Which Is The Perfect Cruise Ship Size, And Why?

Which is the best cruise ship size, and why? Big cruise ship or small cruise ship? There is a perfect cruise ship size for your cruising vacation. Discover what it is and why
ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS: If you want to get cruising right, Tips For Travellers makes it easy to plan and have the incredible cruise experiences you dream of every time. All my Tips For Travellers advice, tips and tricks tips draw on everything that I have learnt on the 85 cruises I have done to date.
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#CruiseShips #BestCruise ShipSize #BigVersusSmallShips
00:00 Start
00:46 Who's That With You?
05:09 Vacation Maker?
09:13 Where To?

[@kays749]

Small. I like getting into smaller ports and avoiding tenders.

[@KenGoesCruising]

I think my perfect size ship is about 2000 passengers you get the best of both worlds. Multiple entertainment venues and options for dining but still small enough to be more intimate.

[@jacquelinechristensen9231]

We prefer smaller ships and even after 29 cruises our next four are booked on smaller ships. 😄

[@maurieshakespeare5835]

I'm most happy with less than 1,000 passengers, Crystal, Seabourn, Oceania, Regent etc

[@TVHouseHistorian]

Any ship that floats on water is the perfect size for me 🛳 🌊

[@loumello8813]

I think you know by now from my previous comments that I have very similar interests to yours as far as destinations and ship size. I prefer the smaller ships for the same reasons, intimacy, no lines, excellent service, usually no kids and the general ambiance of cruising with like minded folks. I prefer Viking, Oceania, smaller Princess ships and the new Celebrity Apex and Edge, which are medium at 2900 , but, have a small ship feel with four main dining rooms and other specialty restaurants. Thanks for sharing your tips, they are always excellent and very helpful.

[@cruisecrazy7066]

My attitude is that the ship is the vacation, the stops are the entertainment.

[@JoeTourist]

Large crowds are not my favourite situation, so by default, I select ships no larger than 2,000 passengers. Also, my first criteria for selecting a cruise isn't ship size, it's the itinerary! I'm fine with sea days, but I also want to experience some interesting ports, and have time to explore points inland, so overnight stays in port are my favourite. I mostly travel solo, so that's a factor in favour of smaller capacity ships, as you point out.

[@visionist7]

Overnight stays are definitely a rare commodity

[@kevans2337]

Can you list a few of your favorite small ships?

[@Nokenify]

Great information! /Solo traveler

[@lesonline2268]

If you want to sail up the River Saigon or Thames, visit places like Amalfi and St Bart's, don't sail on Butlins ships.

[@texasboy5117]

We find the smaller ship of less then 1,000 people the way to go. We like the upscale lines (love Viking). Good food great cabins. The quiet is another big thing we want and really like over 18 age limits.

[@TheVaughan5]

Agree completely.

[@Harrimoto]

Totally with ya nothing spoils it for me than screaming KIDS worst ever

[@fluffygarcia]

Thank you for your very thoughtful and relatable analysis of this question. I'm sure it will come in handy in my next cruise planning adventure.

[@brianpawlowski6498]

I've been on both small ships and large ones. On both there were venues or attractions I never used or set foot in. That said, on a large ship, you may not have enough time to see everything, especially on a shorter cruise. Even 7 days sometimes isn't enough. I always find myself on the last day saying "oh, so that's where that was"?

[@jgesselberty]

Have cruised on, what today would be considered, mid-sized ships (big in their day) and smaller ships. My wife and I prefer smaller ships. We have docked near some of the mega-ships and gone ashore and done a lot of things and the mega-ship was still disembarking. Also, frankly, on larger, family friendly ships, many (not all mind you) just get on and let the kids run wild.

[@allysonhanks7367]

Hello John how are you doing today. I wish you a happy new year. I believe you are in good health. I hope this year brings happiness, good health, prosperity love and peace all over the world, I live in Duluth, Minnesota.

