Andrea Zelinski
"What's your favorite cruise?" is a question I often hear.
After all, I have stepped on 29 cruise ships since I joined Travel Weekly three years ago. Most were new vessels, although plenty were fresh off a refurbishment and others were workhorses of the brand.
These ships ran the gamut from an enormous 7,600-passenger contemporary vessel (I'll give you one guess which ship that was) to a tiny expedition ship in the Antarctic (more on that to come). And there was a kaleidoscope of premium and luxury ships, each with a personality.
All this is to say that I have a lot of data to work from. Here are some of the factors I use to judge a cruise:
The atrium must have a 'wow' factor
Or at least some big-deal part of the ship needs to be a wow.
We all know you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that holds true when stepping on a cruise ship.
Whether it is the architectural design that made me wonder how they could physically build this atrium, the beauty of the centerpiece art or how the light flows through the space, the first impression in that highly-traffic room or other spaces on the ship is essential.
The Icon of the Seas, with its giant, hollowed-out, golf-ball-like structure called the Pearl, immediately caught my eye as I stepped onboard. I stopped to enjoy the glimmering kinetic tiles slowly moving inside multiple times on that cruise, watching them about as intently as I might the waves of the ocean.
The Margaritaville at Sea Islander was another with a wow factor. While some might think it too much to have an enormous flip-flop in the middle of a ship, it spoke to the Jimmy Buffett vibe of carefree fun that I expected when stepping on a boat bound for a beach somewhere.
Service stands out
Objectively speaking, the service I have had on land has paled to the service I've experienced at sea. While on the Disney Treasure from Disney Cruise Line, a line that keeps guests with the same server the entire cruise, my sister nearly cried over how good the service was. Our server, a man who appeared to be in his early 50s with a warm laugh, cut my 7-year-old nephew's steak for us after he delivered it, saving my sister the trouble. He also entertained us with several tricks with my nephew's napkin and had all of us smiling.
Another instance of standout service was with Windstar Cruises on the Star Breeze. A crew member who regularly welcomed guests to breakfast knew my name by Day 2. That kind of personalization led us to chat every time I arrived to eat. While I later learned how this is a key feature of luxury cruising, I couldn't help but feel special when I left that ship: I'd made a genuine connection with the crew.
Location, location, location
More than anything, though, my favorite cruises are dictated by the destination. My very first sailing was in Tahiti, and I was awestruck by the sunrises, the inspiringly clear water and the fuzzy green mountains in the middle of the sea. This is where I took my first scuba diving excursion and ran my hand along the back of sting rays for the first time. Firsts are true memory-makers.
Another standout destination was Antarctica, which appeared otherworldly to me. There was something about seeing icebergs in the distance, hearing air shoot out a humpback whale's blowhole and being surrounded by tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of squawking penguins that has left a mark on me.
But each of those 29 cruises ships I've stepped on have left a mark on me. As Indian novelist Anita Desai once said, "Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow."
This is Andrea Zelinski's last Insight as senior cruise editor. She is leaving Travel Weekly to take a five-month hike from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile ribbon of dirt, rock and snow through California, Oregon and Washington. To follow her journey, you can find her on Instagram at @adventuresofwatergirl.