In a literal sea of cruising possibilities, the answer to having the most enjoyable cruising experience isn’t necessarily about brand loyalty or even the destination, per se. The secret to selecting the perfect cruise all comes down to just one thing: size. A cruise ship’s size can tell you so much about what you’ll be getting yourself into, both on board and off. It determines which destinations are possible (such as visiting small villages or major ports). It gives clues into how many onboard activities will be available (Broadway spectaculars or local musicians). And it can even help determine the general age and demographic of who will be cruising with you (young families or bucket- listing empty nesters).

Of course, a cruise line’s overall brand personality will play into the decision eventually, but the starting point for determining the right cruise begins with deciding which size ship is right for you. Finding just the right cruise to match your travel style and desires can often feel like somewhat of a Goldilocks situation; some are too big, and others may be too small, but in the end there are no wrong cruise sizes, just ones that don’t quite fit your personality or needs. There is a cruise for everyone — yes, even the non-cruisers out there — and it’s just a matter of figuring out what experiences you hope to have to discover if you’re a small, medium, large or extra-large ship cruiser.

PHOTO: © SEADREAM YACHT CLUB

SMALL SHIPS
These versatile vessels can carry anywhere from two to 500 passengers, many of whom are aged 55–75 and seeking more curated experiences. These smaller ships range from barges to windjammers (and everything in between) and have the ability to go where other boats cannot. They tend to cater to a crowd looking for luxurious amenities and cultural offerings. Guests learn each other’s names, and the experience is more intimate with the staff and other cruisers. Onboard offerings typically include either a single or a small handful of restaurants and low-key entertainment options such as live piano music at the bar or well-stocked reading rooms. PONANT, SeaDream Yacht Club and Windstar Cruises are some of the bigger names leading this category.

PHOTO: © VIKING OCEAN CRUISES

MEDIUM SHIPS
Most medium-sized ships offer passage for 501–2,000 people, generally in the 50–70 age range. Many of the bigger brands carry this size as the smaller ships in their fleets, such as Holland America Line, since it offers a truly premium — and more intimate — experience for guests used to the amenities of a bigger ship. Historically, many of these cruises began as adults-only, including Viking Ocean Cruises, but now offer specialty cruises like family cruises or culinary sailings that appeal to younger demographics. They focus mostly on cultural immersions — as seen on Azamara Cruises and Oceania Cruises, which both bring cultural entertainment on board — since these mid-sized vessels can sail longer and still enter into smaller ports with relative ease. The experience is generally still very personal: Over longer sailings, most passengers feel familiar with each other and the staff by the end of the cruise.

PHOTO: © NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

LARGE SHIPS
These more traditional cruises bring 2,001–4,000 passengers on board at any given time, attracting mainly families, couples and multigenerational cruisers alike. Ships from Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line take turns showing up in Alaska, Europe, Australia, Asia, the Caribbean and other regions around the world. These ships prove a great entry point for first-time cruisers, with entertainment-focused itineraries and multiple options for dining all day long. Large ships operate like a resort-style hotel, with spas and kids’ clubs on hand to make the experience more fun for all. It’s a bit easier to remain anonymous and get lost in the crowd on a large ship, and so the experience proves ideal for groups looking to spend time together and enjoy the ship’s daily calendar of activities at their own pace.

PHOTO: © MSC

EXTRA-LARGE SHIPS
Often referred to as mega ships, this category — which includes Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line — pushes the envelope on what’s possible on water. Typically holding more than 4,001 passengers aged 25–55, these activity-packed ships operate more like floating cities, boasting theme park-like options (bumper cars, waterslides, zip lining and surfing, among others) and city street-style designs for shopping and dining on board. It’s entirely possible to not experience everything that’s available during a sailing considering the vast number of entertainment and culinary possibilities available both on shore and on board. To balance this, MSC Cruises adopted a ship-within-a-ship concept on some of its vessels, changing the game. “We created the MSC Yacht Club to provide a refined, personalized cruise experience within the setting of a larger ship,” said Suzanne Salas, executive vice president of marketing, eCommerce and sales, MSC Cruises USA. “Having this ‘ship- within-a-ship’ concept lets us offer guests the best of both worlds: luxury, privacy and exclusivity paired with access to the extensive amenities available on board.”