[@susanwestfall2051]

We cruised on the Oasis last month. Before that, the Anthem was the largest ship we had been on. Our opinion….too large for us. For one thing, there were so many times when “you couldn’t get there from here” without going up or down one or more decks first. Also, everything was oriented inward, toward the “neighborhoods”, shops, and other activities. Yes, there was the Solarium, but it wasn’t enclosed and we cruised from Bayonne so the weather was a factor. Our favorite class is the Radiance class, where it is oriented outward, toward the ocean. Just our opinion, yours may vary!

[@JennTrotter]

Thanking you🎸

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Susan, how are you doing?

[@danblackmore6099]

Loved Anthem. Have not done Oasis but did her sister Harmony and although she's beautiful, I totally agree with what you were saying.

[@MrBucketlist]

I just got off the symphony of the seas. It is now my favorite ship but it can be extremely overwhelming. I think I only throughly enjoyed it because of current limited capacity and because I do youtube. I did Mariner of the Seas in October and I think it is a perfect balance of size and entertainment for those not really looking for the over the top stuff like on Symphony.

[@andreatuckman1084]

Price is a very important component for me. I would love to go on some of the cruise lines that you mentioned like Silver Seas, as an example. Unfortunately, my wallet doesn’t allow for that if I want to cruise more than once a year. Our last pre pandemic cruise was a lovely eleven night New Year’s cruise on Serenade of the Seas, a small ship that we enjoyed much. My point here is that you don’t need a luxury line to visit smaller ports.

[@margaretmcnarry4298]

M’Lady Serenade - my favourite ship! Lucky you.

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Andrea, how are you doing?

[@KateandBree]

I’m doing Seven Seas (Explorer) and I feel like one cruise a year is enough if it means fewer people on a cruise, fewer people (20 max) on excursions, so less chance of COVID. Everything is catered for you and all included in the price. It makes things so much easier on my end and as a disabled person, that’s so important to me. The agent has been so great with working with my disabilities and I don’t feel I could have gotten that on a bigger line.

[@melferguson4782]

Thank you for your insights in planning my cruise vacations I totally agree with multi generations larger are ships are the best with different activities smaller ships are my favourite when travelling with my husband or another couple i like the smaller ship as it tends to be easier and quicker to navigate allowing me to relax on sea days and allow me to be rested on port days to explore the port Big ships allow multi generations to have lots of activities to keep everyone happy

[@superpflex]

Well done. I like small ships without crowds, and lines. I go for the nautical experience, hearing and feeling the waves. I like a high crew to guest, and deck space per passenger ratio. I like ports where the cruise passengers do not outnumber the locals.

[@jacquelinechristensen9231]

Loved this😄

[@allysonhanks7367]

Hello how are you doing today. I wish you a happy new year. I believe you are in good health. I hope this year brings happiness, good health, prosperity love and peace all over the world, I live in Duluth, Minnesota.

[@cruisecrazy7066]

I find that on Princess, the food on the small ships like the Pacific Princess is better than on the big Princess ships. Too bad they are phasing them out.

[@williamd9205]

Thanks Gary. Great food for thought as usual!

[@loribarber4526]

Awesome content!

[@calumshaw7905]

Oops, sorry Garry, forgot to metion. Great vlog, as always!!

[@calumshaw7905]

We love suites but cannot afford the luxury of one on small ships but can get them them on medium size, say up to 110k tonnes. We've done a Med cruise on a relative giant, 145k tonnes and swore never to board one again. Our best ever cruise was on a 77k tonne ship, so not small but like the three bears anology, perfect! For us the journey is equally as important as the destinations(s)

[@Hawkeye2001]

We've cruised about a dozen times, usually smaller and mid-sized ships. I'm now beginning to look at more out of the way destinations and smaller ships. One of my favorite cruises was in, on-board the Ocean Princess with only 688 passengers. The port stops were amazing, and we really got to know a few of our ship mates. I ate breakfast every morning with another early riser from Britton, but our dinner table mates were an odd couple from the states. One guy, stuck in a wheelchair since birth and his college roommate. We shared laugh and tales for the week. I really enjoyed meeting them, and becoming friends (on a small ship) was the highlight of that cruise.

[@cliffnorman178]

The perfect size ship is the ship that suits your requirements. NOTHING else!!!!!! That simple.

