re: Are cruises overrated?

I love cruises. They’re a blast and so relaxing and refreshing. The boyfriend and I are boarding Carnival’s newest ship in two weeks to head out to DR, San Juan, & St. Thomas.

The RCCL folks on here love to gripe about Carnival when they probably haven’t sailed them in over 15 years—if at all. Carnival’s newest ships on 7-8 day itineraries have fantastic, diverse crowds. Very laid back and friendly atmosphere. Included food options are amazing. Carnival also offers better, more diverse itineraries.

In the Caribbean, Carnival, RCCL, and Norwegian are all comparable these days. Princess & Celebrity offer a step up into premium cruising. I’ve been on Celebrity once and had an amazing experience.

Disney is great for families and Disney fans; they cost twice as much, but you’ll get the high quality you’d expect from Disney.

Virgin Voyages is adults only. It’s got a hip, iconoclastic vibe.

Holland America and Viking have beautiful ships, but they are geared to an older crowd (not sure about your age).

Avoid MSC. I hear nothing but complaints.

For Alaska, Princess and Celebrity are the best. Hands down.

In Europe, you’ll hit a port per day and most ports are 2-3 hours away from a major city (except a few like Barcelona, Venice, and Sicily). A river cruise is very immersive but it’s also structured and planned.

Some great You Tube channels to check out: Popular Cruising (best ship tours), Emma Cruises (budget cruising), Cruise with Ben & David (honest, thorough description of the cruising experience across many brands), La Lido Loca (cruising news), Life Well Cruised (tips for cruisers new and experienced).