Deciding on a cruise line as a young person can often be a difficult task, there is so much variety within the cruise industry and it’s incredibly important that you get it right. I’m 26 and have been cruising since I was 11 years old, I’m often asked which cruise lines I’d personally recommend for young cruisers and so I have put together this guide.

In this post we will talk a little about the pros and cons of each cruise line so that you can decide which cruise line suits you best.

This post contains affiliate links which are marked with *’s.

From Cheapest to Most Expensive… (ish)

Costa Cruises

16 Ships

Visit Costa’s website here to learn more: Costa Cruises

• Price (**)
• Daily Schedule (Mid Range)
• Life Onboard (Lively)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Elegant)
• Dining (Mostly Fixed)
• Based (Italy)

Costa cruises provide some of the cheapest cruises on the market. If you ever find a cruise which is $50 per night or less, chances are it’ll be a Costa cruise.

Costa Cruises are an Italian cruise line and as a result the experience onboard is mainly geared towards those people who speak Italian. Multiple languages will be spoken onboard but it is possible to cruise with Costa speaking only English.

There are 15 cruise ships in the Costa fleet and they are all as colourful, bright and loud as each other. Costa are owned by the Carnival brand.

What to Expect on a Costa Cruise

It isn’t unusual to find 10 or so different languages being spoken onboard a Costa cruise. Costa cruises are very popular with families, young adults and groups who come onboard to have fun.

The experience onboard is very lively, loud, bright and full of life. Some people may find the experience a little overwhelming but personally I really enjoyed how alive the ship felt.

One thing that surprised me when I took my first Costa cruise was the fact that there was an English speaking representative onboard who is there to take care of the English speaking guests. We did take an excursion during our cruise and she was with us during the excursion to help us should we need anything.

The English speaking representative was just one of the things that surprised me about my Costa cruise, to learn about the other things that took me by surprise, including what isn’t included in the cruise fare, check out this post: My 1st cruise with Costa Cruises: 11 Surprises!

Dining Options Onboard

The dining on Costa is fixed and there are two seatings for dinner in the main dining room each evening. We were sat with 4 other English speaking guests. Costa do this not only so that the guests can talk but also to make it easier for the waiters. All staff onboard Costa cruises seemed to speak English but it can’t be easy for them to keep changing language!

There is also a buffet but I wasn’t very impressed with the food offered. The buffet also closed more often than I am used to on other cruise lines. That said, for the price I paid for my Costa cruise I’m impressed that any food was included.

Why Are Costa Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

Costa cruises are incredibly lively and there are always things going on around the ship. If you are somebody who likes to dance or sing you’ll have an incredible time on a Costa cruise. It is a little difficult to take part in activities onboard if you don’t speak Italian but things like the main theatre shows were in English and with all staff speaking English we never had any problems.

The price makes the cruises extremely accessible for younger cruisers who may not have a big budget. Costa cruises are often cheaper than staying in hotels on land and they also include food and your entertainment. This represents brilliant value for money.

Possible Cons:

• There isn’t much included in the cruise fare. It is a case of you get what you pay for, if you don’t pay very much you can’t expect very much to be included. To find out what is included in a Costa cruise, check out this post: Are Costa Cruises All Inclusive? Your Guide To Whats Included.
• The ships are loud and lively. The atmosphere onboard may not be everybody’s taste.
• The food. I have to admit I was disappointed by the food in the buffet but was happy with the food in the main dining room. These are the only two options for included food on Costa cruises. For the price of the cruise, I’m amazed that any food was included at all.
• Entertainment. The entertainment being in multiple languages can make it difficult to participate.

Who Would I Recommend a Costa Cruise to?

I’d recommend Costa cruises to people who want a cheap, lively, fun cruise. Potential cruisers should be aware of what is included in the cruise fare and about the number of languages spoken onboard, if these things aren’t a problem then a Costa cruise can be a great budget friendly option. I’d describe Costa cruises as being cheap and cheerful.

