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Ships' staterooms are thoughtfully designed, and cruises are inclusive of things like excursions and drinks at mealtimes. Viking’s expansion – including to places like the Mississippi River and Egypt – means there’s an itinerary for everyone. If you've ever dreamed of having your own butler, Silversea is the luxury cruise line for you. In fact, Silversea's butlers take white-glove service to a whole new level — they'll handle your laundry with more care than you do, scour port towns to find your favorite tastes of home, and even help you pack and unpack your suitcase. Further, Silversea's new culinary program, nicknamed S.A.L.T. (for Sea and Land Taste), brings the taste of destinations on board through cooking classes. Of course, there's no need to cook for yourself aboard a Silversea ship, as each one features several restaurants with multi-course menus to whet your appetite every night.
Best for Budget Travelers: Carnival
Onboard amenities include a fitness center, a Sky Deck with a whirlpool and shade system, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and a self-serve beverage station. The Avalon Choice program allows cruisers to customize the details of their experience, ensuring each vacation is a perfect fit. Whether it's a river or an ocean you want to cruise, Scenic can take you there in style. On board, you'll find fine dining, expansive spas and fitness facilities, and butler service. Carnival’s low fares and fun amenities make it a popular choice for those looking for a quick, affordable cruise (although it also offers longer trips to Europe, Australia and more). Its ships cater to travelers looking for an entertaining, exciting getaway — with an emphasis on pools, waterslides, mini-golf and karaoke, plus comedy shows, casino games and nightclubs for adults.
Edition: Expert Insights, New Ships, and Sustainability
Instead, Virgin scouts acts from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and works with underground theaters in NYC to create something all-new at sea. Intimate venues quite literally immerse passengers in some shows, and the effortlessly diverse casts further the line's come-as-you-are ethos. Expect drag queens, Greek mythology, existential gameshows and quite a bit of skin. Virgin perfected onboard entertainment in 2023, introducing fresh, eye-popping shows like Lola's Library and Persephone.
Best for Customer Satisfaction: Disney
Whether you’re with friends, a significant other or your family, you’re bound to have a good time, with minimum damage to your wallet. By definition, small ships hold fewer than 1200 passengers, usually making the cruise experience more intimate with more individualized service. They range from seven to 15 nights and visit destinations in 16 states; itineraries take you through the colonial-heritage-rich Northeast, America's agricultural heartland and the pioneer routes of the Pacific Northwest. Whether you're fascinated by American history, culture and cuisine, or you've enjoyed river cruising in Europe but are now looking to explore closer to home, U.S. river cruises are an easy and enjoyable vacation option.
Complementing the itinerary will be gourmet Pacific Northwest cuisine and more than 40 regional wines curated by an onboard culinary team. A naturalist, historian and geologist will be on hand to guide you on excursions by foot, kayak, Zodiac and jet boat. In The Dalles, you can enjoy a sommelier-led tasting of Columbia Valley wines, visit Multnomah Falls or get adventurous on a river kayak tour. During a call on Richland, Washington, you can admire the scenic beauty around the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers at Sacajawea State Park.
Best Dining
Get to know the best cruise ships in a variety of categories, based on member review ratings for cruises taken in the last year. While most cruises are on the ocean, some lines (like Viking) offer trips in smaller vessels that cruise along rivers. These tend to be quieter and attract an older clientele compared to a mainstream ocean cruise. These are some of the most popular itineraries because of their accessibility, affordability and wide variety of activities.
Viking Cruises is a river and ocean cruise line that recently added expedition sailings and the Great Lakes trips to its repertoire. "T+L readers rave about the consistency of Viking's vessels and their Scandinavian design," cruise expert Fran Golden reported when Viking once again topped T+L's World's Best Awards last year. Viking came in at No. 1 in T+L's best mid-size ship category and river cruise category. Golden said the WBA Hall of Fame honoree's 50 river "longships" are "light-filled floating boutique hotels." When this luxury cruise line says it's all-inclusive, it's not overstating.
What are the best cruise lines of 2024 for every traveler? - Cruise Blog
What are the best cruise lines of 2024 for every traveler?.
Posted: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Suess at Sea keep kids and teens entertained, while the Punchliner Comedy Club offers up laughs. Included and specialty dining both shine, with plenty of options for everyone. While many apps at sea are still finding their footing, Royal Caribbean's delivers an experience that is seamless and fun. Gone are the days when a Pride Month advertisement and sparsely attended LGBTQ+ gathering were the norm. Virgin Voyages has blasted away the competition by providing a naturally inclusive cruise where LGBTQ+ people are visible from the moment you board.
There are also three excellent dedicated kids' spaces for three different age ranges. Connecting staterooms and Family Suites make it easy to keep an eye on the kids while enjoying some privacy. There's not a bad seat in the house in the Theatre, featuring state-of-the-art floor projection technology to immerse cruisegoers in acrobatic performances with stunning visuals, as well as Broadway and West End musical sets. The Club hosts gaming, live DJs and various evening productions, or stop by the Jazz Joint hosting belting jazz vocalists, dancers and specialty acts. Virgin Voyages is light-years ahead of the pack when it comes to cruise entertainment.
Disney ships’ family-oriented experiences — like character meet-and-greets and themed dinners — keep the line a perennial favorite among family travelers. Royal Caribbean International ranks second with its diverse onboard amenities and dining options. Carnival Cruise Line, a tenured name often celebrated for its water parks and family-friendly activities, rounds out the top three. River cruisers in Europe will find the largest standard staterooms and suites aboard Avalon’s fleet of luxurious ships.
We made our picks with the understanding that no single cruise is the best choice for every type or traveler or every type of trip — each cruise line has strengths and weaknesses, and our aim is to highlight the strengths that differentiate the winners. We only evaluated major lines with trips that depart from the United States – hence, we excluded such companies as Virgin Voyages, Cunard, Azamara and Silversea Cruises. The minimum age requirement to go on cruises varies depending on the cruise line and itinerary. Typically, passengers traveling alone must be at least 21 years old on the day of embarkation. You can expect to spend between 4% to 10% of your trip cost for cruise travel insurance.
Three of the ships — American Melody, American Symphony and American Serenade — are 180-passenger modern river ships launched in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. The fourth, American Splendor, is a 180-passenger paddlewheeler that debuted in 2016. News & World Report stand as a testament to the sector’s diverse offerings and innovations.
We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. “And if someone has cruised before–or considers themselves an avid cruiser–we hope this list helps introduce them to new options, whether an entirely new line or new possibilities offered by some of their favorites. These are the best cruise lines in the world, according to the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards. Cruise the Hudson round-trip from New York City on American Cruise Lines' seven-night Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise.
French luxury cruise line Ponant aims to make passengers feel as if they're traveling on their own private yachts. Guests enjoy Ladurée macarons, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, and luxurious Hermès bath products on board. Each of the company's ships features an onboard spa with massage cabins and either a Turkish bath or sauna. Ponant's luxurious small ships sail to remote destinations like Antarctica, incorporating once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as eclipse spotting from the edge of the earth. Norwegian Cruise Line has proved it’s the clear leader when it comes to solo travelers. Cabins are cleverly designed, proving efficiency doesn’t have to be boring.
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