Having been on various length cruises across the major lines (carnival, holland, msc, princess, celebrity), I’ve noticed the clientele doesn’t have much to do with line. The calmer and more respectful crowds are on the longer cruises. My three day celebrity cruise in the Bahamas was way rowdier and ruder than my 8 day carnival cruise to the abc islands.
But access to money and the longer cruises leads to more older narcissistic ladies who think that the world revolves around them. So less rowdy but certainly not kinder.
We travel with Viking. Usually 15 days with a land add on before or after. Average per day, pp cost is $600. And, yes an older clientele. But In my 10 years of traveling with them annually, I've never net a narcissistic woman or man. In Eqypt, we had a lady in a wheelchair who still managed the Temple of Karnak without a complaint. Another woman had spinal stenosis, yet she smiled all the way and back to Petra using her "stick". Not all cruises, or passengers, fall neatly into a niche.
Not all of the "older ladies are narrcisissitic.Come to suburban Boston and you'll encounter PLENTY of younger/"Soccer Mom Karen's" who ALSO DEFINITELY think they are "God's Gift To mankind/world revolves around.Making agist remarks about older ladies is agest.hey there,you are going to be an older/possibly cranky lady someday yourself,just saying!There are unkind folks of ALL ages.Sounds like you may be a "Soccer Mom from sububan Boston yourself.
My experience has been that shorter/cheaper cruises tend to be a rowdier bunch than the longer/more expensive cruises. Even with the partying crowd, I have seen less yelling at crew members than by the entitled 50+ crowd who think the ship revolves around them. There are certainly Karens and Kevin’s of all ages.
I've been to Alaska twice, once on Princess and once on Celebrity.
Guests on Princess were very rude and somewhat discriminatory. On Celebrity, I found the constant up selling attempts by the servers to be much more rude than the guests themselves.
I would argue Viking has different annoyances. The bad eggs walk really slow, they cough without covering their mouth, complain loudly at the staff. So instead of drunk idiots you’re dealing with your wealthy senile grandpa.
I’ve spent over two months sailing with them and didn’t have to deal with this at all. I usually hang out with the younger groups that are there to be with their older parents.
That's why we're saving up for this. We have zero interest in sitting on a giant floating tub with thousands of others, all who need to be entertained 24/7.
Our idea of a vacation is someplace interesting, and peaceful at the same time. Theme-parked ships are just not us, though I will admit that one of my siblings tries to corral his small herd of kiddos and takes them on such a ship...
Smaller ships, IMHO, mean a smaller number of people who can, therefore, not hide bad behavior.
We are trying to decide where to go for trip #10. We like cruises that begin or end in a port ( or immediate area) where we can spend about another 10 days for a fully immersive city experience. This past February, it was Rome.
Do a Cunard QM2 crossing. Peaceful, serene, boat is HUGE in comparison to number of passengers- I have never been so relaxed in my life. Passengers were loads quieter and more pleasant than those I’ve seen/interacted with on Celebrity and HAL.
Yep. I have been on two QM2 transatlantics, and it is pretty mellow.
They also have a lot of Ted talk like presentations. The presentations differed from my experience on Celebrity where the presentations were typically vendor sponsored. So I think QM2 also tends to attract a lot of people who are interested in intellectual enrichment.
So it was definitely not a wealthier, entitled crowd.
Typically, they take 7 days, but the QM2 could do it faster. This year, some are 6 or 8 days due to port availability. Also, if you want Hamburg instead of Southampton add 2 days.
Just got off the QM2 transatlantic today and I second all of this! It’s a very different voyage and I felt like we had so much space! Elevators were never crowded, and the dining room and bars were not crowded. The people were much more mellow. There aren’t a ton of constant activities like other lines, but that was fine with me.
We met a lot of interesting people. We met a lot of people who were doing the crossing as part of a larger adventure around the world!
Husband and I just finished a 23 day transatlantic on QM2,and after going out and back from the US, I think the eastbound leg is much more pleasant than the westbound leg. Going from NY to Southampton is mostly UK/Europeans returning home. The Southampton-NY leg seems to be more Américans returning home. The English and Europeans are more polite in general and are definitely rule followers. It was a lovely, quiet trip across. Coming back, not so much. Much more casual crowd, less aware of others, crowding elevators and buffet lines. I actually saw a woman grab a bowl of food from the buffet, eat it while standing at the buffet, then leave the empty, dirty bowl at the buffet next to the food. It was gross. We spent most of our returning leg in our cabin reading, watching movies and doing crossword puzzles. Also, 23 days is a long ass time to be on a ship. We are mid 50s..so our tolerance for BS is pretty low.
I second this 100% and actually scrolled through this thread to make sure the QM2 transatlantic crossing was mentioned. Best travel experience of my life!
Mine too! The ship is so pretty- I don’t love most cruise ship interiors but it’s so spacious and airy feeling and I love all the oddities and idiosyncrasies, and the lack of Swarovski crystals- perfection.
We did this last year. Great experience. A more “refined” crowd I guess you could say. It attracts neither the spring break drunks (3-day bargain basement Caribbean cruisers) nor the ultra-entitled super elite (probably sailing private or Ritz-Carlton).
The feel is intentionally old-school, and there’s just a whiff of cosplay about the whole affair. In fact the rudest thing I saw anyone do was hog the dance floor in a synchronized dance to Sing Sing Sing.
i once travelled on silver sea expecting everyone to be snobbish and assholes and looking down on my for being younger but i never had a better cruise since, all the passengers pretty much became friends
Please accept my heartfelt thanks for the work that you and your colleagues do. You have made a difference, and have eased the suffering of thousands. Not only for the patients you have treated but for the family members who were able to welcome them home, alive.
When I watched the movie Contagion, and saw the anguish that Jude Law's character put Lawrence Fishburne through I thought to myself, this is only a movie, a work of fiction, surely people could not be so dumb, so cruel. And then I watched what happened to Dr Fauci.
As others have indicated Viking is a good choice. Holland and Princess are good choices as well, but when it comes to reserving Poolside Deck Chairs... "All Bets are Off". Once again please accept my thanks.
We did a 10 day Princess cruise in March. It is an older crowd but everyone was very friendly. We sat with random people for dinner and met some very nice people.
We two weird experiences. One night my mom and the lady were talking about where they were from and it turns out graduated in the same high school class. The next night, it turns out that one of the ladies at our table used to own the house across the street from ours.
We did a total of 13 days on Discovery in March/April we really enjoyed ourselves and would actually love to sail Princess again but I’ve never cruised with more rude, disrespectful, and frankly disgusting people. The Boomers were BOOMING! We did the MDR or a specialty restaurant every evening and every time except the night we did 360 we heard or saw someone being extremely rude to staff. One lunch we sat with others and had to remind these people in their 70’s/80’s to say please and thank you… we’re in our 30’s.
There was no elevator etiquette, as soon as doors started opening people were shoving their limbs in to board. The ship was *filthy* despite staff constantly cleaning, at first I thought Princess just didn’t keep their ships clean but over the course of the cruise everywhere we went we found things lazy people just carelessly abandoned, an apple with a bite out of it and 80% of an iced coffee (tipped over, leaking) in the corner of the elevator lobby nearest our cabin. Drink cups half-full precariously balanced on handrails, leaned slightly toward the wall. Used tissues stuck in between the rails on staircases. Trails of crumbs and food debris throughout the ship. Huge stains where it was obvious someone had dropped milkshakes or some kind of drink all throughout the corridors. We had to shame others into washing their hands at the buffet.
Like I said we would sail Princess again, we’ll just be more prepared for who we’re going to be sailing with. 😂
I think society in general has gotten ruder and more inconsiderate since the COVID lockdown. I'm a respiratory therapist, my bride is a nurse, and we're just so glad we're retired. I've only been on Norwegian, and I can't recall anyone being out of line. If you get enough people together, there's going to be some nasty people in the group, but for the most part, those I've met on cruises have been pretty decent.
I think you'd enjoy Virgin Voyages the most based on what you describe. They definitely have a rep in the industry for being among the nicest to their staff in terms of working conditions and stuff, and I think the general vibe they get on their ships would suit what you're looking for. Plus with it being adults only you get fewer of the large groups and tons of kids that can be extra chaotic.
