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Nearly every cruise line offers a high standard of onboard service, but Holland America Line’s gracious crewmembers craft something truly special. Service is thoughtful and casually personal, with crewmembers remembering names and preferences. The genuine care and thought put in by each crewmember is what keeps Holland America’s loyal passengers coming back – and it’s exactly that atmosphere that keeps crews coming back year after year, too. Virgin perfected onboard entertainment in 2023, introducing fresh, eye-popping shows like Lola's Library and Persephone. The ship's 2023 Eastern Mediterranean itineraries match its beachy vibe, and the detox-retox atmosphere carries over to ports like Santorini and Mykonos, thanks to exceptionally generous shore time. It should fit in well Down Under, where it just redeployed for its inaugural season there.
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]
Best Luxury Experience for a Mainstream Cruise Line: MSC
Generally, these one-way sailings travel from Seward or Whittier (the cruise ports closest to Anchorage) to Vancouver (or vice versa). Most itineraries are seven nights, but you'll find a handful that are longer. Crew gratuities are included in the cruise fare, but tips for excursion tour guides on non-expedition cruises are not. Premium alcoholic beverages are included, as is Wi-Fi (premium speeds are only available in the upper suites).
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Meena Thiruvengadam is a lifelong traveler and veteran journalist who has visited more than 50 countries across six continents. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Departures, TripSavvy, and other publications. For dinner one night, I ordered the Cochinita Pibil, a traditional Mayan dish that originated in the Yucatán Peninsula in 400 AD, as Business Insider previously reported. The population of Haines remains less than 2,000, according to the United States Census Bureau, and it isn't yet as touristy as some of the other Alaskan ports, such as nearby Skagway. It's known for great fishing (salmon, halibut and trout) and an eagle preserve — because eagles know where the best fish can be found.
Best Alaska cruises for families with kids
If the family spends $3,200 for the trip, the insurance options range from $158 for basic insurance to $344 for a premium plan. 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. Extras like shore excursions and souvenirs can add up quickly, as can certain on-board activities.
Ships are small and intimate, with one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry. You’ll also be treated to exclusive dining options, including the acclaimed restaurant The Grill by Thomas Keller. “For the most part, luxury cruises appeal to a segment of travelers looking for similar experiences on land – more luxurious offerings, fewer crowds, and phenomenal activities. Luxury cruises tend to be longer than other cruises, so they appeal to guests who have ample time for vacation,” she adds. Finally, you'll find some round-trip San Francisco itineraries — usually 10 or 11 nights long — as well as longer sailings between San Francisco and Vancouver.
The food onboard Silversea’s fleet stands out among even the line’s luxury class competitors. While each ship has slight variations among its dining lineup, the one constant is the quality of the food, as it is inspired by the regions that the ships visit, including the line’s home country of Italy. Food on Ama ships is all included in the cruise fare, even the specialty dining Chef’s Table.
If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. Some lines also offer Alaska cruisetours that venture into Canada's Yukon, including a few Holland America tours that combine half a cruise with a cruisetour that starts or ends in Skagway. On a cruisetour, you'll sail on a one-way Gulf of Alaska cruise, so your cruise starts or ends in Alaska. Depending on the tour itinerary you choose, you might visit Seward and the Kenai Peninsula, Alyeska, Talkeetna, Anchorage and Fairbanks — as well as spend one to three nights in Denali National Park.
I stayed in a $2554 studio cabin on NCL Epic, and it was one of the best sailing experiences I ever had - Cruise Blog
I stayed in a $2554 studio cabin on NCL Epic, and it was one of the best sailing experiences I ever had.
Posted: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:15:58 GMT [source]
Carnival cruises may be low priced, but they’re high on guest satisfaction. The ships are packed with activities, from water slides to game shows to the thrilling SkyRide, a pedal-powered bike 150 feet above the top deck. There’s plenty to keep kids busy, so you can spend some guilt-free quiet time at the Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.
Travelers stay in one room for the entire trip while the boat travels from port to port. Cruisers enjoy lots of world-class amenities like restaurants, shows and water activities on board, and they also have the option to disembark and sightsee or participate in excursions when the ship docks. Another ship that sails the Galápagos, the Celebrity Flora, has 50 suites, many with large verandas, plus a stargazing deck and a fleet of comfortable tenders. The line’s “outer loop” also includes plenty of wildlife watching, plus a stop at the less-frequented Daphne Island. In addition to seeing penguins, polar bears and reindeer, travelers are surrounded by stunning landscapes on and off the ship.
In the top class of Queens Grill Suites, complimentary mini bars are stocked with soft drinks and two bottles of wine or spirits. While best known for its seven-night Trans-Atlantic crossings between London and New York and its 100-plus-night world cruises, Cunard’s fleet actually sails almost the entire globe aside from the Arctic and Antarctic. Cunard’s ships, Queen Mary 2 in particular, returns passengers to traditional ocean liners with her elegant Art Deco design and white-gloved service on a ship where afternoon tea is a grand affair.
That access makes it easy for first timers to cruise with Royal Caribbean from close to wherever they call home or to wherever they hope to explore. See the lines and ships that best represent excellence in ocean and luxury cruising, chosen by Cruise Critic's international team of editors. 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. We used an online cruise insurance marketplace to get a quote for a family of four (two adults and two kids) for a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas.
The vessel, which first debuted in 2021, represents an evolution in ship design for American Queen, with its cutting-edge X-Bow design (which helps reduce fuel burn) and chic suites, including many with private verandas. Choosing your cruise ship cabin or stateroom is an essential part of planning a dream cruise vacation. The right accommodation can enhance your cruise experience, providing you with a comfortable retreat after a day of adventure, but some choices may turn out to be an expensive mistake. Some activities are included in the cost of the cruisetour; other outings can be booked like shore excursions, depending on your interest and budget. If you're hoping to see the northern lights, booking a cruisetour in September might be your best bet to see the aurora on a cruise vacation. The waters before you enter the Inside Passage can be calm, rough or anything in between, depending on when you go.
If you worry about seasickness, an Inside Passage trip is the best Alaska cruise itinerary versus a sailing where your ship transits rougher, open waters. Alaska might be one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it's rugged and can be tricky to get around. Explore the Last Frontier by cruise ship, and you can travel to gold rush towns, glaciers, Alaska Native heritage sites and natural areas brimming with wildlife in comfort, even luxury. About Cruise CriticCruise Critic® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travellers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 650,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travellers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers.
Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunities to search for whales and eagles here; adventure-seekers won't want to miss the ZipRider, with its course of six zip lines. If you're interested in Alaska's gold rush history, Skagway — 90 miles northwest of Juneau — is a port you shouldn't miss. In fact, it's the gateway to the Klondike and Dawson mining district in Canada's Yukon territory, where prospectors searched for gold in the late 1890s.
In fact, travel insurance comparison site SquareMouth.com reported a 41% increase in the number of travelers taking cruises in 2022 compared with 2019. Cruising has come a long way, and now, rather than cookie-cutter ships and itineraries, the best cruise lines are offering options that appeal to a wide variety of travelers. There are mega ships that can hold almost 7,000 guests, and small ships geared toward a couple hundred guests or less. There are even expedition ships that allow you to get up close and personal with nature. The luxury cruise lines are your best bet if you're a couple and enjoy spacious suites, gourmet food, pampering (many luxe lines hire butlers to cater to every passenger) and the opportunity to meet other like-minded cruisers.
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