Which Cruise Line Best Fits Your Vacation Style?

By: Elisabeth Henderson
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Which Cruise Line Best Fits Your Vacation Style?
Image: Unsplash by Alonso Reyes

About This Quiz

Cruises used to have a reputation of being exclusively the realm of the ultra-wealthy or the retired. These days, though, travelers of all varieties take advantage of the pre-packaged vacation experiences provided by cruise lines. While a cruise may undoubtedly offer a pool and a drink with an umbrella bobbing in slushy beverage, today’s cruises tempt travelers with titillating opportunities for adventure as well as relaxation.

The competition among cruise lines and the all-inclusive package deals mean that cruising can actually be an economical vacation option. Families can enjoy something for everyone — pools, activities and childcare for kids and rock climbing, spas, fine dining and adventure outings for the adults. Imagine going on a vacation where everything is already paid for and planned out. The economical traveler can truly relax and feel the ocean breeze.

Not all cruisers are on a budget, though. If luxury travel is more your speed, the options are as limitless as your taste. If you would rather not see children and do not want to interact with adults not wearing evening attire, or if you prefer for someone else to draw your bath, we’ve got the cruise for you! 

These days you can even hop aboard a cruise boat not to get away from the unexpected but to get closer to it. Have a boat take you to the middle of nowhere and drop you off to explore! Thinking of treating yourself to a cruise but not sure which line suits you? Answer these questions about your travel preferences, and we’ll make sure you board the right ship! 

Cruise bedroom
Craig Hastings / Moment / Getty Images
What kind of experience do you expect when you first walk into your room when traveling?
To feel instantly comfortable
To be wowed with a view
To smell exquisite local perfumes
To see a sturdy bed with local decor

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Kid at a restaurant
Images By Tang Ming Tung / Stone / Getty Images
What crosses your mind when you hear the sound of children’s laughter at a restaurant?
How nice that the children are enjoying themselves!
I wonder what’s so funny.
Who let the children in here?
I don’t really notice.

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Island
Unsplash by Claudio Trigueros
Which travel landscape is most compelling to you?
An exotic island
A mountainous forest
Ancient cobbled streets
A secluded monastery

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Couple in rickshaw
Hugh Sitton / Stone / Getty Images
What kind of transportation would you consider exotic?
A bus
A rickshaw
A bicycle
An elephant

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Women binoculars
Hans Neleman / Stone / Getty Images
What is something you hope to accomplish when you travel?
Fun for the whole family
Try something completely new
Experience the finest culture in a completely different place
Experience life as the locals experience it

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Woman and donkey
Unsplash by Esther Driehaus
Which of the following travel experiences would give you a feeling of exhilaration?
Seeing my child encounter something surprising
Skydiving
Eating with a famous chef
Riding a donkey into town with a villager

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Couple in Europe
Unsplash by Viespire Travel
If you visited a European city, how would you want to enter the city center?
On a shuttle bus, if possible
With a tour guide
Get dropped off by a private car
Walk there on foot

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resort hotel
Unsplash by Christian Lambert
Which of the following occurrences would cause you to leave a hotel?
No activities for children
No options for speciality foods
No overnight room service
No local flavor

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full bar
Unsplash by Nick Karvounis
What kind of service do you require in your accommodations?
Childcare is a bonus.
A full bar available
Personal staff
A note and a key

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bicycles on an island
Unsplash by Jessica Pamp
If you were on a cruise that offered a bicycle for individual exploration of an island you had never seen before, what would you do?
Go to the pool
See if there’s a tour
Find a winery tour instead
Take the bike and ask for a map

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Family on a cruise ship
Aja Koska / E+ / Getty Images
How do you feel about the statement, “the more the merrier?”
Depends on if they’re actually merry
True!
Depends on who they are
It’s a lie!

