of service. Four categories and over 30 cruise lines to
consider. Those are the ones right now that I think
make a smart choice. Are there any lines that I would avoid? Yes, and that is a topic for another day and
another video! If you want to find out a little bit more
about the lines that I have recommended as must use, look at this playlist where I have
in-depth videos about each of those lines, starting with the one line that I, of all
the lines, if I could only ever go on one line again which it would be. See you over there.