[@itzel1735]

But for those of us who haven’t been on any/many cruises, this was helpful. There are too many choices if you don’t know what to expect.

[@tipsfortravellers]

agree. That is the point for sure. Hopefully this will help newbies find their right size at the start

[@jdhsingi]

Fantastic analysis Gary. Thank you for sharing.

[@allysonhanks7367]

Hello Jim how are you doing today. I wish you a happy new year. I believe you are in good health. I hope this year brings happiness, good health, prosperity love and peace all over the world, I live in Duluth, Minnesota.

[@BobBob-wi6ct]

I have traveled on royal and princess. Royal Oasis is an amazing ship and we have taken our early 20’s kids. They loved it. My hubby and I loved that we could always find a quiet place and enjoyed walking around the amazing decks. The Grand princess was much quieter overall but the food options were also more limited and there are definitely so rude scooter people. It’s a third the size and was a much quieter cruise. I have found the huge ships offer more options for excitement or quiet but I have never been disappointed on any of my cruises. Look at what the ship offers, food, entertainment, experiences, to decide if it’s right for you.

[@Primalxbeast]

The cruises I've been on were in the 90s when even Carnival had small ships. I liked getting tossed around by the rough seas and being able to hang out towards the front of the ship and getting sprayed with sea water. It was also fun to time going up the stairs while the ship was dropping so that you could almost jump up the stairs. However, I don't think that all of the passengers enjoyed this experience. People were huddled in the middle of the ship and there were barf bags taped along the handrails for emergencies. 😀 We had a cheap cabin with a port hole and it was cool to have the water splashing against it. It was my boyfriend who liked cruising, I just like the sea and the cruise ship was transportation to a dive site.

[@guayames]

The Odyssey who’s were great! Now the Rotterdam next Sunday, we will see. It will be our 150th cruise! Small ships location, big ships entertainment! Love both!

[@KateandBree]

I have nightmares of big cruise ships. I feel like I would get lost and with my disabilities, I need some assistance and bigger cruises and airlines I’ve noticed aren’t adaptable to disabled people. It’s been really nice to find a cruise line (Regent Seven Seas) that packages everything and has been really great with working with my disabilities.

[@PaulGodfrey]

Very interesting and perceptive video on the pros and cons of larger and smaller ships.

[@allysonhanks7367]

Hello Paul how are you doing today. I wish you a happy new year. I believe you are in good health. I hope this year brings happiness, good health, prosperity love and peace all over the world, I live in Duluth, Minnesota.

[@edwardchin7604]

Thank you for all the information you have provided. It has paid off.

[@davian108]

Great video! I agree with your take, there is no one "perfect" ship size for every cruise, a lot of factors play into consideration. For me it depends on itinerary and sea days. If I am going on, for example, a 14 day round trip to Hawaii out of LA where there are going to be 3-4 sea days each way I desire a bigger ship with more entertainment and food options. A smaller ship with fewer entertainment and food options can make for long sea days. However if I am doing a 6 or 7 day to the Caribbean, where there are 4-5 ports and only 1-2 sea days, a smaller ship provides for a more relaxing experience. Spending all day in a busy port crammed with tourists it is nice to come back to a ship with a more laid back atmosphere to just dine and relax in the room or on deck before the next port.

[@MiaHessMusic]

Great video!

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Mia, how are you doing?

[@dukeofkool]

All sizes of ships suit me. The biggest I've been on is the Carnival Panorama, which is a fantastic ship. The smallest was the Carnival Tropicale. Also looking forward to the mega ships with all lines

[@pensacola321]

Yes they all offer their own experiences....

[@allysonhanks7367]

Hello how are you doing today. I wish you a happy new year. I believe you are in good health. I hope this year brings happiness, good health, prosperity love and peace all over the world, I live in Duluth, Minnesota.

[@sergel02]

I really like the ships in the roughly 140,000 GT range, like Celebrity’s Edge Class or Disney’s Fantasy or new Wish. They have a good mix of activities and quality. That said, do think I prefer slightly smaller than bigger if I have to pick. They have less crowding, can go to more ports, and are generally better for the environment. I wish there were more new cruise ships in the 1500 - 2000 passenger range though. The smaller ones are luxury lines and really expensive and the big ones can be a bit crowded.

