TOP CRUISE LINES, SHIPS, AND PLACES FOR SENIORS: Bucket List Ocean and River Experiences for the 2020s

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Cruises, Top 21 | 0 comments

Top Cruise Lines, Ships, and Places for Seniors:

Bucket List Ocean and River Experiences for the 2020s

In this article you will find:

A

A Changing Industry Pauses and Recalibrates

A

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A

Hold the Obituary – We’re NOT Dead, Yet!

A

Cruise Capacity Revealed

A

Cruise Decisions and Your Personality

A

Most Senior-Friendly Cruise Lines

A

Bucket List Cruises for Seniors

A

Largest Cruise Ships in the World

A

Cruise Lines and Fleet Additions Catering to Seniors

A

Best Expedition Cruises

A

Best Luxury Yacht Cruises

A

Best River Cruises

A

More Senior Cruising Experiences Ahead

Until COVID-19 literally shut down the cruise industry in 2020, cruising was one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. By 2019 ocean cruising was growing at the rate of 6.6 percent a year; river cruising was growing even faster at 16 percent a year. Europe alone experienced a 53% annual growth rate in its eastern waterways — Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Elbe.
Cruising is basically an America, British, Norwegian, German, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese, and Australian travel/leisure industry. The Americans by far dominate this industry with their Royal Caribbean (3 cruise lines), Carnival (9 cruise lines), and Norwegian (3 cruise lines) brands. Together, these three companies represent 72 percent of total cruise capacity worldwide. 

A Changing Industry Pauses and Recalibrates

From the very beginning, this has been a slippery and shady international business – the American cruise companies incorporate and register their ships offshore (Bahamas, Panama, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands) and fly foreign flags, classic corporate accounting schemes designed to avoid U.S. taxes and skirt regulations (starting with ship construction — if registered in U.S., a ship must be built in the U.S.). Yet, all three companies maintain their operational headquarters in Miami, Florida. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, these cruise lines were hard-pressed to argue for “paycheck protection” and other economic relief from the U.S. government since they had a long history of deliberately avoiding payment of U.S. taxes! Few, other than employees and relatives of the cruise lines, sympathized with their economic plight. They would have to tough-it-out and come up with new post-COVID-19 recovery schemes.

Over 30 million people were cruising in 2019, which represented nearly 2 percent of the global travel industry. While most were ocean cruisers, nearly 3 million were river cruisers. Representing two different cruise experiences, ocean and river cruises appeal to different types of travelers: 

  • River cruise ships (50 to 200 passengers) have limited onboard facilities and activities since they are very destination-oriented with guests spending a great deal of time docked at inland river ports from where the tour onshore sites and engage in local activities. Most river cruise ships have one dining room, limited entertainment, and lots of face time with fellow passengers.
  • Ocean cruise ships (300 to 5,500 passengers) are less destination-intensive since they are designed to offer a “cruise experience” complete with numerous onboard facilities and activities and some onshore experiences the originate in major international cruise ports; very large cruise ships (4,000+ passengers) offer multiple restaurants (20+) and several high-energy activities (rock climbing, ziplining, rollercoasters, go-cart racing, water slides, belly-flop contests), bars, programs, shopping, and entertainment venues. 

According to CruiseMapper.com, the average passenger size of ocean cruise ships is 3,000; the average passenger size of large river cruise ships is only 150. 

While some ports (especially Venice, Dubrovnik, Santorini, Barcelona, Key West, and the Galapagos) complain about being overwhelmed with cruise visitors (the curse of overtourism), nonetheless, the cruise industry is an economic multiplier – when up and running it employs nearly 2 million people worldwide and contributes more than $150 billion to the global economy. But there’s a heavy price to be paid for such ostensible “success.”

Healthy by traditional P&L economic indicators (very profitable), the cruise industry is troubling by other measures (environmental impact and externality costs). Indeed, it has a long history of “dirty energy” consumption (cruise ships use the most toxic and polluting fuels), dumping trash and untreated sewage at sea and in ports, and generating plastic pollution. They are not known as environmentally-friendly companies or good stewards of the environment. Many are floating trash cans doing irreparable damage to the environment (polluting waters, damaging coral reefs, disrupting fisheries, trashing beaches).

 

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

But times are changing. Important initiatives are making this a more sustainable green industry with the launch of LNG-powered and hybrid electric ships; use of cleaner burning fuels; elimination of single-use plastics; improved sanitation, waste, and recycling systems; upgraded shoreside waste facilities; advanced air quality systems; and improved water treatment systems. Most of these eco-friendly changes have been initiated by small cruise ships, especially leaders in the exploration/expedition cruise industry (Hurtigruten, Lindblad, Ponant). But most major cruise lines have begun initiating green policies and protocols, especially focused on recycling, incinerating, waste processing, cooking oil conversion, solar panels, and energy efficient appliances. It’s a significant start that may revolutionize the cruise industry in the coming decade. In the meantime, Venice, Dubrovnik, and Barcelona are still hurting from the massive impact of the cruise industry. And then there are the other environmental culprits on the water — the relatively unregulated global shipping and container industry, especially the 50,000 merchant ships that operate worldwide, damaging the oceans and rivers with their toxic dumping and pollution.

