Which Cruise to Choose?

I often speak to clients, old and new who are wanting something “different” from their next trip and are looking for a little inspiration or advice on what to do/try. Whether it be an exotic long-haul adventure into the unknown, or something a little closer to home like a European city break. Lately I have spoken with quite a few of you who are thinking about venturing into the unknown and who would like to try a cruising holiday. Either as a single trip, or part of a larger itinerary with a stay on land as well as on the waves. When it comes to taking a cruise there really is a heck lot of choice! So many different cruise lines and destinations it’s hard to know where to start, so I thought it might be quite handy to put together a little guide on some of the top cruise lines and what they have to offer. You may be thinking of taking a cruise for the first time or indeed be an experienced cruiser that is thinking about trying another ship, cruise-line or destination - either way there is a cruise out there for you! I hope the below will give you a small insight as to what some cruise lines have to offer, and of course you can always call get in touch for more advice. P&O CRUISES P&O cruises currently have seven ships in their fleet: the newest being their flagship Britannia, launched in March 2015. I was lucky enough to be one of the Agents onboard for the inaugural sailing to take part in the celebrations so can recommend this ship first hand! Built for the British market with all outside cabins having a balcony, Britannia holds hold over 4000 passengers, with a crew to passenger ratio of 1:3. They are known for offering passengers Strictly Come Dancing at sea and for their celebrity chef Food Heroes on-board ships. They offer the mostly cruises out of Southampton, and many "mini cruises" where you can sample life onboard for 2-4 days before taking a longer sailing - ideal for first timers or those of you who are unsure about cruising. You would like P&O if • You like home comforts such as tea and coffee making facilities in your cabin and a “British” feel. • You wanted an adult only cruise, as you have the option to sail on one of the adult only ships - chose Arcadia or Oriana for this experience • You wanted to sail with children as you could enjoy one of the family friendly ships such as Aurora, Oceana, Ventura and Britannia Royal Caribbean Cruises Possibly the most well-known cruise line currently in the market. Royal Caribbean are always adding to their fleet, but currently have seven ship classes, with 25 ships in their fleet ranging from small to super-size! Their current largest ship, Symphony of The Seas can take up to 5,518 passengers with a crew to passenger ratio of 1:3. Don’t let this put you off, their ships may be big but there is plenty of space on board for everybody and with things like sky diving, bumper cars, surfing, rock climbing, ice skating and a full-size carousel on board some of their ships, there is plenty to do. The Independence of The Seas has been voted the UK’s favourite cruise line and has just had a multimillion pound makeover including new bars/restaurants and cabins and the very first trampoline park at sea! You would like Royal Caribbean if • You are a family and are looking to keep the kids entertained (the kids and teens clubs are amazing) • You want a more relaxed atmosphere on board - no compulsory formal nights • You like West End Show Productions and great entertainment • You are a first-time cruiser - there are lots of different ships, you will find one that suits you Cunard Cruises Cunard are very much a traditional "old school" cruise line, more liners than cruise ships. Think Titanic and Hollywood glamour in terms of formality, style and sophistication and you would be spot on. With a crew to passenger ratio of 1:2 the service is second to none! There are three exceptional ships in the fleet; Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and the flagship, Queen Mary 2. The QM2 was built specifically for transatlantic sailings (Southampton to New York) and this particular ship is the only one I am aware of that also has its own deck for dogs, with kennels, a full time “doggy” butler and you can visit your pooches at certain times during the day! I was fortunate to sail on the now retired QE2 during her heyday and have been onboard both the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria so again able to highly recommend these beautiful ships. As well as the transatlantic voyage, Cunard also operate world cruises in January, mini cruises and sailings from Southampton throughout the year. You would like Cunard Cruises if • You like formality and tradition • You like exceptional service • You like to dress up in the evenings - you will be right at home in black-tie on here • You can’t bear to be parted from your furry friend whilst on holiday (provided he/she has a passport of course) Celebrity Cruise Line 12, soon to be 13 award winning liners make up the fleet, which are divided into five classes. Each are fitted out to the highest standard, with stunning spaces designed by some of the world’s most famous architects and interior designers. Celebrity are what I would classify as a 