With more than two dozen cruise lines offering vastly different experiences in North America alone, choosing the perfect cruise line for you and your travel companions may seem overwhelming. Cruisers can choose from mega-resorts to budget family fun to modern to adults-only. With a little research, cruisers can easily find their perfect cruise line within their budget that matches their personality.
Let’s take a brief look at the major cruise lines to get started:
Likely, the two most well-known household names are Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Line, so let’s start there.
Royal Caribbean International operates the largest ships in the world. The ships are massive, innovative, and record-breaking. They are floating cities with various family-friendly activities and venues. Depending on the ship, passengers will find amenities such as rock-climbing walls, ice skating rinks, surfing simulators, water parks, and Broadway-style shows. Royal Caribbean attracts passengers from all walks of life, including multi-generational families, who enjoy the cruise line’s private island destinations like Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean sails throughout the world, with its heaviest presence in the Caribbean and Europe. Royal Caribbean International currently has a fleet of 30 cruise ships.
Carnival Cruise Line is a great budget-friendly option offering casual vacations at sea. The ships are easily recognized by their red, white, and blue livery and whale-tail funnel. Once onboard, passengers will find the atmosphere to be fun and lively, backing up the self-proclaimed “Fun Ship” designation. The cruise line’s shorter sailings tend to be “party” sailings while the longer sailings tend to lean more toward relaxation. Guests will find DJ music and games on the pool deck, water slides, mini-golf, as well as adults-only retreats and spas. Evenings feature comedy clubs, deck parties, and shows. Carnival Cruise Line currently has a fleet of 29 ships.
MSC Cruises is another budget-friendly option with a European flair, attracting a mix of families, singles, and couples. The cruise line sails worldwide, expanding more into North America in the last decade. The ships feature multiple pools, F1 Simulators, waterslides, daily dance classes, and themed events. MSC Cruises has some of the most beautiful atrium staircases covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals, making them sparkle and a great photo spot for passengers. The cruise line features the record-setting longest dry slide at sea on MSC World Europa, and through a partnership with Guinness World Records, guests are invited to attempt to break world records during its stage show, The Records Show. The cruise line also offers the MSC Yacht Club, “an exclusive private sanctuary,” on 19 of its 23 ships.
Norwegian Cruise Line is another family-friendly cruise line that still offers something for everyone. The cruise line is famous for its “freestyle” cruising concept, meaning guests can dine when they want, choose their own seat in the dining room, and there are no strict dress codes. Norwegian Cruise Line introduced the first go-kart track at sea on its Breakaway-class ships, and the first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide at sea on its newest Prima Plus-class ships. NCL also offers a luxurious ship-within-a-ship concept called The Haven. Guests in these suites enjoy private pools and a dedicated concierge. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the best cruise lines for solo travelers, featuring more than 1,000 dedicated solo staterooms across the fleet. The cruise line features 21 ships in its fleet.
Princess Cruises is part of the Carnival Corporation & plc family and operates a fleet of 17 ships. Princess Cruises became known as The Love Boat after the popular TV series was set aboard Pacific Princess in the 1980s. A voyage on a Princess Cruises ship is a more luxurious experience that is more destination-focused. The cruise line tends to attract a more mature audience, making the cruise a little quieter and more relaxed. Princess is considered one of the top choices for sailing in Alaska, offering the most itineraries in the region, including its land-and-sea combination Cruisetours. Entertainment includes Movies Under the Stars, Broadway-style productions, game shows, deck parties, and performances in The Piazza.
Holland America Line, which dates back to 1873, is also well-known for its Alaska voyages, as they have been sailing in the region for over 75 years–longer than any other cruise line. The line offers extensive Glacier Bay access and immersive land-and-sea Cruisetours. Besides Alaska, the cruise line sails to ports across all seven continents on longer, destination-heavy itineraries. Onboard Holland America Line offers wine tastings, cooking and mixology classes, trivia, and art collections. The cruise line features pickleball courts on its top deck. Guests can take classes, play on the open court, or participate in tournaments. Evening entertainment includes the Music Walk, which brings multiple live music venues into one space. Guests can stroll along the Music Walk and experience classical, rock, blues, and pop music in open lounges. Holland America Line features a fleet of 11 mid-sized cruise ships.
Celebrity Cruises is part of the Royal Caribbean Group family and represents a more upscale experience. Passengers will find a more sophisticated atmosphere, high-end spas, and elegant culinary experiences. Instead of waterslides and go-karts, onboard activities include glassblowing classes and wine workshops. The cruise line also introduced The Magic Carpet on its Edge-class ships, a bright orange cantilevered floating platform that moves up and down the side of the ship and can transform into four different venues. Additionally, the Edge-class ships offer an exclusive, luxury suite experience–The Retreat. Guests staying in the suites will enjoy a personal butler, a dedicated restaurant, and access to private venues and spaces. Its Solstice-class ships offer a half-acre of real grass on the top deck called The Lawn Club, which offers a backyard feel in the middle of the ocean. Finally, the cruise line’s newest ships feature “infinite veranda” cabins with a floor-to-ceiling glass window that lowers halfway with just the touch of a button. Celebrity Cruises operates a fleet of 15 ships.
The last two cruise lines offer a specific niche in the market–one targets families while the other is adults-only.
Disney Cruise Line is a small cruise line that offers immersive storytelling, Disney character meet-and-greets, and the best kids’ fun zones at sea. While the cruise line focuses on families, many adult Disney fans travel without children. The magic of a Disney cruise includes world-class Disney entertainment, including Broadway-style shows, deck parties, and fireworks. The cruise line’s rotational dining allows guests to dine at three different themed restaurants each night. Each Disney Cruise Line ship features its own Disney theme and exclusive storytelling, entertainment, and itineraries. Disney Adventure is the cruise line’s largest ship, is basically a floating theme park and houses the cruise line’s first roller coaster at sea. She is based in Asia and exclusively sails voyages to nowhere. Disney Cruise Line currently has 8 ships in its fleet.
Finally, Virgin Voyages is an adults-only cruise line whose first “Lady Ship” debuted in 2020. The cruise line includes gratuities, WiFi, fitness classes, and speciality dining in the cruise fare. There is no main dining room or buffet. Each ship has more than 20 eateries ranging from Italian to Korean BBQ to Mexican to an aft-facing steak and seafood restaurant. The cruise line’s entertainment includes themed nights, drag performers, vinyl record shops and tattoo parlors. Cruisers looking for a wellness-focused, adults-only, boutique luxury hotel feel at sea will want to sail on one of Virgin Voyages’ four Lady Ships. The four ships sail in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Greek Isles.
Selecting the right cruise line comes down to your budget, who you are traveling with, your preferred destination, and your personality. Take these into account, narrow down your choices, and choose the perfect cruise line for your cruise vacation. If you think you got it wrong, just take another cruise!