Popular Cruise Lines: Best Choices for You (2025)

Why Travel by Cruise Ship?

Cruises are fun. You get on in one port and stay on the ship for as long as you want. You get to see a lot of different places in a short period.  You don’t pack and unpack at every port, which is the main advantage of travelling by sea instead of by land. You meet great new friends, party, and have a good time. What’s not to like about cruising?

There are different types of cruises: Ocean, River, and Expedition.  We have not traveled on an expedition ship designed for unique circumstances.  But the Galapagos and the Antarctic are on our bucket list and could be targeted for 2026.

We have traveled on Ocean Cruises in the Caribbean (see Best Places to Visit in the Caribbean), the Mediterranean (see The Balkans), in Asia, Alaska (see Best time to Visit Alaska), and around French Polynesia (see Best time to Visit French Polynesia). We have traveled on River Cruises in France (see Planning a Trip to France), Italy (see DIY Travel in Italy)., and Portugal. (see Experiences in Portugal’s Douro Valley).  In 2025, we took a 36-day Celebrity trip from Mumbai in India to Tokyo in Japan. Needing a little more time on the Ocean in Japan, we are also added a 12-day Norwegian Spirit tour of South Korea and the Northwest side of Japan.

While 2025 turned out to be a banner cruise year for us, with eight (some back to back) cruises, we actually prefer traveling by land. This is because cruises generally only stop in a port for one, and sometimes two, days. It is a nice way to get introduced to a location, but we often want to learn more about the area’s people and culture. We frequently return to places we first visited on a cruise to spend more time.  In 2024, we spent a month touring the Balkans and Croatia by land after first visiting by cruise two years earlier (see The Balkans for more details).  

Most Popular Cruise Lines – Ocean Cruises

Here are pictures of some of our favorite cruise ships:

Celebrity Cruises- Celebrity Millennium

We have sailed on the Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Millennium on two different occasions. The first was a cruise from Alaska back to the US mainland in 2018.  The second was three twelve day back-to-back cruises from Mumbai to Tokyo in 2025.  Both were great cruises and this ship is one of our favorites.  The crew was outstanding, best bartender ever. 

 

Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Beyond 

We sailed on the Celebrity Beyond, one of the newer Celebrity Cruses Edge ships that have a sliding party deck on the side of the ship. Quite a novelty.

Windstar Sea Breeze: Smaller and Great Service

Royal Caribbean: Brilliance of the Seas, RCL Has the Largest Ships on the Ocean, But Not This One

For more information about the pros and cons regarding the size of cruise ships please check out our post: Cruise Ship Size Comparison.

Popular Cruise Lines

There are four large companies that dominate the cruise industry. The most popular cruise lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC. Depending on your point of view, different cruise lines are considered the industry leader. Carnival leads in size, having the most cruise line brands, Royal Caribbean leads in innovation, and Viking or Disney often lead in customer satisfaction depending on the specific category.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival, which is the largest of the four, actually owns nine different cruise lines. This includes its namesake, but also Cunard, Seabourn, Princess and Holland America Line. The Carnival ships are very family oriented and the larger ships have many features that are aimed at the younger family members. Seabourn is Carnival’s premier cruise line. We will be taking our first-ever Atlantic Crossing cruise on Seabourn in November 2025.

Holland America Line

We took a cruise on Holland America Line from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia. It was wonderful.  Despite Holland America’s reputation of primarily hosting very old people that wasn’t the case.  While a majority of the passengers were more than fifty years in age, the passenger profile in total was no different than many other similarly priced premium cruise lines.

Princess Cruises

Princess is one of the primary cruise lines serving the Alaska and Asian markets.  They are one of the most popular cruise lines, and have one of the best cruise line rankings. The Sun Princess gets rated a one of the industries best cruises.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Royal Caribbean, in addition to its namesake owns Celebrity, which is one of our favorites, and Silver Sea which we will cruise for the first time in the second half of 2025. Royal Caribbean owns the largest cruise ships on the ocean, and their Edge style ships with a moveable party platform on the side of the ship is truly unique. 

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. owns and operates three cruise lines:

1. Norwegian Cruise Line – Known for its freestyle cruising concept, large ships, and vibrant onboard entertainment. The Norwegian Bliss is one of Norwegian’s most popular cruise line’s ships. 
2. Oceania Cruises – A premium line focused on culinary excellence and destination-rich itineraries aboard mid-sized ships.
3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises – A luxury cruise line offering all-inclusive experiences with spacious suites and personalized service.

Together, these brands cover a wide spectrum of choices similar to Royal Caribbeans three cruise lines. 

Other Cruise Lines

Another favorite of ours, which is not owned by one of the big four, is Windstar. We particularly like their ship, the Star Breeze, which they purchased from Seabourn. They cut it in half, and added a whole new midsection, in addition to upgrading the entire ship. Another privately owned cruise line that we liked was Crystal. However, they went through bankruptcy which is common among the smaller cruise lines and have now reborn, using the same name.

