Best Cruise Lines for the Money

[RelaxNCruz]

My husband and I are a young 60’s/70’s couple with some slight physical limitations. Looking for the best cruise line to travel on for our next cruise. We just tried Princess and were NOT impressed at all. They handled passport verifications very badly for those people with canes - had them standing for well over an hour (intolerable) in a line that was longer than the ship, and when complaints were made they did not effectively deal with the cause of the problem to fix it for the next time. Anyway, I wasn’t impressed. So I’m looking for a cruise line that knows how to effectively provide service to passengers in our age group, and wondering what your experiences have been, both from a service perspective as well as how you liked their ships (public space, staterooms, dining rooms, food, entertainment, shops, excursions, etc.,).

 

who do you recommend and who do you suggest we stay away from? Any specific routes you loved or hated? Any specific rooms you loved or hated? Just looking for advice!!!

[crystalspin]

11 hours ago, RelaxNCruz said:

who do you recommend and who do you suggest we stay away from? Any specific routes you loved or hated? Any specific rooms you loved or hated? Just looking for advice!!!

We are 65 and 77, and we really only look at Holland America Line anymore. No physical limitations in particular, but I have never stood in line for an hour (not sure I could and no cane!). Can't think of any "line" that long where seating was not provided.

 

HAL is prominent (with Princess 😮) in Alaska; we have sailed there with them three times! But have never had a bad time on HAL. (You can see our cruise history in my signature.) Our cruise with NCL was one-and-done. We sailed a TransAtlantic on RCCL and it was fine, a bit more/younger activities on board, but lacking the forward-facing Crows Nest observation lounge that we love. Also way into favoring their loyalty program members!

 

Our favorite cabins have varied by the ship. We do not much use a balcony, but since the pandemic, have been loathe to sail without one!

[mtnhiker]

Opinions on cruise lines vary.  We are both in our late 60's and have done almost all our cruises on NCL.  We are used to their ships and how things are done so that helps make things a little easier.  Also some of the perks are pretty good in the upper tier levels.  We did sail HAL one time in the Carribean. I tried walking on an upper deck in a 60 MPH wind - interesting experience.   We would do HAL again sometime, we are interested in the one that goes up the Amazon. We prefer balconies, but we have done an inside cabin with a virtual balcony (large lcd screen fed by a camera from the outside), actually pretty impressive.

[calliopecruiser]

What is "best" will depend on what you want and what you like.  And that's before you consider your budget.  I'm in my 60s, and only cruise on luxury lines, though I'd do a premium line again if the price is right.   My experience on premium Azamara was good, but the tiny showers (30" x 18") means I won't rush to said with them again unless there's a great sale. 

[Mary229]

Whether you will stand in line is more dependent on port authorities than the cruise line.  You should research which ports have speedy embarkation. 

[shipgeeks]

I see you are in PA, as are we. We also sometimes use canes.  I would like to recommend sailing from Baltimore, on Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas.

The port is very user-friendly. There are provisions for passengers in wheelchairs and others needing assistance, both in the terminal and at boarding.  The ship is small (a bit over 2,000 passengers).  The crew are wonderful.  Because the ship does not have the rides and sports facilities that the big ships have, the majority of the passengers are adults.

I like to say that one of the benefits of a small ship is that I can always go back to my cabin to use my own bathroom, instead of using a public one and possibly picking up some public germs. 

Vision was named RC Ship of the Year for 2023, based on post-cruise surveys.  I believe that is due mainly to the crew, who are exceedingly pleasant and helpful.

Itineraries vary, with Bermuda, Caribbean, and Canada/New England making up the bulk. Most are 9- or 12-nights, therefore another reason why there are more mature adults and fewer party animals.

[rodndonna]

On 8/22/2024 at 2:13 PM, shipgeeks said:

 

I like to say that one of the benefits of a small ship is that I can always go back to my cabin to use my own bathroom, instead of using a public one and possibly picking up some public germs. 

 

 

I agree - I consider it an underrated advantage of being on a small ship - having easier access to your own bathroom!

 

As a general rule, I don't care for public washrooms anyway ... and having that bit of extra exercise of making a habit of just heading back to our own bathroom is a win-win when cruising.

[BamaVol]

When did you board?  Most cruisers try to arrive early, before the doors even open.  I know I do.  But I am told that arriving to board a couple hours before departure is smooth and swift. I have no problem standing for an hour or walking 5 miles, for that matter. But if I did, I’d be looking for advice that works for most/all lines and I think that’s what I’m giving you.

[mtnhiker]

On 9/14/2024 at 3:36 PM, BamaVol said:

When did you board?  Most cruisers try to arrive early, before the doors even open.  I know I do.  But I am told that arriving to board a couple hours before departure is smooth and swift. I have no problem standing for an hour or walking 5 miles, for that matter. But if I did, I’d be looking for advice that works for most/all lines and I think that’s what I’m giving you.

You have a point, we have always tried to arrive early, and we have always had to wait, wait in line to get on the ship, and once on the ship, wait for the rooms to be ready. I think we are going to go for a later arrival next time and see how it goes.

Edited Saturday at 01:59 AM by mtnhiker