Cruising really does have it all. Great food, cold drinks, fun excursions, top tier amenities, Broadway style shows, and activities for the entire family. The list could go on and on. The great thing about our A Mouse and A Beach Travel Crew is that we aren't strangers to the cruise life... we have experienced it all and will share all about the process to ensure that our clients' only have smooth sailings.
So which do you choose? Our advisors volunteered to share about some of our favorite cruise lines and why we think our clients would enjoy them as well!
Here is a look at some of our favorite cruise lines:
Disney Cruise Line
Contributed by Jenn Marrazzo
24 years ago, I was just a little kid and I embarked on my very first cruise which started my cruising obsession. I remember being so excited for the trip and all that a little kid could do on a cruise. That cruise 24 years ago was a Disney Cruise… the Disney Wonder to be specific. Back in 2001, the cruising obsession began thanks to the magic of Disney cruises. Last year in 2024, I was able to sail on Disney once again, on the all-new Disney Wish. Magical and amazing aren’t even the right words to describe my experience on Disney Cruise Line because they don't do it justice!
What makes a Disney Cruise so special? I could sit here all day and tell you about the “Disney Cruise Difference,” but we don’t have that much time. What I can tell you is that if you book a Disney Cruise, you are in store for delicious food, phenomenal service, Broadway-style productions, and spacious cabins.
Disney makes the cruising process super easy, no matter where you are sailing from. By booking a DCL transfer, you can have Disney pick you up at your on-site WDW hotel (or MCO) and bring you to the port, which is very convenient and takes some of the worry out of the trip. Typically, guests with transfers also get to the port earlier than guests that are driving separately. We definitely recommend extending your Disney vacation with a stay at Disney World to full round out the experience!
One thing you’ll want to do prior to arriving is make sure you have a plan. We all have things we definitely want to do when on a cruise; whether that’s to meet characters, try drinks, or participate in trivia. But, if you are scrolling through your Navigator App, you might get overwhelmed with the list of things to do. I personally like to go through the app when I first get onboard my cruise and “heart” all of the activities that I want to participate in. You will never feel bored on a Disney Cruise with all of the fun and exciting activities offered.
A common misconception about Disney Cruises is that they are only for kids and that if you are an adult, you won’t find anything to do and hate it. Well, as someone who sailed on Disney as a 7-year-old and as an adult, I am here to tell you that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ll be honest, I probably had even more fun on the Disney Cruise as an adult! From the immersive lounges, fun adult-only locations and all of the delicious food, everyone in the family will love a Disney Cruise!
Royal Caribbean
Contributed by Paige Landrum
Last summer we sailed on Royal Caribbean with my extended family and had a wonderful time. My husband and I brought our two toddlers, my in-laws were there, along with my sister in-law and our teenage nephew. One of the things that really stood out to me was that there were things for every single member of our party to enjoy, which I feel is rare to find with such a wide range of ages.
Rooms:
My husband and I could not get over how nice our Jr. Suite was with our two kids. There was much more storage and floor space than I was expecting, even with pack n plays and children’s toys all around. The full sized tub was such a nice bonus for bath time with the kiddos, and the extra balcony space was a wonderful treat for when my husband and I wanted to relax after the kids went to bed. You can read more about our trip with toddlers here.
Experiences:
As for the rest of our group, there were so many things to do, that I truly felt like we needed 2-3 more days on our cruise to really get to experience everything that we wanted to. My nephew really appreciated the teen hang out areas, the zip lining, and rock climbing that were on board. My in-laws loved the wonderful meals we had each night along with the entertainment, and my sister in-law was all about the nightlife on board.
Perfect Day at CocoCay:
Even with all of the things to do on the ship, I think everyone’s favorite part of the cruise was our visit to CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. Our girls enjoyed the swimming pools and splash pads, my husband and I loved the beach, and my nephew was all about the water slides at the waterpark. The food was absolutely delicious here too.
I do think that an advantage to cruising with Royal Caribbean is that there truly is something for everyone. This made our trip enjoyable because I knew everyone was having fun!
Virgin Voyages
Contributed by Kelly Westbrook
My husband, Andy, and I love cruising. We have now cruised on 4 different cruise lines together - Virgin Voyages, Disney Cruise Line, Princess, and Celebrity. While they all have different appeals for us, the one that stands out as being significantly different from the others is Virgin Voyages! Virgin Voyages is an adult only experience with “all-in pricing” (no really, we did not pay a penny more when our trip ended). Tips and gratuities, sodas and water, WiFi, fitness classes, entertainment, and all dining restaurants were included in the pricing. When we cruised, there was also a promotion for a “$300 bar tab” so we had $300 in drinks from the bar included too!