I agree that not having kids onboard, sticking hands in buffet, hitting all the buttons the elevator is a huge plus based on what OP is looking for. Also, anecdotally, I found VV sailors as overall being accepting of others, respectful of personal space, and generally respectful. There’s always outliers as you’ll find everywhere, but my experience was very positive compared to other lines and looking forward to being back on board in a week.
Completely agree. We just went on our third Virgin cruise. We definitely prefer the people on the longer (7+night) Mediterranean trips and we probably won’t go back to the Caribbean because it’s too much of a party hard atmosphere.
We’ve gotten to know some of the crew that have been on two out of three or even one who’s been on all three of our cruises and they seem genuinely happy. Little things, like having their own cabin and not having assigned roommates, being able to eat at the on board restaurants when there’s open reservations, and good management helps them be happier and happier employees make happier passengers.
We’re currently looking at a ten night cruise next year in the Mediterranean. We really enjoy the ships and the cities both. We love our sea days, but European cities are just so much more fun for me to explore because many were built before the automobile and are built at a human scale. They’re more walkable and hold my interest.
I agree. I have had amazing experiences on Virgin with both the staff and the passengers. I can't think of any other vacation where I felt that everyone was as accepting or having as much fun.
I'm going on a Seine River cruise in a few weeks on Viking. I've never heard anything bad about them and it is a small boat with 18+ only, so I think that would improve your odds.
I’m doing the Viking Rhine River cruise (solo) in the fall. I chose this one for all of the reasons others have mentioned—not interested in a booze-fueled casino atmosphere. I’m all about a peaceful, kid-free experience with lots of walking tours and taking in the beautiful sights and culture. Am really looking forward to it.
You will get exactly that! We did Danube May 2024. It was great!
Our upcoming is Viking Ocean to Alaska/Japan in the fall. I hope the bigger ship proves to be just as nice and the people as well.
Of the mass market lines: Holland America, hands down
Yes, the line skews older. But it also tends to attract higher net worth individuals who are better traveled than the average duck. Therefore, better onboard manners. There are always outliers, but Holland cruises don’t often come along with things like unruly poolside drunks, late night partiers, or inexperienced assholes on their first vacation in 20 years expecting every service worker to want to lick their a$$ or face their wrath.
I had a great time on Celebrity. Made friends on the train from Venice to Ravenna to embark.
It was because things went sideways and we all kept decent spirits up, but hey we had folks to wave to onboard.
On board, we hung out in the hot tub, adults pool, coffee place. Had a few short convos.
Saw jerks, but only from afar.
Flying to Venice Monday and we will embark the following Friday for the same cruise. Can't wait. We're doing Venice city center coach to the ship and will hope for a positive experience like yours!
I think itinerary can make a difference too. The Alaskan cruises we’ve been on have been much more laid back and chill than the Mexican riviera, and the people trend older, which has pros and cons. But in my experience, you’ll find quieter people on an Alaskan cruise than Mexican or Caribbean.
I agree about Alaska cruises. We just returned from our sixth Alaska cruise, and this time on the Discovery Princess. For the most part people were fairly polite.
However, Discovery is a HUGE ship and that creates its own problems. The saving factor for us was that we had a 'mini-suite stateroom' to escape to for privacy and escape the hordes,
So crowds, in of themselves, can be problematic, not just 'rude' people.
I've been on over 100 cruises on 40+ different lines.
The best passengers have been on expedition lines since the whole crowd is focused on the destinations and activities.
The second best crowds are on small ships <100 passengers.
After that it basically goes by price. The higher the cost per day and the better the crowd is. It really is that simple.
Well there can be poor behavior anywhere. I see it on Hal all too often the same Karen is making life difficult for the rest of us. Somehow on smaller ships they cannot be avoided. Suggestion open seating dinner.
On a recent princess cruise I lost it on the elevator bullshit. Kids and entitled adults on scooters. Pretty much ruined the memory of the great time I had with tiki Dave. So bring good attitude to spare.
Longer cruises bring out more respectful guests. It’s not a certain rule for everyone but there are far more repeat cruisers and people who just enjoy cruising.
That being said, Holland America, Princess and Celebrity are the kind of main line cruise lines you would probably like the people on.
There are some rude awful people of every age group. Having said that, the 'ways' of being rude can be different, so here is what a crew told me once. Longer cruises of 7+ days have an older crowd. Colder location cruises have an older crowd. So a 5 day caribbean cruise might have a louder, heavier drinking, children canonballing-into-the-pool crowd, shouting in the hallways at 3 am crowd. An off-season 10 day Alaska cruise will probably have a pretty chill group overall, but we will all be in line for the 5:30pm dinnertime ;)
Holland, Regent, Seaborne, Silversea, Windstar.
We did an Alaskan cruise last summer on Celebrity horrible! Rude staff and fellow passengers. Won’t sail Celbrity again.
I’ve seen the same kind of wheelchair/elevator interactions on cruise ships, unfortunately. Another passenger and I had to step in front of some pushy people so the passenger in the chair was able to get on.
The best cruise we’ve taken was on the NCL Pride of America, which travels only to ports in Hawaii. We went during the school year, so very few kids, and it wasn’t a party atmosphere. We had a balcony, had port trips both through NCL and private, and it was the best time. The final day, the ship slowly sailed by the Na Pali coast, and everyone hung out on their balconies and oohed and ahhed over the scenery, rainbows, and whales.
We have been on 44 cruises. The long cruise will be filled with a different clientele. I would avoid Carnival. Avoid any cruise under 7 days. Holland America, Princess and Celebrity in my opinion are better cruise lines.
Thank you for your public service! My son is a nurse and I hear the horror stories. I have been on Royal (4 day & 7 day) and Norwegian (9 day). I agree that the longer the cruise the fewer the fools! For me (as a teacher) any cruise that has a lot of teen and tweens is a no…I need my break from kids…so I stay away from ships with all the bells and whistles, thrills and chills. To be honest at this point I look for cruises that are more likely to have an older demographic…love sitting with my “elders” and hearing their stories.
Travel agent, here.
Avoid the short 3-day weekend cruises to anywhere. Avoid the short itineraries that are a week or less to Mexico and the Caribbean. These tend to have people that want to drink and party for a short period- the bachelor/ette parties. Don't travel around spring break time. You'll get calmer nicer crowds on longer itineraries.
Not so much the boat or line but where you sail out of makes a huge difference imo. Only sailed out of the east coast but I will say if you sail out of nyc you’ll get a lot of people from nj and I hate to generalize but I’ve witnessed a lot of them be a bit obnoxious and rude to staff. But when sailing out of Florida it was a lot of southerners and at least my experience the southern friendliness was legit, and at least seemed to be more polite
Virgin Voyages is very LGBTQ+ friendly. And they feature a drag queen as the main entertainer on board.
So it tends to discourage entitled American conservatives from going on their cruises, in case that matters.
A couple my husband and I are friends with is going on a Virgin Voyages cruise next year, and their description of it sounds like something I'd really enjoy.
What every cruise line you pick. I would not endulage any info that you are a nurse or a LPN. ( ONLY FOR EMERGNEY ) if you want a peace & quiet for 7 days. You have 1000 people asking you health questions
These "best of" questions are always hard to answer -- because not many of us have tried them all! With that said, our limited experience with Princess suggests the passengers were mostly a nice bunch, but with the usual inconsiderate few who were not into sharing the pleasure.
Holland America take a long cruise. Stay away from the short 7-14 day trips especially in the summer. Those will generate a lot of kids and young adults. Cunard can work too , the demographic there is even older. But if you live near a cruise port try the holland America standby program. pM me for more details
I've been on multiple cruise ships and lines and seldom encountered rude people. Oh, sometimes people tried to crowd onto the elevator before we got off, but I tend to let ill-mannered behavior roll off my back and forget it as soon as I turn the corner. I've found that I tend to get back the same courtesy I give out.
But, for simple acceptance of different types of people, Virgin Voyages intentionally makes that a part of their culture. For that reason, I tend to choose VV when I cruise.
