10 of the Best Spring Cruise Lines

Cruises are one of the best ways to travel, combining your transportation, dining, entertainment and accommodation into one giant, spectacular package – and you have a waterfront view wherever you go. Here are some suggestions of cruise lines you should consider booking your upcoming spring vacation with.

1. Disney Cruise Line

Credit: Disney Cruise Line
A trip with Disney Cruise Line is the perfect way to spend a Spring Break together as a family and your children will certainly love being completely immersed in the magical world of Disney, while you sail the seas and visit new exotic locations. Here are some of the most in-demand routes.

– A 5-night Western Caribbean Cruise; round-trip from Miami with stops in Cozumel and Castaway Cay.
– A 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise; round-trip from Port Canaveral with stops in Tortola, St. Thomas, St. John, and Castaway Cay.
– A 4-night Bahamian Cruise; round-trip from Miami with stops in Castaway Cay, Nassau, and Key West.

Cruises can be booked at: http://www.disneycruise.disney.go.com

2. Royal Caribbean International

Credit: Royal Caribbean Cruise
As one of the largest cruise lines in the world, Royal Caribbean offers an extensive list of destinations and provides top amenities to guests. Its partnership with Dreamworks keeps the children entertained and Broadway-style performances and Mystery Dinner Theatres let the older guests get in on the fun. They’re a great cruise line for people of all ages. Here are some of their most popular spring routes.

– A 7-night Southern Caribbean Cruise; round-trip from San Juan with stops in St. Thomas, St. Croix, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Grenada.
– A 7-night France and Spain Cruise; round-trip from Southhampton, England with two stops in France (Paris/Normandy and Cherbourg) and two stops in Spain (Gijon and Bilbao).
– A 7-night Barcelona to Venice Cruise; departs from Barcelona with stops in Monte Carlo, Rome, Naples, Sicily, and Venice.

Cruises can be booked at: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruises

3. Celebrity Cruises

Credit: Celebrity Cruise
Celebrity Cruises are one of the more affordable options on this list, offering some cruise packages for only $100 per person! They are a bit smaller than their competitors, but the activities and amenities are just as extravagant. These cruises are suitable for all kinds of travellers: young and old, families, singles, and couples. Here are some of there most popular spring routes.

– A 13-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Rome, with stops in Spain and Gibraltar. This cruise has an average cost of only $736!
– A 7-night Southern Caribbean Cruise; round trip from San Juan with stops in Charlotte Amalie, Bridgetown, Castries, Philipsburg, and St. Johns.
– A 16-night Western Europe Transatlantic Cruise from Miami to Rome with stops in Tenerife, Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona, Nice and Florence.

Cruises can be booked at: http://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-search

4. Norwegian Cruise Line

Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line
The best thing about Norwegian is that they have ditched rules set in place by other major cruise lines requiring guests to eat at scheduled times in specific restaurants and follow a dress code. Guests of Norwegian Cruise Line can eat when they want, where they want, wearing whatever they want. With extravagant trips all over the world, it’s quickly becoming the preferred cruise line among frequent travellers and it’s easy to see why. Here are some of their most beloved routes during the spring season.

– A 3-day, round-trip cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. It’s the perfect quick getaway and only a cool $349 per person. It was voted the cruise with the best nightlife by Frommer’s.
– A 7-day Hawaii cruise; round-trip from Honolulu with stops in Kahului, Hilo, Kona and Nawiliwili. This has been voted the best Hawaiian route for 10 years in a row.
– A 7-day, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise from Tampa with stops in Honduras, Belize and Mexico.

Cruises can be booked at: http://www.ncl.com/vacations/#filter-expanded

5. Carnival Cruise Lines

Credit: Carnival Cruise
Carnival is a fan favorite among budget travellers, as they frequently offer huge sales and low-fare cruises, but unlike many other major cruise lines, beverages aren’t included in their fares. They do offer drink packages catering to all budgets and all sources of entertainment, pools and mini-golf courses won’t cost you anything extra. Here are a few of their best spring routes.

– A 3-day getaway from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Barbados, with a stop in St. Thomas.
– A 5-day, round-trip cruise to the Bahamas originating in Charleston, South Carolina with stops in Nassau and Freeport.
– A 4-day Baja Mexico cruise; round-trip from Los Angeles, California with stops in Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico.

