These 5 cruise lines and 11 ships are the most popular for embarking on your cruise vacation. They consistently earn high ratings for ease of boarding, short waiting periods in line, check-in and luggage procedures, and streamlined services to keep passengers happy.
1. Celebrity Cruises
The top-ranked large ship in this fleet is their newest vessel Reflection. This is a mega-ship with exceptional customer service. She welcomes over 3,000 passengers and sails to the Caribbean and Mediterranean, as well as making transatlantic voyages.
The next highest rated ship for ease of embarkation in the Celebrity line is the Summit. This popular ship carries 2,100+ passengers to the Caribbean, Canada, and New England. She is known for constantly updated dining and entertainment experiences.
The third large ship in the Celebrity line to earn points for smooth embarkation is the Silhouette. She is a beautiful ship with a loyal passenger set of 2,800+ cruisers in their mid-50s. In addition to Caribbean and Mediterranean voyages, Silhouette also sails across the Atlantic to the Baltic Sea and European ports.
2. Royal Caribbean
The first ship in the RCL line for easy embarkation is Jewel of the Seas. She has the traditional elegance of wood, brass and glass; and attracts passengers of all ages. Her main voyages embark from Rome and San Juan to cruise the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
Brilliance of the Seas also makes top marks with new and veteran cruisers. She sails from Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Tampa with 2,100+ passengers.
Following closely behind on the embarkation score board is the Harmony of the Seas. As the world’s largest cruise ship, you will sail with 5,400+ fellow passengers on the vessel that never sleeps. She makes voyages to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, embarking from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale.
RCL’s final top embarkation ship is Freedom of the Seas. This former owner of ‘world’s biggest cruise ship’ distinction is noted for super-fast boarding times – no small accomplishment for 4,500 passengers. She sails to all points in the Caribbean as well as the Western Mediterranean. You can board in Barcelona, San Juan, and Port Everglades.
3. Disney Cruise Line
The Dream holds the highest passenger rating for ease of embarkation in the Disney line. Her primary passengers are families from North America and Canada sailing to the Bahamas. She welcomes 2,500+ passengers and sails from Port Canaveral in Orlando, Florida.
Also, sailing from Port Canaveral on the Atlantic coast of Florida is the highly rated Disney Fantasy. She has been called a twin of the Dream, and also enjoys a good reputation for fun and friendly passenger service after an easy boarding process.
4. Princess Cruises
If you are embarking from the West Coast of the U.S., sail from San Francisco on the Grand Princess. This ship cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, the Mexican Riviera, and various points along the Pacific Coast. Just fewer than 2,600 passengers (looking for relaxation) usually take the longer cruise vacations on this ship.
5. Holland America Line
For the mid-sized cruise ships, Holland America’s Veendam rates highly for quick and easy embarkation. This ship’s passenger list of 1,300+ will likely be baby boomers and young retirees. She offers embarkation from Fort Lauderdale, Montreal, New York, Boston, and Rome sailing to the Caribbean, Cuba, Bermuda, Canada, New England, and points east across the Atlantic.
Angela is a professional freelance travel writer and published indie author – AngelaMinor.com
