Travel

Experts Respond: Which Cruise Lines Have the Kindest, Most Respectful Passengers?

David Beren

Published: January 23, 2025 11:23 am

Between food, fun, destinations, days at sea, and more food, there are many reasons why cruising may be the best vacation experience in the world. Of course, even the most fun cruises can have even the most beautiful destinations ruined if other passengers are rude and disrespectful. 

This is precisely the scenario one Redditor posting in r/Cruise wants to avoid. As they have daily experiences working in healthcare with rude and unkind people, they want to get away from an entitled attitude and relax on a cruise line with the “kindest, most respectful passengers.” 

As someone who loves cruising and has seen how nasty people can be on a cruise when things don’t go their way, I completely understand this vacationer’s concerns. 

Longer Cruises Are Better

By all accounts, as I have personal experience, if you want a cruise with more laid-back passengers, I would recommend cruising for longer than a single weekend. This doesn’t mean a trip worldwide, but you’re looking at a cruise for at least seven days when everyone is more relaxed than a quick trip from Friday to Monday. 

Additionally, you must consider the destination, as traveling around the Caribbean is much more likely to have people embrace a party atmosphere than a cruise to Alaska. Both destinations can be equally relaxing and scenic, but you must pick the most important location for your first cruise experience. 

Cunard Cruise Line

There is no question that Cunard was the name that came up the most in the Reddit thread as the best vacation idea for laid-back, easygoing travel. Cunard is well known for catering to a slightly older, more upscale crowd, and this is an audience that isn’t interested in rowdy, entitled behavior. 

What you spend on a Cunard cruise harkens back to the cruise days of old when people were still dressed in tuxedos for dinner, and the last thing you want is to spoil a trip with bad behavior. You can choose between ships with the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth, which can take you anywhere in the world. 

Holland America

The second most mentioned cruise line in the Reddit thread was Holland America. While Holland America travels up and down the Caribbean, you can also choose from destinations like Alaska and Europe, which are more likely to have slightly tamer crowds while giving you a big ship feel. 

While Cunard focuses heavily on old-school cruising as far as activities, you’ll get a more modern cruising experience in Holland America. This includes many activities, including kids clubs, pickleball, world-class spas, and all the music and dancing you could want. Best of all, Holland America is almost constantly running deals, which means you can score a discounted cruise all year long. 

Viking Cruises

While a river cruise may not be something this Redditor has initially explored, it’s something to consider. A river cruise on Viking is going to be something that feels as laid back as you can get. The best part is that you are never far from the land, so you don’t have to worry about the waves of the open ocean making you feel unwell, depending on the weather. 

The best part is that because its ships are smaller and rivers are plentiful, you have more potential destinations with Viking. The cruises tend to be more expensive as these ships cater to a more well-to-do crowd, but with 200-plus destinations, there’s something for everyone. Best of all, every room onboard has an incredible view of all the sights you may see as you travel. 

Virgin Voyages

When you step onto a Virgin Voyages ship, rest assured that everyone is there to party and be rowdy in the best possible way. This isn’t the cruise if you want to do nothing but relax, but if you’re going to relax during the day and live it up at night, this Redditor should consider taking a Virgin Voyages cruise. 

The best part is that the cruise line is 18+, so you don’t have to worry about disrespectful and rowdy kids running around screaming and yelling about wanting ice cream. As a bonus, unlike most cruise lines, Virgin doesn’t have a traditional dining room, so you have your choice of almost 18 restaurants on board its ships to choose from, which makes Virgin feel unique in an excellent way.