How to choose the right cruise

Deciding which cruise to choose for your next holiday can be a daunting prospect. Will the food be up to scratch? Will there be enough to do on board on sea days? What’s the nightlife like? All valid questions that can be tricky to answer.

Ships come in different shapes, sizes and configurations, ranging from boutique vessels such as the 32-guest Le Ponant to mega ocean ships like Royal Caribbean International’s new Icon of the Seas – the world’s biggest cruise ship – with accommodation for 7,600 guests.

Whether you’re looking to take your first cruise or try something new, read our guide to find out which cruise line will suit you best...

FOR FAMILIES
The thought of taking your kids on a cruise for a week can be unnerving if you’re not sure what’s available to keep them entertained. But look no further than MSC Cruises’ MSC Virtuosa to give your little ones their first taste of cruising. As well as a waterpark and zipline, the 6,334-guest vessel has a Formula 1 simulator, bowling alley and virtual reality games. The line dedicates an entire day of each cruise to LEGO activities aimed at all age groups, and qualified staff are on hand to look after your toddlers for a few hours in baby clubs.

Get on board
MSC Cruises’ two-night Northern Europe cruise aboard MSC Virtuosa, return from Southampton via Cherbourg, departs on August 22, 2024, from £249.

FOR ENTERTAINMENT LOVERS
If you love putting on your glad rags to see a musical in London’s West End, then try Princess Cruises’ newest vessel, Sun Princess, for a taste of the theatrical.

Sue and Geoff Vaughan, who took a Mediterranean cruise in spring 2024, were “blown away” by Vallora, A Pirate Quest. “With spectacular special effects and scenery and a truly magnificent performance by the cast, the dazzling production in the Princess Arena was an experience like no other,” said Sue. “We actually felt privileged to be there.”

Other shows aboard Sun Princess include Stage Struck, Viva La Musica and Fiera!, all of which are brought to life in the Princess Arena, where a 270° ‘keyhole’ layout allows shows to be staged in the round.

FOR COUPLES
Sometimes the only way to escape your kids is by taking a well-deserved week to yourselves in the middle of the ocean. If you’re after a bit of peace and quiet, try Windstar Cruises, which, according to guest Marian Thomas, is the “perfect option” for couples looking to cruise.

“We were keen to visit Costa Rica and at the same time try our first cruise,” added Marian. “Importantly, we wanted a small ship with no children, and we found that with Windstar.”

A highlight for Marian and her partner was the line’s Dawn Watchers Coffee Club, where guests can sip hot on deck while watching the sunrise. “These are the little things that make a cruise so special,” she said.

Get on board
Windstar Cruises’ seven-night Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruise aboard Wind Star, from Puerto Caldera (Costa Rica) to Colon (Panama) via Quepos and Golfo Dulce (both Costa Rica), Isla

FOR FOODIES
‘How was the food?’ is one of the first questions you’ll get asked when returning from a cruise. If you want to wow your companions with your answer, try a Fred. Olsen itinerary. On each of the line’s sailings, you’ll have the chance to take part in breakfast and lunch events hosted by guest speakers who will talk you through certain dishes and the expertise that goes into creating them.

Warm scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream give you a taste of home in the vessel’s buffet area, while Colours & Tastes serves up Asian dishes such as crispy fried chilli beef with sweet vegetables. Alternatively, in Vasco you can opt for xitti ani nuesta kodi, a traditional Goan fish curry infused with coconut.

Get on board
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ 13-night Discovering Spain and North Africa cruise aboard Balmoral, return from Southampton via Gibraltar, Cartagena, Algiers and Tangier, departs on January 5, 2025, from £1,599 per person.

FOR ADRENALINE JUNKIES
For some, cruising is an opportunity to unwind to the sounds of waves lapping against the hull while flocks of seagulls glide along the horizon. For others, it’s a chance to dangle off the side of a 60m-tall ship or whizz round a go-kart track at speeds of up to 65kmh.

If you’re a fan of the latter, try Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Prima. Don a racing suit and hit Prima Speedway, a three-level circuit at the stern of the vessel.

The 420m track features 14 sharp turns and can accommodate up to 15 racers at a time. And if that isn’t enough to feed your inner daredevil, then challenge yourself to the 10-storey Drop – thought to be the cruising world’s first slide with the extra thrill of a free-fall.

Get on board
Norwegian Cruise Lines’ 11-night Northern Europe: Iceland, Norway & Belgium cruise aboard Norwegian Prima, from Southampton to Reykjavik via Brussels, Amsterdam, Bergen, Geiranger, Alesund, Akureyri and Isafjordur, departs on August 4, 2024, from £2,749 per person.

FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS
A cruise is a great option if you’re looking to travel on your own. You will have the chance to meet like-minded people – or, if you prefer seclusion, there will be plenty of options on board and onshore to keep you entertained.

The one downside of sailing solo is usually the cost. That’s why Riviera Travel is a favourite among independent cruisers, as it has removed single supplements on select 2024 Rhone and Rhine itineraries, including its hugely popular Rhine, Strasbourg & Heidelberg voyage.

A tour manager will accompany you on board should you need advice and you’ll receive all the perks that you’d enjoy if you were travelling as part of a couple – such as a double cabin all to yourself.

Get on board
Riviera Travel’s four-night Amsterdam, Kinderdijk and the Dutch Bulbfields River Cruise for Solo Travellers aboard MS Geoffrey Chaucer, return from Amsterdam via Enkhuizen, Rotterdam and Kinderdijk, departs on April 1, 2025, from £1,649 per person.

FOR CULTURE BUFFS
One of the great benefits of river cruising is that you can wake up in the heart of a lesser-known city whose secrets are just waiting to be discovered. Alternatively, if you’re looking to deepen your knowledge of a particular era, try one of Avalon Waterways’ European History Cruises.

Walk in the footsteps of heroes who are gone but not forgotten and cruise in the company of a Second World War expert who shares captivating stories of valour and courage.

If it’s an earlier age that captures your imagination, you can explore the history, art and architecture of the Habsburg dynasty and the Austro- Hungarian empire before sipping Champagne in the opulent reception rooms once occupied by dignitaries and diplomats in the palaces of Budapest and Vienna.

Get on board
Avalon Waterways’ seven-night Paris to Normandy Second World War Remembrance & History Cruise aboard Avalon Tapestry II, return from Paris via Vernon, Caudebec, Rouen and Conflans, departs on June3, 2025, from £3,516.

Still unsure which cruise is for you? Take our matchmaker quiz.