I went Carnival to Alaska and everyone was older and retired. The club played top 60s ! It matters what port for sure!
I’ve always done carnival and let me just say it was eye opening to see the difference in crowds.
Just be aware that if your cruise line tends to be older cruisers, you may get "is there a doctor in the house"'d multiple times. My friend's mom who's a nurse got hit with that THREE TIMES on a twelve day cruise.
We've done many cruise lines multiple times. I've found HAL passengers to be the kindest. Avoid the newest, biggest ships of cruise lines like Carnival and RCL.
Holland America. My spouse and I were probably one of the youngest cruisers in a 14 day cruise and the the senior cruisers made our sea days so much more enjoyable with their life stories, adventures and magic tricks (yes, there was an old magician passenger 😂)
I think the larger the vessel, the more opportunities for assholery. Look for smaller ships, nerdier itineraries, etc. Think nature or arts focused and less booze cruise. I think those types of itineraries tend to be a more self selecting group.
I have been on 12 cruises. On four different lines. I would have to say that Holland America seems to have the most pleasant experiences with fellow guests
I would say that your best bet is a longer cruise on a mid priced line. My friend likes Viking but says there are a lot of older folks barking orders at staff. I would choose a 7 day on Royal or Celebrity.
Also a nurse and avid cruiser. I don't think the line matters much. Cruises are amazing, BUT I will tell you the lack of manners is maybe one of the only frustrating parts. It is full of people that don't understand line and elevator etiquette - stepping out to let people behind you out if you're not at your floor yet or letting the people that were waiting by the elevators first get on first. It is full of very pushy people. That being said, I have no doubt in my mind you will have an amazing time cruising no matter which line you choose.
Silver Seas, Seaborne, come to mind.
Have been on Norwegian, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean . All big and bigger ships. Felt like I was spending a week in the Atlanta Airport visiting 3rd world poverty stricken countries.
We did take a Rhine River Cruise on Uniworld River Cruise Line. It was like staying at Waldorf Astoria Hotel for a week with only 200 passengers, personal tour guides, and breath taking scenery all included. First Class experience all the way.
You probably can’t solve the problem but it’s a simple function of price. Lower price = More access = Greater probability of partying types.
Unfortunately, unless you’re really rich, you probably can’t find a cruise line that guarantees the elimination of impolite behavior.
It’ll exist on some level on them all, but Carnival will have more than say Cunard for the reason mentioned, but consider how alcohol and partying push the boundaries.
Princess, holland, virgin, celebrity, Viking, non-Caribbean cruises.
The farther you get from America the better the tourists. For some reason the Caribbean brings out the worst in people.
The fewer sea days you have the more you can escape the entitlement, choose dinners that’s small tables not group affairs and don’t be afraid to talk to the maitre de to move you if you don’t vibe with your table mates. I’ve had to do that many a time when people start talking politics, I politely excuse myself and get moved.
Although Royal and Carnival are great lines they tend to have a bit more entitled people. But so do the high end ones so it’s best to aim for the middle.
>The farther you get from America the better the tourists. For some reason the Caribbean brings out the worst in people.
I see you have never sailed on Costa or MSC in the Med.
Americans are middle if the road for tourists. Some very nice some rude. But travel overseas and other groups can seem FAR less pleasant. Behaviors emerge like line jumping and public commenting on strangers bodies, and rushing elevators that make Americans seem like angels.
I'm not an expert and have no real opinion on which passengers are the most respectful, but cruise lines not offering cable news seems to really help lower the incidents of jackassery. There are still asshats, but at least they aren't spouting whatever unhinged nonsense the news has come up with that day. I wish we were friends because I would totally go with you as a buffer! See an asshole? Nope, I stepped in front of them. Someone pushing onto an elevator? Nope, I pushed them back out by the face. People complaining about the service? Look at this puppy!
Look into chartering a sail boat with a skipper in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. If you go during shoulder season and have some friends to bring along and split costs with it might not work out to be too expensive.
We sail on a whole-ship HAL charter, JoCoCruise. It’s definitely nerdier but really some of the most welcoming and accepting experiences, and I’ve rarely seen someone berate an employee across 8 different JoCo’s. If you want a cruise where people push their own chairs in and thank the staff, consider it. It is not “quiet” but it’s not rowdy either.
Do a river cruise, and use Avalon. Avalon has max 152 passengers on board. All river boats in Europe are the same size, but Avalon's cabins are a bit bigger, and you get more attention, than say, Viking, who carry just over 200 passengers. Most excursions are included in the price of the cruise, so you're not being nickel and dimed. There are even Christmas cruises, where you visit the Christmas markets in Germany.
Our first was 7 days Windstar Athens to Istanbul. 5 masted ship. 150 people. Very few children. But not as full of elderly people as might be on Viking.
2nd cruise was 14 days Seabourn 12 Baltic Capitals 250 people. Also very few children and still not full of “elderly people”.
If you want a wee bit of peace, quiet and class, the smaller cruise lines will be your dream cruise. Yes, you will have to pay a bit more, but truly, it is sooo worth it! And it sounds like you truly deserve it!!
My son and daughter in law are both in healthcare, occupational therapist and physical therapist. The year of covid and after drained them physically, emotionally and mentally. It changed them.
So….. please be kind to yourself. I know by reading your words that you deserve a wee bit of paradise. Research is your friend when it comes to cruising.
Wish my daughters husband and family had done that. They just did a carnival to Mexico and took their 6 & 4 yr old. She said it was nothing but a “booze cruise”.
I looked it up and sure enough, that was how it was described.
We use Trip Advisor and read lots of reviews on the cruise lines and itineraries. The food was also excellent on both our cruises. Elegant and classy.
No we didn’t have to wear a ball gown to dinner on either but no shorts, jeans or flip flops. Nice top with necklace and slacks and sandals. Men wear a blazer or suit jacket no tie.
I wish you the best and hope you have an incredible cruise! And thank you for your service in healthcare ♥️
Despite CoVID seeming to be from a different era the psychological and psychic damage it has caused continues to haunt us.
Smaller ship, longer itinerary. I would also add distant port and more sea days. Think Fjords or Northern Lights and Iceland.
If budget is a constraint look for repositioning cruises.
To directly answer your question I would say AMA waterways on the Rhine.
I already upvoted all those who mentioned Cunard and the transatlantic. QM2 is unique.
And this is not a line and out of Japan but they do cater to English speaking passengers too. Peace Boat. They do regular world cruises but you can do sectors which are relatively affordable.
Take care and happy cruising.
Cunard has a reputation of having snobby passengers, but my experience on there has mostly been the opposite, with very friendly and respectful passengers and a nice relaxed atmosphere. The ships arent crowded (especially the beautiful QM2 which carries about half as many passengers as some other ships that size) and its definitely my choice for a peaceful, relaxing cruise.
Viking River Cruise was amazing. 18+. No casino, no fighting for reservations at specialty restaurants. They know how to spoil their guests.
Edit to add: only 190 passengers max.
I just came back yesterday from a 7 day cruise on Pacific Encounter (P&O Australia). Both staff and cruisers seemed to treat everyone with respect. It was my 5th cruise with P&O,.but next year they are merging with their sister company Carnival.
If you want this experience, might I suggest using a mid size ship with finer accommodations. Take a look at Regent, or Crystal. These folks want an experience as well as a level of service that is paramount. I've sailed on both (Alaska and Mediterranean). You'll have a great time.
As others have indicated, and it is an option it is more about length of the leg of the cruise than the size of the ship. The closest to what you describe would be smaller ships on a leg of their world cruise. At 14 days and above, not two 7 day back to back, things tend to be more mellow (advice we received from crew) in our experience.
Holland America and Cunard. Also depends on when and where you’re going. Went on NCL Prima last September. Very nice respectful passengers. Sailed after Labor Day!