Hold the Obituary – We’re NOT Dead, Yet!

The cruise industry imploded in mid-March 2020 as cruise lines scrambled to suspend operations worldwide in the face of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. No cruise lines, however, cancelled orders for new ships (40+) which were already in the pipeline. Instead, they sold off or scrapped part of their aging fleets, slowed down new construction, and recalibrated delivery dates (sometime in the future). Crystal and World Dream (both owned by Hong Kong-based Genting Cruise Lines), for example, delayed by a year the much anticipated 200-passenger luxury yacht Crystal Endeavor and the mega Global Dream (designed for the Chinese market and lauded to be the largest cruise ship ever built with a capacity of 11,700 — 9,500 passengers + 2,200 crew members—208,000gt, 342 meters long, 46 meters wide, which is actually smaller than Royal Caribbean’s 5,400-passenger mega ship; good advice — don’t believe the “size hype” since Global Dream is also officially advertised as a 4,700-passenger ship, which seems accurate). As a result, hundreds of ships lay idle, thousands of employees were furloughed or fired, ship construction slowly continued or was delayed, and new ships launched without passengers and with skeleton crews. Some of the most interesting new cruise ships were environmentally-friendly European ocean hybrids (Hurtigruten and Ponant) and a revolutionary Chinese electric river cruiser (Yangtze River Three Gorges 1). 

All segments of the cruise industry faced unprecedented uncertainty about their futures and the travel industry. A great deal of collateral damage was evident in the economies of 2,000 port cities – especially those in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Europe, and Alaska – which where disproportionately impacted by the shutdown of cruise ships as well as in the major cruise ship building yards of Germany, Italy, France, Finland, and South Korea. 

But change is in the air for “The Cruise Survivors of 2020/2021” – a special Gen Z to Baby Boomer generation of cruisers. One thing is certain – this is a very resilient industry with unusual capabilities to rebound, innovate, and move forward. New ship construction continues despite launch date slippage. As the industry gets back on its feet and pent-up demand for cruising increases — especially among seniors with lots of time, money, and aging bucket lists — cruising is expected to reach 37 million passengers a year by 2027. More and more new cruise ships are being launched (15 in 2020 and 28 in 2021) in anticipation of exponential growth in this industry. The major unknowns remain the health of passengers, the mindsets of port cities, and the future tax status of the industry. Will the cruise industry return back to normal or impose new restrictions on cruise ships and travelers? Will cruise lines continue to enjoy offshore tax avoidance schemes? Will these companies require all passengers to be COVID-19 vaccinated? Will countries and port cities also require health passports as a condition of disembarkation? Will some places, such as the Cayman Islands, simply ban cruise ships altogether? Unlikely, but it’s an idea whose time has come for ports and countries that can live without the curse of cruise tourism.

Cruise Capacity Revealed

According to CruiseMarketWatch.com, by the end of 2021 the worldwide ocean cruise line passenger capacity will stand at 581,200 passengers on 323 ships. The five largest cruise companies, which operate some of the biggest cruise ships in the world (5,000+ passengers), include:
Royal Caribbean
$8
  • Ships – 24
  • Passenger Capacity – 88,000
Carnival
$8
  • Ships – 23
  • Passenger Capacity – 70,700
MSC Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 19
  • Passenger Capacity – 62,700
Norwegian
$8
  • Ships – 17
  • Passenger Capacity – 49,800
Princess
$8
  • Ships – 16
  • Passenger Capacity – 44,000
The overall number of ocean cruise ships and passenger capacity by parent company is as follows:

Parent Company: Carnival

Carnival
$8
  • Ships – 23
  • Passenger Capacity – 70,700
Princess
$8
  • Ships – 16
  • Passenger Capacity – 44,000
AIDA
$8
  • Ships – 15
  • Passenger Capacity – 36,786
Costa Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 12
  • Passenger Capacity – 35,900
Holland America
$8
  • Ships – 12
  • Passenger Capacity – 20,400
P&O Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 7
  • Passenger Capacity – 16,600
Seabourn
$8
  • Ships – 6
  • Passenger Capacity – 2,818
Cunard
$8
  • Ships – 3
  • Passenger Capacity – 6,700
P&O Cruises Australia
$8
  • Ships – 3
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,000

Total : Ships - 98, Capacity - 239,704

Parent Company: Royal

Royal Caribbean
$8
  • Ships – 24
  • Passenger Capacity – 88,000

Parent Company: Caribbean

Celebrity
$8
  • Ships – 14
  • Passenger Capacity – 28,500
Silversea
$8
  • Ships – 9
  • Passenger Capacity – 3,100

Total : Ships - 47, Capacity - 119,600

Parent Company: Norwegian

Norwegian
$8
  • Ships – 17
  • Passenger Capacity – 49,800
Silversea
$8
  • Ships – 9
  • Passenger Capacity – 3,100

