The best cruise lines for every type of traveller

More people are sailing the high seas than ever before – in 2019, 30 million people are expected to book a cruise. If you’re planning on joining them, it’s important to take the time to find the right cruise line. For example, if you’re sailing solo, you’ll want to avoid extortionate supplement charges, and if you’re travelling with kids, a cruise line famous for its onboard enrichment (lectures, seminars and workshops, to you and me) probably isn’t ideal.

Before you throw yourself overboard in frustration, check out our essential guide to the best cruise lines for all types of traveller.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s biggest ships are floating fun palaces. Splash Academy youth programmes are available on every vessel, and the cruise line lays claim to various child-friendly firsts, including the first go-kart track at sea (on Norwegian Bliss, which launched in 2018).

Cirque Dreams’ gravity-defying acrobatic shows are on Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic, and there are water parks on several ships, including Norwegian Epic, which has one of the longest waterslides at sea. Other perks include a high number of multi-room suites, a family-friendly freestyle dining scheme and complimentary dining for children aged three and under.

National Geographic has joined forces with luxury cruise operator Ponant to offer a fantastic selection of expedition-style cruises, whether it’s sailings across the Sea of Okhotsk, cruises from Fiji to Micronesia or explorations of the Bijagos, just off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. The vast majority of expeditions have onboard experts – from a National Geographic photographer to a world-renowned marine biologist – and you’ll be accompanied by a team of naturalist guides who’ll be on hand to help you get the most out of your cruise.

If wildlife-spotting is your goal, choose your cruise line carefully, or the only guaranteed sightings could well be the fresh salmon at the breakfast buffet.

Cruise with Lindblad Expeditions and your chances of spotting a rare species are much higher – whether it’s a baby seal in the Galapagos or one of the Mekong River’s Irrawaddy dolphins. All the ships are loaded with hi-tech kit, including zodiacs, glass-bottomed boats and hydrophones, which passengers can use to listen to whales and sea lions. G Adventures is another great option – its fleet of smaller boats (which includes several catamarans) gives passengers the best possible chance of spotting wildlife.

Trust us – you’ll never get bored on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Take the recently refurbished Navigator of the Seas, which has the longest water slide at sea, or try indoor skydiving simulators, found on several of the cruise line’s ships. And then there’s Anthem of the Seas’ Seaplex – an enormous indoor activity space with a trapeze school, basketball court, roller rink and bumper cars.

Got a head for heights? Several of Royal Caribbean’s cruise liners have the North Star – an observatory-style pod which rises above and beyond the edge of the ship.

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The only downside to a Silversea cruise? At some point you have to get off, although on the plus side, your Silversea butler will be on hand to help you pack. Regarded as one of the world’s most luxurious cruise lines, Silversea caters to passengers who love the finer things in life: think Bvlgari toiletries, a complimentary minibar constantly re-stocked with your favourite tipples and fantastic food. Silversea’s all-suite vessels also have a more intimate feel: the largest has a capacity of just 608 passengers.

Thousands of couples get hitched at sea every year, and a sizeable chunk of them say “I do” on P&O Cruises. This is due to the fantastic wedding packages, which cover everything from photography and invitations to floral arrangements and the ceremony itself, conducted by the captain. All of the ships have P&O’s wonderfully romantic Oasis spa, and lovebirds booking a cruise on Britannia, Azura and Ventura can enjoy couple’s massages in a dedicated couple’s spa villa. Passengers seeking extra privacy can also splash out on access to the Retreat, a super yacht-style sun deck with whirlpool spas and an army of stewards on hand to cater to their every need.

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Various factors can make sailing solo significantly less fun, whether it’s exorbitant single supplement fees or small children elbowing you out of the way at the buffet to beat you to the last (but your first and their fifth) chocolate eclair. Not so at Crystal Cruises, which offers some of the lowest single supplement charges at sea – 30 per cent is standard, although they can be as low as 10 per cent. There are dedicated Ambassador Hosts on hand to join guests at dinner, on the dance floor and on shore excursions, and passengers can get to know their fellow guests during regular dinners hosted by the ship’s officers. Silversea is also a popular option for those going it alone, due to low single supplement charges and the wide range of activities designed with solo cruisers in mind.

The largest Hurtigruten ship, MS Finnmarken, holds just 1,000 passengers, and the smaller size of the vessels means easier access to areas which are out of bounds to larger ships. This means longer, more varied excursions and more time to explore ports of call, from explorations of secluded bays in Patagonia’s Beagle Channel to a Norwegian snowmobile excursion beneath the Northern Lights. Hurtigruten’s excursions aren’t just about following a flower-wielding guide around the main tourist traps, either – they’re led by local experts, and onboard activities, whether it’s fish-filleting master classes led by Norwegian fishermen or expert-led lectures, complement the cruise line’s wide range of on-shore excursions.

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Viking has more river cruising vehicles than any other cruise line, and will launch seven new ships in 2019, including six extra-long vessels. All of the cabins on Viking’s ships have river views and their cruises are truly all-inclusive – the initial fare covers all meals, free wifi, wine or beer with every meal and one complimentary shore excursion in almost every port. Viking also covers a wide range of destinations, including Egypt, China, Russia, and some of the European river cruises take in up to 10 countries per sailing.

All too often, cruise ship cuisine is about quantity not quality. Who cares if the steak has the rubberiness of a pencil eraser? It’s free, and you can eat as many as you like. Luckily, Crystal Cruises takes a different approach, starting with its restaurants. Examples include the Silk Kitchen & Bar for Asian comfort food, and Umi Uma for Japanese-Peruvian specialities created by Nobu Matsuhisa (it’s the only Nobu restaurant at sea). You’ll find both of these on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity. During Crystal’s Wine & Food Festivals, which take place several times every year on different routes, various experts – ranging from world renowned chefs to award-winning sommeliers – host cooking demonstrations, culinary classes and wine tastings.