Dear Arthur and Pauline,
I really enjoy your radio show when I can catch it and while I have heard you talk about some of the better cruise lines I don't remember what you said.
I am trying to help my parents book a cruise. This is our first experience with a cruise so we know nothing!
While money will be a consideration, they do not mind spending more money to get a higher quality cruise ship with less people and perhaps better service and accommodations. Perhaps not the top of the line, but the second best.
They are thinking of travel this fall. Places they would be interested include the Caribbean, Panama Canal or perhaps the Scandinavian countries. Most likely 10-14 days.
My mother is concerned about crime on cruise ships? Is that a concern?
Thank you so much for your help. Sincerely,
Susan Harrick
Dear Susan,
It sounds like you're a very attentive daughter! Let's try and help you help your parents.
Here's the thing: the ships that carry fewer people tend to be smaller, and thus less stable than the massive cruiselines. So you and your parents need to figure out whether motion sickness trumps personal service (or vice versa).
If you decide you'd rather go on a larger, more stable vessel, I'd suggest either Celebrity, Princess, Cunard or Holland America for your parents. These are known as the more upscale lines (especially Cunard, which might be the best choice) and generally get good reviews for their food, service, design and amenities. However, even these lines can vary greatly from ship to ship, so you'll want to read up on the particular ships you're considering before booking. There are guidebooks to cruising in the Frommer's line (as well as in other lines); or you might take a look at the user-generated reviews and expert reviews at CruiseCritic.com.
If you decide to go with one of the smaller, more exclusive cruiselines, you should look at Azamara, Crystal, Silversea or SeaBourne. Because of the recession, and the resulting drop in travel, these fleets are offering better prices than they have in years. The key to getting a discount is to book with a cruise specialist, as they often have access to upgrades, shipboard credits and other money-savers that standard travel agencies wont. Try TravelThemeaandDreams.com, CruisesOnly.com, or another cruise-focussed agency.
As for crime: statistically, cruising has the fewest crimes reported of any type of travel. The problem is, all of the statistics are self-reported by the cruise lines. So it's a bit hard to know how many crimes are actually happening on the high seas. That being said, I've cruised without problem as have many, many of our listeners and readers. The common consensus seems to be that cruising is one of the safest forms of travel out there.
Wish your parents bon voyage from us!
Cordialy,
Pauline Frommer
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