Total : Ships - 28, Capacity - 58,400

Parent Company: All Other

Ponant/Paul Gauguin Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 22
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,400
MSC Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 19
  • Passenger Capacity – 62,700
Hurtigrutan
$8
  • Ships – 14
  • Passenger Capacity – 7,300
Viking Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 8
  • Passenger Capacity – 7,400
TUI Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 7
  • Passenger Capacity – 17,000
Windstar
$8
  • Ships – 6
  • Passenger Capacity – 1,200
American Cruise Lines
$8
  • Ships – 5
  • Passenger Capacity – 700
Fred Olsen
$8
  • Ships – 5
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,700
Quark Expeditions
$8
  • Ships – 5
  • Passenger Capacity – 798
Disney
$8
  • Ships – 4
  • Passenger Capacity – 8,500
Dream Cruises (Genting)
$8
  • Ships – 4
  • Passenger Capacity – 13,600
Hapag-Lloyd
$8
  • Ships – 4
  • Passenger Capacity – 2,500
Azamara
$8
  • Ships – 4
  • Passenger Capacity – 2,800
Marella Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 4
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,300
Star Cruises (Genting)
$8
  • Ships – 4
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,132
Crystal (Genting)
$8
  • Ships – 3
  • Passenger Capacity – 2,100
Phoenix Reisen
$8
  • Ships – 3
  • Passenger Capacity – 2,250
Star Clippers
$8
  • Ships – 3
  • Passenger Capacity – 600
Blount Small Ship Adventures
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 200
Celestyal Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 3,300
Grand Circle Cruise Line
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 100
Paradise Cruise Line
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 2,600
Saga Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 1,998
SeaDream Yacht Club
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 200
Virgin Voyages
$8
  • Ships – 2
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,720
Hebridean Island Cruises
$8
  • Ships – 1
  • Passenger Capacity – 100
Voyages to Antiquity
$8
  • Ships – 1
  • Passenger Capacity – 400

Total : Ships - 148, Capacity - 161,398

Grand Total : Ships - 323, Capacity - 581,202

In addition to the ocean cruise ships, more than 600 river cruise ships (359 in Europe, 121 in Russia, and 120+ elsewhere), with a combined capacity of nearly 90,000 passengers, offer approximately 25,000 river cruises each year. River cruising is expected to grow much faster than ocean cruising in the decade ahead with the Nile, Amazon, Yangtze, Danube, Mekong, Rhine, and Volga rivers being the most popular river destinations.

Cruise Decisions and Your Personality

So, if you’re interested in cruising, what are your options these days? If you’re new to this industry, it may appear like the proverbial blind man and the elephant – you know it’s big, it floats, it likes to eat and drink, it plays games, it pampers bodies, it entertains, it educates, and it may feel like it always has its hands in your pockets (sponsors pricey onshore tours, internet connections, spa treatments, photographers, and casinos). 

What type of cruiser are you? Let’s start by considering options by addressing these 18 preference/like questions:

  1. Do you like big, intermediate, or small ships – from 5,000 to 200 passengers? 
  2. Do you prefer ocean cruise ships or river cruise ships? 
  3. Do you want an expensive suite with lots of room or a standard cabin with a balcony, a basic cabin with a window only, or an inexpensive and even smaller inside cabin? 
  4. What about all inclusive versus the standard pay-as-you-go cruises (lots of extras), which include required gratuities, pricey drinks, and upcharges on specialty restaurants (sometimes referred to as nickel-and-diming cruise ships)? 
  5. Do you like to associate with young people and families; do you prefer adults-only cruises with mid-aged professionals and/or a 65+ senior crowd; or do you like to mix with all age groups? 
  6. Do you enjoy meeting strangers, listening to and telling stories, and making lots of small talk about the standard “we just arrived” questions — “Where are from? Have you cruised a lot? What’s your favorite cruise line and destinations?” — over a dinner table filled with food, drinks, and talkers. 
  7. Are you a casual cruiser (prefer minimal dress codes and no coat/tie or dressy dress required) or do you prefer occasionally getting dressed up for dinner, dancing, and galas? 
  8. Are you looking for a bargain cruise ($80 to $200 a day per passenger, mainly sailing on older ships or on huge mega ships cruising the Caribbean) or do you have luxury cruising on your mind ($500 to $1,300 a day per passenger)? 
  9. If you prefer luxury cruising, are you primarily interested in 800-1,200 passenger luxury cruises, 300-700 passenger luxury cruises, or under 300 passenger luxury cruises, including under 200 passenger luxury yachts (some come complete with helicopters and submarines!)? 
  10. Do you prefer lots of onboard activities or are you looking for only a few appealing things to do, such as attending enrichment programs, playing bridge, or hanging out at the lounge and listening to an oldies-but-goodies or jazz dual (pianist and singer)? 
  11. Are you a foodie who prefers ships with noted specialty restaurants and culinary activities or are you normally satisfied with typical cruise cuisine, including buffets? 
  12. Do you prefer dining in a main dining room that has open seating or one with assigned seating and designated seating times? 
  13. Are you especially interested in destinations in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, or Northern Europe or do prefer more exotic places such as Asia, Australis, South Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America? 
  14. What about leisure cruises that go to Barcelona, Santorini, St. Petersburg, Sydney, and Singapore versus adventuresome expedition/exploration cruises that visit such unusual places as the Galapagos, the Amazon, Greenland, the Arctic, and Antarctica? 
  15. Do you want to stop in many ports or do you prefer staying onboard and enjoying more sea days? 
  16. Are you environmentally sensitive and prefer eco-friendly ships and cruise lines that are living their values with new hybrid electric cruise ships and leaving minimal carbon footprints in the places they visit? 
  17. Do you like traditional “fly and flop” vacations, or do you prefer something different and more challenging, such as adrenaline-filled learning and adventure vacations – grab a deck chair and chill out with an umbrella drink, or jump in a zodiac with a fancy camera in search of whales, polar bears, and penguins? 
  18. Each cruise line and cruise ship has its own particular character, personality, and culture. The larger ships offer the most options, from multiple restaurants and shops to entertainment venues and family-friendly activities. The Caribbean is the center for relatively inexpensive cruises – many are half the cost of comparable cruises in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and Asia.

