Little ships and big ships… there’s a right one for you.

Some like them big, and others like them small. Often clients do not switch between the two. One thing is for sure, cruise ships are getting bigger and there is great competition for getting clients to book, so here are my thoughts.

Four surprising reasons why I believe the size of a cruise ship matters:

1 – The size of the ship determines the number of fellow passengers you’ll be cruising with. This will affect the ambiance of the ship and will determine the number of facilities available to you and your family. Surprisingly, the ship’s size may also affect the price and average age of the passengers. Parents with young children often want a larger ship because there is more to amuse their kids. A larger ship may also benefit from better economies of scale and is therefore able to offer more competitive pricing or more extensive facilities.

2 – The bigger the ship, the more features and facilities available to you and your family. Conversely, smaller ships will often have more of an intimate feel or atmosphere and will often feel more like sailing than holidaying in a floating hotel. However, you can expect to pay higher prices than on large cruise ships.

3 – Larger ships might not need to stop at so many ports because the ship really is the destination. More entertainment will frequently be available and some ships may have a casino as well. It’s also likely that a nightclub and a cabaret will be available. Most big ships will be geared for children of all ages and have beauty salons / hairdressers for the ladies.

4 – Big cruise ships are often restricted to large ports that can accommodate a larger ship with many passengers and crew. Smaller ships have the ability to call into smaller ports that the big ships can’t enter. This means that a smaller ship will have access to less crowded ports and may as a result provide a more all round experience and give you access to unspoilt beaches.

My choices for a cruise are:

Small But Charming: Azamara’s Quest, Silver Spirit, Regent Seven Seas Voyager.

Mid range: P&O’s Oceana, Celebrity Century, Holland America Westerdam.

Large: Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Norwegian Gem, Celebrity Solstice.

Floating mega hotels: Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Norwegian Epic, & Liberty of the Seas.

The above ships are only a small number that I consider fit the category. To discuss your thoughts, contact me Wayne Frieslander on 0330 303 8397 or email me at [email protected]