Editor’s Note: This is the second of a series of guest posts from travel professionals who know the ins & outs of cruise travel. Today’s guest author is Bryan Harris, a Certified Travel Associate and Disney Specialist. You can follow Bryan on Twitter at theCTA, email him on bryan@operationdestination.com and visit his site www.operationdestination.com.

One thing you need to understand before choosing a cruise is that each cruise line is different. They differentiate themselves by trying to appeal to a certain target market. So it is imperative that you choose a cruise with a Cruise Line that fits your own likes and dislikes.

In my series, “Cruise 101,” I discuss the steps that a person takes to make sure the right cruise itinerary, the right stateroom and the right cruise line is chosen so that you have the best vacation possible. In this post, I will summarize the things that make each of the top 5 cruise lines unique, including the demographics they appeal to. I listed the top 5 as: Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.

So let’s see how we might break each one of these down to show how they all offer a different cruise experience. Let’s start with Holland America or HAL as I will refer to them. HAL is known as a “traditional” cruise line. They emphasize service that most would consider to be more formal. HAL would appeal more to the cruise passenger who is an experienced cruiser and who most likely is above the age of 50. They focus a lot on those cruisers who want to not only take a vacation, but also desire enrichment programs while visiting their ports of call. Their ships also give off the formal vibe in their stately design and subdued colors schemes. So…if you want a vibrant, party-like atmosphere during your cruise vacation, HAL is probably not the cruise line for you.

But on that party-like note, if you are someone looking to mingle and enjoy some libations and cut loose a bit while on vacation, you might consider Carnival Cruise Lines. They market themselves in just that way by referring to themselves as “the fun ships.” Between the nightlife offered onboard, their fun and enthusiastic staff, and their vibrant and Vegas-like decor throughout each of their ships, there is no doubting that they appeal to the younger or “young at heart” cruiser. So if you are looking for some simple relaxation in a calm yet refined setting, Carnival is probably not going to be your 1st choice.

So those are the 2 opposite ends of the cruise line spectrum. Now between Carnival and HAL, you will find Royal Caribbean, NCL and Princess.

Royal Caribbean and NCL will have a lot of cross-over when it comes to their passengers. Their ships use a lot of contemporary colors within their more modern design and decor and appeal to more of a broad base of customers. Royal Caribbean tries to appeal to the adventure traveler through their ads and the activities onboard such as rock wall climbing, ice skating and even surfing on a wave simulator called “Flowrider.” NCL tries to appeal to the more casual vacationer with their “freestyle” approach to cruising which again would not appeal to those who want more formality and who still like traditional cruising. “Freestyle” was developed to give passengers more freedom to do what they want, when they want onboard such as dining whenever you please versus having a set dining time. Princess has also seen a need to appeal to more of the casual cruise passenger and they too have introduced the “anytime dining” option to their cruise itineraries.

While Princess still appeals to the experienced cruiser more so than the first timers, their decor and style is what I would call “business casual”.  They use a lot of muted colors and rich woods throughout their ship, but they also offer dazzling night clubs and pool-side activities for the young and the young at heart.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL will all appeal to families more than HAL and Princess. They have a variety of shorter itineraries and well organized youth programs.

HAL and Princess both do not really try that hard to appeal to families with young children. Case in point, the cruise director on my last cruise with Princess announced that there were less than 100 children on the ship and that announcement received a great deal of applause. That is not a negative against Princess or HAL, but it is something that a person needs to consider when choosing a cruise line.

So you see, each one of these cruise lines offers something a little different and those differences need to be taken into account before you book your cruise vacation. Choose the right cruise line for your needs and you’ll be sure to have an amazing and memorable cruise vacation!