[@raymullen3583]

We like an open LIDO Deck with Pool , Hot Tubs , Bars and Places to sit and eat ....We don;t really need the Amusement Park type that take up the Deck..... Around 4,000 Cruisers is a good size for the Wife and I ..

[@markeaston7353]

Well Gary I think you have dispelled the myth that either large or small ships are best. I agree that they all have there place. I personally like the variety and tend to mix up the selection of ship depending on the nature of the cruise, although the destination is the prime driver of our cruise choices.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Agree 😀😀

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

To be frank, I'm angling towards WindStars' Wind Star as it transitions from Lisbon to St. Martaan precisely *_because_* it's a smaller ship. I am not bothered by seasickness and would happily go trans Atlantic or Pacific on a much smaller ship even in rough weather.

[@greggibson8340]

Being destination focused, I definitely prefer the small to midsize ships. We like Viking, Oceania and Windstar. The fact that these ships go to smaller ports, have excellent service and smaller crowds (without kids) is a big plus. The fellow passengers on the smaller ships are easier to get to know. Our last cruise pre-covid was a Panama canal cruise on the Caribbean Princess. The ship was crowded, excursions were overbooked, finding a seat for the theater shows was almost impossible and it was not a pleasant cruise in general. Our first Panama canal cruise on the Coral Princess years ago was great. Excursions seem to be much better on the smaller ships. For a Panama canal cruise, the smaller ships go through the historic locks which is important for me. I am not "loyal" to a particular cruise line. We do have a variety of cruise types already booked for 2022 and 2023. Even though large ships are not my favorite, we do have a NCL cruise to the ABC islands booked for January. I conceded to the large ship because we are going with a group. To make it more palatable, we booked a room in the Haven. Prices were excellent. May will find us cruising the Greek isles on a Windstar sailboat. Now, that is true cruising. In August, we will take our 5th cruise to Alaska. We have cruised Princess twice, Holland-America once and Windstar once. The August cruise will be on Viking. All have their pros and cons, but if you are combining a cruise with a land tour, you cannot go wrong with Holland-America or Princess. If I want big shows, I will go to Las Vegas.

[@DIEMLtdTV]

I’ve sailed many times (and only on) Royal Caribbean from Oasis Class ships to Vision Class and they all have been amazing. The smaller ships can get to more exciting ports but you’d struggle to fit an ice rink onboard!

[@angellight495]

It's not a question of size but rather passenger-space ratio as well as passenger-crew ratio that makes all the difference.

[@pensacola321]

On a big boat, the ship itself becomes a bigger part of vacation experience.. So much to do....

[@remanco65]

I get way fussed lining up for stuff. Thats my new tag line. Great channel

[@DanetteSWhite]

Smaller ships sound really nice. Thanks for sharing.

[@carolryan9056]

Thank you for sharing such interesting and views on cruising. We’ve been on several P & O cruises during the 90’s, if we cruise again it will be on the smaller ships.

[@gwenmarshall587]

I personally prefer the Panama Max ships that hold about 2,200 passengers. Currently those are the older ships and they come with a better price and for the most part we don't have the lines that you're referring to with the larger ships.

[@sandraoettle1476]

Gary. You are my favorite cruise ship guide! Your enthusiastic passion for this specific modality of travel experience shows in your integrity of quality delivery and research. I look forward to every video with great delight and pleasure. Thank you 💙

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Sandra, how are you doing?

[@abridalmaven]

I love big ships. So much to do on the ship. Small ships ( I started out on them) make me feel too closed in.

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Barbara, how are you doing today?

[@sarahsup]

EXCELLENT ANALYSIS!

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Sarah, how are you doing?

[@SpamMouse]

Thank you.

[@larrykramer2761]

I can't even relate to you Gary. What you would consider "just another cruise" would be a once in a lifetime experience for me. = /

[@dbenadon]

Gary, another great video. Currently we prefer Norwegian but we stay in the Haven which seems the best of both worlds. Thank you for all the great content!

