I'm planning to go with my family on a Carribean cruise from Ft. Lauderdale in December. I'm looking at the Crown and Emerald Princess or Holland America's Statendam. I have a 14 year old daughter, mother, and single brother. I would appreciate any thoughts regarding which line and/or ship to take.

DH and I have sailed 4 times on HAL and once on Princess, with another Princess cruise booked. We find the lines comparable--but the ships you are considering are not. Statendam holds 1,266 passengers, which will result in a small-ship experience, while the Crown and the Emerald hold around 3,100 passengers. That's a big-ship experience. We've sailed on the HAL Vista-class ships that hold around 2,000, and that's big enough for us. You may want the additional activities that a larger ship would have, but that also means you're competing with 2,000 more people.

Your other consideration should be itinerary. Which ship calls on the ports you and your family will enjoy?

thank you very much. Is HAL stuffy?

julie - NO - not at all.

HAL gets a reputation of appealing to the "older crowd". The fact is that it isn't a party ship and after being on literally dozens of HAL cruises there is every age group on board. Generally speaking the longer cruises that are during school seasons there aren't too many young people but that is the same on most of the lines. Years ago when my daugher was young we took her on HAL - then when she was a young woman she and her husband went on HAL for their honeymoon. And as Rhea said it isn't the least bit stuffy. The other thing that HRHDHD pointed out is the Statendam has far fewer passengers than the other ships which is certainly a plus especially when you are going ashore in the ports you visit.