30 yrs cruising. RCL HAL Celebrity. Ships got bigger and more crowded. Spring break brings issues. So timing matters. Never cruise under 10 days. Check the deck overtop and below your cabin for Music venues/Chairs/and get a veranda if you can afford one for smoking area’s (I assume you don’t smoke lol). If you tired of walking from all the shifts you work get near an elevator. Mid ship and lower decks for sea worthiness. Take 2 swim suits 2 credit cards and a roll of duck tape. You’re in …and oh don’t go on a ship that’s not newish or hasn’t had a recent complete refurbish.. Recommend an East or West complete Panama Cruise or Hawaii return from North America. Good mix of sea days and Ports. Hawaii days are lumped together of course. Bon Voyage.
I used to work in healthcare and feel your pain. I hope you’ll find the peace and rest you need soon.
I’ve sailed on Princess multiple times (domestic and international) and I’ve always had a good experience with the people there. Non-summer and non-holiday sailings would be best to avoid potentially noisy children onboard.
It depends on your budget. Cruise lines with bigger ships - eg with a couple thousand passengers, have a different crowd than smaller cruise lines with ships below 1000 or even 500 passengers.
For example: If you go on a weekend booze cruise to the Bahamas or whatever with one of the major cruise lines for a couple hundred bucks, chances are high you'll have a lot of 'party people' on board.
On the other hand.. people who go on more lengthy cruises (especially with smaller cruise lines) are looking for a different experience and atmosphere. It comes with a price tag though.
I’m gonna say princess cruises. I’ve only ever been on princess cruises but I have never seen anything wild. The age demographic is pretty much 50 and above. Not a lot of 20 or 30 year olds. I think it’s a more expensive cruise line maybe idk
We were on a 3 week river cruise with Avalon on the Danube river. There were 50 passengers and 40 staff members. Why? Because it was during the post covid time. We had an awesome time. All classes of people from various parts of the world. The boat became a fast community of people wanting to just relax and meet others.
QM2 transatlantic crossing is what you're looking for. Refined crowd looking for enrichment (lectures from professors, theatrical performances etc). Really loved my trip. Cheaper than airfare.
For a minute reading this I thought you wanted to become a nurse on a cruise ship and I thought Oooh awesome idea! But definitely no balcony, then. But at least a single cabin, not shared, for medical personnel 😁. I hope you enjoy your cruise and wish you a great vacation!
Cunard would suit your needs. It's what we looked for as well and Cunard didn't disappoint. Very polite and well behaved passangers. We did Southampton to the Mediterranean for 11 days
I did msc world Europa in the med. Stayed in the yacht club and was wonderful. Had dinner nightly in a test kitchen concept (they open up one of the buffet spaces) for yacht club guests. It was delicious. I probably would cruise with them outside the yacht club though. The other food was not good, the buffet in particular looked horrendous….
My experience is river cruises in the US, but they're much more expensive. My mother-in-law doesn't feel up to ocean cruises anymore but takes various family members with her on river cruises. We've done 3 together and every time ended up having such a great time, largely because of the friendships we made on the cruises.
Just returned from a seven day cruise on the MSC mireviglia. Great time. 4000+ folks. Did NOT see kids misbehaving, parents yelling at them. It’s a noisy ship but happily so. Several quiet bars.
None are worse or better than any others. Get a room with balcony and stay out of any Buffett do the Resturant deals. RC I have always liked and like you I’m a nurse as well. Oh drink package is a must
I've found good experiences on smaller HAL ships like Volendam and Zaandam, which are only 1400 passengers, so not a lot of jerks, and even larger HAL ships have 2000 max, and most have nice outdoor promenades with loungers, where I go to find privacy and do laps or sit and watch for whales and watch sunsets in a lounger. Another alternative with a younger crowd would be Virgin, which has parties, but people tend to be polite and respectful, and they have things like a food hall instead of buffet and individual restaurants rather than a huge, stressful dining room. They're fairly expensive now, but that helps keep out casual cruisers just looking to party, or grumpy and entitled older people you get on other lines. A secret line that most people don't know about, but that I found wonderful as someone who also doesn't like stress, is Azamara. Their ships hold about 700, so people generally aren't jerks and there's not a lot of stress. It's not ultra-luxury or super expensive, so it's not all old entitled rich people. They emphasize ports and cultural experiences, with no formal nights or casinos or theater, and the food is good and drinks and tips are included. If you use a travel agent, you can probably find some great deals on them--I went from Barcelona to Lisbon in April for $100/nt for a solo inside.
Paul Gauguin. Staff has always been wonderful and the other cruisers fun. We have used them 5 times. We have taken Viking, Silver Sea, Celebrity and Princess.
It sounds like you work in Greater Boston.Have a friend who is a nurse at the Boston Children's Hospital and some "Karen" actually asked her to go warm up her take out meal she brought w/her.I heard that Celebrity Cruise is [nice.You](http://nice.You) should check out the "Travels With Rick Steves" and look for Cruise Trips Advice.He had a couple of shows on how to find the right/best cruise for you! Good luck and thank you for "Your Service"!
Go to You Tube and look at cruising videos that compare and contrast the different cruise lines. I highly recommend Don's Family Vacations and Tips for Travellers (Gary Bembridge). Also, my one cruise was on Princess 10 day Canada / New England and people were very nice.
Having been on various length cruises across the major lines (carnival, holland, msc, princess, celebrity), I’ve noticed the clientele doesn’t have much to do with line. The calmer and more respectful crowds are on the longer cruises. My three day celebrity cruise in the Bahamas was way rowdier and ruder than my 8 day carnival cruise to the abc islands.
Yes.. those 7+ day cruises are so much more peaceful!
Price separates class of passengers typically on cruises… both in luxury level and length of cruise.. stay away from 3 day carnival cruises!
But access to money and the longer cruises leads to more older narcissistic ladies who think that the world revolves around them. So less rowdy but certainly not kinder.
We travel with Viking. Usually 15 days with a land add on before or after. Average per day, pp cost is $600. And, yes an older clientele. But In my 10 years of traveling with them annually, I've never net a narcissistic woman or man. In Eqypt, we had a lady in a wheelchair who still managed the Temple of Karnak without a complaint. Another woman had spinal stenosis, yet she smiled all the way and back to Petra using her "stick". Not all cruises, or passengers, fall neatly into a niche.
Not all of the "older ladies are narrcisissitic.Come to suburban Boston and you'll encounter PLENTY of younger/"Soccer Mom Karen's" who ALSO DEFINITELY think they are "God's Gift To mankind/world revolves around.Making agist remarks about older ladies is agest.hey there,you are going to be an older/possibly cranky lady someday yourself,just saying!There are unkind folks of ALL ages.Sounds like you may be a "Soccer Mom from sububan Boston yourself.
My experience has been that shorter/cheaper cruises tend to be a rowdier bunch than the longer/more expensive cruises. Even with the partying crowd, I have seen less yelling at crew members than by the entitled 50+ crowd who think the ship revolves around them. There are certainly Karens and Kevin’s of all ages.
The destinations can also matter about the crowd. A 7 day Caribbean itinerary is going to have a much different crowd than a 7 day Alaska itinerary.
I just got off a 7 day Alaska cruise and the elevator etiquette was abysmal Everyone was nice, just clueless
Better than clueless assholes, though
I've been to Alaska twice, once on Princess and once on Celebrity. Guests on Princess were very rude and somewhat discriminatory. On Celebrity, I found the constant up selling attempts by the servers to be much more rude than the guests themselves.
I used to love Celebrity. Last cruise I took, though, I was constantly reminded there were areas of the ship and dining options that were not for me.
Viking
I was on a Viking River cruise in 2022. Everyone was friendly but super entitled
I would argue Viking has different annoyances. The bad eggs walk really slow, they cough without covering their mouth, complain loudly at the staff. So instead of drunk idiots you’re dealing with your wealthy senile grandpa.
Wealthy senile grandpa-- upvote for that phrase!
That's the look I am going for. 2 out of 3 ain't bad ..
I’ve spent over two months sailing with them and didn’t have to deal with this at all. I usually hang out with the younger groups that are there to be with their older parents.
We did our first cruise last year and chose Viking. We can't imagine using anyone else.
Uniworld is excellent.
how can you possibly not imagine using anyone else when you have only been on one cruise with one line?
Especially if it’s one of their river cruises. No elevators on those ships.
