Quiz: What type of cruise is right for you?

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Figuring out which type of cruise is the best fit for your personality can be tough. Should you hop aboard a megaship for the classic Caribbean experience, cruise in style and comfort on a small luxury vessel, voyage to the far corners of the earth, or sail through mainland Europe on a river cruise? Take our quiz and find out!

1. At the sail away party, I like to hear:

• 1. The latest dance hit
• 2. Classical music
• 3. Announcements about the animal-watching tour planned for the early morning

2. First thing in the morning, I like to go up on deck and:

• 1. Reserve a couple of poolside lounge chairs right near the DJ booth.
• 2. Sip a cappuccino and soak up rays before heading to the spa for my massage.
• 3. Admire the steeples and vineyards as the ship docks for the day.
• 4. Settle in on a teak deck chair under a wool blanket with the massive book that took up most of my carry-on.
• 5. Scan the water for dolphins, whales, and sea otters before heading back down to bundle up for a day with a naturalist.

3. My morning breakfast routine onboard is:

• 1. Food? Meh. I'll probably be too hung over to eat.
• 2. We’ll just grab something quick at the buffet so we can get to the water slide before lines form.
• 3. If I’m in Europe, I’m not eating cereal; I want a European–style breakfast of cheese, ham, and fruit, or a perfect warm croissant and a proper cappuccino.
• 4. A proper English breakfast with fried eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, and broiled tomato.
• 5. Oatmeal with fresh fruit or a vegetable-filled omelet should provide fuel for what I expect will be an unusually active day.

4. My favorite thing about a day at sea is:

• 1. The chance to sleep in and then cut loose — hey, it’s 5 pm somewhere!
• 2. The opportunity to spend time together as a family, say, playing mini-golf or Marco Polo in the pool.
• 3. Catching a lecture by a noted expert in his or her field, or a class on photography.
• 4. I'd prefer to take a cruise that focuses on the ports, with no full “sea days” at all.

5. The coolest new friends I make onboard might be:

• 1. A family with kids that are the same ages as my little ones.
• 2. A well-heeled older couple from similar social circles as mine.
• 3. A pair of aging hippies who've had success in business and love that the trip has a nature angle to a lot of its activities.
• 4. A pair of empty nesters who consider themselves culture vultures and, each night, share what they've read about the artwork in the next day’s port.
• 5. A couple we met by the pool bar, or in the smoking area, who happened to have similar tattoos.

6. My favorite onboard lunch is:

• 1. Good ol’ American hamburgers or hot dogs.
• 2. A decadent, dramatic poolside display of local seafood, much of it picked up at the market in port, paired with impressive local wines.
• 3. Fish and chips and a warm pint before the pub quiz.
• 4. A hearty bowl of local goulash or quiche lorraine with a mache salad, depending on which European city we’re calling on.
• 5. Perfectly grilled local salmon, served simple.

7. At night, I prefer an atmosphere that is:

• 1. Exuberant, with a bustling casino, a stage show, and lots of bars to choose from.
• 2. Sophisticated, with Champagne and caviar hors d’oeuvres followed by an elegant dinner.
• 3. Casual, with time to get to know the other passengers and share stories.

8. My perfect souvenir is:

• 1. The cool glasses that come with frozen drinks by the pool and in the nightclub.
• 2. Duty-free tequila in port.
• 3. Artwork by the native tribe, created with the same techniques their families have used for a century.
• 4. My vacation isn’t about shopping.
• 5. Bottles of wine from the vineyard we toured.
• 6. A bottle of the shampoo provided in my suite’s bathroom — the scent will remind me of my holiday every morning in the shower.

9. The most important outfit I pack for my trip might be:

• 1. Truly comfortable pants and walking shoes; we expect to travel miles on foot on this vacation.
• 2. Bathing suits and flip flops.
• 3. My tuxedo or gown.

10. My favorite tour is:

• 1. A walking expedition of a small European town, with a local guide who points out the key sights.
• 2. An exploration of an uninhabited isle that’s populated by rare birds.
• 3. A visit to a water park with plenty for everyone to get excited about.
• 4. I'm looking for a trip that offers the luxury of time and space so that I can enjoy the journey rather than focus on exploring destinations.
• 5. A market tour with the ship’s chef, followed by a cooking demo.

Join the discussion

What type of cruise did you get?