Beyond Imagination - The BEST Cruise Lines You Can't Miss-USA
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#CruiseLife
#Wanderlust
#TravelGoals
#CruiseAdventures
#BucketListCruises
#SailAway
#DreamVacation
#CruiseInspiration
#TravelMore
#LuxuryCruising
#ExploreTheSeas
#BeyondImagination
#CruiseVibes
#UnforgettableJourneys
#OceanEscapes
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TravelTranscript
00:00Ah, the cruise. Serving as a floating airplane, hotel, and restaurant, you can go just about
00:06anywhere on a cruise. Cruises have certainly transformed since 2020 when COVID changed
00:11the world. Suddenly, cruise ships were hemorrhaging customers and were desperate by 2021 to get
00:17people back on board. And some of their offers were enticing even to the seasoned traveler.
00:22Unlimited drink packages, cheap fares, all-you-can-eat food 24-7, and the promise of a ship filled
00:28only at half capacity. They realized that at each port, they were free to book their
00:33own excursions by local guides and venture out of the resort towns and experience a new
00:37country far cheaper than if they had to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and meals on
00:43their own. As a result of this, the post-pandemic desire for cruising has soared. Each cruise
00:49ship had a unique offering from no kids allowed all the way to Disney Cruises which cater
00:54to kids. This list will compare and contrast five top cruise lines, along with tips and
00:59tricks to give yourself a better experience. These are in no particular order, so stay
01:03tuned to the end for the full range of options. Number 5 is Disney Cruise Lines. Though its
01:09name suggests that it caters to families and children, ironically, it's also perfect for
01:14adults that don't want to see kids. And that is because the Disney Cruise Lines will take
01:18your kids from dawn to dusk and entertain them far away from your adult fun. Currently,
01:23the company operates five ships, with three more set to join in the coming years. Its
01:28main ports are Port Canaveral and Port Everglades, which is no shock that it would be Florida-based.
01:33In terms of destinations served, it owns two private spots in the Bahamas. Disney's Castaway
01:39Cay is a private island in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney
01:44Cruise Line ships. This goes along with Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, or simply Lookout
01:49Cay, which is a private peninsula also exclusive to Disney Cruise ships. One con of a Disney
01:55Cruise is that they primarily stay in the Bahamas or Caribbean, offering little chance
02:00to experience a new country. Private islands in the Bahamas hardly offer a glimpse into
02:05local Bahamian culture. Disney has expanded to serve ports all over the world, but reviews
02:11suggest that Disney does a better job when it serves kids in Florida. Reviews of the
02:16cruise line are overall positive, particularly those with kids. The food is top-notch, housekeeping
02:22is daily and reliable, but some minor things make it off-putting. One cruiser reported
02:27that coffee was not included with daily meals and had to be purchased in an overpriced drink
02:32package. Another downside is that most excursions have to be booked through the cruise line,
02:37given that they sail to many private islands. This can be incredibly costly. Lines to meet
02:43Disney characters are also long, and for many parents, they may as well just take the
02:47kids to a Disney theme park. On the positive end, there are non-stop activities for kids
02:52of all ages, which gives parents a break during the day.
02:56Number 4 is Viking Cruises. This is hands-down one of the best cruise lines for adults who
03:01want to enjoy a vacation without screaming children. Most Viking Cruises don't allow
03:06anyone under the age of 18 to board the ship and offer no childish amenities. With a fleet
03:12of 76 ships, carrying an average of only 190 people, Viking is also great for those that
03:18want to see more of the world and not just shop at a private island on the Bahamas. Viking
03:23really excels at offering unique destinations and are one of the few cruise ships that offer
03:28a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Antarctica. Viking ships are known for luxury, so the
03:34downside of that would, of course, be the cost. Viking's cheapest cruises currently
03:39selling tickets are all over $2,000 compared to Disney Cruises which can go as low as $300.
03:46An upside to Viking is its focus on seeing and experiencing the destination. Without
03:51the same amount of fanfare on the boat itself, travelers are encouraged to explore each port.
03:57From China to Egypt to Antarctica, Viking has a cruise for everyone with the opportunity
04:02to book local excursions by local guides. This weeds out some of the tourists that prefer
04:08to travel in a very controlled and sanitized environment. Once on board, the trip is essentially
04:13all-inclusive. Viking offers complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks with onboard lunches
04:19and dinners, plus specialty coffees and assorted hot teas that are available 24 hours a day.
04:26For those who would like to upgrade, they offer upgraded packages at about $25 per night
04:31which include liquor and full open bar options. Another unique feature of Viking Cruises is
04:36that their onboard restaurants are part of the package. On most cruise ships, you are
04:40able to eat at the buffet and formal dinner only. All other onboard restaurants you have
04:45to pay for. This is not the case for Viking.
