If you are interested in trying a cruise, then you will have to make the tough decision about which cruise line to sail with. There are a few major players in the cruise industry that you should know about. In this article, I will discuss the largest cruise lines in the “contemporary” and “deluxe/premium” segments of the cruising industry. Other segments including luxury, river, and expedition cruises also exist, but these are more niche and they are too different from contemporary and premium ocean cruises to be discussed together. These are also not suitable options for most first-time cruisers.
Contemporary Cruise Lines
There are four major cruise lines in the “contemporary” segment: Carnival, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC. These cruise lines all offer a modern, mainstream cruising experience that appeals to a wide demographic and have a wide range of price categories. Ships operated by these brands are among the largest in the industry and feature a variety of entertainment, dining, activities, and other amenities onboard. The industry trend has been a shift towards increasingly bigger ships with more attractions and amenities every few years. These ships are essentially floating resorts.
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| Royal Caribbean's newest ship Icon of the Seas is the largest ship in the world. Photo by Royal Caribbean. |
Contemporary lines all sail to most of the same destinations worldwide. The Caribbean is the biggest market, but you will also find most of these cruise lines in Alaska, Asia, Europe, Australia, and others. Contemporary lines do not usually sail to any niche or unique destinations because the ships are too big and the local areas would not be able to accommodate them. You will mostly see contemporary lines visiting major ports in the Caribbean like Nassau, Cozumel, San Juan, and their own private islands and resorts.
Carnival Cruise Line
Characteristics:
- “America’s favorite cruise line”
- Focus on casual dining
- High-energy, fun party experience
- Low to moderate prices
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| Carnival Jubilee, launched 2023. Photo by Carnival Corporation. |
Carnival Cruise Line is all about bringing the party to sea with their fleet of "Fun Ships." These vessels cater to a lively atmosphere with high-energy entertainment and activities. The food follows suit, offering a mix of casual and formal dining options with plenty of crowd-pleasing choices. Many of their dining venues are branded after a celebrity chef such as Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri from the Food Network. Casual American dining like burgers, burritos, BBQ, and fried chicken is more common on Carnival than other cruise lines. These casual food options are very popular and considered to be of high quality for what they are, but they might not be to everyone’s taste. Carnival’s newest ships are quite modern and sleek compared to the loud and whimsical designs found on some of their older ships.
The onboard vibe is energetic and social, perfect for those who want to make new friends and participate in activities throughout the day. Carnival offers a signature program called "Fun for All," which includes deck parties, themed nights, and comedy shows. They're also known for their innovative features, like the BOLT roller coaster on some ships and the expansive water parks for all ages. Pricing on Carnival tends to be more affordable compared to other lines, making it a good option for budget-conscious cruisers looking for a fun-filled vacation. Carnival brands itself as “America’s favorite cruise line,” so that should give you some idea of who their target customer is and what kind of experience to expect on board.
Carnival has developed a reputation for having problems with poor guest behaviour, excessive drinking, and illegal drug use in recent years, but Carnival has taken aggressive steps to crack down on these problems in recent months. These issues tend to also be isolated to their cheapest and shortest cruise options which attract a different demographic than most other cruises. I wouldn’t worry about this too much if you are considering a Carnival cruise, but I would suggest looking at their newer ships and cruises 6-days or more in length.
Carnival has the biggest footprint of any cruise line in the US market. In addition to the big ports in Florida, they operate from many underserviced ports that other cruise lines do not have any presence in (such as Norfolk, Mobile, and San Diego), making them the default cruise line for many domestic travelers looking for an affordable getaway within driving distance of their home.
MSC Cruises
Characteristics:
- Modern and luxurious ships with a glitzy European vibe
- Lowest prices in the industry
- Very low prices for solo cruisers
- MSC will match your loyalty status from another cruise line or travel rewards program
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| MSC's newest ship, the MSC World America, launching in 2025. Photo by MSC Cruises. |
MSC is a Swiss cruise line with Italian heritage. MSC Cruises is a relatively new business venture for the larger MSC Group which has been involved in the shipping and freight industry for centuries. MSC Cruises is also very new to the North American market, and they are here to stay as they continue to aggressively launch new ships sailing from American ports. Alaska is currently the only major destination that MSC does not yet have any presence in.