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Cruise singer
halbergman / E+ / Getty Images
What kind of production would you want to see while traveling?
One (or several!) of the kids’ favorite cartoons
A Broadway-style play
A talk given by a famous actress
A local prayer ceremony

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Family luggage 2
Dann Tardif / Stone / Getty Images
What kind of luggage do you need to travel comfortably?
Several large rolling suitcases, full of toys and kids’ clothes
A carry-on size rolling suitcase
A large rolling suitcase and a garment bag
Just a backpack

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GoPro
Unsplash by Jakob Owens
How do you prefer to encounter a place of magnificent natural beauty?
With my video camera rolling
With lots of people to share the experience
On a private, guided tour
In solitude

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Read book
Unsplash by Maciej Ostrowski
What kind of travel narrative makes you want to make a getaway?
"The Adventures of Milo and Otis"
"Eat, Pray, Love"
"Under the Tuscan Sun"
"Motorcycle Diaries"

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Starbucks
Unsplash by TR
Which of the following necessities could you do without during a trip abroad?
McDonald’s
Starbucks
Weekly massage
Air conditioning

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Nice Bathroom
Unsplash by intan Indiastuti
What’s the most extreme place you’re willing to do your business?
In a stall in a crowded bathroom
In a mediocre private bathroom
In a private bathroom without designer soap
In a hole in the ground

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Water bottle
Unsplash by Houston Max
How do you prefer to take your drinking water while traveling in a foreign country?
I carry plastic purified water bottles.
I purchase bottled water.
I purchase sparkling water.
I just drink the tap water.

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Woman restaurant menu
Unsplash by Suad Kamardeen
If you are in a new city and trying an unknown restaurant, what will you look for on the menu?
Anything that looks familiar
Something new to try that’s not too weird
The chef’s specialty
Ask the table next to me what they’re having

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Ask for Directions
FG Trade / E+ / Getty Images
If you are visiting a foreign country, what is your approach to the language?
Everyone speaks English these days.
I have a phrase book, and I’ll make an attempt to speak the language.
My translator will help me get by.
I’ve been practicing the language for months and I'm anxious to practice.

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Theme Park
Unsplash by Katherine Auguste
On your last day of vacation, what would you rather experience?
I’d like to have a memorable experience at a theme park.
I’d like to take an excursion into the beautiful countryside.
I’d like to go into the heart of an ancient city.
I’d like to absorb daily life in a village.

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Plan vacation
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd / DigitalVision / Getty Images
How long do you tend to plan for a vacation?
Months
Weeks
I like to have someone else plan for me.
I like to be more spontaneous.

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Woman Island
Gary John Norman / The Image Bank / Getty Images
How much uncertainty can you handle in your travels before you get anxiety?
Zero
A little uncertainty is OK.
Uncertainty is OK as long as it is part of the plan.
The experience of uncertainty is why I travel.

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Couple on Cruise
Aja Koska / E+ / Getty Images
If you went on a week-long trip with someone you were dating, and you didn’t mesh with that person’s travel style, what would you do?
Decide that we’ll figure it out
Give them one more chance
Decide to try a more comfortable trip next time
It’s over.

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American Passport
yenwen / E+ / Getty Images
Which of the following faux pas would cause you not to travel with someone in the future?
Snapping at my kids
Forgetting their passport
Choosing a terrible restaurant
Disrespecting another culture

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Travel brochure
Andresr / E+ / Getty Images
If you are planning your day while in the middle of a trip, how do you decide what to do?
I follow a ‘things to do’ pamphlet in the hotel.
I have a travel guide that gives me ideas.
I have my travel agent make suggestions.
I walk out the door and see where I end up.

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Island foods
Unsplash by John Matthew Flores
What inspires you the most when you are out traveling?
The treasures I find in shops
The natural beauty of the world
The local cuisine
The local people I encounter

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White tablecloth
kolderal / Moment / Getty Images
What kind of tablecloth makes you appreciate your food most distinctly?
Butcher paper you can draw on
Colorful cloth
White tablecloth
Handcrafted local cloth

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Bored at work
10'000 Hours / DigitalVision / Getty Images
When you return from a trip abroad, how do your travels affect your daily life?
I feel discontent going back to work.
I live off of the sweet memories.
It gives me energy to plan my next trip.
I feel disconnected from my life and question many of my assumptions.

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Souvenirs
Unsplash by Anastasia Dulgier
What kind of souvenir is the best way to remember a trip?
T-shirts
Jewelry or hats
Paintings or ceramics
A journal of notes or sketches

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You Got: