Top 10 Cruise Lines
What makes a cruise line perfect for one person is what makes it the wrong choice for another, so we cannot outright say this is the cruise line for you but what we can do is give you our views on what we consider to be the best lines this year and why we think that is.
That will give you a great head start on choosing your next cruise line and if nothing else, it will help you to decide which line is not for you.
For this list, we have taken lots of aspects of cruising into consideration including the ships offered by a line, the destinations they sail to, the number of No Fly options for those in the UK, the value offered by the lines and of course, our own personal view based on our own experience of travelling.
Our Top 10 Cruise Lines
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises are part of the Carnival family of lines and acts as premium line, so you can expect lots of quality finishes, service, and food but it is also a line that is well known for its leading edge technology and for its ships that carry a wow factor.
Medallion enabled ships allow you to control every aspect of your holiday from an app, including having a food and drink delivered to anywhere onboard and whilst that has become a gamer changer for many holidaymakers, the stand out features that see’s them rank so highly on this list is the itineraries that they offer and there increased focus on the UK market.
Although they cannot rival the likes of P&O in terms of number of cruises, they are a line that you mut simply check out if you are wanting to get off of the beaten track and avoid the ports of call that appear time and time again.
That is not to say that they don’t visit must see destinations but you are just as likely to unearth a hidden gem of a port as you are to arrive in alongside a whole host of other ships.
Royal Caribbean
If you want lots to do on holiday or if you are travelling as a family group and want to make sure that everybody has lots to keep them entertained, then Royal Caribbean is the line for you.
RCL offer an incredible range of onboard facilities ranging from climbing wall to bumper cars and from ice rinks to surfer simulators and they also offer some of the biggest production shows at sea but despite they still manage to cater for those wanting a more traditional cruising experience.
If you want to experience the biggest ships at sea that utilise a floating city concept, then it is Royal Caribbean offerings in the Med or the Caribbean that you want to enjoy but you can also enjoy some of the companies most popular ships directly from Southampton.
Celebrity Cruises
Just as Princess are the premium brand of Carnival, Celebrity Cruises are the premium brand of Royal Caribbean and whilst they have lots in common with each other, there are a number of differences that can make or break the decision to book with them.
Princess maybe modern in terms of the technology and facilities on board but they still can be more traditional than other lines in many ways and that for many is the big difference between themselves and Celebrity who are known for been a modern line.
From contemporary furnishings to dress up nights been promoted as ‘Chic Nights’, the Celebrity experience is more laidback compared to other lines of a similar standing.
What makes them a stand out for this list is the fact that they have some really great itineraries out of the UK onboard a newly refurbished ship (Celebrity Silhouette) and they have really invested in new and impressive ships over the past few years, with more to come.
P&O Cruises
Another Carnival brand but this time it is a ‘British’ theme for there ships that can prove a popular option for those new to cruising.
Although a lot of their ships are older and lacking in modern facilities and newer but with well known issues, one big advantage the brand has is that they have the most ships based at Southampton and that gives the most options for dates, with some ships based in the UK all year around.
Marella Cruises
Marella are a great choice for chose new to cruising as not only are they aimed at Brits, but they offer an all inclusive holiday, so you know what the total cost is.
That is not just the case for those setting sail from these shores but also for those enjoying a fly cruise as the cost of your flight and transfers are also included.
The line offers lots of itineraries that visit places few others do and they also offer a choice of UK departure ports including Southampton and Newcastle.
Norwegian Cruise Line
NCL is another cruise line that is a great choice for families or for those who like to keep busy as they offer a wide range of large ships that offer everything you can ever need on a cruise.
From West End shows to Go-Karts and from waterparks to dinner shows, there is something for cruises of all ages and preferences on the bigger Norwegian Cruise Line ships but something that can be found across the whole fleet is the freestyle fromat.
That means you can do what you want, when you want and forget all about dressing to impress for formal nights, freestyle also means wear what you want.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line is one of the most popular brands in the world and the brand has a huge number of ships sailing out of ports across the United States across the whole year.
Known for there relaxed atmosphere and family friendly ships that are more like floating holiday resorts full of everything from huge waterparks to rollercoasters but what does let them down over on this side of the Atlantic is the difficulty in booking their cruises in the UK and lack of options for those not wanting to start their holiday at the airport.
Things are changing and they have based a ship offering trips out of Dover, so this is a great chance to try one of the biggest names in the business.
Holland America Line
If you are looking for a more upmarket cruise line that still offers a traditional cruise experience then HAL is the line for you.
Led by their new state of the art flagship, the Rotterdam, Holland America Line offer a modern and contemporary feel alongside some of the best service and food at sea.
If you prefer a quieter holiday and have no need of big budget shows, waterparks and bumper cars, HAL maybe the choice for you this year as their focus is more on relaxing making the most of your holiday with a tuxedo or cocktail dress a must.
Unfortunately, the line has a complete lack of focus on the UK market, so you will need to fly to the US, the Med or for the most authentic HAL experience, Amsterdam to start your cruise experience.
Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises, part of the of the Norwegian Cruise Lines family, is an upmarket line that focusses on quality over quantity, but at a cost (of course!).
Although there ships are not amongst the biggest, the quality of service and finishing is second to non but the fact that there ships can go to the sort of ports their bigger rivals cannot, works in the lines favours.
Another big advantage of those wanting to experience the luxury of a Oceania Cruise is that the brand offering a number of ships sailing from a range of UK ports including the likes of Portsmouth, Southampton and Leith (Edinburgh).
Fred Olsen Cruises
Fred Olsen are one of those lines that have been around for a long time but so many of us have overlooked them.
For some it is because of their smaller ships and for some it is because of their older fashioned facilities, service, and overall product but they are maybe that is about to change and they are a line to try this year.
In 2020, they invested heavily in 2 new to them ships, the fromer Amsterdam and Rotterdam Holland America ships which are much newer and larger than their existing ships.
Where the company often stand out is not just the range of itineraries that they offer from a number of UK ports but they also go to ports that few other simply don’t.
Fred Olsen also offer everything from your usual 7 to 14 nights trips to the Fjords or the Med but they also offer longer trips to the Greek Islands, the Caribbean and even Central America, all without the need to fly.
Whilst you will need to enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere onboard and traditional aspects such as formal nights and sharing tables at dining, if you don’t mind that, the itineraries on offer could persuade you to try the Ipswich based line.