Cruises can be booked here: http://www.carnival.com/find-a-cruise

6. Princess Cruises

Credit: Princess Cruise
Princess’s cruises were designed with the adult traveller in mind, so it’s not the best option for families, but they offer great amenities and activities for adult singles and couples alike. From excursions to workshops in photography and cooking, there’s a little something enriching for all passengers aboard a Princess Cruise, allowing you to really make the most out of your spring vacation. Here are some suggested routes.

– A 6-day Pacific Coastal Cruise, originating in Los Angeles and ending in Vancouver, with stops in San Francisco, Astoria and Victoria.
– A 7-day Mexican Riviera Cruise, round-trip from Los Angeles, with stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.
– A 7-day Western Caribbean Cruise, round-trip from Houston, Texas with stops in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize.

Cruises can be booked at: http://www.princess.com/find/search.do

7. Costa Cruises

Credit: Costa Cruise
Costa Cruises are mainly based in Europe and the line is still recovering from their 2012 incident off the coast of Italy, meaning much lower fares than usual – you’ll sometimes find trips for less than $50 per person per night! A ticket with Costa includes dance and language classes, a library and evening theatre productions and their routes take you to some of the most beautiful and well-known locations in the world, making for a dream of a spring vacation. Here are some of their best spring routes.

– A 4-night “Sangria Red” cruise originating in Italy and making stops in Spain, the Balearic Islands and France.
– A 7-night “Islands in the Blue” cruise with stops in Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece.
– A 7-night “Mediterranean Heart” cruise with stops in Italy, France, Corsica and Malta.
– A 7-night “Oriental Charm” cruise with stops in Turkey, Greece, Croatia and Italy.

Cruises can be booked here: http://www.costacruise.com/B2C/USA/Default.htm

8. MSC Cruises

Credit: MSC Cruise
Like Costa, MSC Cruises also cater heavily to the European market, but their very reasonable fares make up for the cost of airfare to get you to the Old Continent. Included in the price are dining, access to various entertainment options and amenities such as pools, cinemas and bowling alleys, fitness classes and gratuities. They offer some of the best deals and destinations in the world right now. Here are some of their hottest spring routes.

– A 17-night Grand Voyage with stops in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. This cruise really offers a spectacular mini-world tour and costs only $1570 per person.
– A 7-night Mediterranean Cruise with stops in Italy, Malta, Spain and France.
– An 11-night Mediterranean Cruise departing from Genoa, Italy with stops in Italy, Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

Cruises can be booked at: http://www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/Cruise-Departures/Find-Your-Cruise.aspx

9. Viking River Cruises

Credit: Viking River Cruise
Most people only think about sailing on oceans and seas when taking a cruise, but a river cruise is a great way to see many less-travelled destinations and Viking River Cruises offer some of the best in the world. The best things about these cruises: guided shore excursions are included in your fare and all rooms have a serene waterfront view. Consider the following spring routes.

– An 8-night “Romantic Danube” cruise along the Danube River with stops in Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Krems, Vienna, and Budapest.
– A 15-day “Grand European Tour” from Amsterdam to Budapest with stops in Kinderdijk, Cologne, Koblenz, Miltenberg, Würzburh, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, and Vienna.
– The “Cities of Light” Cruise, lasting 12 days and taking you from Paris to Prague with stops in Luxembourg City, Trier, Cochem, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Würzburg, Bamberg and Nuremberg.

Cruises can be booked via email through http://www.vikingrivercruises.com
or by phone (1-800-706-1483).

10. Holland America Line

Credit: Holland America Line
Holland America offers ships catered to family vacations and vacations without children. Almost every trip they offer is a real bargain, with many coming in at less than $100 per person per day. With their excellent service and amenities, this is a great deal! They make sure that each ship has at least one staff member for every two guests, making for personalized service unlike any provided by the other major cruise lines. Here are some suggested routes for your spring trip.

– Possibly the cruise of all cruises, Holland America offers a 30-day “Circle Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas” cruise departing from San Diego and taking you to Hawaii, Kiribati, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and back to San Diego.
– A 7-day Western Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale with stops in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Mexico and Key West.
– A fantastic 20-day “Inca Discovery” departing from Valparaiso, Chile and ending in San Diego, California with stops in Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Mexico.

Cruises can be booked here: http://www.hollandamerica.com/book-a-cruise

Have you ever taken a spring cruise? Which company did you travel with and how was the experience? Would you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!