The number one distinguishing feature of MSC at this time are the prices. While the cost of everything, including cruises, continues to rise, MSC’s prices are so low that they almost seem too good to be true. However, MSC is far from a low-quality budget brand. Their ships are modern, luxurious, and feature all of the same amenities found on other cruise lines. The ambiance and interior design on MSC ships is elevated and more in line with that of premium cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises or Princess Cruises. MSC has not shied away from their European heritage, even as they attempt to grow in the North American market. Dining options are more Mediterranean and international, with less focus on casual American fare. Opinions on MSC’s food are very polarizing.
You may have noticed that MSC has received very mixed reviews online. However, there seems to be a general consensus in the cruising community that MSC have made significant improvements over the past couple of years, and they continue to improve. Some of the negative reviews can also perhaps be chalked up to different expectations between American and European consumers, so you should consider your own preferences and expectations.
Another attractive feature of MSC fares is their very low single supplements for solo travelers. Cruise fares are always quoted based on the assumption of double occupancy, and often solo cruisers are expected to pay the same as two people. However, prices for solo cruisers are always reasonable on MSC ships, while it is often a significant challenge for solos to find affordable cruising options with other cruise lines.
Lastly, one really enticing feature of MSC is their status match program. MSC will match your loyalty status from another cruise line (and even some hotel and other travel rewards programs such as Marriot Bonvoy) to a comparable tier of their own MSC Voyagers Club. Even if you have never cruised with MSC before, you could theoretically be in their highest loyalty tier and receive all the associated perks from your very first day sailing with them. This is probably the best loyalty program in any industry in history. Many cruisers have been seeking out more affordable options in recent years, so MSC could be a great option if you have high loyalty status with another cruise line and don’t want to experience a step-down in service.
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| MSC status match program. Photo by MSC Cruises. |
Norwegian Cruise Line
Characteristics:
- Free at Sea (all-inclusive) fares
- Ideal for solo cruisers
- Some of the best live entertainment at sea
Norwegian Cruise Line is best known for their “freestyle” and “free-at-sea” concepts. Cruise fares with NCL include a beverage package, premium dining, and wifi by default which makes them similar to an all-inclusive resort. Until recently, this was a unique offering that distinguished NCL from other cruise lines. Free at Sea is a pretty good value, but NCL’s prices have increased quite a bit in recent years to the point that it might actually be more cost-effective to sail with a cruise line that does not include these perks in their fares, and to either pay for these packages separately or even to purchase items a-la-carte. It would be wrong to assume that NCL is always the best value, but the all-inclusive model does provide some peace of mind and prevents the need for actively budgeting while on your vacation. Many other cruise lines are now copying this all-inclusive concept in recent years.
NCL’s fleet is very big and diverse, and it appears that they are starting to venture in a new direction with their newest Prima-class ships which hold fewer passengers and have more intimate themed venues than the newest ships on the other three contemporary cruise lines. NCL ships feature many of the same thrills as Royal Caribbean ships such as water slides, dry slides, go-karts, and laser tag. Their newest ships will always feature some kind of new “first at sea” gimmick. For example their next ship, the Norwegian Aqua, will have a combination wet/dry roller coaster track. NCL also has a number of older, smaller ships that have recently been refurbished, and these offer a more laid back atmosphere without some of the thrills found on their newer ships.
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| Norwegian Aqua is NCL's newest Prima class ship, launching in 2025. Photo by NCL. |
One of the most distinguishing features of NCL is how they cater to solo and/or single cruisers. NCL attempts to appeal to solo cruisers by being one of the only cruise lines that offers dedicated solo cabins and a private lounge area exclusively for solo cruisers. NCL has a passionate following with many solo cruisers, and you can expect to feel more included and have more opportunities for meeting other solos/singles on an NCL cruise. However, prices for these solo cabins are rarely cheaper than the price of a comparable cabin with a single supplement on another cruise line, so this is unfortunately not a reliable way for solo cruisers to cruise on a budget. Paying a single supplement on MSC will always be cheaper than booking a dedicated solo cabin on NCL. Nevertheless, if you are a solo cruiser who wants to be in an environment with many other solos looking to make new friends, then NCL is likely a very good option.
NCL also has a longstanding reputation for having outstanding live entertainment. NCL features higher-budget licensed production shows that have been successful in the theatre scene on land. At this time, their two big production shows are Beetlejuice and Choir of Man. In recent years, other popular shows like Seven and Jersey Boys have also been featured. NCL and Royal Caribbean are largely considered to have the best theatre production shows of any cruise line.
