Cruise Guide: Reviews and Tips
Big ship? Small ship? Adventure expedition? Luxury yacht? River cruise?
Cruise writing is one of our specialties, and we’ve sailed on more than 60 voyages now.
This guide rounds up our cruise reviews and articles – all neatly organized – to help you choose the right cruise for you.
So hop aboard, pick up some expert cruising tips and explore cool cruise ports along the way.
Bon voyage!
Contents: Cruise travel guide
Gone are the days of one-size-cruising-fits-all. Now there are cruises to suit everyone’s style!
Quick look at some cruises we’ve enjoyed
Our latest cruise posts
A Quiet Season Mediterranean Cruise? 7 Reasons to Go!
What’s it like to cruise the Mediterranean in the quiet season? Initially, we had some doubts about the weather. But sunny days, fewer crowds, easy sightseeing and authentic experiences have turned us into fans.
Food on Viking Ocean Cruises: Our Favorite Restaurants and Bites
What’s the food like on Viking Ocean Cruises? We dish on our favorite onboard bites and restaurants (hello Manfredi’s!) and share a few minor critiques too.
Viking Ocean Cruises Review: Insights From Three Voyages
What makes Viking Ocean Cruises some of the world’s best? The all-balcony staterooms? The freebies? The spa’s snow grotto? We uncover it all in our honest review.
Why Take a River Cruise? 7 Reasons to Hop Aboard Now!
We’re riverholics. We love river cruises for many reasons. For one, river ships are small. Shore excursions are usually included too. And you get to see and do a lot ashore! Indeed, we know at least 7 irresistible reasons to take a river cruise.
Types of cruises
Ultra-luxury cruises
What makes a cruise a “luxury cruise”?
Luxury cruises redefine opulence on the sea.
They offer personalized service, gourmet dining and spacious, elegant suites. Ship sizes are smaller (with fewer passengers), and they have intimate crew-to-passenger ratios, so can offer truly personalized service.
Rates include complimentary fine wines and premium spirits, reflecting their all-inclusive approach to luxury.
What sets luxury cruises apart is their attention to detail – from curated shore excursions to gourmet dining – ensuring a truly bespoke and exclusive voyage.
We’ve written about these ultra-luxury cruises
Let’s start with Seabourn Cruise Line. Unlimited French champagne and caviar? It’s all included!
Ships are typically small. The Seabourn Odyssey, for example, carries 462 passengers.
Or go French. Ponant is a lovely French line, where the French touch is uber-classy.
Crystal Cruises is another high-end cruise line, known for its great service and the only Nobu restaurant at sea.
We haven’t written about Silversea, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and SeaDream Yacht Club yet, but they also fall in the ultra-luxury cruise category.
Affordable luxury cruises
Then there are what we call “affordable luxury” cruises.
What are affordable luxury cruises?
These cruise lines offer a more elevated dining experience, superior service, enhanced amenities and greater personal attention compared to mainstream cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Princess Cruises.
But their rates remain more affordable than those of the most luxurious cruise lines.
Affordable luxury cruises lines we’ve covered
- Viking Ocean Cruises – Smallish all-suite ships (930 passengers), offering a free shore excursion in each port, delicious dining and complimentary house wines at lunch and dinner
- Windstar Cruises – A leader in small-ship cruising, with ships carrying just 148 to 350 passengers each
- Oceania Cruises – Known as one of the best cruise lines for great food
River cruises
What’s a river cruise about?
River cruises offer scenic travel along inland waterways, with smaller ships that dock directly in historical city centers.
They typically include guided tours, local cuisine and a relaxed pace. With fewer passengers, river cruises provide a more personalized and culturally immersive experience than larger ocean-going cruises.
Indeed, there are many irresistible reasons to take a river cruise!
River cruises we’ve covered
Scenic (an Australian-based company) offers some of the world’s best river cruises.
Want to discover the historic riches of Normandy on a Seine River cruise? The scenes are a kaleidoscope of castles, gardens, artist studios and museums – all explored from a Scenic “space ship” with cool sun-room balconies.
If you’re itching to go bicycling on a river cruise, check out these great cycling cruises.
For something totally exotic, an Irrawaddy River cruise in Myanmar (Burma) can’t be beat.
Sailing cruises
We love Star Clippers for their sailing cruises.
Feel the wind in your hair when you sail (yes, really sail!) the Caribbean with Star Clippers. The unspoiled islands are a treat too. (Hello Iles des Saintes!)
And have you considered a chartering a yacht? Private yacht charters aren’t just for the rich and famous anymore.