If you’re interested in testing your cruise personality related to identifying the right cruise for you, take these introspective and fun quizzes/tests:

Most Senior-Friendly Cruise Lines

Although the average age of cruise passengers is 50, seniors constitute the largest, most loyal, most lucrative, and most enduring group of cruisers. They literally drive much of the cruise business. Seniors are increasingly adventuresome, desire to travel in comfort, welcome learning and hands-on experiences (want to travel with a purpose), and are eager to explore places outside their North American, Caribbean, and European comfort zones. Many are committed to a particular travel lifestyle – mainly travel by cruise ship from where they only acquire a superficial knowledge of destinations and cultures, which is okay with them. A little knowledge acquired while cruising isn’t a dangerous thing – just an interesting enough experience from which to engage in non-substantive conversations and laughs. These are “destination cruisers” (the cruise ship becomes the primary destination) who are most interested in the “cruise experience,” interacting with follow cruise mates, and adding another notch to their “been there, done that” travel and cruise belts and passports. How many cruises, for example, have you taken – 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 – over the past 30 years? Which ones were your favorites? Tell us why since those may or may not be on our bucket list. Welcome to the world of cruise-conversations-for-strangers!

In fact, 60-69 is the medium age of today’s cruisers. Unlike younger cruisers, who take relatively short (3-7 days) and inexpensive ($100-200 per day) trips to popular Caribbean and European destinations, older cruisers tend to prefer longer itineraries, exotic locations, transatlantic crossings, around-the-world cruises, and luxury cruises that last beyond 10 days and cost $400 to $1,000+ per day. They are the driving force behind the steady growth in luxury cruise ships and yachts to exotic locations. Being relatively happy repeat cruisers, they like to take several cruises – sometimes 4 each year — on their always expanding bucket list. A happy life in one’s 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s means cruising on one’s favorite cruise line (Crystal, Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking) and perhaps booking a luxury yacht offered by Crystal, Seabourn, Scenic, Viking, Ponant, Emerald, or Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. Don’t forget the iconic ocean liner, Cunard’s senior-favored Queen Mary 2, that regularly does 7-night New York City-to-London “crossings.” Much loved by seniors, Queen Mary 2 includes dressy Gala evenings, Big Band performances, ballroom dancing, jazz ensembles, classical recitals . . . and barking dog kennels! 

Most cruise lines have very specific demographics and price points in mind when they market their ships, itineraries, and activities. Cruise lines want to capture the senior market since this is a very travel- and cruise-friendly audience with significant disposable incomes, sophisticated tastes, and a desire to take multiple trips each year. Seniors also are a very critical group when it comes to costs/value, service, food, cabins, entertainment, shore excursions, cleanliness, and accessibility. However, to fully capture this market, cruise lines must make special accommodations for seniors with disabilities, health issues, dietary needs as well as those interested in fine dining, bingo, arts and crafts, enrichment programs, and other senior-oriented entertainment. Accordingly, many cruise lines have in-house senior specialists and special senior programs focused on this lucrative market.

In general, the least expensive “fly and flop” cruises focus on the Caribbean, involve the largest ships on shorter itineraries (3-10 days), include many onboard adrenaline-pumping activities (any seniors want to tackle the 40-foot rocking climbing wall, anxious to go ziplining, hop on a rollercoaster, jump onto a fast-moving water slide, or try competing in a belly flopping contest?), and appeal to families and younger people. Some are very family-friendly (Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises) with many activities geared towards children and multi-generational travelers. Some also carve out adults-only enclaves (private sun deck, pools, restaurants, bars, fitness centers, personal butlers, free drinks) on separate decks for VIPs and those not interested in mixing with the multigenerational crowds (for example, Carnival’s “Serenity Adult-Only Retreat”; Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Posh Beach Club, Vibe, Spice H2o, and The Haven”; Princess Cruises’ “The Sanctuary”; MSC Cruises’ “Top Deck Solarium” and “Yacht Club”; Disney Cruises’ “Satellite Sun Deck”; Royal  Caribbean’s “The Solarium”). Others are adults-only cruises (Saga, Virgin Voyages, Viking Cruises, Fred Olson, P&O Cruises, Emerald Waterways, Scenic River Cruises). And still others are very adult-focused with specific age restrictions – no babies or very young kids (Silversea, Seabourn, and Windstar).