[@RTD3]

Best cruise advice KZbin channel, ever!! (and I've been on 24 cruises)

[@sheilalarson8964]

Great information, once again, and you offer a lot to think about when choosing my next cruise!

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Sheila, how are you doing?

[@quicksilver2510]

For me, I think the length of the cruise can impact the desired size of the ship. I tend to care less about the size of the ship when on a 3 or 4 day cruise because there's less time to explore.

[@wrongwayconway]

My first ocean cruise was on an older ship that had 1500 passenger capacity. I loved it. We could dock at all the Caribbean ports, no need to be tendered in. The decks weren't crowded either. I will always choose smaller ships with a great itinerary (just 1 day at sea and lots of ports).

[@MG-vs1lq]

Small ship person here! The thought of being trapped on a ship with a ton of families and children is my idea of hell on water.

[@karenjordan5731]

This is a great video. Thank you so much. You are so right in that the perfect ship depends on the situation. I really have enjoyed watching you through the pandemic and will continue. Thank you for all the great information ❤😊🛳👍🏝🌊

[@hurst-cs2jh]

Hi Karen, how are you doing?

[@dannyd100381]

I love the big ships!! Oasis class has less queuing in my opinion than the smaller ships I have been on. They have people spread all around the ship as there is so much to keep people entertained. Oasis class is easily my favourite!!!

[@l.faraday8767]

Thank you Gary, another insightful post. Ironically, the only place Princess has to use the tenders is their own island port in the Bahamas.

[@abc31298]

We perfer the smaller ships we have been on the 5000 plus passenger ships before covid and we don't like to have to plan band book everything as soon as you get on the ship. You never know how things are going to go on your cruise and the big ships you have to book the shows and if you don't feel like going that night you will miss it

[@rickfetters4652]

After many many cruises, it's now become the destination and new ports.

[@lucysmum1895]

I agree with you, Mr B. I find big fat ships are exhausting with awful lot going on, not to mention navigating their geography. But I compare them on mini-cruises of limited destinations of the UK, Belgium or Holland. So I’ve booked Virgin and 2 P&O’s. Though I already know smaller ships are more relaxing and my things, like Fred Olsen and CMV’s born-again, Ambassador I look forward to next year. June

[@AvivaHadas]

100% agree.

[@garythecyclingnerd6219]

As a younger guy, I preferred the Solstice class to the Millennium class for Celebrity. I want to go to an Edge class because I like a greater diversity of things to do, sample, and a better chance to meet an interesting person. I don’t need to see or do everything on board, but a a bigger ship helps my especially on sea days

[@1992zg]

Great video as always Gary! I have enjoyed some of the larger ships on the premium lines but don’t think I would ever like the mega ships on some of the mass market like RCL. Onboard Koningsdam right now and the ship is fantastic, but also only 49% occupancy so that really helps.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! Koningsdam with that occupancy must be great !! Enjoy

[@1992zg]

@@tipsfortravellers It was absolutely amazing. I never waited in line for anything!

[@angieolson1036]

I also consider embarkation port - my proximity to port and cost of getting there and back home.

[@visionist7]

I would like to try a mix of sized ships. Small for an enriching series of adventurous excursions with good company (large suite essential) and big for a 24/7 party atmosphere. I can easily think "what the hell am I doing trapped on this tacky barge with all these plebs?" though on a big ship, as politically incorrect as that sounds.

[@margaretd3710]

LOL!!!! You are too funny!

[@MrsBilla-nu8qb]

I definitely prefer smaller ships. I want to feel I’m on a cruise. I’m so sad the a few of my favorite ships are now at the scrapyard (Monarch of the Seas and Carnival Imagination). The very first ship I cruised on is on the bottom of the Indian Ocean (Chandris Lines Britanis). Everyone is looking for something different in their cruise. The small ships offer an experience that seems to be missing on the large ships. Now they are trying to meet everyone’s expectations, except of course, your passengers who like a real cruising experience.

