How to choose a cruise line

Start with the atmosphere, not the itinerary

First-time cruisers usually start with a map. The better place to start is the question: what do we want the ship to feel like? A party-atmosphere ship full of families on spring break and a quiet ship with a lecture program can sail the exact same Caribbean route. You will spend most of your week on board, so the ship is the vacation.

These are broad strokes. Each line has newer and older ships, and a brand-new ship and a twenty-year-old ship on the same line can feel very different. That's why the next question is the ship.

Then pick the ship

Look up the specific ship: when it was built or refitted, what's on board, and whether it has what your group actually cares about. A water park means nothing to a couple who want a quiet pool; a large theater show matters a lot to some people. Newer ships generally have more to do and more balcony cabins.

Check what the line includes

Every line handles gratuities, drinks and WiFi differently. Here is how the major lines charge gratuities, straight from each line's own pages:

More detail on how each line charges drinks and WiFi is in what the fare covers.

Check the rules that affect your group

Two rules trip up first-time groups: minimum ages and dress codes. If you are traveling with under-21s, check the line's age rules. If formal nights would put your group off, pick a line without them.

The most common mismatch I see isn't price. It's a couple who wanted a quiet week booked onto the liveliest ship in the fleet, or a family with teenagers on a ship with nothing for teenagers to do.