We had two deposits with Crystal when they went bankrupt. Getting deposits back from cancelled trips during the pandemic, has not been an easy task. Cruise lines are heavily leveraged businesses that got more leveraged during Covid when they were shut down. They often require large deposits upon booking. It is prudent to be careful to understand the financial position of the company you book with. Obviously, we learned our lesson.

Cruise Ship Classes of Service

Cruise Ships fall into different categories.  Cruise ships are generally categorized into several levels of service and price, each offering different amenities, experiences, and price points. Here’s a brief overview:

One item we find to be fairly consistent is customer service. The cruise lines truly value customer retention, so events, such as cocktail parties, are common rewards for returning customers. Friendly crew members who quickly learn your names are fairly commonplace, particularly on the medium size and smaller vessels. Here is one of our favorite crew members on our Celebrity Ship. 

Size of Cruise Ships

The size of cruise ships varies widely. The biggest cruise ships, operated by Royal Caribbean, Carnival and other cruise lines, all can handle more than 5000 passengers. The largest cruise ship, Roya Caribbean’s Icon of the seas, can handle more than 6000 passengers.  Cruse Ship size is actually limited by a number of factors, including in they can get through the Panama Canal. If you want to know more about cruise ship sizes please see our post on Cruise Ship Size Comparisons. While the smaller ships, like the Seabourn ships, have a capacity of less than 500 passengers. Celebrity ships are more in the 2000-3000 passenger range and Windstar Cruises are all less than 300 passengers. An advantage of the smaller ships is that they can get into ports, coves and other places that the larger ships can’t reach. This helps to see more glaciers in places like the inside passage in Alaska, (see DIY Travel in Alaska) and may restrict the ships from which canal they can pass through.

Ship size has recently become a major issue in Venice, Italy. There they no longer allow the larger ships to enter the lagoon. This has forced Royal Caribbean to build a new port in the town of Ravenna. It is actually two hours south of Venice (see DIY Travel in Italy). The advantage of the larger ships is that they have more activities and entertainment than the smaller ships. They also can offer more shore excursions and unique experiences as they have more people to meet the minimal tour size. (For more information on excursions please check out our favorite tours post.) For more specific information about the size of cruise ships we suggest you visit our post on Cruise Ship Size Comparisons.

Our Favorite Cruises

As previously stated, Celebrity Cruise lines and Windstar are our current favorite cruise lines.  Perhaps, next year after we have sailed on two premium cruise lines, Seabourn and Silver Sea, we may have a different opinion. Nevertheless, when we compare our two current favorite cruise lines, Celebrity and Windstar, the size differences mentioned previously are the main difference. Oddly, we do enjoy the food a little better on Windstar. the popular cruise lines also bring in expert lecturers to discuss various subjects. In general, we found the lectures on Windstar to be outstanding, while Celebrity’s are a bit too basic.

One of the nicest cruises to take is a trip from the East Coast to Bermuda.  Ships leave from the Northeast which makes it very convenient for those living in that area. Check out our Bermuda Cruise guide, here. 

Popular Cruise Lines: Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity does have some similar lectures. However, we found them to be less informative. They tend to be conducted by the cruise director, the excursion director or someone whose local expertise is not much better than our own. They often lack the expertise of the outside speakers that Windstar employs.

However, Celebrity’s nightly entertainment performances are truly outstanding with a professional cast. While Windstar attempts to get by with one or two singers or small groups on the entire ship, Celebrity is first class. . If you want a cruise because of the entertainment, then Celebrity is a must. Like the larger mass-market cruise ships, Celebrity offers similar grand performances.

Despite all this, the single most important factor is to understand the audience that the cruise line attracts. For example, if you decide to cruise with Disney Cruise Lines, you’d better expect a lot of children. That was an easy one. The two cruise lines we prefer, Celebrity and Windstar, along with Viking, Princess, and Holland America are more focused on adults. In fact, Viking has a minimum age requirement of 18 years old. Therefore, if you are traveling with children, Disney, Carnival or Royal Caribbean might be your better choice.

What is Included in a Cruise: Cost Comparisons

Of course, the other critical factor in deciding on a cruise is cost. Cruise ships generally fall into various cost categories and compete for passengers in those categories. At the low end you will find Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. They operate much larger ships. This allows them to have higher passenger to crew ratios. Hence, they can charge each person a little less. Seabourn, Silversea and Regent are three lines that have much lower passenger to crew ratios. Therefore, they tend to be the most expensive.

However, there are other factors that can dramatically affect the overall cost, starting with cabin selection. The difference between a windowless inside cabin and a suite can often be enormous. Also, where the cabin is located on the ship can make a difference. The higher decks and the center of the ship will usually add to the cost. Robin and I prefer balconies on higher decks with unobstructed views. This can be important, as a balcony serves little purpose if something hanging off if the ship blocks your view.  However, to manage to our budget, we avoid suites, unless we can get a free upgrade, which is rare.

What is included in a cruise price can vary greatly. The high-end cruise lines (Silversea, Seabourn and Regent) along with Viking and perhaps others are essentially all inclusive. With the initial higher price, they will cover gratuities, drinks, WIFI and in some case excursions. They will charge for some special dinning options and spa services, and in some cases you may be asked to pay extra for premium drinks. For most of the other cruise lines, all these costs are extra.  So, with the other cruise lines it is not unexpected to have a fairly large invoice at the end of the cruise to cover these expenses, or you must pay for them in advance where you might get a discount. 

