Gary conceded that Royal Caribbean cruises can be rather pricey (Image: Miami Herald, TNS via Getty Images)
A seven-day sea cruise holiday can set you back as much as £1,500, with even the cheapest ones starting at around £500, making it crucial to understand what you’re buying. One person with greater insight than most is Gary Bembridge, who has sampled over 130 cruises for his YouTube channel, Tips For Travellers.
The market leaders when it comes to cruises are Carnival, Norwegian and MSC, but for Gary there’s one clear winner: “I think Royal Caribbean do an incredible job, the mainstream resorts,” he told Sail Away magazine.
Gary conceded that Royal Caribbean cruises can be rather pricey compared to the likes of MSC, but says “the hardware and the stuff on the ships is phenomenal and the way they manage crowds and people…”
“I probably look at it a little bit too much from the marketing and technical side,” Gary added, “but I love the whole concept… just look at the daily programme and how they figured out the flow of people.”
He continued: “I like the new Norwegian ships but I think for me in that category the one who’s doing the most exciting stuff is Royal Caribbean.”
There’s a dizzying range of lines on offer (Image: South Florida Sun-Sentinel, TNS via Getty Images)
Among Royal Caribbean’s upcoming cruises are a six-day jaunt around the Western Caribbean on the 6,000-capacity Symphony of the Seas and a tropical cruise around the Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas with the even-larger Legend of the Seas. Royal Caribbean is one of the world’s largest cruise lines, famous for operating some of the biggest and most innovative mega-ships at sea.
Based in Miami, Florida, the company controls roughly a quarter of the global cruise market and operates a massive fleet known for family-friendly onboard activities such as Broadway-style shows, surf simulators and even ice-skating rinks.
For a smaller, more boutique experience, Gary had a lot of praise for Holland America Line, with its focus on fine dining and live music rather than the high-energy, theme-park-style attractions favoured by the bigger lines.
He said: “I personally think Holland America are the most interesting … they understand their audience incredibly well.”
Gary had a lot of praise for Holland America Line (Image: Bloomberg, Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The company has split the cruise director role into two distinct jobs, which Gary says is very effective: “I did that big 30-day around South America,” he says, “and the travel guide was just phenomenal. Every sailing we would get commentary, talks, just that whole emotion.”
He was less impressed by Holland America’s onboard live entertainment, but says for the actual travel experience, it’s hard to beat.
While a month-long cruise was a phenomenal experience, Gary warned against people hoping for even longer sailings. He points out that with the cost of living spiralling and many elderly people finding it ever more difficult to make their pensions cover basic expenses, there’s a growing trend of people selling up and spending their retirement on a cruise ship.
A Holland America line ship on its way through the Panama Canal (Image: Getty)
But the reality is far more difficult than most people imagine, Gary says: “That dream comes with some darker aspects, nightmare challenges, and unexpected problems.”
Those challenges come in several forms, he adds, but the simple fact is that cruise ship operators actively discourage travellers from remaining on board for months or even years.
He explained: “They don’t really want people living on the ships because that’s not what they’re designed for.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
