Which Cruise is Best for You?
If you have never taken a big ship cruise or a
river cruise, you might wonder how they compare.
And if you have taken a big ship cruise, do you wonder what the difference would be on a river cruise? There are some differences, however, when it comes to taking a cruise on a river or on the ocean, there isn’t really a bad choice. Both offer incredible views, luxurious amenities, and the opportunity to explore interesting ports. Each one comes with its own unique perks. And depending on your specific needs and desires for you next trip, you might find that one is a better fit than the other.
How do you decide?
Excursions and Exploration
On a river cruise, you stop almost every day at a new port. Walking tours through quaint towns with little tourist traffic are very popular and you’re always in view of the land. With ocean cruises, you can go days without seeing land. Ports of call and excursions tend to be more exotic and high adventure, and usually geared towards tourists.
River cruises include one and sometimes two excursions per day in your package cost. Big ship cruises often do not include excursions in your travel package. Because of the small number of people on a river cruise, group tours are not very big. And the thing that I like best about river cruising, headsets are often provided so that you do not have to strain to hear your guide tell you about what you are looking at. And here’s a plus for river cruises, guides on river cruises are always included on your excursions.
Questions to ask yourself:
Do you like to be on the open sea with no land in sight for days at a time?
Is anyone in your party fearful of traveling the open sea and not seeing land for long stretches?
Do you like the comfort of ports of call that are more geared towards tourists? Or do you prefer to explore more authentic cities and towns?
Do you like to have many options for shore excursions – from shopping, to bus tours, to zip-lining through the jungle, or are you content with fewer, often less exotic options, such as bike or walking tours of quaint little towns?
On Board Options
Because of their larger size, ocean cruises offer plenty of options for many ages from young kids to octogenarians. Big ships are often more able to accommodate a wide variety of special health needs. For this reason, they tend to make the best options for multi-generational family gatherings that include young children. For the traveler who is into high-octane adventure, ocean cruises provide a wide variety of activities on board, as well as exotic and more daring day excursions.
But for folks, looking for a calmer ambiance, river cruising offers deck time on top to sun themselves, read a book, soak in a pool or play a game of chess. Evenings often provide some kind of local entertainment on a river cruise though not as extravagant as on a big ship.
Questions to ask yourself:
How many people are traveling?
What are their ages?
Do you need the amenities of a mega ship — spas, gyms, a dozen restaurants, and many activities?
Or are you looking for something calmer, more intimate and easy paced?
Intimacy and Interaction
River cruises tend to be much smaller with no more than 190 passengers versus up to 6,200 people on some of the largest ocean cruises. As a result, you’re much more likely to be interacting with other passengers and crew members on smaller ships. Some will go out of their way to learn your name and greet you on your return to the ship.
That smaller scale translates to all areas of the river cruise. You dine on a regular schedule at tables with other passengers. Wine is typically included in the price of the cruise. Instead of 50 different things to do on board, amenities tend to be more modest with river cruises – think libraries, a workout room, cultural programs, and free Wifi versus ten kids’ playrooms, glitzy Broadway shows, and a skydiving simulator. There tend to be fewer kids on river cruises, making them popular for couples seeking quiet and relaxed time together.
Questions to ask yourself:
How important is it to you to have a variety of activities?
Do you like interaction with other cruisers, or do you prefer to remain more anonymous?
Are you traveling with young children and are looking for a high energy, high stimulation environment? Or, do you prefer a more quiet, relaxed vacation?
Other Cruise Comparisons
River cruises do tend to be more expensive per person, but that price also includes more things. Ocean cruises have a lower sticker price per person, but you are often charged extra for alcohol and other amenities. However, depending on the kind of amenities that you would like on a big ship cruise, the price between both might actually be about the same.
Both cruises allow you to unpack once and then be able to see many different places without having to pack and unpack each time. Embarking and disembarking is often much easier and quicker on a river cruise. In fact, river cruise ships dock right next to the middle of town, making it easy to enjoy the location and the culture of the town. With big ship cruise ships, sometimes docking has to be made at a port farther away that can accommodate the big ship. So if you are going to see Rome, for example, your port at Civitavecchia is over an hour away.
As always, I’m here and would love to discuss your next cruise. We can look at the details of your upcoming trip –what you need, what you want, what your dream is –and together we can come up with a cruise you and your loved ones will remember fondly for the rest of your life.