04:49Number 3 is MSC. This European company has recently begun servicing the U.S. with a fleet
04:55of about 25 ships. They are the third largest cruise company behind Carnival and Royal Caribbean.
05:01They really made a splash in the U.S. market during COVID when they were offering five-night
05:05cruises for under $200, with an open bar package of an additional $80. Their prices
05:11are still some of the best. Currently, you can book a four-night cruise to the Bahamas
05:16for only $139. That is cheaper than you can live on. These prices offer free drinks and
05:21free Wi-Fi. One cruiser said her and her husband were renovating their home and had to be gone
05:27for seven nights. They could spend $150 a night on a hotel for seven nights or spend
05:32$230, which is only $460 for the both of them, to hop on a cruise for seven days. This
05:40MSC cruise took them to Mexico and Honduras, provided free food and housing at a cost significantly
05:45cheaper than booking a hotel, and buying food all week. Since they worked remotely, the
05:51free Wi-Fi made cruising a far better option. One of the bigger criticisms has been the
05:55lengthy boarding process. It's not quite the well-oiled machine as the other big ships.
06:01Many cruisers complain that they stood in line for hours, wasting away their first day
06:05of vacation. On the plus side, the ship offers Broadway-quality shows, top-notch food, several
06:12pools, including no-kid zones, casinos, and many restaurant options. Unlike Viking, however,
06:18to dine in any of the restaurants beyond the buffet and formal dinner does require additional
06:22payment. While the ship does offer excursions, many people are able to book their own local
06:27day trips to see new and amazing places.
06:30Number 2 is Carnival Cruise Lines, the largest cruise line in the world despite only having
06:35a fleet of 26 ships. Carnival is a unique beast. It doesn't hit the top spot in any
06:41metric but it also never really hits the bottom mark in any metric. It's the Goldilocks of
06:47cruise ships. If Viking is the Ritz-Carlton of cruising, then Carnival is a holiday inn.
06:53And yet, more people stay in holiday inns. They are cheap, swarming with kids, have a
06:59lobby that smells like chlorine, and an acceptable breakfast buffet. Carnival has cruises as
07:04cheap as $152 for an interior room and $675 for a full suite. The cruise ship shines when
07:11it comes to cost and sailing dates with hundreds of sailing dates for every itinerary.
07:17Their most popular destinations leaving from the U.S. are the Bahamas and Caribbean, but
07:22they also offer cruises as far away as Australia. Some of the cruise line's biggest complaints
07:27are that it is swarming with kids. And unlike Disney, the kids aren't whisked away at dawn
07:32and entertained until dinner. Whether you are traveling with kids or not, you cannot
07:37escape them. Others have referred to it as a party ship. This can be a pro or con depending
07:43on what type of experience you are looking for. What you will always get with Carnival
07:47is what you expect, a cheap price tag on a reliable ship. You also will have the most
07:52flexibility as to when and where you travel. Like Disney, they own a few private islands
07:58in the Caribbean, but they also travel to enough places that tourists and travelers
08:02alike can enjoy their trip.
08:04And number one is Royal Caribbean. This is practically synonymous with cruising. With
08:10cruises out of Hong Kong as cheap as $152, you can't go wrong. It's known for being
08:16just luxurious enough to not be pretentious. While kids are allowed, they don't overrun
08:21the ship. They have a fleet of 28 ships, all iconically ending their names with of the
08:26seas, like Grandeur of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas. It goes all over the world and
08:32has plenty of sailing dates for a more flexible schedule. They've been voted best cruise
08:37line overall, best cruise line in the Caribbean, best cruise line entertainment, and best sales
08:42and service by the Travel Weekly Reader's Choice Awards. As if that isn't enough accolades,
08:48they were also named best big ship cruise line. Their dining experience is top-notch
08:53and like just about every cruise line, food is all-inclusive. Another thing that sets
08:59them apart is that they have the largest cruise ships of any company. Entire water parks cover
09:04the decks, which gives plenty of room to spread out and never run out of things to do without
09:09ever leaving the ship. Many argue that a con of the ship is that it has too many options,
09:14making the thought of leaving the ship less desirable. One of its biggest cons is the
09:18fact that it is not all-inclusive. The food buffet and formal dinner come with your base
09:23ticket, but drinks, Wi-Fi, and other onboard restaurants have to be purchased separately,
09:29which can offset what initially seems like a cheaper option. Whether you are a fanny
09:33pack adventurer, an itinerary planner down to the minute, or just wanting to relax without
09:38stress, then cruising is for you. But many more cruises are catering to those who see
09:43the boat as just a floating airplane and hotel. There are more cruise lines to mention that
09:48can fit in this video, so be sure to do your research before finding the perfect way to
09:52see the world. If you live near a port or have a specific port in mind, you can always
09:57search for cruise lines that specifically leave from that port to help narrow your search
10:01a bit. Tell us in the comments below your favorite cruise feature or excursion.