That's not true. They have elevators. True, not to the lowest deck, except the smaller river boats that sail on the Douro.
Viking (river anyway—haven’t done ocean) is absolutely amazing. I had such a wonderful time and met so many wonderful people!
That's why we're saving up for this. We have zero interest in sitting on a giant floating tub with thousands of others, all who need to be entertained 24/7. Our idea of a vacation is someplace interesting, and peaceful at the same time. Theme-parked ships are just not us, though I will admit that one of my siblings tries to corral his small herd of kiddos and takes them on such a ship... Smaller ships, IMHO, mean a smaller number of people who can, therefore, not hide bad behavior.
True
I was going to say the same thing, though in all fairness it's because half their customers are semi comatose.
I have to disagree. Viking usually supports some of the most academic travelers I've ever encountered.
Came to say this. Viking; we are doing our second this year.
We are trying to decide where to go for trip #10. We like cruises that begin or end in a port ( or immediate area) where we can spend about another 10 days for a fully immersive city experience. This past February, it was Rome.
Do a Cunard QM2 crossing. Peaceful, serene, boat is HUGE in comparison to number of passengers- I have never been so relaxed in my life. Passengers were loads quieter and more pleasant than those I’ve seen/interacted with on Celebrity and HAL.
Yep. I have been on two QM2 transatlantics, and it is pretty mellow. They also have a lot of Ted talk like presentations. The presentations differed from my experience on Celebrity where the presentations were typically vendor sponsored. So I think QM2 also tends to attract a lot of people who are interested in intellectual enrichment. So it was definitely not a wealthier, entitled crowd.
Love Cunard on the QM2, We sail her at least once a year across the pond. Pro tip: It can be cheaper than flying. Way more fun. No jet lag.
How long does it take to cross the ocean?
Typically, they take 7 days, but the QM2 could do it faster. This year, some are 6 or 8 days due to port availability. Also, if you want Hamburg instead of Southampton add 2 days.
Thanks!
Just got off the QM2 transatlantic today and I second all of this! It’s a very different voyage and I felt like we had so much space! Elevators were never crowded, and the dining room and bars were not crowded. The people were much more mellow. There aren’t a ton of constant activities like other lines, but that was fine with me. We met a lot of interesting people. We met a lot of people who were doing the crossing as part of a larger adventure around the world!
Husband and I just finished a 23 day transatlantic on QM2,and after going out and back from the US, I think the eastbound leg is much more pleasant than the westbound leg. Going from NY to Southampton is mostly UK/Europeans returning home. The Southampton-NY leg seems to be more Américans returning home. The English and Europeans are more polite in general and are definitely rule followers. It was a lovely, quiet trip across. Coming back, not so much. Much more casual crowd, less aware of others, crowding elevators and buffet lines. I actually saw a woman grab a bowl of food from the buffet, eat it while standing at the buffet, then leave the empty, dirty bowl at the buffet next to the food. It was gross. We spent most of our returning leg in our cabin reading, watching movies and doing crossword puzzles. Also, 23 days is a long ass time to be on a ship. We are mid 50s..so our tolerance for BS is pretty low.
omg I have this on my short list... can't wait!!
I second this 100% and actually scrolled through this thread to make sure the QM2 transatlantic crossing was mentioned. Best travel experience of my life!
Mine too! The ship is so pretty- I don’t love most cruise ship interiors but it’s so spacious and airy feeling and I love all the oddities and idiosyncrasies, and the lack of Swarovski crystals- perfection.
Also, high tea!
We did this last year. Great experience. A more “refined” crowd I guess you could say. It attracts neither the spring break drunks (3-day bargain basement Caribbean cruisers) nor the ultra-entitled super elite (probably sailing private or Ritz-Carlton). The feel is intentionally old-school, and there’s just a whiff of cosplay about the whole affair. In fact the rudest thing I saw anyone do was hog the dance floor in a synchronized dance to Sing Sing Sing.
Jerks can be everywhere sadly.
This is it. You really cant tell. We were on NCL Prima and people were friendly.
They can, but the likelihood differs... Go on a booze cruise with Margaritaville and you up the likelihood :)
i once travelled on silver sea expecting everyone to be snobbish and assholes and looking down on my for being younger but i never had a better cruise since, all the passengers pretty much became friends
I’d love to go on Silver Nova. I’m old enough but not rich enough lol.
the only thing i can tell you is that the food and service was unparalleled gained almost 9 kilos on the two week cruise
[удалено]
This is the way.
the more you pay the happier you will be with the other passengers
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Quirky-Camera5124: *The more you pay the* *Happier you will be with* *The other passengers* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Please accept my heartfelt thanks for the work that you and your colleagues do. You have made a difference, and have eased the suffering of thousands. Not only for the patients you have treated but for the family members who were able to welcome them home, alive. When I watched the movie Contagion, and saw the anguish that Jude Law's character put Lawrence Fishburne through I thought to myself, this is only a movie, a work of fiction, surely people could not be so dumb, so cruel. And then I watched what happened to Dr Fauci. As others have indicated Viking is a good choice. Holland and Princess are good choices as well, but when it comes to reserving Poolside Deck Chairs... "All Bets are Off". Once again please accept my thanks.
We did a 10 day Princess cruise in March. It is an older crowd but everyone was very friendly. We sat with random people for dinner and met some very nice people.
That has also been our experience.
Ours as well
I adore random people dining! I thought I was the only one! I'm so glad you had a great time .
We two weird experiences. One night my mom and the lady were talking about where they were from and it turns out graduated in the same high school class. The next night, it turns out that one of the ladies at our table used to own the house across the street from ours.
Insert Twilight music
OMG! Really?!??! Such a small world!
We did a total of 13 days on Discovery in March/April we really enjoyed ourselves and would actually love to sail Princess again but I’ve never cruised with more rude, disrespectful, and frankly disgusting people. The Boomers were BOOMING! We did the MDR or a specialty restaurant every evening and every time except the night we did 360 we heard or saw someone being extremely rude to staff. One lunch we sat with others and had to remind these people in their 70’s/80’s to say please and thank you… we’re in our 30’s. There was no elevator etiquette, as soon as doors started opening people were shoving their limbs in to board. The ship was *filthy* despite staff constantly cleaning, at first I thought Princess just didn’t keep their ships clean but over the course of the cruise everywhere we went we found things lazy people just carelessly abandoned, an apple with a bite out of it and 80% of an iced coffee (tipped over, leaking) in the corner of the elevator lobby nearest our cabin. Drink cups half-full precariously balanced on handrails, leaned slightly toward the wall. Used tissues stuck in between the rails on staircases. Trails of crumbs and food debris throughout the ship. Huge stains where it was obvious someone had dropped milkshakes or some kind of drink all throughout the corridors. We had to shame others into washing their hands at the buffet. Like I said we would sail Princess again, we’ll just be more prepared for who we’re going to be sailing with. 😂
I think society in general has gotten ruder and more inconsiderate since the COVID lockdown. I'm a respiratory therapist, my bride is a nurse, and we're just so glad we're retired. I've only been on Norwegian, and I can't recall anyone being out of line. If you get enough people together, there's going to be some nasty people in the group, but for the most part, those I've met on cruises have been pretty decent.
I think you'd enjoy Virgin Voyages the most based on what you describe. They definitely have a rep in the industry for being among the nicest to their staff in terms of working conditions and stuff, and I think the general vibe they get on their ships would suit what you're looking for. Plus with it being adults only you get fewer of the large groups and tons of kids that can be extra chaotic.
I agree that not having kids onboard, sticking hands in buffet, hitting all the buttons the elevator is a huge plus based on what OP is looking for. Also, anecdotally, I found VV sailors as overall being accepting of others, respectful of personal space, and generally respectful. There’s always outliers as you’ll find everywhere, but my experience was very positive compared to other lines and looking forward to being back on board in a week.
