No matter how amazing cruise ships are, it is the destination that most people start with when choosing their holiday at sea. Whether you are looking for winter sun in the Caribbean, island-hopping in the Canaries, or close encounters with penguins in Antarctica, you can do it all and more on a cruise.
Once you have decided where to go, it’s time to pick a ship. The choice is huge, and it’s important to get it right because once you board, there’s no turning back.
If you’re overwhelmed with choice, these are the questions you should ask yourself to narrow down your search criteria and get you closer to booking your ideal holiday at sea.
How big is the ship?
Cruise ships come in all shapes and sizes, and different lines offer different styles of cruising. If you like to people watch, you can join 7,000 other guests on Royal Caribbean International’s Icon or Star of the Seas. However, if the thought of that many people fills you with horror, look to Holland America Line or Celebrity Cruises, where the biggest ships hold fewer than 3,500.
Still too big? Explora Journeys and Viking keep numbers at just a tad under 1,000, while Hebridean Island Cruises’ Hebridean Princess, famously the late queen’s favourite line, holds just 50 guests.
The Tiree Lounge, with its intimate bar, is the social focal point of the Hebridean Princess
Then there are options such as MSC Cruises’ swanky Yacht Club, which offers the small-ship vibe but with big ship entertainment and restaurant.
The size of the ship will inevitably be narrowed by external forces – primarily your desired destination. Bear in mind that big ships can only get into a few ports, so they might not go everywhere you would like. For example, if penguins are calling in Antarctica, an expedition ship with no more than 500 passengers is a must; any bigger and you can’t go ashore.
How much will it cost?
The budget is an unavoidable consideration, although buying purely based on price could be a costly mistake – leading to the first and last cruise you ever take.
Prices vary wildly, from thousands of pounds for a week afloat with luxury lines such as Seabourn and Scenic, to a few hundred with MSC Cruises and Ambassador. But remember that what you get for your money varies from line to line, too, with different inclusions wrapped into the ticket price.
Take Seabourn: sailings aboard the luxury line’s sparkling new ships include drinks, tips, speciality dining and Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, if you opt to sail with Ambassador, whose vessels are older, all of those items cost extra. Each package will suit a different type of traveller. The important thing is to pick what is right for you.
What is life like on board?
If fixed dining (same time, same table, same neighbours) and dressing for dinner appeal, put P&O Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines on the list. All have a few formal nights per cruise when a tux, tie and cocktail dresses are recommended attire for the dining room. Cunard also offers two formal ‘gala nights’ on its transatlantic crossings.
Balmoral is the smallest ship in the Fred Olsen fleet; the Ballindalloch restaurant is a focal point
Prefer going casual on holiday? Norwegian Cruise Line axed dress codes and fixed dining 25 years ago, and most mass-market lines have followed suit. Holland America Line has a couple of ‘dressy’ evenings each week, but there’s no pressure to join in.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises goes with ‘elegant casual’ evenings and open dining because luxury means never being told what to wear or where to sit.
How do you feel about flying?
Some people love to fly. If that’s not you, no problem. Lots of cruise lines have voyages from and returning to the UK. It couldn’t be easier. Simply drive to the port, check in, get on board, and lunch will be waiting.
The Norwegian fjords and Baltic in summer, and the Canary Islands in winter, are among the favourite cruises departing from UK ports. If you want to go transatlantic, voyages between Southampton and New York on Cunard’s liner Queen Mary 2 are popular.
Those with a month – or four – to spare can even go to the Caribbean or sail around the world without once setting foot in an airport.
Most no-fly cruises depart from Southampton, although you can also sail from Dover, Portsmouth (Saga), Newcastle, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Rosyth, Tilbury and Bristol (Ambassador and Fred Olsen).
Can I take the family?
Get youngsters on the right ship and they’ll have a ball. The best cruises for families have water parks and non-stop activities, as well as clubs for children and teens that offer video games, scavenger hunts, discos and more – all free of charge.
There are water coasters and princess makeovers on Disney Cruise Line ships, roller-coasters on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, Celebration and Jubilee, and sky-diving simulators and dodgems on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum, Anthem, Ovation, Odyssey and Spectrum of the Seas.
Disney Cruise Line ships are designed to be family-friendly – Disney Cruise Line
Ever wondered what a Slidecoaster is? Take the children on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Prima, Viva and Aqua to find out – just don’t expect to see them for the rest of the holiday!
Can I avoid the family?
Viking, Virgin Voyages and Saga are the names to consider if cruising with children doesn’t appeal – they ban youngsters from all their ships (you have to be aged 50 or over to sail with Saga).
Ambassador’s ships Ambience and Ambition are also adults-only on all but a handful of summer cruises in 2026 (from 2027, they will be 100 per cent child-free).
Children are also barred from Marella Cruises’ Marella Explorer 2 and P&O ships Aurora and Arcadia.
Do I have to pay a solo supplement?
HX Expeditions is among a handful of lines that offer deals scrapping the single supplement every now and then, so keep an eye out for savings. Better still, sign up with a cruise agent as they’ll get the deals first and can then alert customers.
Tauck is ahead of the curve and has now axed single supplements on lower-deck cabins on all of their European river cruises; if you don’t mind a room with a high-fixed window, it’s a great offer.
Saga Cruises is one of few lines that price single cabins individually – Saga Cruises
Sadly, many lines still charge supplements, meaning that solo travellers often end up paying double. However, Saga, Fred Olsen and Crystal are among a few lines that have started to price single cabins individually.
Solo travellers will still pay more per person than those sharing an equivalent cabin, but it’s not quite so expensive.
About our expert
Jane Archer
Around 25 years ago, Jane never expected to even step on a cruise ship. Now she spends more than 100 days a year at sea or on the rivers, and can’t imagine seeing the world any other way.
Telegraph Travel’s cruise expert, Jane Archer
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