Adults Only
One of our favorite parts of the experience was no kids onboard the Virgin vessels. While we love traveling with our boys, we have found the importance of traveling without them too. Virgin Voyages felt like a “no parent guilt” cruise for us since we never saw kids onboard. When we have traveled on other trips without the boys, we usually talk about “how we wish they were with us” or “how we feel bad we didn’t bring them” especially when we see other kids running around. With Virgin, we did not have that guilt because there are no children anywhere. We even joked on Day 2 that we hadn’t heard anyone crying or whining in days, and it was wonderful.
Dining
The other BIG draw to Virgin Voyages is the dining and food experiences. There is no buffet with food sitting out to grab. Instead they have a “food truck” type food hall area, where everything is made fresh to order. You can wait in line, order on the app, or order with a waiter who brings the food to you. It was a wonderful change from the traditional buffet we were used to on other cruises! Better than the “no buffet” was the sit-down meals. Holy cow! The food was unlike any other! There were many options - traditional and unique. We love different foods, so we tried a little bit of them all! The Wake, Razzle Dazzle, Pink Agave, and The Test Kitchen were our top favorites! The Wake was a traditional steakhouse - we loved it for both breakfast and dinner. Razzle Dazzle was hands down my favorite brunch! While it had mainly vegan options, it also had “naughty” (aka meat) options too. The Test Kitchen was a standout - and very unusual. It is definitely for foodies, and we were so pleased to try it. I will say it is “out of the box” and definitely not for everyone. We had a back up plan for after because the menu is changed each day, and we didn’t know if we’d like it. Luckily for us, we didn’t need the back up option. While we thought we would miss not having the same waiter or table every night (similar to how other cruise line dining is set up), we actually ended up loving this! We got to meet so many new people on our trip sitting next to new people every night and having new waiters every evening too.
All in all, if you are looking for some adult only fun and an “all included” experience, Virgin Voyage is calling your name! The attention to detail and the unique experiences Virgin Voyages offers truly sets it apart from other cruise lines. Whether it's the relaxed, kid-free environment or the exceptional dining options, every aspect of the cruise is designed to provide a luxurious and memorable experience for adults. For us, it was the perfect balance of relaxation, indulgence, and adventure. We returned feeling rejuvenated and ready for our next Virgin Voyages trip. If you’re seeking a truly different kind of cruise experience where you can unwind, enjoy top-tier food, and explore exciting destinations without any extra costs or surprises, Virgin Voyages is the way to go!
Norwegian Cruise Line
Contributed by Crystal Weiser
I have sailed on several different cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, Carnival, Disney (even as far back as when it was referred to as “The Big Red Boat”) and out of all of them, the one cruise line I have found that offers some of the best itineraries is Norwegian Cruise Line.
Similar to other cruise lines, Norwegian offers amazing luxury at sea for an affordable rate, but they also have a few key elements that may be more appealing to some sailors that you will not find with any other cruise line.
Itineraries
First and foremost, the best aspect of Norwegian Cruise Line is all of the incredible locations their ship itineraries provide. When I sailed to Alaska in 2012, we chose this specific NCL sailing because they provided additional stops to more ports than all the other cruise lines for the same great rate. We felt like it was so much more bang for our buck. We sailed to Ketchikan, Skagway, the Ice Strait Point, Juneau, and even Seward, all in one sailing. We saw so many incredible locations and it was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had on any cruise. Getting the chance to ride a train in Seward up to the old mines was one of the highlights of our trip. Also seeing the bald eagles in Juneau, and exploring the small town of Skagway. My favorite town of all was Ketchikan. With the majority of the town built all on a dock with stilts, it was such a fun place to see.
