Best for Never-Ever who want quiet experience - less crowds

[Warren Miller]

Considering planning a nice cruise for an upcoming Anniversary - 

 

We would prefer a quieter cruise with less hustle and bustle and NOT fighting with others for a chair by the pool.   Don't want to stand in line for a drink or to get food and willing to pay a little more for quality over quantity.  A nice and smooth experience that won't stress us out. 

 

Cruise in the Caribbean - 

No experience so what Cruise Line is not important. 

Fall time frame -   

No port favored over another - 

Ship size isn't a huge factor, just want less crowded and friendly- Rude people would kill the mood - 

Tranquil and peaceful is the goal - 

Shore excursions are not the priority  - If they have beach and a lounger without too much hassle, that sounds perfect. 

 

Thanks - in advance for any help to give me your thoughts.   

[Canuker]

Repositioning cruise / crossing

Edited April 29, 2020 by Canuker

[mom says]

Apparently the PP didn't see that you are looking for a Caribbean cruise. But the fact remains that a fall cruise, given the current COVID situation, is unlikely to happen.  And sorry, but it doesn't matter which line or ship you select, you can't guarantee that you won't encounter a rude guest at some point. Rudeness by crew? Very rarely, and even then likely a response in kind.

 

Having said all that, if peace and quiet is what you want, look to one of the premium or luxury lines, with a cruise length of at least a week. The shorter the cruise, the greater the likelihood of a "party" atmosphere. 

[dkjretired]

If you are willing to spend extra, maybe consider booking a suite on a line with special suite sections like pool, bars and restaurants. Two that come to mind are NCL or Celebrity. I prefer Celebrity because of their strict smoking policy. I treated the wife to a suite as a surprise for our anniversary and it was great.

[broberts]

I would not count on cruises resuming anytime this year. Even if they do, you should carefully evaluate your risk factors. Cruise ships are prime locations for viral transmission. Witness the many outbreaks of norovirus outbreaks every year.

 

More relaxed, less crowded ships are generally smaller. The best examples are suite only ships commanding premium prices. That said, very large ships like those in the Royal Caribbean Oasis class do allow one to find many quiet spaces and less crowded dining in added cost venues. But most pool areas on Caribbean cruises are always crowded when the sun is out. A number of ships have adult only areas that are generally quieter. 

[clo]

You may want to check the Oceania board. It's one of the 'premium' lines. Their largest ships have only 1200 passengers. We did our first cruise on them in December and really loved it. Great food also; culinary director is Jacques Pepin if that matters. 

[Robinsoncruiseso]

I would recommend a luxury or a premium plus cruise line.  Sebourne, Crystal, Windstar, Viking, Riviera, all sail the Caribbean.  I would recommend looking at November or December so you avoid the hurricane season.  Weather is perfect at that time.  The luxury lines will be more all inclusive as well.

 

[John Bull]

5 hours ago, Robinsoncruiseso said:

I would recommend a luxury or a premium plus cruise line.  Sebourne, Crystal, Windstar, Viking, Riviera, all sail the Caribbean.  I would recommend looking at November or December so you avoid the hurricane season.  Weather is perfect at that time.  The luxury lines will be more all inclusive as well.

 

 

Much more suited to the OP's requirements. 

 

The only caveat is that the OP said "willing to pay a little more".

Those lines will cost $$$$$ more.

 

Closer to the mainstream prices, Celebrity is worth considering - but the OP will have to compromise somewhat.

Or Oceania is somewhere in-between.

 

Warren - the ports DO make a big difference. Those frequented by multiple large ships are generally crowded.

But on some busy busy islands there are quiet off-the-beaten-path beaches. You'll need a taxi, and don't expect facilities on those beaches.

 

If the up-coming anniversay is in 2020, perhaps look at a cruise to celebrate the next one.

 

JB 

[cb at sea]

You would probably enjoy a smaller ship than the "Megas"....fewer people onboard.  And, some of the older ships have pools that accommodate more.  Sea days, no matter the ship or cruise line, will have more people at the pool on those days...just an unescapable fact.

 

You shouldn't experience rudeness from ANY staff....but you never know about the general cruising public....just have to "go with the flow", just like in everyday life!

 

Once you've booked something and find out your ports, you can easily google each place, to find beaches within a reasonable distance...no "excursion" needed for most ports!

[Warren Miller]

Thanks all for the productive thoughts and comments.  

 

I just need a little cruise guru to guide me it seems....

 

Thanks -

[Kate P.C]

Looking for a quiet ship is a mission impossible really. Especially on the Caribbean islands.

It's also hard to imagine if there is less crowd there won't be any rude passengers.

I understand your expectations, but reality is if you are looking for a relaxed cruise, maybe you need to consider a world cruise and a small ship.

Swimming pools on the ship on a sea day are packed! No matter the demogrpahic.

[RSLeesburg]

Two other suggestions. 
 

1.  After sailing Eastern, Western, and Southern, I would recommend Southern as first option.  We found it quieter and more laid back.  Also, in fall timeframe, storms are still a threat and Southern islands tend to be less of a target than Eastern or Western routes.  Southern islands provide nice beaches!  
 

2.  Southern routes require longer cruise, often 9 or more days if sailing from Miami or Fort Lauderdale. These cruises will have fewer families, so should be even less crowded than 7 day cruises.  If this is not doable, there are 7 day Southern cruises out of Puerto Rico.  

[janetz]

Celebrity or Oceania

[broadwaybaby123]

Go on a midsized ship if you don't like crowds!

[LuckyStar]

On 4/29/2020 at 7:09 AM, Warren Miller said:

Considering planning a nice cruise for an upcoming Anniversary - 

 

We would prefer a quieter cruise with less hustle and bustle and NOT fighting with others for a chair by the pool.   Don't want to stand in line for a drink or to get food and willing to pay a little more for quality over quantity.  A nice and smooth experience that won't stress us out. 