[@tomg1247]

I've really had sticker shock with the smaller ships from when I looked pre-covid versus the prices now! Thus we're going on a Feb 2022 cruise on MSC Meraviglia. We don't mind being "anonymous," so it could be we'll find this big ship better than we've previously thought possible. It is hard to beat the price and the balcony cabins look great.

[@toddb6576]

Gary, I really appreciate your candor and objective seasoned opinion. You are like a journalist that reports and analyzes at the same time. Thanks so much for that. You address cross-cutting decisions like family generation and sailing solo. After years of struggling with port vs ship syndrome, I am going to decide to choose the ship first, snd then not give a &**& about where it goes. My rationale is that if I am really hard-pressed on visiting somewhere like Philipsburg, St. Maarten, I should just go there for a week. Really, how can I truthfully say I know a place from the port? Cheers

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks! And for adding your thoughts! Like your approach

[@Dangic23]

As long as the ship is no older than 8 years, I do not care for the size. I cruise based on itinerary #1 Then cruise age. Nothing else to consider after that.

[@DaveM-FFB]

Our preference in North America is newer, medium sized ships. We've been to most ports already, so the ship is now the "destination" for us. When we ultimately cruise the Med, we may opt for a smaller ship, if affordable. The big, new ships are just too crowded for us.

[@downychick]

We really enjoyed Majesty of the Seas for our honeymoon, which is now considered a smaller ship, though at one time it was the largest. It was the perfect size for us. We docked next to a large Carnival ship. The crowds around the Carnival ship gave me anxiety! I prefer a flexible dining and relaxing atmosphere.

[@davva360]

It really depends what you are looking for. I like Holland America and their ships hold about 2500 passengers, its the only company I have cruised with so far. However my next two cruises are both with Royal Caribbean, one on Harmony of the Seas which is about as big as they come, the second on Radiance of the Seas which it more like the size of a Holland. However there are still more things to do on the Radiance of the Seas when compared to the Westerdam for example. It will be an interesting 6 months. I expect I will like Royal Caribbean more than Holland but we will see whether I prefer the monstrous Harmony or the smaller Radiance. The last Holland cruise was in Alaska and there was so little going on during the day it was disappointing.

[@paulalderson6920]

Could you do a video on how to pack for a 110 day world cruise please (Sydney/Sydney)? We hope to be sailing May 2024 after initially booking in 2019. My wife & I are really optimistic this time.

[@chriswilliams6568]

Gary I hope on your A,ask a cruise you depart from Vancouver and not Seattle, as from Vancouver you travel up the Inside passage, meaning the east side of Vancouver Island, very pretty as you sail up the BC coast. Whereas if you depart from Seattle you sail up the west side, 50 miles off the coast and see nothing in that area.

[@nedkelly2035]

Gary, I love your videos, but I would like to make one minor suggestion. Enunciate P&O a bit better, as P and O. I have had a problem several times with trying to figure out what "Pinot" lines is, or if a "Pinot" cruise was some sort of wine tasting cruise.

[@highbaritone]

What is the main thing for us is the quality not quantity of the food. Top of the list for us. Next is the ease of getting on and off the ship. All inclusive is our third important factor. So, we cruise less often. Lots of other factors for the smaller ship choice. If we were young with a family it would be a whole other story. So looking forward to next May to cruise again after more than two years. 👍🇯🇵🇦🇺🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@ameliaerin1544]

I like smaller ships for smaller crowds. Unfortunately need larger wallet. Thank you for your vlog.

[@JennTrotter]

This, Pal👊

[@dazoomcat]

I have been on oasis and Harmony, but my favorite ship is still majesty of the seas. To bad she's gone.

[@daynacjones]

I like the mid size, it has all the amenities and you don't have to hike a mile to your room.

[@terrifromm5085]

So far, I have only cruised on large, mega-ships. I have never cruised on a small ship or taken a river cruise. I enjoy the large ship experience and I am in my late fifties. I really do need to compare small vs large just to satisfy my curiosity. Honestly, I do hope I'm not bored on small ships or on A river cruise. Excellent video, as usual.

[@yvonnetomenga5726]

@Terri Fromm • Gary has an excellent video on river cruises for people who have only done ocean cruises. Check out the videos on his channel.