MSC Cruises

– 18 Ships

Visit MSC’s UK website here to learn more: MSC UK*

Visit MSC’s USA website here to learn more: MSC USA*

• Price (**)
• Daily Schedule (Mid Range)
• Life Onboard (Relaxed)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Relaxed)
• Dining (Most Fixed)
• Based (Switzerland)

MSC provide some of the best value for money cruises on the market. They are an Italian cruise line but the primary language spoken onboard their cruise ships is English. MSC cruise worldwide and currently have 18 cruise ships in the fleet.

I am personally a big fan of MSC cruises. I’ve been on 3 to date and took 3 first time cruisers on an MSC cruise last year. They had a brilliant time and we paid a great price for it.

What to Expect on a MSC Cruise

The experience on an MSC cruise is fairly relaxed and generally speaking quite fun.

MSC do have formal nights of sorts but the dress codes aren’t strictly enforced, to learn more about this, including what you can and can’t wear, check out this post: MSC Cruises Formal Nights: Everything You Need To Know.

When it comes to dining the majority of dining is fixed but there are some flexible options too for certain guests.

Food

The food itself is more ‘mediterranean’ than that which you’d find on an America cruise line but this is to be expected. There a lot of pasta, pizza and vegetables onboard and the portions are smaller than you’d find on American lines. That said, on a cruise you are free to order as many things as you’d like and the buffet is open almost 24/7 which means that guests wanting a late night snack can still grab one.

Entertainment

On an MSC cruise you’ll find passengers who speak a wide variety of languages. It isn’t uncommon for announcements to be made in 7 or 8 languages. This does slow down things like the theatre shows and the shows themselves tend to be more abstract than that that you’d find on an American or British line. The entertainment tends to avoid the use of language where possible to make it as applicable to as many passengers as possible, I tend to describe the live music as being boop boop boop music. By this I mean that there is a lot of noise which isn’t any language at all.

Ships

MSC have some of the biggest and most exciting cruise ships in the cruise industry. Many have things like ropes courses and zip lines and most have at least some sports courts and waterslides. The design of all ships is very elegant and modern with most ships featuring lots of sparkles.

All ships in the MSC fleet have the same kind of styling inside regardless of age.

Flexible Itineraries

MSC have some of the most flexible cruise itineraries within the industry. On most cruises you’ll find that there is an embarkation and a disembarkation port and all guests have to stick to this. With MSC guests embark and disembark almost every day and this gives passengers the opportunity to really customise their cruise.

Why Are MSC Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

MSC cruises provide budget friendly cruises on some of the best ships in the industry. Their flexible itineraries make them a perfect choice for a lot of cruisers who prefer to sail at certain times.

The onboard experience is very relaxed with dress codes being suggested rather than enforced. Many younger cruises, myself included, prefer this to traditionally enforced formal nights. For more information about the dress codes, including if they are actually enforced, check out this post: MSC Cruises Dress Code: Photo Guide With Examples

The schedule onboard MSC cruises is also pretty busy, if you take a walk around an MSC cruise ship you’re almost guaranteed to find something going on somewhere. There is usually live music late into the light and variety of things like trivia and gameshows to take part in.

Possible Cons:

• Guests used to American/British portion sizes and food options may not like the food onboard.
• Multiple languages being spoken onboard can slow things down and make the cruise process more confusing for those who are new to cruising.
• Due to the low base price of MSC cruises you will find that onboard you are up-sold items available for purchase such as drinks packages and dining packages. Almost all cruise lines do this but I’ve noticed that it is particularly prominent on MSC cruises.

Top tip: If you are considering taking a cruise with MSC it is worth looking at their loyalty status match program. The program means that if you have a loyalty status with another cruise line, or some hotel chains, MSC will match this. I did this and matched my status with Norwegian Cruise Line to MSC, as a result I get lots of freebies when I’m onboard included a speciality meal, spa access and a chocolate ship. To find out how you can do this (it’s free) check out this post: MSC Status Match: The Free Way To Get 5% Off MSC Cruises!

Who Would I Recommend a MSC Cruise to?

I would recommend MSC cruises to cruisers who want to cruise well on a budget. Guests should be aware that day to day life onboard is conducted in a variety of languages but that English is the main language spoken onboard.