 

Cruise in the Caribbean - 

No experience so what Cruise Line is not important. 

Fall time frame -   

No port favored over another - 

Ship size isn't a huge factor, just want less crowded and friendly- Rude people would kill the mood - 

Tranquil and peaceful is the goal - 

Shore excursions are not the priority  - If they have beach and a lounger without too much hassle, that sounds perfect. 

 

Thanks - in advance for any help to give me your thoughts.   

Carnival Vista Havana cabin.  The Havana area is restricted to those in the Havana cabins.  You have a dedicated pool, bar and lounge area.  Area does open up at 7 pm to rest of ship, but we never saw anyone out there at night.  We never fought for a chair, no kids under 12 are allowed so it's pretty quiet.  Totally worth the cost.  Other ships have the Havana but I don't know how they are.  I would recommend highly..

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 4/29/2020 at 7:09 AM, Warren Miller said:

Considering planning a nice cruise for an upcoming Anniversary - 

 

We would prefer a quieter cruise with less hustle and bustle and NOT fighting with others for a chair by the pool.   Don't want to stand in line for a drink or to get food and willing to pay a little more for quality over quantity.  A nice and smooth experience that won't stress us out. 

 

Cruise in the Caribbean - 

No experience so what Cruise Line is not important. 

Fall time frame -   

No port favored over another - 

Ship size isn't a huge factor, just want less crowded and friendly- Rude people would kill the mood - 

Tranquil and peaceful is the goal - 

Shore excursions are not the priority  - If they have beach and a lounger without too much hassle, that sounds perfect. 

 

Thanks - in advance for any help to give me your thoughts.   

 

It sounds like MSC's Yacht Club would fit the bill.  

[Heartfelttraveler]

Take a look at Windstar Cruises.  Their ships have a swim platform on the back of the ships with water toys, stand up paddle boards etc.  it is not open in every port.  None of the cabins on the sailing ships have balconies.

The first sailing in the Caribbean is November on a sailing ship.  There is little evening entertainment, no casino, and very few to no children.  The food is excellent.

[linz98144]

You'll love some of the small ships. look at Windstar or Star Clippers. 

[Heidi13]

To determine how crowded a ship can be, the best metric is Gross Tonnage divided by max passenger count. Gross tonnage is a measure of enclosed space, with 100 cubic feet being 1 ton. You will find most mainstream cruise lines have a factor in the 30's.

 

The premium lines (Viking, Oceania, Azamara) in the 40's & 50's and luxury lines 60's. The higher the number the more space available per pax.

 

We use Viking, which also do not permit anyone under 18 aboard the ships. Therefore, no noisy kids and plenty of quiet spots around the ship. In 4-months aboard, we never found any chair hogs, as lots of loungers were always available.

 

The premium/luxury lines are definitely a higher base fare, but are more inclusive. Comparing our Viking cruise to a similar Princess cruise, the total costs per day of each cruise was almost identical.

[bbwex]

I guess it is not too late to toss in my two cents, as cruising seems still to be a ways off.

 

Some have mentioned Oceania, and I would second that thought.  Oceania is a little more than many of  the mass market lines, but its itineraries and style seem to favor a somewhat older crowd.  They don't have a formal rule against children, but we have only had four or five children on board in all of our cruises with them.  Another thing to consider is to not travel when schools are out-of-session.  If schools are in session, parents have to stay home, so the cruising crowd tends to be a bit older.  Not that older necessarily means quieter, but it does tend to work out that way.

[Hlitner]

The OP has not mentioned a budget and that is a good thing :).  What the OP describes is a small ship luxury cruise line.  Seabourn quickly comes to mind and there is also Silverseas and Regent.  Looking at the fall of 2021 Seabourn has two ships in the Caribbean, the Soujourn and Odyssey  Either one of those vessels would meet all the criteria set forth in the post.  When looking at pricing keep in mind that this is a luxury all-inclusive line with all larger cabins/suites.

 

Hank

[CruizinKittie40]

On 5/12/2020 at 3:27 AM, Kate P.C said:

Looking for a quiet ship is a mission impossible really. Especially on the Caribbean islands.

It's also hard to imagine if there is less crowd there won't be any rude passengers.

I understand your expectations, but reality is if you are looking for a relaxed cruise, maybe you need to consider a world cruise and a small ship.

Swimming pools on the ship on a sea day are packed! No matter the demogrpahic.

I second that...your ideal cruise would be an Alaskan cruise.  They are more expensive, more limited and are longer cruises.  I found there are fewer kids on board and it definitely weeds out the riff raff

[Grandma Cruising]

Try Azamara, dearer than many others, but small (700), includes drinks and gratuities, plenty of room, no queuing, great but I fussy service.


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[neverbeenhere]

Book a suite at the aft of the ship, eat in your suite. Peace and Quiet.

[navybankerteacher]

On 7/10/2020 at 12:33 PM, linz98144 said:

You'll love some of the small ships. look at Windstar or Star Clippers. 

These two certainly - and check out Oceania.  You will avoid the noise and crowding of the (only slightly) less expensive mass market lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian - or the slightly less crowded/noisy Celebrity and Holland America —- while enjoying significantly better food and service in exchange for a less active entertainment program.

 

Hint:  look for cruises which stop at St. Barth’s - only smaller ships call there - and at places like Jost van Dyke - not only will you see only the smaller ships, you will get to visit some of the best ports - which you will not have to share with thousands of other cruisers.This is a significant point - one of my favorite islands -St. Maarten, where we stay for a couple of weeks every January, is simply over-run on busy days - perhaps five or six ships dropping off more than 20,000 passengers.

Edited September 17, 2020 by navybankerteacher