A Google, ChatGPT search or Cruise Direct can often give you a good idea of pros and cons of the specific cruise line and cabin you are considering:

What is Included in the Cruise Fare?

“What is included in the Cruise fare,” is a difficult question, as it varies greatly by the cruise line, and specifically by the Cruise Ship Class of Service that your are selecting.  Luxury Cruise Lines and Specialty Excursion Cruises, tend to be the most expensive (by far), but they also tend to be the most inclusive.  You will get Wi-Fi, drinks, gratuities, butler services, specialty restaurants and even sometimes door-to door-pick up services included in their fares.  All the cruise lines will also offer to include airfare and transfer costs, but you normally will pay extra. 

“Free Airfare” is often offered as a marketing bonus, but in fact you are usually paying for the additional cost, as you will get a lower cost if you deselect this option.  In addition, if you decide to take the “free airfare”, the airline, the departure dates and everything else about the flight will usually be  the cruise lines decision.  If you wish anything other than what they select, even if less expensive, they will usually charge you a change fee. 

The mass-market cruise lines (Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and MSC), and the Upscale Contemporary Cruise Lines (Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean international) tend to be the least all-inclusive.  We recently traveled on the Norwegian Cruise Line Spirit Ship from Seoul, Korea to Tokyo, Japan, and we felt that we were being nickeled and dimed for everything we did, despite purchasing a premium drink, specialty restaurant, Wi-Fi and gratuity package before we boarded. Fortunately, the ship’s concierge was very helpful in helping us get the most for what we had paid and providing discounts for additional services that weren’t included in our original purchase. 

Despite being one of our favorite cruise lines, we also had a bad experience with Windstar that cancelled a cruise that we were on because of COVID.  The cruise was originally planned to travel from Alaska to Tokyo, but they were forced to redirect as Tokyo was still locked down. Instead they offered a replacement cruise that sailed from Alaska to San Diego.  Not an ideal replacement, but since we had already committed to be in Alaska and we have family in San Diego, it seemed like a reasonable alternative.  However, we didn’t get any of the inclusive offerings that everyone who booked separately got for prices much less than what we had paid.  We complained bitterly about the “bad deal” and finally got a discount awarded to us on our next cruise.  We learned to check the “inclusive benefits” offerings much closer on our future cruises. 

River Cruises

The rules for River Cruises are similar to Ocean Cruises but there are some significant differences. In general, prices are higher, but more is included. You will normally get a free excursion in each port, with an option to upgrade to other selections. Compared to Ocean Cruises, you will not be charged on an itemized basis for so many additional charges. Hence, the need for buying a separate all-inclusive package may not be necessary. We have taken a number of River Cruises and we find them very enjoyable.  We will soon publish a separate post comparing River Cruises. 

Four Final Cruise Tips:

All-inclusive Packages

1. The decision to go with an all-inclusive package can be important. Cruises charge extra for drinks, WIFI, Specialty Restaurants and Gratuities. Gratuities used to be optional, but now they are mandatory and can add a few hundred dollars on most cruises. You can pay for these extras as you go or buy packages when you board. It is normally more expensively on the ship. You can save money in advance if you can make various assumptions about your use of these services.

Robin and I almost always go for at least the drink package. Not just because we like to drink. But because most cruise lines will nickel and dime you for anything your drink. Sometimes the cruise line will throw in or reduce the cost of the packages to encourage bookings. Robin and I like to look for those deals. But as cruises are getting more crowded, the deals are harder to find.

Cruise Costs

2. The second important factor in the total cost is when you book. This can be tricky. For popular itineraries, especially those during a holiday period, the best time is as soon as the trip is announced. This is normally the case as the price will go up as fewer cabins are available to book. However, as the sailing date approaches the cruise line may lower the price. They may also throw in extras like the all-inclusive deal.

Robin and I recently had a very bad experience with pricing. The cruise line we had booked canceled our trans-Pacific booking due to Covid conditions in Japan where we were headed. Instead, they offered us an alternative on the same ship now traveling along the western coast of the US. We took the offer at the time of the cancellation which was only two months before the scheduled departure date.

What we failed to realize was that with only two months to arrange bookings, the cruise line would have difficulty selling out. So, two weeks before the departure, the price dropped significantly. The people signing up at the last minute got a huge discount and a free all-inclusive package. Needless to say, I was annoyed and complained multiple times. Finally, I got the attention of someone who cared about our desire to possibly no longer travel with them. As a result, we got a nice future travel credit, which is another topic.

Cruises and Travel Agents

3. Okay, most important point: cruises are the only time we recommend that DIY travelers work with a traditional travel agent. If you want to know why, please see the post on Travel Agents. (When to use a Travel Agent)

4. The best online source of cruise information is Cruise Critic. We have used them to obtain feedback on cruise lines. They are an easy way to see the best cruise deals out there. We have also found that if you want to examine many different possible cruses, check out Cruise Direct for all your choices. 

Conclusion

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