I personally adore the MSC cruise ships as they are modern and elegant. MSC are perfect for people who want a relaxed cruise in elegant surroundings without too many elements of traditional cruising such as formal nights.

Marella Cruises

– 6 Ships

Visit Marella’s website here to learn more: Marella*

• Price (***)
• Daily Schedule (Busy)
• Life Onboard (Relaxed)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Relaxed)
• Dining (Flexible)
• Based (UK)

Marella are a British cruise line who were formally known as Thomson. They currently have 6 cruise ships in their fleet and they provide ‘all inclusive’ cruises which include gratuities and alcohol drinks in the cruise fare.

I’m a big fan of Marella cruises because they make the process of cruising so easy. The onboard experience is primarily geared towards British cruisers with the majority of people onboard being from Britain. The main and only language spoken onboard is English.

What to Expect on a Marella Cruise

The entertainment on a Marella cruise is some of the best that I’ve ever seen at sea. The daily schedule is busy although not as busy as some of the bigger American cruise lines. When wandering around a Marella cruise you’ll find things like trivia, gameshows and live music.

Marella have 6 cruise ships in their fleet, 2 of which are ex Celebrity ships and 2 are ex Royal Caribbean ships. These 4 are personally my favourite in the fleet. To learn more about the Marella fleet, and to learn which ships I’d recommend for which types of people, check out this post: Marella Cruises, Ships by Size: Photo Guide and Reviews.

Marella cruises include a variety of dining options in the cruise fare and also include alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. The ‘all inclusive’ doesn’t include every type of drink, as most don’t, but they do include a good range of beers, wines and spirits.

Why Are Marella Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

Marella cruises are fun, informal and fairly budget friendly. The all inclusive pricing structure makes cruising with Marella really easy and they are popular with families and younger cruisers.

Many people, myself included, love the fact that there are multiple places to eat on Marella cruises included in the cruise fare, and the all inclusive drinks save a lot of passengers a lot of money.

Possible Cons:

• The ships have been incredibly well looked after but they are not new. Guests wanting to cruise on the biggest, newest cruise ships would be disappointed with Marella’s fleet.
• The experience onboard is very British, personally I like this but a lot of guests do prefer a more multicultural feel.
• Guests who do not drink may not like a cruise line where drinks are included.

Who Would I Recommend a Marella Cruise to?

I’d recommend a Marella cruise to families and young adults who want a budget friendly, fun cruise where the main language onboard is English. The majority of guests onboard are British so I would primarily recommend the line for other British cruisers, that said, many Americans, Australians, Canadians etc cruise with Marella and really enjoy the experience.

Carnival Cruises

26 Ships

Visit Carnivals website here to learn more: Carnival

• Price (***)
• Daily Schedule (Busy)
• Life Onboard (Lively)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Relaxed)
• Dining (Flexible & Fixed)
• Based (USA)

Carnival are an American cruise line best known for being ‘fun ships’. Carnival focus primarily on the family and younger cruiser market and the experience onboard is very relaxed and lively.

What to Expect on a Carnival Cruise

The experience on a Carnival cruise is very lively, colourful and fun. If you take a walk around a Carnival cruise you’ll find things going on from early in the morning until late at night. There are plenty of food options available on Carnival cruises with options available at almost all hours of the day.

Why Are Carnival Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

I’ve actually not been on a Carnival cruise myself yet but I still do recommend them to families and younger cruisers. Carnival have a reputation for being for younger cruisers particularly in parts of the world like Caribbean. Carnival cruises are a very popular option with young cruisers taking their first cruise.

Possible Cons:

• Carnival cruises are very lively and loud which some guests may not like.
• The ships in the Carnival fleet do vary dramatically so it’s important to research your ship before you go.

Who Would I Recommend a Carnival Cruise to?

I’d recommend a Carnival cruise to guests who want to have fun on their cruise without a lot of the traditional elements of cruising such as enforced dress codes. Carnival are also a great option for budget cruisers as it’s often possible to get really cheap Carnival cruises, especially in places like the Caribbean.

