Cruisecritic.com: Big Ships Popular!

This month major cruise marketing site cruisecritic.com published a story titled, “Compare: 10 Most Popular Cruise Ships.”

The piece by Cruise Critic editor Gina Kramer calls them "the 10 most popular cruise ships in the industry." She makes the case citing features from “a pair of purple slides cascading down the back of the ship” to “28 bars and restaurants” to “skydiving simulator and a London Eye-style glass pod” to “ziplining and a handmade wooden carousel.”

Such features, which certainly have helped draw attention to the biggest cruise ships afloat, have one thing in common: They have little or nothing to do with the sea or sailing.

Harmony of the Seas

Here is how Wikipedia defines “cruise ship:”

“A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are a part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way, i.e., ports of call.”

So what would be your own perfect balance between “the voyage itself,” “ship’s amenities” and “ports of call?”

While big ships are popular in the sense that they attract more passengers, they are huge containers for people who desire the experience within the vessel.

That does not mean that most deliver, or even promise, voyages that successfully connect travelers with the sea, land and people where the ship calls. Perhaps like us, that's your reason for traveling.

Maximum passenger rosters for the Cruise Critic selections:

Harmony of the Seas 6,780
Carnival Vista 3,936
Norwegian Escape 4,248
Oasis of the Seas 6,360
Celebrity Equinox 2,850
MSC Divina 4,345
Anthem of the Seas 4,905
Norwegian Breakaway 3,969
Celebrity Summit 2,450
Allure of the Seas 6,410

Ten ships, total 46,253 passengers.

Source: Cruisecritic.com