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| NCL promotional material for Beetlejuice. Photo by NCL. |
Lastly, NCL also seems to have more chartered special interest cruises than any other cruise line. Charter cruises are cruises in which an entire ship is booked by a third-party company hosting a themed cruise for some kind of niche interest group, such as the annual Chris Jericho Rock and Wrestling Cruise.
Royal Caribbean International
Characteristics:
- Biggest and most innovative ships
- Extremely high prices
- Mainstream experience that just about anyone will enjoy
- Some of the best live entertainment at sea
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| Utopia of the Seas, launching 2024. Photo by Royal Caribbean. |
Royal Caribbean is perhaps the most innovative cruise line in the industry. Whenever they launch new ships, the whole industry seems to copy their innovations and follow their lead. Royal offers a very safe and crowd-pleasing experience that the vast majority of people will enjoy. Their newest ships also seem aimed at attracting first-time cruisers who are more drawn to the innovations on their new ships than to the actual destinations. Royal Caribbean ships are the biggest in the industry by far, featuring many themed spaces, dining and entertainment venues, and even distinct “neighbourhoods” on some ships.
Royal is often considered to have the best entertainment at sea, and on paper it would be hard to argue with this. While entertainment is highly subjective, Royal features many licensed Broadway and West End shows with very high production value like Grease and We Will Rock You. They even have skating rinks and figure skating shows on some of their ships. The Royal brand is very much about putting things on their ships that would have seemed impossible. Ice skating on a Caribbean cruise? Why not, I guess?
I can’t talk about Royal Caribbean without talking about the prices. Frankly, they are the highest in the industry at this time. Only ultra-luxury cruise lines like Silversea or Oceania cost more. And the prices are this high despite offering just a fairly normal, mainstream cruising experience that is comparable to Carnival, MSC, and NCL. Royal also does not offer any kind of all-inclusive fares to try to get some of the extra costs under control. First-time Royal cruisers will often be shocked at how expensive the non-included dining options, drinks packages, and other extra activities cost. While extra charges exist on every cruise, the prices are especially egregious on Royal Caribbean. Prices are also dynamic and change on each sailing based on dates, occupancy, and a number of other factors, so it’s impossible to know how much something will cost until you actually make a reservation.
I think it’s possible to have a decent bare-bones Royal Caribbean cruise if you are willing to just eat and drink the free options. If you are not at all price conscious, then Royal’s newest and best ships such as Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas would likely be great options.
Premium Cruise Lines
There are three established “premium” cruise lines in the North American market: Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line. Disney Cruise Line and industry newcomer Virgin Voyages also best fit into this segment while doing some things a bit differently. Generally speaking, Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess offer a more traditional and elevated experience compared to the contemporary brands in the previous section. Some of the differences you will see are that the clientele is generally a bit older, the food is more premium, the entertainment is more sophisticated, there are fewer thrills such as waterslides and games, and dress codes are a bit stricter than on the contemporary lines. Disney and Virgin are not really traditional, but they also cater to cruisers looking for an elevated experience at a higher price point. Premium lines are also known for generally having a consistent onboard experience regardless of which ship you are on, whereas the experience on contemporary lines can vary quite wildly across different ships.
Premium ships are generally a bit smaller than those of the contemporary lines, but Princess and Celebrity do also have very large ships comparable in size to the other lines. In theory, premium cruise lines are “better” and cost more, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In recent years, some of the contemporary lines like Royal Caribbean have increased in price far above what the premium cruise lines are charging, and this seems to be a major shift in the industry. Princess and Holland America in particular seem to have relatively stable prices.
Celebrity Cruises
Characteristics:
- Hypermodern, glitzy ships with very unique design features
- Elite and edgy vibe
Celebrity is a sister brand of Royal Caribbean. They are positioning themselves as somewhat of an elite and “edgy” brand. After all, their newest ships are “Edge class,” so the perceived edginess seems intentional. Their ships are increasingly featuring ultra-luxury design features.
Celebrity ships have very audacious and experimental design features that can polarize opinions. Two examples on their newest Edge class ships are the “infinite veranda” balconies and the “magic carpet.” Infinite verandas are not balconies at all. Essentially, they are large ocean view rooms with a floor-to-ceiling window in which the top pane slides down to chest level like a balcony railing. This lets fresh air inside and gives a similar experience to a balcony. Many cruisers have complained that they prefer traditional balconies and that the sliding window causes too much heat and moisture to enter the room. The magic carpet is essentially an outdoor elevator platform on one side of the ship that functions as a bar most of the time. The magic carpet will slowly go up and down throughout the day, so you can get on, have a drink, and then get off on a different deck. The magic carpet also functions as a loading/unloading area for tender boats when necessary. The magic carpet seems like an interesting feature, but I think it causes a ship to look unbalanced and out of proportion since it is only on one side. Maybe they should have built two magic carpets to balance things out.