Princess Cruises

18 Ships

Visit Princess’s website here to learn more: Princess Cruises*

• Price (***)
• Daily Schedule (Mid Range)
• Life Onboard (Relaxed)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Elegant)
• Dining (Flexible & Fixed)
• Based (USA)

Princess cruises provide a more relaxed cruise experience than the cruise lines above. Princess are an American cruise line and in my opinion they provide some of the best food and service at sea. Their ships are spacious, glamorous and each has multiple swimming pools.

What to Expect on a Princess Cruise

The experience on a Princess cruise is more traditional and relaxing than a lot of the other American cruise lines. That said the schedule onboard is still pretty busy and there is plenty to do.

Princess do tend to have an older passenger demographic than fellow American cruise lines like Carnival or Norwegian Cruise Line. But, at 26, I love Princess and continually recommend them to friends. So they make this list!

Ships

Princess Cruises currently have 20 cruise ships with more on the way. All cruise ships have the same style with many following a similar layout. This means that once you’ve cruised with Princess once every cruise you take will feel like coming back home and you’ll already recognise certain features.

One of my favourite things about the Princess ships is the number of swimming pools that each has, many have 4, 5 or 6 swimming pools! The ships also have ample deck space which means that they do feel much more spacious than other cruise ships of similar sizes.

Entertainment

One of my favourite things to do on a Princess cruise is the free Zumba classes! There are a number of other dance classes too, craft classes, trivia, gameshows, karaoke and all of the standard cruise related pass times.

Why Are Princess Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

Princess Cruises are good for young cruisers because they have a wide variety of cruise itineraries, the cruises are reasonable prices and the experience onboard is generally speaking of high quality.

Princess often have deals where the 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin will go for a set reduced rate. This may be that the 3rd and 4th guests cruise for $99 regardless of the cruise length. Cruisers can save a lot of money by doing this and sharing the savings with everybody in the cabin.

Possible Cons:

• Guests seeking a lively ‘party all night’ type of cruise may be disappointed as the ships are generally speaking quite relaxed.
• Dining is still relatively traditional with formal nights and some fixed dining, it is possible to avoid the formal nights but most guests who cruise with Princess do enjoy taking part.

Who Would I Recommend a Princess Cruise to?

I’d recommend a Princess Cruises to guests wanting a relaxing cruise where they are able to do as much or as little as they’d like. The food and service are good onboard and although Princess cruises aren’t the busiest of the cruise lines but you’ll never be bored onboard.

I’d strongly recommend a Princess cruise to groups of cruisers, or families, who are looking to share a cabin. The 3rd and 4th passenger offers often offered by Princess can save cruisers a LOT of money.

P&O Cruises

6 Ships

Visit P&O Cruises website here to learn more: P&O Cruises

• Price (***)
• Daily Schedule (Mid Range)
• Life Onboard (Traditional)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Formal)
• Dining (Flexible & Fixed)
• Based (UK)

P&O Cruises are a British cruise line who cruise a lot out of the UK. The experience onboard is very British with the majority of guests being from Britain and almost all being English speakers. P&O Cruises provide a relaxed, traditional style of cruising which cruisers of a variety of ages enjoy.

Note: It’s worth noting that the British portion of P&O Cruises are very different from the Australian version. The Australian P&O Cruises is much more of a party cruise than the British version.

What to Expect on a P&O Cruise

The onboard schedule on a P&O cruise is much more relaxing than that of some of the big American cruise lines. P&O have formal nights and formal dress codes which are enforced onboard. The majority of guests cruising with P&O enjoy the opportunity to dress up and take part in formal nights with many wearing their finest dresses or tuxedos.

In my experience the food and service on P&O cruises is brilliant and the entertainment offered onboard is all of a high quality. P&O cruises are popular with families but are also popular with older passengers.

Why Are P&O Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

P&O offer traditional cruises which are accessible to the mass market. They are often very competitively priced with speciality discounts for children or free child places. Cruises with P&O are quite relaxed in that the onboard schedule isn’t overly busy but the entertainment offered is still good.