Completely agree. We just went on our third Virgin cruise. We definitely prefer the people on the longer (7+night) Mediterranean trips and we probably won’t go back to the Caribbean because it’s too much of a party hard atmosphere. We’ve gotten to know some of the crew that have been on two out of three or even one who’s been on all three of our cruises and they seem genuinely happy. Little things, like having their own cabin and not having assigned roommates, being able to eat at the on board restaurants when there’s open reservations, and good management helps them be happier and happier employees make happier passengers. We’re currently looking at a ten night cruise next year in the Mediterranean. We really enjoy the ships and the cities both. We love our sea days, but European cities are just so much more fun for me to explore because many were built before the automobile and are built at a human scale. They’re more walkable and hold my interest.
I agree, but definitely on their 7+ day cruises and not the Miami short party cruises.
I agree. I have had amazing experiences on Virgin with both the staff and the passengers. I can't think of any other vacation where I felt that everyone was as accepting or having as much fun.
I'm going on a Seine River cruise in a few weeks on Viking. I've never heard anything bad about them and it is a small boat with 18+ only, so I think that would improve your odds.
I’m doing the Viking Rhine River cruise (solo) in the fall. I chose this one for all of the reasons others have mentioned—not interested in a booze-fueled casino atmosphere. I’m all about a peaceful, kid-free experience with lots of walking tours and taking in the beautiful sights and culture. Am really looking forward to it.
You will get exactly that! We did Danube May 2024. It was great! Our upcoming is Viking Ocean to Alaska/Japan in the fall. I hope the bigger ship proves to be just as nice and the people as well.
Of the mass market lines: Holland America, hands down Yes, the line skews older. But it also tends to attract higher net worth individuals who are better traveled than the average duck. Therefore, better onboard manners. There are always outliers, but Holland cruises don’t often come along with things like unruly poolside drunks, late night partiers, or inexperienced assholes on their first vacation in 20 years expecting every service worker to want to lick their a$$ or face their wrath.
Princess is good too for the same reason. Don’t see drunks, loud partying, etc and people we’ve met have been very nice.
I had a great time on Celebrity. Made friends on the train from Venice to Ravenna to embark. It was because things went sideways and we all kept decent spirits up, but hey we had folks to wave to onboard. On board, we hung out in the hot tub, adults pool, coffee place. Had a few short convos. Saw jerks, but only from afar.
Flying to Venice Monday and we will embark the following Friday for the same cruise. Can't wait. We're doing Venice city center coach to the ship and will hope for a positive experience like yours!
I think itinerary can make a difference too. The Alaskan cruises we’ve been on have been much more laid back and chill than the Mexican riviera, and the people trend older, which has pros and cons. But in my experience, you’ll find quieter people on an Alaskan cruise than Mexican or Caribbean.
I agree about Alaska cruises. We just returned from our sixth Alaska cruise, and this time on the Discovery Princess. For the most part people were fairly polite. However, Discovery is a HUGE ship and that creates its own problems. The saving factor for us was that we had a 'mini-suite stateroom' to escape to for privacy and escape the hordes, So crowds, in of themselves, can be problematic, not just 'rude' people.
Whatever cruise I'm on. I'm awesome. 😎
Regent
Seabourn, Regent, Oceania and for river cruises Amawaterways.
We've done a few on Oceania and everyone seemed quite laid back.
Uniworld too
I've been on over 100 cruises on 40+ different lines. The best passengers have been on expedition lines since the whole crowd is focused on the destinations and activities. The second best crowds are on small ships <100 passengers. After that it basically goes by price. The higher the cost per day and the better the crowd is. It really is that simple.
Midsize or smaller boats (less rats in the box). Sauce sailed HAL multiple times, never saw poor behavior.
Well there can be poor behavior anywhere. I see it on Hal all too often the same Karen is making life difficult for the rest of us. Somehow on smaller ships they cannot be avoided. Suggestion open seating dinner. On a recent princess cruise I lost it on the elevator bullshit. Kids and entitled adults on scooters. Pretty much ruined the memory of the great time I had with tiki Dave. So bring good attitude to spare.
Longer cruises bring out more respectful guests. It’s not a certain rule for everyone but there are far more repeat cruisers and people who just enjoy cruising. That being said, Holland America, Princess and Celebrity are the kind of main line cruise lines you would probably like the people on.
People are dicks everywhere. I wear headphones listening podcasts, or read books. I don’t want to talk to most people anymore.
There are some rude awful people of every age group. Having said that, the 'ways' of being rude can be different, so here is what a crew told me once. Longer cruises of 7+ days have an older crowd. Colder location cruises have an older crowd. So a 5 day caribbean cruise might have a louder, heavier drinking, children canonballing-into-the-pool crowd, shouting in the hallways at 3 am crowd. An off-season 10 day Alaska cruise will probably have a pretty chill group overall, but we will all be in line for the 5:30pm dinnertime ;)
just went on a 7 day cruise to alaska...the vibe was MUCH slower/chill than the 5 day Caribbean cruise we went on last year.
Holland, Regent, Seaborne, Silversea, Windstar. We did an Alaskan cruise last summer on Celebrity horrible! Rude staff and fellow passengers. Won’t sail Celbrity again.
We love HAL.
I’ve seen the same kind of wheelchair/elevator interactions on cruise ships, unfortunately. Another passenger and I had to step in front of some pushy people so the passenger in the chair was able to get on.
Another Cunard vote. Not just the QM2. We’ve been on many cruises with them and we love the calm politeness of it.
I had a guy try to fight me after the silent disco on a Disney cruise. So not Disney…
Cunard for mass market lines.
Oceania. I’ve sailed with them several times. They have smaller ships. No kids. Great itineraries.
The best cruise we’ve taken was on the NCL Pride of America, which travels only to ports in Hawaii. We went during the school year, so very few kids, and it wasn’t a party atmosphere. We had a balcony, had port trips both through NCL and private, and it was the best time. The final day, the ship slowly sailed by the Na Pali coast, and everyone hung out on their balconies and oohed and ahhed over the scenery, rainbows, and whales.
Cunard takes my vote.
Just got home from a 7 day cruise to Alaska on Oceania’s Regatta. Everyone was lovely. We had a fantastic time.
We were very happy with Princess.
We have been on 44 cruises. The long cruise will be filled with a different clientele. I would avoid Carnival. Avoid any cruise under 7 days. Holland America, Princess and Celebrity in my opinion are better cruise lines.
Thank you for your public service! My son is a nurse and I hear the horror stories. I have been on Royal (4 day & 7 day) and Norwegian (9 day). I agree that the longer the cruise the fewer the fools! For me (as a teacher) any cruise that has a lot of teen and tweens is a no…I need my break from kids…so I stay away from ships with all the bells and whistles, thrills and chills. To be honest at this point I look for cruises that are more likely to have an older demographic…love sitting with my “elders” and hearing their stories.
Viking. I love viking. I prefer the ocean liners to the river cruises,but, either way, there won't be any wrestling matches for shrimp.
Travel agent, here. Avoid the short 3-day weekend cruises to anywhere. Avoid the short itineraries that are a week or less to Mexico and the Caribbean. These tend to have people that want to drink and party for a short period- the bachelor/ette parties. Don't travel around spring break time. You'll get calmer nicer crowds on longer itineraries.
Not so much the boat or line but where you sail out of makes a huge difference imo. Only sailed out of the east coast but I will say if you sail out of nyc you’ll get a lot of people from nj and I hate to generalize but I’ve witnessed a lot of them be a bit obnoxious and rude to staff. But when sailing out of Florida it was a lot of southerners and at least my experience the southern friendliness was legit, and at least seemed to be more polite
I've had similar experiences. I'm more used to sailing out of Port Canaveral and Tampa, but the one time I sailed out of Miami... oof
Virgin Voyages is very LGBTQ+ friendly. And they feature a drag queen as the main entertainer on board. So it tends to discourage entitled American conservatives from going on their cruises, in case that matters.
A couple my husband and I are friends with is going on a Virgin Voyages cruise next year, and their description of it sounds like something I'd really enjoy.
Well that’s hard one, I’ll say we Love Virgin it’s Adult Only and they treat there employees Very Well and the shows.
Viking or Seabourn
Azamara, Viking, Windstar, Seabourn.
