With itineraries appealing to almost everyone, no wonder some 10 million people set sail last year.
What our experts say
Cruises: Family
Family cruises
Carnival
Cruise Line
Operating
21 "fun ships,"
Carnival lays claim to being
the world's largest cruise
line and travels to more
than 60 destinations. It
is a value-oriented cruise
line with generally younger-than-average
passengers, but says it
carries more passengers
from every age group than
any other cruise line.
Celebrity Cruises promotes
itself as a sophisticated,
upscale cruise line with
highly personalized service
and five-star dining. Its
nine ships -- two more 2,850-passenger
vessels are on order --
sail to Alaska, Bermuda,
California, the Caribbean,
Europe, the Galapagos Islands,
Hawaii, Mexico, the Panama
Canal, and South America.
Crystal
Cruises currently operates
three ships: the Crystal
Harmony and Crystal Symphony
-- each accommodating 940
guests -- and the 1,080-guest
Crystal Serenity. The line
is owned by Nippon Yusen
Kaisha (NYK), of Tokyo,
the largest shipping company
in the world. Despite its
size, the fleet offers itineraries
in Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean,
Caribbean, Mexico, Canada,
South America, and the U.S.
The
two cruise ships sailing
under the Disney banner
were the first ever designed
and built as family cruise
liners, aimed at pleasing
parents and children. The
Disney Magic and the Disney
Wonder are virtually identical
and offer three-, four-
and seven-night cruises
to the Caribbean from its
Art Deco terminal in Port
Canaveral, Fla.
With
the February 2006 maiden
voyage of the ms Noordam,
the 130-year-old HAL expanded
its fleet to 13 ships, which
offer nearly 500 cruises
from 25 home ports. Itineraries
from two days to 108 days
include visits to all seven
continents.
An
early pioneer in Caribbean
cruising, NCL is in the
process of renewing its
fleet. Currently operating
12 ships with some 21,600
berths, by the end of 2007
NCL is expected to add three
new ships to the fleet with
approximately 7,200 berths.
Think
"The Love Boat."
Princess, which started
out as a single ship cruising
around Mexico in 1965, skyrocketed
to fame in 1977 when the
Pacific Princess starred
in the hit TV show. Today,
its fleet has grown to 14
ships with two more on the
way, accommodating more
than a million passengers
each year to more worldwide
destinations than any other
major line.
The
one you see on TV all the
time -- the ship with rock-climbing
walls, ice-skating rinks,
and (soon-to-be) onboard
surfing. In May 2006, RCI
will make headlines again
as it debuts its new Freedom
of the Seas -- the largest
cruise ship ever -- which
brings its fleet to a total
of 20 ships sailing to some
120 destinations.
Pictures courtesy of
Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland
America, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises,
Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and
Norwegian Cruises