I took my first P&O cruise on P&O Britannia. To learn about my favourite things to do onboard are, including how to make the most out of the food available, check out this post: P&O Britannia: 8 free, must do, activities (MV Britannia)

Possible Cons:

• P&O do have formal nights and dress codes which are enforced. This isn’t to everybody’s taste but guests wanting to avoid the formal nights can do so by eating in the buffet.
• Some cruisers used to big American cruise lines may find the onboard experience to be quiet in comparison.
• The majority of guests onboard are British. Some people love this but it is still a potential con as many prefer a more multicultural feel when travelling.

Who Would I Recommend a P&O Cruise to?

I’d recommend a P&O cruise to cruisers who want to relax while experience some elements of traditional cruising. P&O cruises often have great prices for children so I’d also recommend P&O to families.

If you are British or would like to be surrounded by British culture, P&O cruises are a great way to do that. They make the process of cruising really easy so if you are a first time cruiser I’d also recommend P&O.

Norwegian Cruise Line

17 Ships

Visit Norwegian Cruise Line’s website here to learn more: Norwegian Cruise Line

• Price (***)
• Daily Schedule (Busy)
• Life Onboard (Lively)
• Formal Nights (No)
• Dress Codes (Relaxed)
• Dining (Flexible)
• Based (USA)

Norwegian Cruise Line are one of the biggest and most popular cruise lines. I took my first cruise with Norwegian when I was 11 years old and have cruised with them ever since. Norwegian can be more expensive than a lot of other cruise lines in this list but if you can afford a Norwegian Cruise Line cruise they are always a good place to start.

Norwegian are very popular with solo cruisers due to their solo cabins and solo loungers on the newer ships.

What to Expect on a Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise

Norwegian focus heavily on freestyle dining and they have no formal nights onboard. The experience onboard is very lively and relaxed and guests are free to do as much or as little as they’d like. Despite not having formal nights there are still opportunities for guests to dress up if they want to, to learn more about that, check out this post: Norwegian Cruise Line Don’t Have Formal Nights : Here’s What They Have Instead.

Norwegian have broadway style shows on a lot of their ships and these are, in my opinion, as good as on broadway! I watched Priscilla Queen of the Desert onboard Norwegian Epic and it remains to this day my favourite show at sea, or on land.

On many of Norwegians ships there is food available 24 hours per day! If you have a spare minute and take a walk around a Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ship you’re almost guaranteed to bump into something happening somewhere.

Ships

Norwegian have some of the biggest and most exciting cruise ships currently in operation. On the newer ships you’ll find go karts and laser tag courses. All of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet were designed for Norwegian apart from the Norwegian Spirit. The Norwegian Spirit just so happens to be my favourite!

Why Are Norwegian Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

Norwegian cruises are great for young cruisers because they are so lively, fun and relaxed. Many young cruisers, me included, love the lack of dress codes and the freestyle dining aspect.

I cruised with Norwegian as a child and as a teenage which I loved. The kids clubs were great, the ships were amazing and the freedom that cruising gave me to design my own vacation was amazing.

If you need a little more convincing, check out this post:

Are Norwegian Cruise Line Good for Young Cruisers? – 7 Reasons You NEED to Try Them

Possible Cons:

• A lot of things on Norwegian Cruise Line cruises cost extra which does mean that it’s possible to come away with a considerable bill. To learn about what is included in the cruise fare, check out this post: Do Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises Include Meals? Included Food Guide.
• There is a lot of variety within the fleet. I personally love some of the older smaller ships but passengers expecting the big new ships may be disappointed by some of the fleet. Research should eliminate this potential problem though!
• The big ships can be quite busy and you have to book things like theatre shows ahead of time.

Who Would I Recommend a Norwegian Cruise to?

I’d recommend Norwegian to cruisers who want to have fun in a relaxed atmosphere. I’d also recommend the cruise line to families and to solo cruisers as Norwegian are really leading the way with their solo facilities.

Norwegian cruises are for people who don’t want to be told that they have to eat at a certain time or wear a certain thing to dinner. The entertainment does continue late into the night and cruisers can expect to be kept busy, if they want to be!

