Cruising is one of the best values in travel — and one of the most misunderstood. The all-inclusive nature of a cruise means your budget is largely predictable before you leave home. You unpack once and wake up somewhere new. Meals, entertainment, and activities are included. And the sheer variety of ships, itineraries, and destinations means there’s a cruise for almost every traveler, budget, and family configuration.
The catch is that choosing the wrong cruise — wrong cruise line, wrong ship, wrong itinerary for your group — turns a great value into a disappointing experience. There are thousands of options and the differences between them matter enormously.
That’s where a certified cruise specialist earns their keep.
Grant Haynes holds certifications with the major cruise lines and works with them regularly. That means access to preferred pricing, cabin categories, onboard credits, and package upgrades that aren’t available when you book directly — and the expertise to match the right ship and itinerary to what you’re actually looking for.
Supplier logos & certification badges go here
Keep the existing cruise line logos and certification badges — they do real work on this page.
Ocean or River?
These are fundamentally different travel experiences. Here’s the short version.
For variety, energy, and value. Large ships with extensive amenities — pools, entertainment, multiple restaurants, kids’ clubs, shore excursions to Caribbean islands, Alaska coastlines and Mediterranean ports. Great for families, couples who want options, and anyone who wants the most destinations packed into one trip.
Explore Ocean CruisesFor depth, culture, and elegance. Small ships of 100–200 passengers sailing Europe’s rivers — the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine — stopping in the heart of historic cities rather than their cruise ports. No sea days, no crowds, included shore excursions.
Explore River CruisesChristian families looking for a vacation that works for multiple ages — kids, teens, and parents — without the chaos of planning every day from scratch. Ocean cruises handle the logistics; you just show up.
Couples celebrating anniversaries, milestone birthdays, or just finally taking the trip they’ve been putting off. River cruises in Europe are particularly popular for this group.
Empty nesters ready to explore at a pace and style that fits them now — not the family-with-young-kids version of travel they did for years.
Church groups and small groups wanting to cruise together. Group cruise bookings come with additional perks and generate some of the largest Gratitude Gifts in the program.
Every cruise booked through Steward Travel participates in the Gratitude Giving Program. A meaningful portion of the commission goes to your designated church, missionary, or nonprofit — at no extra cost to you.
On a typical family cruise booking of $5,000–$8,000, that’s $250–$400 directed wherever you designate. On a group cruise, significantly more.
Same ship. Same itinerary. Same price you’d pay anywhere else. Different destination for the commission.
What If Your Next Trip Funded Your Church?
Download our free guide — discover how every trip you book can redirect travel commissions to your church, missionary or nonprofit at zero extra cost.
A free 30-minute consultation will narrow down the right cruise line, ship, and itinerary for your travel style, budget, and group — and get your Gratitude Giving recipient on file before anything is booked.