In February 2024 we did the most amazing jam-packed cruise I have ever experienced. We sailed on the brand-new Norwegian Viva out of Puerto Rico. We choose this specific ship and sail date for its extensive itinerary. Our itinerary took us to the islands of Tortola BVI, Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas. We had a stop every single day! It was difficult to stay on board with all the amazing cruise ports to explore. We snorkeled in Barbados, took an all-day tour in St. Lucia to the Pitons, and even hiked the caves of Devil's Bay National Park in Tortola. We had previously visited St. Maarten so we just walked around a bit near the ship and used that day to rest and relax. In St. Thomas, we took a ferry over to St. John’s Island on our own with no real plan in mind. We ended up stumbling upon the national park trail that led us to Honeymoon Beach. It was a place my mom always said was very similar to Cuba where she was born. That island, and being in that water felt as though I was as close as I could get to experience the Island my family came from. We also decided Antigua was our favorite and a place we cannot wait to visit again. We met some of the kindest, most amazing people in Antigua, and got to relax at a Sandals Resort for the day and soak up the sun. This was by far one of the best vacations for my husband and me as we don’t tend to sit for too long. Having so many amazing places to explore made it one of our favorite vacations.
Freestyle Dining
The other great aspect of Norwegian Cruise Line that we enjoy is their “Free Style Dining” option. This concept allows guests to eat when they like, and not on any particular schedule. This provides a bit more freedom in your day to relax and unwind and eat on your own time, rather than rush back to your cabin to get ready for dinner at a specific time. This was so amazing on those long excursion days when we needed a small nap before dinner.
Norwegian offers several different dining options that are available with your cruise fare, as well as additional specialty dining options. The great aspect of the different dining locations that were included with our fare gave us many alternatives rather than just a large main dining room or buffet. On the Viva, their “buffet” was more of a cafeteria-style setting. You could choose from several different cuisine types, such as Korean BBQ, tacos, burgers, and even tapas. Guests are free to try other restaurants that are included and offer the same specialized delicious menu each day.
There are many specialty dining restaurants onboard that charge an extra fee, so you'll want to think about this and account for it in your budget if you like fine dining. We chose one additional specialty dining for our sailing and indulged in the most amazing French cuisine I have ever experienced. They also had other options such as a Mexican, Italian, sushi, and hibachi. Norwegian does well to provide a wide variety of options for everyone to experience, at affordable rates.
Cabin and Onboard Space
We absolutely loved our cabin onboard the Norwegian Viva. With it being a brand new ship, they tried to provide more space for guests. We had an ocean-view window room, with just as much space as the cabins with a balcony. There was enough cabin space for a guest to get a motorized scooter inside the cabin and still have plenty of space to move about. The beds were extremely comfortable and we never felt like we were crowded like we have felt on other cruise lines. The sleek design and extra counter space in the bathroom were very nice and the shower space was also very reasonable.
We also enjoyed all the fun places to sit and relax onboard. Our favorite spot onboard was the observatory. This was a massive room at the forward part of the ship that provided an extensive view with floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a quiet, and relaxing indoor location to have a drink, chat with our friends, and just enjoy the open ocean.
The ship was designed with a large main deck at the top, but it also provided an area on both sides of the ship at a lower level with infinity pools and excellent places to lounge. This area was our favorite so that we could get a break from the sun when it set behind one side of the ship, or was coming up on the opposite side. We also enjoyed this area because it was away from all the kid activities at the top of the ship.
Norwegian offers so many amazing options for kids and teens as well. They had a very large putt putt course, several slides, both water and dry, there was an incredible arcade with so many new and innovative games like VR, and they even had a race track onboard. The only real downside to these activities is that not all are included in your cruise fare. Some of these options did cost an extra fee, such as the race car track, putt putt, and the arcade games.
Military Rates
The one final thing I will say I truly appreciate about Norwegian Cruise Line is that ALL of their sailings honor our military and service members both active duty and retired. Norwegian provides a wonderful discount for all of their sailing, not just a select few like other cruise lines. This is so great for our family as my husband is active duty Coast Guard. This allowed us to save a little extra on the cruise fare itself and gave us more funds for shore excursions on the islands. Additionally, waiting for us in our stateroom when we arrived, they had a wonderful letter of acknowledgement and thank you for his services to our country, along with a collectible NCL coin indicative of that ship. The coin was very similar to the military coins he has received throughout his career. This small token of appreciation made a major impact on both of us.
A Stress-Free Way To Vacay
No matter which cruise line you choose, cruising is the ultimate vacation because everything is planned ahead of time and most things are already included. As adults, we make thousands of decisions each day in our normal lives. When your biggest concern is what to wear to dinner each night and which meal sounds the best (TIP: order multiple entrees to try them all!)... life is good.
If you are looking for an affordable way to travel and see several destinations in a single trip, cruising is the way to go! Our AMAAB advisors will help you narrow down some vacations that are right for you.
Ready to cruise? Start with our quote request and our crew will send you a proposal so you can set sail, too.
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