Royal Caribbean

27 Ships

Visit Royal Caribbean’s website here to learn more: Royal Caribbean*

• Price (****)
• Daily Schedule (Busy)
• Life Onboard (Lively)
• Formal Nights (Yes)
• Dress Codes (Relaxed)
• Dining (Flexible & Fixed)
• Based (USA)

Royal Caribbean are one of the most well known cruise lines, recognisable by even those who haven’t cruised before. They are the owner of the current biggest cruise ships in the world and are consistently producing new cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean were founded in the 1960s and have always focused on cruises which are fun and relaxed.

What to Expect on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

The cruise line has 26 ships including many of the largest cruise ships in the world. Inside the ships you’ll find various ‘neighbourhoods’ some with large open areas which resemble parks and streets.

Royal Caribbean do focus heavily on the family and young cruiser market so potential cruisers should expect a number of children onboard. That said, with designated children’s clubs and areas the ships themselves don’t feel overcrowded.

Royal Caribbean do have some formal nights but the dress codes are more of a suggestion than enforced rules. Dining is both fixed and flexible with food being served around the clock. For more information on the dress codes, and photos from our Facebook Group members, check out this post: Royal Caribbean Dress Code: Photo Guide With Example

Ships

On the newer bigger cruise ships you’ll find things like sky diving simulators, flow riders, ice rinks, zip lines, rock climbing walls and aqua parks. The smaller older ships do not have all of the same adrenaline filled activities onboard but they are very much in the same style.

All of Royal Caribbeans cruise ships were designed for them and as a result they have some features which are distantly Royal Caribbean such as a bar around the funnel. Many of the older Royal Caribbean cruise ships now cruise with other smaller cruise lines.

Why Are Royal Caribbean Cruises Good For Young Cruisers?

Royal Caribbean cruises are great for young cruisers because the ships are so exciting that they become a destination in themselves. Royal Caribbean cruise worldwide and they offer cruises of varying lengths.

The food, service and entertainment on Royal Caribbean cruise ships is generally speaking pretty good and it is almost impossible to ever be bored onboard. Royal Caribbean cruises have one of the busiest schedules that you’ll find at sea.

Possible Cons:

• The ships can feel busy as there are many guests onboard.
• A lot of things cost extra on Royal Caribbean cruises so it is possible to come away with a big bill.
• Guests seeking a relaxing cruise may be disappointed as the experience onboard is quite lively.

Who Would I Recommend a Royal Caribbean Cruise to?

I’d recommend Royal Caribbean to cruisers who want to cruise on the most exciting ships at sea. Guests should be aware that the onboard experience is lively and fun with a lack of traditional cruise elements like strictly enforced dress codes.

I always recommend Royal Caribbean to families because the ships appeal to guests of all ages. To find out which other cruise lines I also recommend for families, check out our recommended cruise lines for families page here:

Best Cruise Lines For Families (Tried & Tested, Pros & Cons!)

Other Options

Celebrity Cruises

Another great option for young adults is Celebrity. I’ve not had enough experience with the line to really talk about them in detail but I have a number of friends who really love the cruise line.

Celebrity are a modern, trendy cruise line who focus on the adult market. Their food is some of the best that you’ll find at sea and the buffet is the best that I’ve ever been in. If you are a foodie, you’ll love Celebrity.

Disney Cruise Line

A obvious choice for young cruisers is Disney Cruise Line. I haven’t cruise with Disney Cruise Line yet, primarily due to the fact that they rarely cruise in Europe and due to the price which is higher than most other mainstream cruise lines. That said, if you like Disney you’ll love a Disney cruise.

Disney cruises aren’t just for children. There are plenty of adult only areas onboard and many guests cruise with Disney without any children. Disney characters can be seen frequently around the ship and the entertainment is what you would expect from the Disney brand.

Where To Next?

There is not a lot that I love more than going on a cruise, meeting new friends and realising that I paid considerably less that everybody else for the exact same cruise.

Finding and booking a cruise is no easy task. I’ve been able to cruise for as little as $50 per night and I regularly save over 60% compared to advertised brochure prices. You can do it too!

Start Today.

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