There are three main criteria for selecting the ship for your Incentive Program that must fit your needs. These are: Itinerary - length and destination, size of ship in comparison to the size of your group and your budget parameters. Selecting the right ship is absolutely critical to the success of your program.
Cruise ships generally fall into four main categories: small ships and yachts (under 1,000 passengers), midsize ships (1,000–2,500 passengers), large ships (2,500–4,000 passengers), and mega-ships (over 4,000 passengers). Each size offers a different onboard atmosphere, level of amenities, and destination reach. To see a detailed size compartison of most ships, visit this link.
Choosing the right size of cruise ship for your program
A big ship used to be considered one that could accommodate 2,000 passengers and up. Nowadays, many of the newest ships fall into a new “mega-ship“ category with space for more than 4,000 passengers. Royal Caribbean's newer ships, hold more than 5,000 passengers at double occupancy and more than 6,000 at full capacity. On the other end of the spectrum, there are smaller, boutique ships that hold fewer than 250 passengers. Many of these are expedition ships that explore exotic locations such as the Galapagos or Antarctica.
There is no universal yardstick for ship size, but here's a simple guide for you. Keep in mind many cruise lines with large fleets have ships of varying size so they may have a ship that is perfect for your group if you have a cruise line preference:
- Intimate (boutique): Up to 250 passengers (examples: SeaDream Yachts, Celebrity Xpedition Explora, Ritz Carlton Yachts, )
- Small: 250 to 750 (examples: Wind Surf, Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Silverseas, Crystal, Seabourn)
- Medium (mid-size): 750 to 1,750 (examples: Windstar, Holland America, Oceania, Viking Ocean Cruises)
- Large: 1,750 to 4,000 (examples: Princess, Celebrity, Carnival, MSC, Virgin Voyages, Margaritaville cruises, Costa)
- Mega-ship: 4,000+ (examples: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian)
- River Cruise Ships Usually 125 -300 max (examples: Scenic, Emerald, Viking, AMA, Uniworld)
The larger the ship, the more likely it will be that it has multiple pools, larger fitness centers, bigger theaters, multiple dining venues and entertainment venues. The smaller the ship, the more likely it will be that you'll never have to fight the crowds and your itineraries will take you to smaller, more out-of-the-way ports. In general, smaller ships cost more, and almost all luxury ships fall into the small or mid-size range.