On the other hand, the more adults-only and senior-oriented cruise lines represent smaller and higher-end cruise lines (with the exception of a few budget-oriented ships for seniors), tend to offer longer cruises (7-30 nights) and go to more international waters and exotic places. The luxury cruise industry is definitely oriented toward adults and seniors – the important cruise demographic with time, money, and motivation to engage in repeat high-end cruising. 

The following ocean cruise lines have developed reputations for being adult- and senior-oriented with many activities and programs designed specifically for seniors:

Both Cunard and Crystal also provide “Gentlemen Hosts” or “Ambassadors” to dance with guests in search of competent dance partners, many of whom are older single women. Silversea and Holland America also offer this dance service but only on select cruises.

These large and less luxurious cruise lines also are known for their senior-friendly components, themes, and activities:

The following river cruise lines have similar good reputations with senior cruisers:

Bucket List Cruises for Seniors

Many seniors also have bucket lists of cruises they wish to take before they die or move on to other things. In 2020 U.S. News & World Report identified these 17 bucket list cruises for seniors:

  1. Paris to Normandy, France (Viking)
  2. Across Africa – Chobe River (AmaWaterways); South Africa & Namibia (Norwegian)
  3. Holland & Belgium (Tulip & Windmill River Cruise – Uniworld, Crystal)
  4. Alsace, France (barge)
  5. Trans-Atlantic crossing (Cunard’s ocean liner Queen Mary 2)
  6. Northern Europe (Viking)
  7. Monaco (Windstar, Oceania)
  8. Cyclades Islands (Greece – Silversea, Celebrity)
  9. South Pacific (Regent) – romantic
  10. Southeast Asia (Princess, Seabourn)
  11. Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka (Ponant, Oceania, Norwegian, Celebrity)
  12. Antarctica, South Georgia, Falkland Islands (Viking, Celebrity, Lindblad, Quark)
  13. Around-the-world cruise
  14. Panama Canal (Carnival, Celebrity, Norwegian)
  15. New York to Montreal in the fall (Oceania, Silversea)
  16. Alaska
  17. America’s heartland – Deep South, Mississippi (American Cruise Lines)

Other lists by CruiseCritic.com include these 10 bucket list cruises:

  1. Alaska
  2. Antarctica
  3. Australia Circumnavigation
  4. Galapagos
  5. Hawaii
  6. Holy Land
  7. Panama Canal
  8. South Pacific
  9. Norwegian Fjords
  10. World Cruise

Many wanderlust seniors also want to see the Northern Lights, celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve on the water; climb the Eifill Tower; hike to Machu Picchu; experience the fjords of Chile; see the penguins on South Georgia Island (Antarctica), the whales in the Sea of Cortez, and the polar bears at the North Pole; visit the famous Christmas markets in Germany and Austria; practice their rusty foreign language skills; take wellness and technology classes; or learn a new skill such as gourmet cooking, photography, and dancing. The bucket lists go on and on for seniors who love to cruise and are increasingly drawn to interesting onboard enrichment and educational programs. Active and adventuresome, many seniors are at the forefront of  edutainment in the travel industry. In fact, many seniors seem to have endless bucket lists, because they constantly add items from bucket list conversations with fellow cruisers who share their “favorite cruise experiences” over dinner and bar conversations – often alcohol-and food-fueled bucket lists!

Largest Cruise Ships in the World

Except for small luxury cruise lines, the trend in cruise ship building is toward larger and larger ships that especially appeal to younger cruisers who expect an affordable hotel/resort experience on the water – the $100 to $200 a day cruiser. But “the biggest” doesn’t mean “the best” in the world of cruising. “Bigger”signals cheaper prices, longer lines, and more things to see and do onboard. Today’s 12 largest cruise ships in terms of passenger capacity include:
Symphony of the Seas
$8
  • Company – Royal Caribbean
  • Year – 2018
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,400
Harmony of the Seas
$8
  • Company – Royal Caribbean
  • Year – 2016
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,400
Allure of the Seas
$8
  • Company – Royal Caribbean
  • Year – 2010
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,400
Oasis of the Seas
$8
  • Company – Royal Caribbean
  • Year – 2021
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,400
Mardi Gras
$8
  • Company – Carnival Cruise Line
  • Year – 2021
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,200
Iona
$8
  • Company – P&O Cruises
  • Year – 2020
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,200
AIDAnova
$8
  • Company – AIDA Cruises
  • Year – 2018
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,000
Costa Smeralda
$8
  • Company – Costa Cruises
  • Year – 2019
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,224
MSC Grandiosa
$8
  • Company – MSA Cruises
  • Year – 2019
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,888
MSC Virtuosa
$8
  • Company – MSC
  • Year – 2021
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,580
MSC Seashore
$8
  • Company – MSC
  • Year – 2021
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,580
Spectrum of the Seas
$8
  • Company – Royal Caribbean
  • Year – 2019
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,100
And there are more biggies coming in 2022/2023:
Wonder of the Seas
$8
  • Company – Royal Caribbean
  • Year – 2022
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,448
Global Dreams
$8
  • Company – Genting Cruise Lines/Dream Cruises
  • Year – 2022
  • Passenger Capacity – 4,700
MSC World Europa
$8
  • Company – MSC Cruises
  • Year – 2022
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,400
Icon Class I
$8
  • Company – Royan Caribbean
  • Year – 2023
  • Passenger Capacity – 5,600