[@terrifromm5085]

@@yvonnetomenga5726 I actually watch every video he posts and I think I’ll eventually try a river cruise. He is so great!!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks 😀😀😀

[@carolyns99]

I'm afraid those monstrous floating side-shows look appalling to me. I don't even think I would have liked them as a kid although I can see their appeal to families as a cost effective holiday. I have been on the old Pacific Sky in their largest suite and I was lucky enough to go on a Nile cruise with A&K back in 2005. That was on the Sunboat IV which is classed as a yacht I think and it was glorious. It went further than any of the other boats and I really wanted to see Abydos. Hideously expensive but what a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime journey. I guess as a rare cruiser I like to go all out because it is an "experience" and that is what I am looking for again in the future. If I did it frequently though I can see that my spending would have to be rather more restrained!

[@melvinjacobs2328]

If I go on an Oasis Class ship is less crowded than any class of any line because of the way Royal knows how to keep crowd control. This comparison includes smaller Rorl ships.

[@rickcudmore8156]

We select our cruises on the itinerary, the cruise line and the cost. We aren't interested in ships that have an amusement park on the aft end of the ship.

[@fiogrcy]

The biggest ship from my point of view is the perfect gateway.. A lot places to discover..! And with our Greek character... All the knows us.. What a mood.... in the 5000 passenger ship.. All you know what you drink after second day 😂😎😎

[@RickFarris]

Gary, what is it that you don't like about Silver Sea?

[@mcpojim1253]

My vote - Small -to- Mid Size/Small Ships. Been on the large and mega ships, really not for DW or myself.

[@pagrant]

We always go with TUI

[@roscoedacat8288]

There is another choice. I have friends who just like to go to the Caribbean and stays on the ship all the time. Uses the ship like a floating resort so they like big ships.

[@richwielechowski5191]

What is the latest on Covid restrictions? Are all cruise lines back up and sailing? Thanks for sharing your travels

[@kristopherrassega8942]

When I was on the allure of the seas it was amazing but tbh I wasn't a fan of it was too big and took a long time to follow around I'd rather be on the carnival freedom or destiny size ship

[@jeffaltier5582]

I have a rule-- if there are more people on the ship than are in the town I live in, then its too big. I much prefer smaller. I just don't like the huge crowds, overcrowded pools, and ships that give no sense of any privacy or those hidden places to relax.

[@katcalico9142]

It’s funny, everyone is unique. I am a solo traveler, 40, who probably would be better suited in many ways to a smaller ship (I am not zip lining or going on slide or roller coaster or anything like that, I enjoy a good show, but you will also not find me in a nightclub or casino), I am an introvert. I enjoy excursions, lounging by the pool, going to the gym, getting spa treatments, and think I would love the more educational programming found on smaller ships. However, you will not catch me in a main dining room traveling solo (anxiety central), and as such I prefer a larger ship with more casual dining options that are grab and go friend. I do enjoy meeting people naturally, but my ideal evening is dinner and a glass of wine on my balcony with a good book. Debating giving Viking a go. I should get out more. 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️

[@edwardmiller4709]

I just got back from a Regent cruise. The ship held 750 guests with only 450 booked because of COVID. The cruise was perfect except for one major glitch. I use medical marijuana and wasn't going to go but my sister called Regent and was told they changed their policy. I also called and was told the same. When I got on board and inquired of the smoking areas, my medicine was confiscated and I had to go to sickbay the next day to get something for my sickness and nausea. If you use medical marijuana, assume you CAN'T take it on board. Other than that, the cruise was perfect, with most of the amenities of a huge ship without the crowds. I would highly recommend Regent!

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks for that watch out. Good to know and something to watch to see how lines evolve on this !!!

[@westhavenor9513]

Interesting. I wonder if edibles would work for you. We're booked on a Regent cruise in June with another couple, one of whom uses weed daily (recreationally, I think). I will pass this on to him in case he was planning on bringing his bong :)

[@leohale6449]

If you have significant mobility issues, a - would you recommend cruising at all, and b - which size would you recommend? Do they allow mobility assist, such as wheel chairs or scooters, on cruise ships?