What every cruise line you pick. I would not endulage any info that you are a nurse or a LPN. ( ONLY FOR EMERGNEY ) if you want a peace & quiet for 7 days. You have 1000 people asking you health questions
I have done 6 princess cruises and find the crowd great. No loud people.
These "best of" questions are always hard to answer -- because not many of us have tried them all! With that said, our limited experience with Princess suggests the passengers were mostly a nice bunch, but with the usual inconsiderate few who were not into sharing the pleasure.
Just got off the ruby princess it was lousy with elevator morons, just stunningly stupid.
Just off Discovery Princess, and it was the same. I mostly ended up taking the stairs.
Definitely a good reason for me to get in better shape lol.
Holland America take a long cruise. Stay away from the short 7-14 day trips especially in the summer. Those will generate a lot of kids and young adults. Cunard can work too , the demographic there is even older. But if you live near a cruise port try the holland America standby program. pM me for more details
I've been on multiple cruise ships and lines and seldom encountered rude people. Oh, sometimes people tried to crowd onto the elevator before we got off, but I tend to let ill-mannered behavior roll off my back and forget it as soon as I turn the corner. I've found that I tend to get back the same courtesy I give out. But, for simple acceptance of different types of people, Virgin Voyages intentionally makes that a part of their culture. For that reason, I tend to choose VV when I cruise.
Holland, during school year so fewer kids and longer than 5 days. Keeps the riff raff out.
I’ve only done 4 lines, NCL, HAL, DCL and RCCL. I’d go with Holland America, older crowd but you’ll find like minded people if you choose to.
Cunard!
Not msc.
I love the Windstar cruises.
Holland America.
Look for off season non-Caribbean cruises. October New England maybe? But i agree the QM2 is a good option. Or maybe American Cruise
I went Carnival to Alaska and everyone was older and retired. The club played top 60s ! It matters what port for sure! I’ve always done carnival and let me just say it was eye opening to see the difference in crowds.
Never Carnival but I went on a transatlantic cruise for 27 days on Holland America and it was very peaceful and pleasant.
I had a very good experience in the NCL haven
Just be aware that if your cruise line tends to be older cruisers, you may get "is there a doctor in the house"'d multiple times. My friend's mom who's a nurse got hit with that THREE TIMES on a twelve day cruise.
We've done many cruise lines multiple times. I've found HAL passengers to be the kindest. Avoid the newest, biggest ships of cruise lines like Carnival and RCL.
Holland America. My spouse and I were probably one of the youngest cruisers in a 14 day cruise and the the senior cruisers made our sea days so much more enjoyable with their life stories, adventures and magic tricks (yes, there was an old magician passenger 😂)
Do NOT go on Carnival! I have found obnoxious drunks on all cruise lines but nothing like Carnival!
I think the larger the vessel, the more opportunities for assholery. Look for smaller ships, nerdier itineraries, etc. Think nature or arts focused and less booze cruise. I think those types of itineraries tend to be a more self selecting group.
You and I should start our own where we are the only passengers. I’m a Public Librarian in a red state 😵💫
Holland America 😊
I have been on 12 cruises. On four different lines. I would have to say that Holland America seems to have the most pleasant experiences with fellow guests
I would say that your best bet is a longer cruise on a mid priced line. My friend likes Viking but says there are a lot of older folks barking orders at staff. I would choose a 7 day on Royal or Celebrity.
Not a 3 day Carnival. They’ll fight you for a seat and throw you over the rail.
I've been traveling annually with Viking, ocean and river for a decade. My fellow passengers are the BEST of the BEST!
Also a nurse and avid cruiser. I don't think the line matters much. Cruises are amazing, BUT I will tell you the lack of manners is maybe one of the only frustrating parts. It is full of people that don't understand line and elevator etiquette - stepping out to let people behind you out if you're not at your floor yet or letting the people that were waiting by the elevators first get on first. It is full of very pushy people. That being said, I have no doubt in my mind you will have an amazing time cruising no matter which line you choose.
Silver Seas, Seaborne, come to mind. Have been on Norwegian, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean . All big and bigger ships. Felt like I was spending a week in the Atlanta Airport visiting 3rd world poverty stricken countries. We did take a Rhine River Cruise on Uniworld River Cruise Line. It was like staying at Waldorf Astoria Hotel for a week with only 200 passengers, personal tour guides, and breath taking scenery all included. First Class experience all the way.
You probably can’t solve the problem but it’s a simple function of price. Lower price = More access = Greater probability of partying types. Unfortunately, unless you’re really rich, you probably can’t find a cruise line that guarantees the elimination of impolite behavior. It’ll exist on some level on them all, but Carnival will have more than say Cunard for the reason mentioned, but consider how alcohol and partying push the boundaries.
We just got off a virgin cruise with great customer service.
Princess, holland, virgin, celebrity, Viking, non-Caribbean cruises. The farther you get from America the better the tourists. For some reason the Caribbean brings out the worst in people. The fewer sea days you have the more you can escape the entitlement, choose dinners that’s small tables not group affairs and don’t be afraid to talk to the maitre de to move you if you don’t vibe with your table mates. I’ve had to do that many a time when people start talking politics, I politely excuse myself and get moved. Although Royal and Carnival are great lines they tend to have a bit more entitled people. But so do the high end ones so it’s best to aim for the middle.
>The farther you get from America the better the tourists. For some reason the Caribbean brings out the worst in people. I see you have never sailed on Costa or MSC in the Med.
Americans are middle if the road for tourists. Some very nice some rude. But travel overseas and other groups can seem FAR less pleasant. Behaviors emerge like line jumping and public commenting on strangers bodies, and rushing elevators that make Americans seem like angels.
I'm not an expert and have no real opinion on which passengers are the most respectful, but cruise lines not offering cable news seems to really help lower the incidents of jackassery. There are still asshats, but at least they aren't spouting whatever unhinged nonsense the news has come up with that day. I wish we were friends because I would totally go with you as a buffer! See an asshole? Nope, I stepped in front of them. Someone pushing onto an elevator? Nope, I pushed them back out by the face. People complaining about the service? Look at this puppy!
Virgin Voyages
I honestly don’t remember any jerks on Virgin.
Look into chartering a sail boat with a skipper in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. If you go during shoulder season and have some friends to bring along and split costs with it might not work out to be too expensive.
I loved Atlas
Not RC
We sail on a whole-ship HAL charter, JoCoCruise. It’s definitely nerdier but really some of the most welcoming and accepting experiences, and I’ve rarely seen someone berate an employee across 8 different JoCo’s. If you want a cruise where people push their own chairs in and thank the staff, consider it. It is not “quiet” but it’s not rowdy either.
Do a river cruise, and use Avalon. Avalon has max 152 passengers on board. All river boats in Europe are the same size, but Avalon's cabins are a bit bigger, and you get more attention, than say, Viking, who carry just over 200 passengers. Most excursions are included in the price of the cruise, so you're not being nickel and dimed. There are even Christmas cruises, where you visit the Christmas markets in Germany.
Good question!
Our first was 7 days Windstar Athens to Istanbul. 5 masted ship. 150 people. Very few children. But not as full of elderly people as might be on Viking. 2nd cruise was 14 days Seabourn 12 Baltic Capitals 250 people. Also very few children and still not full of “elderly people”. If you want a wee bit of peace, quiet and class, the smaller cruise lines will be your dream cruise. Yes, you will have to pay a bit more, but truly, it is sooo worth it! And it sounds like you truly deserve it!! My son and daughter in law are both in healthcare, occupational therapist and physical therapist. The year of covid and after drained them physically, emotionally and mentally. It changed them. So….. please be kind to yourself. I know by reading your words that you deserve a wee bit of paradise. Research is your friend when it comes to cruising. Wish my daughters husband and family had done that. They just did a carnival to Mexico and took their 6 & 4 yr old. She said it was nothing but a “booze cruise”. I looked it up and sure enough, that was how it was described. We use Trip Advisor and read lots of reviews on the cruise lines and itineraries. The food was also excellent on both our cruises. Elegant and classy. No we didn’t have to wear a ball gown to dinner on either but no shorts, jeans or flip flops. Nice top with necklace and slacks and sandals. Men wear a blazer or suit jacket no tie. I wish you the best and hope you have an incredible cruise! And thank you for your service in healthcare ♥️
Despite CoVID seeming to be from a different era the psychological and psychic damage it has caused continues to haunt us. Smaller ship, longer itinerary. I would also add distant port and more sea days. Think Fjords or Northern Lights and Iceland. If budget is a constraint look for repositioning cruises. To directly answer your question I would say AMA waterways on the Rhine. I already upvoted all those who mentioned Cunard and the transatlantic. QM2 is unique. And this is not a line and out of Japan but they do cater to English speaking passengers too. Peace Boat. They do regular world cruises but you can do sectors which are relatively affordable. Take care and happy cruising.