Popular mid-size to large ship cruises
We’ve now cruised several times with (and written about) Holland America Line.
Along with Celebrity Cruises, they rank at the top of the mainstream cruise line category, i.e., above Princess, NCL, Carnival, etc. (We found the specialty restaurants on HAL’s Rotterdam ship especially enticing.)
Their ships range from mid-size (1,400 passengers) to the smaller end of the large scale (2,668 passengers).
Adventure cruises
UnCruise Adventures is all about, you guessed it, adventure cruising!
Their small ship cruises focus on taking you off-the-beaten-path and out into the wilderness. Expect lots of hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and Zodiac excursions!
Maybe you’d like to explore hidden Hawaii on this UnCruise Hawaii adventure?
One-of-a-kind cruises
If you’re looking to explore the remote corners of the world on a unique cruise, you’ll love the following!
Indonesian sailing cruise
Beaches, scuba diving and, oh my, Komodo dragons!
You’re sailing Indonesia on a luxurious 10-guest phinisi.
Fiji yacht cruise
Or you could cruise Fiji on a small barefoot-and-bikini yacht. Maybe try kava, Fiji’s potent traditional beverage?
The Yasawa Islands are totally idyllic.
African river boat
And there’s nothing like an African river safari on the Zambezi Queen. This boutique houseboat gets you up-close-and-personal with elephants galore.
Where do you want to go on your cruise?
French Polynesia
Cruising French Polynesia is a delightful way to explore the 118-island South Pacific nation. Ships are small and usually couples-oriented.
The best Tahiti cruises are offered by Windstar Cruises and on the Paul Gauguin ship.
With its gorgeous turquoise lagoon and necklace of idyllic motus, Bora Bora, in particular, oozes romance.
And there are tons of fun things to do in Bora Bora – from shopping for pearls to snorkeling with sharks.
Maybe combine a cruise with a stay in a dreamy overwater bungalow in Bora Bora? Perfect for a honeymoon or other special occasion…
Northern Europe
Cruise from Stockholm to Bergen on an epic Viking Homelands cruise in the Baltic. (Fabulous fjords, anyone?)
Morocco
Snake charmers? Harems? Discover what it’s like to visit Morocco on a cruise.
Alaska
Go wild on an Alaska UnCruise adventure cruise! (Think kayaking, hiking and SUP boarding.)
Egypt
A leisurely Nile River cruise is the ultimate way to explore Egypt’s amazing temples and tombs.
Costa Rica and Panama
This Costa Rica cruise immerses you in all of nature’s awe! Bonus: Squeezing through the Panama Canal.
Canary Islands
See the secret side of the Canaries on this Canary Island cruise.
Hike UNESCO-listed parks, explore one of the most beautiful villages in Spain and taste sweet Malmsey wine.
Practical cruise tips
So you want the deluxe perks associated with small ship cruising (a suite, fine dining, lovely wines). But also big ship amenities (a range of specialty restaurants, great musical theater shows).
Say hello to the ship-within-a-ship concept – or VIP cruising on a big ship.
What about cruising the Mediterranean in the quiet season? Is November a good time to go? (Spoiler alert: It was for us!)
Also check out these nifty tips to spice up your cruise. Like… Take your folding bicycle!
Cruise gratuities
How much should you tip on a cruise? Here’s the scoop on cruise gratuities for many popular cruise lines.
Cruise drinks packages
Are any of the Holland America drinks packages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) worth getting?
Here’s everything you want to know about the bar menu on Viking Cruises.
What’s the cost of drinks on Star Clippers? And what’s on the bar menu?
Cool ports-of-call
Antarctica
It doesn’t get any cooler than cruising to Antarctica! The icebergs in Antarctica are bigger than buses (some are even bigger than fallen skyscrapers).
And there are many cute and playful types of Antarctic penguins. (We particularly loved taking photos of the adorable Adelies.)
Berlin
Is it crazy to spend one day in Berlin? Or not…
Old San Juan
Check out the top things to do in colorful Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Vancouver
Rent a bike and go bicycling around Stanley Park.
Philipsburg
Dock in Philipsburg, and you can spend the day airplane spotting at Maho Beach, racing an America’s Cup sailboat or hanging out at Orient Beach.
Come to think of it, there are oodles of fun things to do in St. Maarten and St. Martin!
More information
See our article on the world’s best new cruise ships.
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Our top travel tips and resources
Hotels: Booking.com is perfect for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Cruises: CruiseDirect offers amazing deals on cruises (including Holland America, Viking Ocean Cruises, Seabourn and other lines we’ve reviewed).
Flights: To book the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets may be non-refundable.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.
eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
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