Cruise Lines and Fleet Additions Catering to Seniors

The major cruise lines try to maintain a competitive edge by retiring old ships (either sell off to other cruise lines or auction to scrap yards in Turkey and India at $80 to $300 a ton – most are ready to expire after 30 years) or regularly refitting and refurbishing their existing fleet (usually every 5 years – 6 times over 30 years) so it looks fresh and up-to-date. Carnival Cruises, for example, downsized its fleet in 2020 by selling off or scraping 19 cruise ships across its nine cruise brands. The scrap yards were unusually busy in 2020 and 2021!

When choosing a cruise, it’s important to know your ship. While many older ships are fine, we prefer a bias toward the new — select the newest ships (built after 2016) that are more environmentally-friendly (LNG and hybrid electric powered) and technologically advanced. Unfortunately, many of the newest ships are also the huge 5,000+ passenger ships being launched by Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Costa, P&O, and Dream Cruises which appeal to a younger demographic. A ship that’s 3-5 years old and has yet to be refitted/refurbished may show lots of wear and tear – worn, dated, and a problematic performer. If you book a ship that has just been refitted/refurbished at 5 years, you may feel you’re boarding a new ship.

The small and newer ships especially appeal to seniors who become dedicated repeat cruisers with the same brand cruise line. You’ll find many well-traveled seniors, for example, who do most of their cruising on Seabourn, Regent, Silversea, and Crystal; some regularly switch back and forth between these four luxury lines. For river cruises, it’s usually Tauck, Uniworld, Crystal, Scenic, and Viking that get repeat attention. These smaller ships are disproportionately luxury ships associated with several ocean and river cruise lines. Some also are small luxury expedition ships and yachts that carry fewer than 200 passengers. 

Senior cruisers tend to favor the following cruise lines. Please note the newest additions to their fleets – ships that many seniors may be interested in exploring: 

OCEAN CRUISE SHIPS

American Queen Steamboat Company (Victory Cruise Line) – all expedition ships owned and chartered by SunStone Ships, Inc.

  • Ocean Discoverer (2023) 
  • Ocean Albatros (2022)
  • Ocean Odyssey (2022)
  • Silvia Earle (2021)
  • Ocean Explorer (2021)
  • Ocean Victory (2021) 
  • Ocean Victory (2021)
  • Greg Mortimer (2019)

Atlas Ocean Voyages (new untested yacht line launched in 2021)

  • World Discoverer (2023)
  • World Adventurer (2023)
  • World Seeker (2022)
  • Work Traveller (2022)
  • World Navigator (2021)

Crystal Cruises (Luxury Yacht)

  • Endeavour (2021)

Emerald Cruises (Luxury Yacht)

  • Azzurra (2020)

Hapag-Lloyd (Expedition)

  • Hanseatic Nature (2021)
  • Hanseatic Inspiration (2021)
  • Hanseatic Spirit (2021)

Hurtigruten (Expedition)

  • MS Fridtjof Hansen (2020)
  • MS Roald Amundsen (2019)

Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic

  • National Geographic  Endurance (2021)
  • National Geographic Resolution (2021)
  • National Geographic Venture (2018)
  • National Geographic Quest (2017)

Norwegian Yacht Voyages

  • NYV Caroline (2023)

Ponant/Paul Gauguin

  • Unnamed (two 230-passenger hybrid ships in Ponant’s Explorer Class, 2022)
  • Le Commandant Charcot (2021)
  • 5 Explorer Class (9,900 GT) Ships (2018-2020) – used by Abercrombie & Kent
  • Le Lyrial (2015)

Regent Seven Seas

  • Seven Seas Splendor (2020)
  • Seven Seas Explorer (2016)

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

  • Unnamed (2023)
  • Unnamed (2022)
  • Evrima (2021)

Saga Cruises

  • Spirit of Adventure (2021)
  • Spirit of Discovery (2019)

Scenic (Luxury Yacht)

  • Scenic Eclipse 2 (2022)
  • Scenic Eclipse (2019)

Sea Cloud

  • Sea Cloud Spirit (2021)

Seabourn

  • Seabourn Venture (2021)
  • Seabourn Ovation (2018)
  • Seabourn Encore (2016)

Silversea

  • Silver Dawn (2021)
  • Silver Origin (2020)
  • Silver Moon (2020)
  • Silver Muse (2017)

Viking (Ocean)