4*+ cruise line. With a crew to passenger ratio of 1:2 they're a little bit classier than Royal Caribbean and Norwegian but not as formal or traditional as Cunard. With lots of speciality restaurants on board, Martini bars, wine bars and on some ships a lawn club with real grass to picnic! They are family friendly and do have kids and teen clubs onboard, however not so much as in comparison to the likes of Royal Caribbean. I would personally recommend this more for couples or groups of friends - they have some amazing itineraries. As well as Europe, Celebrity showcase a huge variety of destinations including Antarctica, The Galapagos, India, South Pacific, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Caribbean, Asia, and Alaska to name but a few. The newest ship which launched earlier this year, The Edge, is like nothing you have seen before! The first ship in this same name class is setting a new standard of luxury and innovation at sea. It's the first ship of its kind and features another first at sea, the incredible Magic Carpet – the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 storeys above sea level. You would like Celebrity if • You are a couple or travelling with a group of friends • You like to eat out in different restaurants • You love being pampered - Celebrity are home to the largest and most comprehensive spas at sea • You want to cruise to different destinations Norwegian Cruise Line NCL have 15 ships in their fleet and sail almost worldwide: Australia, Hawaii, South America, Alaska, Canada, Caribbean, Asia and of course in Europe. Built for freestyle, designed to give you freedom and flexibility there are no set dinner times, no dress codes, you do as you wish when you wish. Great entertainment on board including shows, comedy clubs, Ice bars, bowling alleys, water slides, kid’s clubs. With an approximate crew to passenger ratio of 1:2.5, they have recently gone all-inclusive so the price now includes all your drinks and the gratuities. Another great thing is that NCL were the first cruise line to build cabins specifically designed for solo travellers. Cruise lines are notorious for charging high single supplements but on a few of the NCL ships they have studio cabins that are very affordable. You would like NCL if • You are a solo cruiser • You are a couple or travelling with a group • You prefer a relaxed informal style of cruise • You are a family (lots for everyone to do) • You like to budget all your costs prior to your holiday (tips/drinks already included) Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Fred Olsen are a family run cruise line that have four ships. These ships are much smaller than other cruise lines and generally appeal to the older market. They are well known for their friendliness and levels of service. They sail from lots of ports in the UK including, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Liverpool, Newcastle, Southampton and Edinburgh making them very appealable to non-flyers, and sail all over the world including Europe, The Amazon, Indian Ocean, South Africa, Norwegian Fjords, The British Isles and many more. Crew to passenger ratio is 1:2.8 Each evening on most cruises there are hosted dance events, great if you are into ballroom dancing. There is entertainment and lots of guest speakers and lectures throughout the cruise. Because the ships are smaller you do feel like you are getting a more personal service, however if you are looking for lots of activities or to party all night then this wouldn’t be the cruise line for you. You would like Fred Olsen if • You are of an older generation or like things low-key • You like good service and a very friendly ship • You like to visit smaller ports of call (because the ships are smaller they can access places that the big ships can’t) • You want more choice of departure points from the UK • Can't/don't want to fly to pick up a sailing MSC Cruises MSC Cruises are a predominately Mediterranean cruise line. Including their newest ships there are currently 17 in the fleet and they sail mostly in the Med, The Caribbean, Dubai, Northern Europe and South America. You may have just seen the MSC Meraviglia on Channel 5 recently on Cruising with Jane McDonald. Like Royal Caribbean, the majority of these ships are big ones but again with lots to do on board including water slides and a bowling alley. MSC are a little different, being Mediterranean you will find that the food and entertainment reflect that, however they do have a ship called Magnifica which is sailing from Southampton this year to Northern Europe and this ship will have a more British feel, with tea and coffee making facilities in the cabins, British comedians and more British inspired food. You would like MSC Cruises if • You have a family with children (kid’s prices are normally very good with MSC) • You want to mix with lots of different nationalities • You want to visit lots of ports • You are price conscious (MSC are very competitively priced) • You drink – MSC have one of the best priced drinks packages at sea! Of course, the above list is not comprehensive and there are many other cruise-lines out there, but these are a few of the most popular and well known ones to whet your appetite.