Lavish buffets and live entertainment. Nightclubs, casinos, and high-end shopping. Obstacle courses, roller coasters and waterslides. All shared with a few thousand other passengers on an enormous ship.

For many people, this sounds like a dream vacation. After all, more than 31 million people every year take a cruise.¹

For others, it’s a nightmare. Who wants to be crammed into a tiny cabin, fight for a lounger by the pool, eat mediocre meals and be herded into touristy ports? If you’re one of these people who proclaims, “I hate cruises,” we understand. But never say never! There’s a whole world of cruise voyages out there that may be just the vacation you’re looking for.

What are the best cruises for people who hate crowds?

This may be the #1 reason people hate cruises: the forced proximity to other people. The biggest ships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, can carry more than 5,000 guests plus more than 2,000 crew members.² If you’re looking for peace and solitude, a mega-sized cruise ship is not the place to do it.

However, you may find that you love the experience of cruising on a smaller ship. These are just a few small-ship cruise lines:

• Azamara Cruises’ ships carry around 700 guests, with a ratio of 1.7 staff for every 2 guests.
• Silversea offers “ultra-luxury” ships that accommodate between 100 and 728 passengers, plus crew.
• Viking’s river cruise ships each carry up to 190 passengers.
• Windstar Cruises operates sailing yachts that carry 148 to 342 guests.

Small-ship cruises tend to be more expensive, however. You can save money by choosing older ships and looking for last-minute deals.

Another cruise option for people who hate crowds: sail on a mid-sized ship (2,000-3,000 passengers) during the shoulder season, when children are in school and fewer people are vacationing. Or splurge on Norwegian Cruise Line’s The Haven: exclusive penthouse-style accommodations that include access to a private sundeck, lounge, and restaurant.

What are the best cruises to avoid rowdy children (or adults)?

True story: On one Caribbean cruise, we witnessed some rambunctious tweens helping themselves to soft-serve ice cream cones—and then throwing them at each other. Where were their parents? Nowhere in sight.

If you prefer a food-fight-free vacation, several cruise lines offer adults-only sailings. All Viking cruises are 18+. Virgin Voyages, too, specializes in adults-only cruises.  

Of course, children aren’t the only ones behaving badly on cruise ships. It’s not uncommon to encounter passengers who get drunk, curse, fight, treat staff poorly, or loudly complain. Frequent cruisers recommend booking longer trips, as the shorter, four-night voyages tend to attract more partiers.

Cruise lines known for a calm and relaxing atmosphere include Princess Cruises, Holland America, and Norwegian Cruise Line. The destination and timing matter, too. A cruise to Cozumel during spring break might be a little… chaotic. A fall cruise to Maine and Nova Scotia, on the other hand, sounds perfectly serene.

What are the best cruises to experience local culture?

Hooray, you’ve arrived at your port of call! Now wait in line for 45 minutes to get off the ship. Shop for overpriced souvenirs and order drinks at a touristy bar, or pay for an excursion to a nearby sightseeing destination. Several sunburned hours later, it’s time to rush back to the ship.

If you’re someone who enjoys meaningful cultural interactions, the traditional port experience isn’t for you. To avoid the heavy influx of tourists, places including Amsterdam, Venice, Bora Bora and Key West have even banned or restricted large cruise ships from docking.³

Here’s the good news: you can experience authentic local culture on a cruise. Many European river cruises make it easy for you to explore beautiful cities and towns, either on your own or on a guided walking tour. In Vietnam and Cambodia, Avalon Waterways’ Mekong River cruises arrange excursions to visit rural villages, watch craftspeople at work, and take part in a traditional water blessing ceremony by monks.  

Some cruise ships bring the culture on board. Azamara, Holland America, Cunard, and Silversea are just a few of the lines that offer cultural enrichment programs with guest speakers, cooking demonstrations, and more.

What are the best cruises for people who hate cruise food?

Some people love classic cruise fare: the all-you-can-eat buffets, the midnight burgers, the celebrity restaurants. But what if you’re a little more particular about what you eat?

Oceania Cruises claims to have “the finest cuisine at sea,” and many cruisers agree. This luxury cruise line takes food very, very seriously: Legendary Master Chef Jacques Pépin guides the culinary program. Oceania doesn’t charge extra for meals at its specialty restaurants, and passengers say even the ice cream (from Humphry Slocombe) is sublime.

Unsurprisingly, the best cruise food is found on high-end cruise lines. However, some moderately priced cruise lines have great food options too. Passengers praise the snack food on Disney Cruise Lines, as well as the buffets on Celebrity and Princess.⁴

What about dietary restrictions? In general, cruise lines do a good job of accommodating allergies and can provide special meals for those who need them. Cruise ships have also vastly improved their vegan and vegetarian offerings. According to VegNews, cruise lines with substantial vegan menus include Virgin, Princess, and Royal Caribbean, while the Disney Wish offers vegan options at every onboard restaurant.⁵

What are the best cruises for active travelers?

If you normally spend your vacations hiking, biking, or walking, then you’re not going to like being confined to a floating mall—no matter how nice the ship’s gym may be.   

For travelers like you, certain cruise lines have itineraries that incorporate physical activity. Emerald Cruises’ EmeraldACTIVE program offers guided hikes, canoeing, and kayaking tours, as well as onboard bikes that are free to use in port. True two-wheel fanatics will love a cycling cruise. This is a voyage aboard a chartered ship that invites you to bike a new route at each port (or take a break, if your legs demand it).⁶

Find even more adventure on an expedition cruise. These small-ship cruises venture into remote areas known for their natural beauty: Antarctica, Alaska, Iceland, the Galápagos Islands. Companies that offer expedition cruises include National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions; Viking; HX Hurtigruten Expeditions; and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Our last piece of advice: Keep an open mind. Many a traveler will swear up and down that they hate cruises. But then, once they’re on board, they find out that it’s kind of nice to lie by the pool, order a milkshake, and utterly relax.

Just make sure that before you leave, you protect your cruise vacation with the travel insurance more than 70 million Americans trust each year. Learn more about travel insurance for cruises and get a quote.

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