  • Viking Neptune (2022)
  • Viking Mars (2022)
  • Viking Venus (2021)
  • Viking Jupiter (2019)
  • Viking Orion (2018)
  • Viking Sun (2017)
  • Viking Sky (2017)

Virgin Voyages

  • Resilient Lady (2022)
  • Valiant Lady (2021)
  • Scarlet Lady (2020)

RIVER CRUISE SHIPS

Amadeus

  • Amadeus Cara (2021)
  • Amadeus Star (2019)
  • Amadeus Queen (2018)
  • Amadeus Provence (2017)

AmaWaterways

  • AmaSiena (2021)
  • AmaLucia (2021)
  • AmaDoura (2019)
  • AmaMagno (2019)
  • AmaLea (2018)

American Cruise Lines

  • American Melody (2021)
  • American Jazz (2020)
  • American Harmony (2019)
  • American Song (2018)

American Queen Steamboat Company

  • American Duchess (2017) 

Avalon Waterways

  • Avalon View (2021)
  • Avalon Envision (2019)
  • Avalon Saigon (2017)

Croisi Europe

  • Zimbabwean Dream (2020)
  • MS Amalia Dream (2019)
  • MS Elbe Rodrigues (2018)

Crystal River Cruises 

  • Crystal Ravel (2018)
  • Crystal Debussy (2018)
  • Crystal Bach (2017)
  • Crystal Mahler (2017)
  • Crystal Mozart (1987/2016)

Ecoventura (Relais & Chateaux Expedition Collection)

  • Evolve (2021)
  • Theory (2019)

Emerald Waterways

  • Emerald Luna (2021)
  • Emerald Harmony (2019)

Riviera River Cruises

  • MS Geoffrey Chaucer (2020)
  • MS George Eliot (2019)
  • MS Douro Splendour (2018)
  • MS William Wordsworth (2018)
  • MS Robert Burns (2018)

Saga Cruises

  • Spirit of the Danube (2022)
  • Spirit of the Rhine (2021)

Scenic Luxury and Cruise Tours

  • Scenic Amber (2016)
  • Scenic Azure (2016)
  • Scenic Spirit (2016)
  • Scenic Aura (2016)

Tauck

  • Adorinha (2021)

Uniworld

  • S.S. Sao Gabriel (2021)
  • Mekong Jewel (2020)
  • S.S. Joie De Vivre (2017)

Viking

  • Viking Mississippi (2022)
  • Viking Saigon (2021)
  • Viking Skaga (2020)
  • Viking Osiris (2020)
  • Viking Gersemi (2020)
  • Viking Fjorgyn (2020)
  • Viking Hervor (2020)
  • Viking Kari (2020)
  • Viking Einar (2019)
  • Viking Helgrim (2019)
  • Viking Vali (2019)
  • Viking Ullur (2019)
  • Viking Tir (2019)

Best Expedition Cruises

According to Expedition Cruise Specialists and several other expedition cruise experts, today’s most popular expedition destinations are:

  1. The Galapagos Islands
  2. Antarctica
  3. Alaska
  4. The Arctic (North Pole)
  5. Iceland/Greenland/Northern Lights
  6. Northwest Passage (Canada)
  7. Kimberley Coast (Australia)
  8. Papua New Guinea
  9. Indonesia Archipelago
  10. Kiribati’s Southern Line Islands

Other popular destinations include:

  1. The Amazon
  2. British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest
  3. Costa Rica and Panama
  4. Baja California/Sea of Cortez
  5. South Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia)
  6. Russian Far East
  7. Canadian Arctic
  8. French Polynesia
  9. Patagonia
  10. Mekong River and Delta (Vietnam/Cambodia)

Today’s best expedition and exploration cruises are offered by more than a dozen companies. For a quick overview of each company and an inside view of their operations, be sure to visit their video libraries, which appear on their websites and on their YouTube channels. Start with these 13:

  • Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic. (11 ocean ships, 2 river boats). Operates in Costa Rica, Panama, Alaska, Amazon, Arctic, Antarctica, Russian Far East, Galapagos, Patagonia, Vietnam/Cambodia, Pacific Northwest, South Pacific/French Polynesia, and elsewhere. Be sure to visit Lindbald’s wonderful travel video library, which includes more than 250 videos on Lindbald expedition cruise experiences around the world.
  • UnCruise Adventures. (9 ships, 22-86 guests each). Operates in Alaska, Columbia & Snake Rivers, Pacific Northwest, Galapagos, Hawaiian Islands, Sea of Cortez, Costa Rica, and Panama. Check out their video library of expedition cruises on YouTube.
  • Quark Expeditions. (6 small expedition ships; 2 icebreakers, each carrying fewer than 200 passengers). A leader in polar adventures with major operations in Antarctica and the Arctic (North Pole). You can explore their operation by viewing their extensive video library, which is also available on their YouTube channel.
  • Hurtigruten. (15 small ships including 2 new hybrid-powered ships). Operates in Norway, Antarctica, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Northwest Passage, and elsewhere. U.S. operations headquartered in Seattle. Check out their extensive video library, which appears on their YouTube channel. For an overview of the world’s first hybrid cruise ship and Hurtigruten’s revolutionary new hydro-powered ships, see their ship video on sustainability. 
  • Aurora Expeditions. (2 ships, 138 passengers). Primarily operates in Antarctica, the Arctic, Costa Rica, Panama, Alaska, Australia, Greenland, Iceland, Patagonia, Russia, Kimberley, and Indonesia. View Aurora’s video library by visiting their YouTube channel.
  • Windstar Cruises. (Primarily a leisure cruise line with small ships, including some large motorized sailing ships, which also offers a few expedition cruises). Operates expedition cruises in Costa Rica, Panama, Tahiti, Indonesia, and Australia. While Windstar does not maintain a video library, you can find a few Windstar videos on YouTube.
  • Variety Cruises. (8 ships and 3 yachts). Covers Costa Rica, Panama, Middle East, Black Sea South Pacific, West Africa, Cape Verde, Seychelles, Red Sea, and more. Check out their video library on YouTube.
  • G Adventures. A budget expedition cruise and travel company especially popular with young travelers. Primarily operates in Antarctica, the Arctic, and Norway.  You can review their video library on YouTube but somewhat difficult to locate their cruise videos.
  • Zegrahm Expeditions. (13 chartered ships – 24 to 172 guests). Operates in all 7 continents. Check out their video library on YouTube. 
  • StarClippers. The tall sailing ship company with 3 large ships under sail and power. Primarily operates in Thailand, Indonesia, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. View their tall ship video on YouTube. You can search for several other Star Clippers videos on YouTube.
  • Adventure Canada. (2 ships, including a 3-masted motorsailer). Operates in the Arctic, Antarctica, Costa Rica, Panama, Greenland, Iceland, Pacific West, Canadian Coast. Includes a limited video library on YouTube.
  • Celebrity Cruises. (2 ships dedicated to Galapagos operations – Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Flora). Operates in all 7 continents, but only does expedition cruises to the Galapagos. Its 3,000 passenger/crew Celebrity Infinity does visit Antarctica three times a year during January and February. Several other large Celebrity ships visit Alaska. Be sure to check out Celebrity’s video of their pioneering Galapagos cruises and Alaskan cruises.
  • American Cruise Lines. (5 cruise ships mainly designed for rivers and coastal areas). Columbia and Snake River, Alaska, Puget Sound, Mississippi River, and elsewhere. Be sure to review ACL’s video library that features their unique cruises.

Being “best” in this category has little to do with luxury and comfort. “Best” is defined in other ways and relates to special experiences. The best companies have excellent reputations for their destinations, adventures, educational programs, safety records, food, and onboard specialists and professionals familiar with exploring challenging but interesting places.  

Best Luxury Yacht Cruises

Today’s most popular luxury yachts, which carry from 100 to 200 passengers and may include helicopters and submarines, are operated by these high-end cruise companies:

Atlas Ocean Voyages (new untested yacht line launched in 2021)

  • World Discoverer (2023)
  • World Adventurer (2023)
  • World Seeker (2022)
  • World Traveller (2022)
  • World Navigator (2021)

Crystal Cruises

  • Crystal Endeavour (2021)
  • Crystal Esprit (1989)

Emerald Cruises 

  • Azzurra (2020)

Norwegian Yacht Voyages

  • NYV Caroline (2023)

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

  • Unnamed (2023)
  • Unnamed (2022)
  • Evrima (2021)

Scenic

Scenic Eclipse 2 (2022)

  • Scenic Eclipse (2019)

Sea Cloud (3-masted fully-rigged sailing ship)

  • Sea Cloud Spirit (2021)

SeaDream Yacht Club

  • SeaDream II (1985)
  • SeaDream I (1984)

Seabourn

  • Seabourn Venture (2021)

For more information on luxury yachts, please see our companion article entitled “Top Expedition and Luxury Yacht Cruises.” 

Best River Cruises

Seniors represent the major demographic group for river cruise companies. According to Tourpia.com, the most popular river cruises around the world include these top 10 rivers:    

  1. River Nile Cruise
  2. Amazon River Cruise
  3. Yangtze River Cruise
  4. Danube River Cruise
  5. Mekong River Cruise
  6. Rhine River Cruise
  7. Volga River Cruise
  8. Kerala Backwaters Cruise
  9. Mississippi River Cruise
  10. Douro Cruise (Portugal)

Some of the most popular exotic river cruise destinations include:

  • Amazon River
  • Brahmaputra River (NE India)
  • Chobe River (Botswana)
  • Ganges River (India)
  • Irrawaddy River (Myanmar)
  • Mekong River (Vietnam & Cambodia)
  • Nile River (Egypt)
  • Yangtze River (China)

The best river cruise companies were identified earlier in the discussion about new ships (2017-2023) being added to these river cruise fleets:

The budget-end of river cruising includes these six cruise lines:

At the luxury-end of river cruising, these seven river cruise companies are the leaders in this industry; each has a loyal following of repeat cruisers:

 

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *