What cruise liner do you recommend?

Question

Taking a cruise to the caribbean for 7-9 days and need to know which cruise line is the best

Answer 1

Your questions requires a long answer and then you will have to decide based on this information which is "better" for you.

If you have the money to spend for the very top and best cruise lines try Crystal, Radisson, Cunard, Windstar, and Silver Sea. These cruise lines are a cut above the others because they run smaller ships (about 500 to 700 passengers) and have a higher staff to passenger ratio so you get top of the line service. They also have more amenities included in the much higher price, like all veranda/balcony cabins, tubs and shower bathroom, larger cabins, daily free wine and/or champaign with meals, etc.

Prices for a 7 day cruise on these top of the line ships may start at $2500 to $3000 (vs about $700-800 on the next tier of ships.). These ships tend to have a more sophisticated and older crowd and more formal dining. So for two people you will spend $5 to $7 K for your cruise.

Most cruises are done by the next tier of cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, and Disney.. Most of the ships for these lines are now 1500 to 2500 passenger ships. The ships are big but things are so well managed that you really don't feel crowded on them. Prices on these ship can be as low as $800 for a 7 day inside cabin and about $1200 for a balcony cabin. So on these ships for two you may spend $1,500 to $2 K for your cruise.

Carnival is the fun ship, has lower priced cruises, but their accommodations are not the best. Carnival is the party cruise line that most young folks and first time cruisers take (ages 20 to 35) who want to party, party, party. If that’s what you are looking for then Carnival is the one for you.

Disney has good ships but is primarily for kids, and families with kids. It does have adults only areas on ship, but the kids are still there on ship. They will have lots of kids’ activities on the ships, but they will still be all over the hallways, elevators and dining facilities.

If you are interested in things for kids, most cruise lines like RC, Norwegian, Princess, Carnival and Celebrity all have programs and staffs for kids. Some ships even have specials areas for kids only.

Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity, and Norwegian tend to have people who have cruised many times and are in the 40 and over age group; a more reserved crowd. All of these cruise lines may also have some kids but not many. That does not mean these cruises are dull, it just means that the passengers are more mature and reserved. You will find the 40+ crowd in the bars and disco and having as good a time as the youngsters, but you may not hear them across the room or deck.

Another important factor to consider is, cruises going to the Caribbean tend to have more young folks than those going to Alaska, Panama, the Mediterranean, the Baltic, or South America. People who go to the Caribbean are looking for fun things like beaches, jet skiing, snorkeling and scuba diving, para-sailing, and a lot of other activities related to water and beaches. On the other hand, people who go to Alaska, Panama, the Mediterranean, etc., are looking for cultural and historic activities. So you have to pick a cruise that is best for you based on what you want to do.

Answer 2

Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise lines to me are the best.

email if you need help planning your trip.

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Answer 3

I have been on both carnival and royal caribbean and definitely recommend royal caribbean. The ships are more up to date than carnival, and they have more free onboard activities than carnival ships. Also the food is a lot better and the staff very friendly.

Answer 4

My recommendation is Carnival.  A lot of people will tell you it is a party boat full of drunks.  Most of them have never been on a Carnival cruise.  I have never run into this.  I see a lot of people on vacation having fun.  They also have some of the largest staterooms.  The inside rooms are 187 sq ft.  On the Sovereign of the Seas, their inside room is 117 sq ft.  We are able to fit four people comfortably in one room.

The food is excellent as well as the service.  They have well planned activities, and you can do as much or as little as you want.  

Ultimately, price wins every time.  I booked a seven day Western Caribbean cruise for Sept for under $1400 for four people, by booking early and taking advantage of past guest discounts.  

We have never had a bad cruise with them, and have never had to pay a lot for our vacation.

Answer 5

Disney. I have been on 3 disney cruises and I am going on my 4th soon in november. Do not listen to all these people saying it is just for kids and it is annoying with tons of kids on there. Trust me on this, they are completely wrong. There are so many things to do on there for adults. When you go on there, you forget about any kids on there, and just have a great time. It has a very nice spa, 3 bars, an adult only restauraunt with an Italian theme to it. May I also add that there are wine, beer, and liquor tasting for adults on there also. The list goes on for things for adults to do. If you have kids, you can just assume that there are tons of things for kids and teens to do on there.

Answer 6

You will find as many answers to this question as there are cruiselines. I prefer Princess, but I am on a budget and have itinerary preferences. I also won't go on a ship with less than a 4.5 star rating.  I start my research on vacationstogo.com I put in where I want to go and how many days. You can also sort by price or ports. Then I compare prices with other sites and TAs. I stay flexible when it comes to which line. The only bad cruise is the one I'm not on. LOL

Answer 7

I just came back from the bookstores Borders as well Barnes and Noble.  The latest Cruise magazine is out which I found informative.  But back in the Travel section, I found the book "Cruising for Dummies" which I actually found to be a great source of information on all the major curise lines and specific ships.

Also, check out the www.cruisecritic.com website where they have similar reviews on each cruise line, each cruise ships from both professional travelers as well as commentary/reviews/blogs on frequent traveler adventures.

Good Luck

Answer 8

I have gone on Royal Caribbean many times and always find them to be amazing. I will be cruising with Carnival at the end of July and we'll see how that goes . Dont worry theres plenty of fresh air to avoid the smokers...some people are too darn anal!! (see 1st post) Go on rccl.com for prices.

Have fun!!

Answer 9

None of them.

I'll take a cruise when there's a ship without smokers.