If you have never actually been on a cruise before, more than likely you have heard a variety of different stories about cruising. Expedia is an obvious first mention in a list of the best cruise booking sites, in part because it’s an absolute juggernaut (Expedia also owns Travelocity and Orbitz ). Its cruise-booking interface is simple and straightforward, only requiring you to enter your preferred sailing destination and date range, as well as how many passengers you’ll be bringing along.
Cunard Line ships maintain the class tradition of ocean liners and have separate dining rooms for different types of suites, while Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises have a standard dining room and “upgrade” specialty restaurants that require pre-booking and cover charges.
Known for its colorful ships, Norwegian Cruise Line first broke into the mega-ship category in 2010 with the launch of Norwegian Epic, which can carry just over 5,000 passengers at full occupancy, and have since introduced five others in the Breakaway and Breakaway-Plus classes.
With these 20 cruise companies, nominated as the best in the industry by our panel of cruise experts, cruising becomes an adventure for active travelers, where exploring an exotic destination might involve kayaking through remote fjords, getting up close and personal with icebergs aboard a Zodiac or walking atop a glacier.
Both the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony ships offer deals to guests that include many expected all-inclusive amenities: round-trip airfare, dining in the ships’ restaurants, complimentary wines and spirits (though premium brands are excluded), non-alcoholic beverages and all gratuities for housekeeping, dining and staff.