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| The Celebrity Xcel is Celebrity Cruises' newest ship, launching in 2025. Like the other Edge class ships, it features infinite verandas and the magic carpet. Photo by Celebrity Cruises. |
The entertainment on Celebrity ships seems to be well-liked. Celebrity mostly performs original productions rather than well-known shows that are popular on land. There is also a greater focus on technology and creating innovative entertainment experiences with the use of technology. To my knowledge, Celebrity has the only 18+ theatre show at sea, again showing their “edginess” compared to other cruise lines. Celebrity are also known for having highly skilled bartenders who essentially put on shows as they pour drinks.
Celebrity is aggressively trying to attract more 45-and-under cruisers who are “cool” and fit into the edgy onboard vibe, but in reality most of their guests are 55+ and similar to the clientele on lines like Holland America and Princess.
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| Most guests on a Celebrity cruise will be much older than the couple pictured in this promotional photo. Photo by Celebrity Cruises. |
Celebrity does not have a private island/resort in the Caribbean, but some itineraries are now visiting CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. This has actually been a fairly controversial decision as many Celebrity loyalists feel that CocoCay does not offer the kind of elevated vibe that is congruent with the Celebrity brand. Some of the exclusive paid areas recently opened or under construction at CocoCay seem to be aimed at Celebrity guests who will now start visiting the island.
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| Perfect Day at CocoCay is a private island in the Bahamas for guests of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. Photo by Royal Caribbean. |
Celebrity have also increased prices significantly in recent years, but their prices are often lower than that of Royal Caribbean, and it is possible to occasionally find really good deals on some of their cruises.
Disney Cruise Line
Characteristics:
- Everything is Disney themed
- Unique dining experiences
- Family- and children-focused
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| Disney Treasure, launching in 2024. Photo by Disney Cruise Line. |
Disney Cruise Line has been around for more than 20 years now, but they do things very differently than other established cruise lines. Disney offers a very high-priced experience that seems to attract non-traditional cruisers who are Disney enthusiasts and have very specific service expectations that only Disney can fulfill. The target customer is someone who likes Disney as a brand and probably has experience visiting Disney parks on land, but is new to cruising and wants a safe and familiar experience. Disney has a very small fleet of ships, and they have not aggressively expanded their footprint in the industry. They have a slow and steady approach that focuses on converting their established fans and park customers.
Disney rarely has sales and promotions, and they also don’t offer any competitive groups program for travel agents, so it’s a premium product at a premium price. Many cruising influencers on social media have tried Disney cruises in recent years and have generally agreed that Disney cruises are a pretty good product, but not for them as the price is just too high to include Disney in any kind of regular cruising habit. Many regular cruisers cruise more than once per year, and this would just be unaffordable with Disney for the majority of people.
However, Disney enthusiasts who are not traditional cruisers and who may not make cruising a regular vacation style seem to love Disney cruises. As an anecdote, I met a colleague at my other job who told me that his family had just recently gone on a Disney cruise. It was all of their first time cruising, and they loved it so much that they put a deposit down on another Disney cruise. Disney seems to have carved out a nice little niche for themselves in the industry, and they have a loyal customer base from their other products they can attract to the cruise line.
As you might expect, the onboard experience is quite different on Disney compared to other cruise lines. All of the entertainment is Disney-themed and features familiar characters from their films. Disney is also unique for not offering any alcoholic beverage package. Alcohol is served, but since it has to be purchased by the glass, there is less likelihood of irresponsible drinking and poor guest behaviour occurring. Another major difference is how dining works. Instead of one main dining room, there are a few different restaurants onboard, all with different themes and menus. Guests rotate between these different restaurants on each night of their cruise, so each night is a new and unique experience. You are informed of your dining schedule at the beginning of the cruise, and you do not have any choice in the matter. However, I’ve heard that it is possible to order off-menu if there is a dish from a previous night that you wanted to order again. This is a very unusual dining concept, especially as the industry is increasingly moving towards more free and open concepts where passengers have some choice of venues and dining times. However, most guests seem to enjoy getting a different dining experience each night.