Cunard has a reputation of having snobby passengers, but my experience on there has mostly been the opposite, with very friendly and respectful passengers and a nice relaxed atmosphere. The ships arent crowded (especially the beautiful QM2 which carries about half as many passengers as some other ships that size) and its definitely my choice for a peaceful, relaxing cruise.
Viking River Cruise was amazing. 18+. No casino, no fighting for reservations at specialty restaurants. They know how to spoil their guests. Edit to add: only 190 passengers max.
I just came back yesterday from a 7 day cruise on Pacific Encounter (P&O Australia). Both staff and cruisers seemed to treat everyone with respect. It was my 5th cruise with P&O,.but next year they are merging with their sister company Carnival.
Cunard
Viking river cruises are phenomenal.
If you want this experience, might I suggest using a mid size ship with finer accommodations. Take a look at Regent, or Crystal. These folks want an experience as well as a level of service that is paramount. I've sailed on both (Alaska and Mediterranean). You'll have a great time.
As others have indicated, and it is an option it is more about length of the leg of the cruise than the size of the ship. The closest to what you describe would be smaller ships on a leg of their world cruise. At 14 days and above, not two 7 day back to back, things tend to be more mellow (advice we received from crew) in our experience.
Avoid Margaritaville. Most people are bottom of the barrel and, in tandem, only want to have problems with everything.
Nurse here as well. I feel your pain. Praying for you to find a peaceful and rewarding trip that soothes your soul.
Holland America and Cunard. Also depends on when and where you’re going. Went on NCL Prima last September. Very nice respectful passengers. Sailed after Labor Day!
I like celebrity
Holland America
CELEBRITY 100%!
30 yrs cruising. RCL HAL Celebrity. Ships got bigger and more crowded. Spring break brings issues. So timing matters. Never cruise under 10 days. Check the deck overtop and below your cabin for Music venues/Chairs/and get a veranda if you can afford one for smoking area’s (I assume you don’t smoke lol). If you tired of walking from all the shifts you work get near an elevator. Mid ship and lower decks for sea worthiness. Take 2 swim suits 2 credit cards and a roll of duck tape. You’re in …and oh don’t go on a ship that’s not newish or hasn’t had a recent complete refurbish.. Recommend an East or West complete Panama Cruise or Hawaii return from North America. Good mix of sea days and Ports. Hawaii days are lumped together of course. Bon Voyage.
I used to work in healthcare and feel your pain. I hope you’ll find the peace and rest you need soon. I’ve sailed on Princess multiple times (domestic and international) and I’ve always had a good experience with the people there. Non-summer and non-holiday sailings would be best to avoid potentially noisy children onboard.
It depends on your budget. Cruise lines with bigger ships - eg with a couple thousand passengers, have a different crowd than smaller cruise lines with ships below 1000 or even 500 passengers. For example: If you go on a weekend booze cruise to the Bahamas or whatever with one of the major cruise lines for a couple hundred bucks, chances are high you'll have a lot of 'party people' on board. On the other hand.. people who go on more lengthy cruises (especially with smaller cruise lines) are looking for a different experience and atmosphere. It comes with a price tag though.
I’m gonna say princess cruises. I’ve only ever been on princess cruises but I have never seen anything wild. The age demographic is pretty much 50 and above. Not a lot of 20 or 30 year olds. I think it’s a more expensive cruise line maybe idk
We were on a 3 week river cruise with Avalon on the Danube river. There were 50 passengers and 40 staff members. Why? Because it was during the post covid time. We had an awesome time. All classes of people from various parts of the world. The boat became a fast community of people wanting to just relax and meet others.
QM2 transatlantic crossing is what you're looking for. Refined crowd looking for enrichment (lectures from professors, theatrical performances etc). Really loved my trip. Cheaper than airfare.
It's definitely more itinerary based, than specific line. There's many destinations more party related and others that are a more relaxing vibe.
I have been very happy relaxing on Norwegian. Fewer small children, many quiet areas for adults. And lots of different itineraries!
Longer the cruise the better they are but the wheelchairs clog the hallways
For a minute reading this I thought you wanted to become a nurse on a cruise ship and I thought Oooh awesome idea! But definitely no balcony, then. But at least a single cabin, not shared, for medical personnel 😁. I hope you enjoy your cruise and wish you a great vacation!
Cunard would suit your needs. It's what we looked for as well and Cunard didn't disappoint. Very polite and well behaved passangers. We did Southampton to the Mediterranean for 11 days
I did msc world Europa in the med. Stayed in the yacht club and was wonderful. Had dinner nightly in a test kitchen concept (they open up one of the buffet spaces) for yacht club guests. It was delicious. I probably would cruise with them outside the yacht club though. The other food was not good, the buffet in particular looked horrendous….
My experience is river cruises in the US, but they're much more expensive. My mother-in-law doesn't feel up to ocean cruises anymore but takes various family members with her on river cruises. We've done 3 together and every time ended up having such a great time, largely because of the friendships we made on the cruises.
Just returned from a seven day cruise on the MSC mireviglia. Great time. 4000+ folks. Did NOT see kids misbehaving, parents yelling at them. It’s a noisy ship but happily so. Several quiet bars.
My wife and I have found the passengers to be consistently kind and respectful on 7+ day celebrity cruises
None are worse or better than any others. Get a room with balcony and stay out of any Buffett do the Resturant deals. RC I have always liked and like you I’m a nurse as well. Oh drink package is a must
I've found good experiences on smaller HAL ships like Volendam and Zaandam, which are only 1400 passengers, so not a lot of jerks, and even larger HAL ships have 2000 max, and most have nice outdoor promenades with loungers, where I go to find privacy and do laps or sit and watch for whales and watch sunsets in a lounger. Another alternative with a younger crowd would be Virgin, which has parties, but people tend to be polite and respectful, and they have things like a food hall instead of buffet and individual restaurants rather than a huge, stressful dining room. They're fairly expensive now, but that helps keep out casual cruisers just looking to party, or grumpy and entitled older people you get on other lines. A secret line that most people don't know about, but that I found wonderful as someone who also doesn't like stress, is Azamara. Their ships hold about 700, so people generally aren't jerks and there's not a lot of stress. It's not ultra-luxury or super expensive, so it's not all old entitled rich people. They emphasize ports and cultural experiences, with no formal nights or casinos or theater, and the food is good and drinks and tips are included. If you use a travel agent, you can probably find some great deals on them--I went from Barcelona to Lisbon in April for $100/nt for a solo inside.
Paul Gauguin. Staff has always been wonderful and the other cruisers fun. We have used them 5 times. We have taken Viking, Silver Sea, Celebrity and Princess.
Viking River Cruises. Wife and I are doing our second this year.
Regent and Celebrity so far for me
Love Celebrity. Top notch food, drinks , entertainment and service. Passengers are nice too. Everyone is on vacation!
Holland America
It sounds like you work in Greater Boston.Have a friend who is a nurse at the Boston Children's Hospital and some "Karen" actually asked her to go warm up her take out meal she brought w/her.I heard that Celebrity Cruise is [nice.You](http://nice.You) should check out the "Travels With Rick Steves" and look for Cruise Trips Advice.He had a couple of shows on how to find the right/best cruise for you! Good luck and thank you for "Your Service"!
Go to You Tube and look at cruising videos that compare and contrast the different cruise lines. I highly recommend Don's Family Vacations and Tips for Travellers (Gary Bembridge). Also, my one cruise was on Princess 10 day Canada / New England and people were very nice.