Choosing for Cruising: How to Select and Equip the Perfect Cruising Yacht

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What all these brands have in common is that they operate relatively large, mass-market vessels with starting prices that are relatively affordable. Just keep in mind that the term "large" is relative. There is a wide variation among these brands in the size of their ships. The biggest Holland America ships, for instance, are less than half the size of the biggest Royal Caribbean ships and hold far fewer passengers. If your idea of a vacation is being pampered at every turn, and you have lots of money to burn, you'll want to start your search for a cruise line among the luxury cruise operators.

Read more: Ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line | Ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line | Ultimate guide to MSC CruisesExpedition– Hurtigruten, Silversea Expeditions, Zegrahm, Lindblad Expeditions and Aqua Expeditions. Are you a fan of big, bustling megaresorts with every amusement known to humans? You'll probably want to gravitate toward Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises. These three brands are what I call the "floating megaresort lines" — lines that offer unusually giant ships that are the seagoing equivalent of land-based megaresorts such as Atlantis in the Bahamas.

In addition, luxury river cruise specialist Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours recently unveiled its first two expedition ships. The past two years have also brought an all-new luxury expedition cruise company, Atlas Ocean Voyages. It's calling itself a "luxe-adventure" line.But the world of cruising also includes companies that operate far smaller, more intimate vessels that carry a few dozen to a few hundred people. These ships have a completely different vibe. They're more like small boutique hotels that happen to float from place to place. If you hear somebody say they'd never take a cruise because the ships are "too big" or "too crowded," you've met someone who has no idea what's out there.