Considering a cruise this year? The choices can be overwhelming. CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) recognizes 60-plus cruise lines. But in terms of quality, they can offer very different experiences. Reviews range from “a five-star floating masterpiece’’ to “a nightmare at sea.’’ (These are actual guest comments.)
At the end of last year, everyone from YouTube cruise expert Gary Bembridge (www.youtube.com/tipsfortravellers) to Travel + Leisure released their lists of best (and even more fun, worst) cruise lines. We looked at U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Cruise Line rankings, Cruise Critic’s Best of 2024 Awards, Women’s Health and Men’s Health magazines’ travel awards, and more, to see which cruise lines popped up most frequently. After much parsing — and discovering that one company offers both a “best’’ and a “worst’’ cruise line — here’s what we found. (Note: We’re highlighting ocean cruising here, not river ships.)
Absolutely ship-shape: Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking (www.viking.com) had almost as good a year as Demi Moore, achieving top rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Cruise Line awards in three categories: Best Luxury Line, Best Line for Couples, and Best Line in the Mediterranean. The line was also top-ranked for rivers, oceans, and expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, and received accolades for Best Adventure Cruise Line and Best Expedition Cruise Line by Women’s Health (2024 Travel Awards) and Men’s Health (2024 Travel Awards.) respectively. Viking’s ocean ships have also been recommended in the Forbes Travel Guide 2024 Star Awards. In an article called “12 Best Cruise Lines for Adults,’’ AAA called Viking Ocean and Exploration Cruises “ideal for fearless adventurers,’’ thanks to their unique itineraries.
Considered one of the small ship luxury lines, with 700 to 1,200 passengers, Viking Ocean Cruises won high marks from cruise expert Gary Bembridge, who researched online reviews and ratings of 25 of the biggest cruise lines aimed at English-speaking cruisers. Reviewers mentioned Viking’s “consistent quality’’ and skill at handling the details for their guests. Also, there’s not a lot of upselling, since Viking offers many inclusions in its fare, including daily shore excursions. The only negative note: Some younger cruisers feel the line caters to an older crowd, with entertainment that is less relevant to a young demographic. This line doesn’t try to be all things to all people — this is a “no children under 18, no casinos, no umbrella drinks,’’ experience, as their website cheekily spells out.
Tops in the ‘floating resort’ category: Royal Caribbean
Vacationers who love Big Ship Energy appreciate Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com) for its great shows and entertainment, and crazy activities like ziplines and surf machines. But beware the line’s older ships ― cruisers say they can be “dated and worn,’’ Bembridge notes. U.S. News & World Report rated Royal Caribbean as “best for families,’’ along with Disney Cruise Line (https://disneycruise.disney.go.com), and Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com). Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com) also gave love to Royal Caribbean, calling out its two new Royal Beach Clubs in the Bahamas and Cozumel, and new ships Icon of the Seas (calling it “the hottest ticket in the cruise world’’) and Utopia of the Seas.
All the Celebrity feels
Another ratings darling: Celebrity Cruises (www.celebritycruises.com), part of the Royal Caribbean Group. U.S. News & World Report deemed Celebrity one of the “best lines for couples,’’ “best for the money,’’ and one of the top three lines for cruising the Caribbean and in the Mediterranean. In Cruise Critic’s Cruiser’s Choice Awards, Celebrity got high marks for friendly service, outstanding food, beautiful ships, and a well-organized cruising experience. Reviewers were especially enthusiastic about Celebrity’s new “Edge’’-class ships; Condé Nast Traveler named one of these ships, the Celebrity Edge, to its 2025 Gold List. These ships attract a younger crowd who often travel with their children. That said, some cruisers report there’s not enough for kids to do on these ships. Recommended picks for families include Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line (see above).
In the adults-only category, Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages (www.virginvoyages.com) got name-checked a lot; U.S. News & World Report called it out as one of the “best for the money’’ and “best in the Caribbean’’ cruise lines, while the voters of Cruise Critic’s Cruiser’s Choice Awards raved about Virgin Voyages’ adult-friendly atmosphere, top-notch service, and diverse dining options. Travel + Leisure readers chose Virgin Voyages as one of their top five mega-ships in 2024; guests praised these ships for their “cheeky approach to cruising, with no holding back on adult fun.’’ Want to get some souvenir ink (a tattoo)? Virgin Voyages will suit you fine. Guests are called “sailors,’’ and it’s a happy vibe, they say.
Ultra-luxury lovers give this one a lot of love: Explora Journeys
In a category that includes Crystal Cruises, Ritz-Carlton, Silversea, Seabourn, and Regent Seven Seas, a new luxury line (launched in 2023 by MSC Cruises) called Explora Journeys (https://explorajourneys.com/) got the most five-star reviews of the 25 lines researched by Bembridge. Their two Explora ships, each with 461 suites (a new ship will launch in 2026), are “luxurious and plush,’’ reviewers say. “A five-star floating masterpiece’’ raved one happy cruiser. Meanwhile, the experts at Cruise Critic praised Explora as one of the best of 2024, thanks to excellent dining, fabulous pools, posh suites, and delightful extras. At Travel + Leisure, Explora Journeys was a reader favorite, voted into the No. 2 spot in the midsize ship category in the World’s Best Awards for 2024. Condé Nast Traveler included it on the 2025 Gold List of “Best Cruise Ships in the World,’’ comparing it to a luxury hotel, with huge (for a cruise ship) suites.
… And the not-so-loved
You just read about Explora Journeys, owned by MSC Cruises (www.msccruisesusa.com). Well, the mid-range MSC line didn’t fare so well. Bembridge notes that MSC-branded ships received the most one-star ratings of all the cruise lines he reviewed. What went wrong there? Critics of the ships say they’re overcrowded, rated the food and entertainment as “average,’’ and noted that there was plenty of upselling onboard. Because the fares are low and kids cruise for free, the ships can be extremely packed, reviewers say. Then again, MSC Cruises have plenty of fans … because their fares are low and kids sail free.
Then there’s Cruise Critic’s worst-rated cruise line: Costa Cruises (www.costacruises.com). Remember the Costa Concordia disaster of 2012? Thirty-two people were killed when the ship capsized after striking a reef off the coast of Italy. Costa, based in Italy but owned by Carnival Corporation, remains popular with the European market, but Americans take issue with the onboard smoking (allowed), limited programming, and poor crowd management. One reviewer called it “a nightmare at sea.’’ On the plus side, fares are low and (this is either a plus or a minus) you’ll sail with few Americans. One woman we know loves this line thanks to the “cute Italian crewmen.’’
If your favorite cruise line wasn’t mentioned here, that probably means it fell somewhere in the middle of the pack, or was ranked highly but not quite “best.’’ Things got a little squishy in the middle. Some of our own honorable mentions include Windstar Cruises (great food and ideal ship size), Margaritaville at Sea (affordable and laid-back, Oceania Cruises (excellent itineraries), Princess Cruises (tops in Alaska), and Seaborn (the best food we’ve ever had on a cruise). And a shout out to Hurtigruten, a stellar combination of spectacular scenery (c’mon, it’s Norway!), local flavor, and outdoor adventure. (Even if a “cod liver oil tasting’’ was one of the activities.)