Disney is a cruise line I pretty much ignore because I am not the right customer for their brand, and as an agent, I don’t like their business model or value proposition. I would only sell Disney if a new client specifically asked for it. If you are a Disney fan who wants to try cruising, then I’m sure a Disney cruise would be a great experience.
Holland America Line
Characteristics:
- Focus on Alaska and unique destinations
- Traditional and relaxing experience
- Music is the primary entertainment offering
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| MS Rotterdam, launched 2021. Photo by Kees Torn. |
Holland America is a sister brand of Carnival and Princess. Their ships are all considered mid-sized, but they are small by today’s standards. Aesthetically, their ships look very traditional, similar to how ocean liners would have looked in the early 20th Century. HAL is more destination-focused than most other cruise lines. They specialize in Alaska and some other unique destinations that aren’t served by every cruise line such as the Panama Canal. HAL is one of the only major cruise lines that has ships small enough to pass through the locks of the Panama Canal, and they can also access ports that some other cruise lines cannot. For example, in Bermuda, HAL ships are able to get right into downtown Hamilton, while other cruise lines have to use a bigger port far from the city. Other itineraries that you will find with HAL include Canada and New England, the UK and Ireland, Norway, and Northern Europe. They also sail the Caribbean in the winter season, but these itineraries are more focused on unique destinations a bit off the beaten track, with less focus on beaches.
The onboard entertainment is very musically-focused compared to other cruise lines. Their ships have music venues branded after Rolling Stone, BB King, and Billboard which feature most of the evening entertainment. You will find lots of live music all over the ship, both classical and modern, and they even somehow turned BBC Earth nature programs into a music show with a live orchestra. Blending a very traditional and upscale cruising experience with rock and blues music seems like a mismatch to me, but people seem to like it. The other onboard activities are more enriching and educational than other cruise lines. There will often be lectures given by an expert about a topic that is related to the cruise itinerary or an excursion in some way. They are also the only cruise line with a resident priest onboard and a daily Catholic mass.
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| Music is the primary entertainment on Holland America cruises. Photo by Holland America Line. |
The onboard vibe is very relaxed during daytime hours. Some might find it boring, but HAL intentionally creates a more tranquil atmosphere that is catered to travelers who are looking to relax and recharge on their vacation. This is actually a stated goal that was communicated in their training modules for travel agents. Sitting on your balcony while looking at the Alaskan scenery is what you might be doing on a HAL cruise instead of wandering the ship looking for your next dopamine hit.
Princess Cruises
Characteristics:
- Focus on Alaska and unique destinations
- Traditional cruising experience
- Elevated, sophisticated vibe
- Medallion class ships
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| Sun Princess, launched 2024. Photo by Princess Cruises. |
Princess shares a lot in common with their sister brand Holland America. The main differences seem to be that Princess has larger ships and they attract more families, and the overall experience is slightly more modern. While Princess is not a children-oriented cruise line, you will certainly see more kids onboard compared to Holland America. Princess have also been quicker to adapt to change and introduce new innovations on their ships, such as the Medallion.
Princess is perhaps best known for their Alaska cruises. They have been cruising Alaska for longer than most other cruise lines, and they have put a lot of extra effort into making their Alaska cruises more special. In addition to regular Alaska cruises, Princess is one of very few cruise lines offering Alaska cruise tours. Cruise tours have guests spend about one week on land and one week at sea, in either order. Princess owns and operates a number of lodges in Alaska that guests on a cruise tour will stay in. They are also one of the only cruise lines offering tours to Denali National Park. While other cruise lines might offer some kind of land tour in Alaska, Princess is the only cruise line that actually owns and operates its own lodges, so it is a very standardized experience that Princess controls for both the land and sea portions of your trip. Other cruise lines offering land tours in Alaska partner with other local tour operators as they do not own their own facilities.
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| Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge in Alaska. Photo by Princess Cruises. |
Princess is more destination focused than most other cruise lines, perhaps with the exception of Holland America. You will see Princess itineraries to unique destinations. For example, they offer more west coast itineraries not offered by many other cruise lines such as cruises between LA and Vancouver that are focused on wine growing regions, and cruises to Mexico’s west coast.
In recent years, the Princess Medallion has become a key feature of Princess cruises. The medallion is just a wearable device that replaces the traditional key card and interacts with onboard technology. It allows guests to place orders on the app and have the server know exactly where they are located. It also automatically unlocks your stateroom when you are just a few steps away. It’s just meant to simplify some things and prevent the need for constantly pulling out a key card.
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| The Princess medallion has replaced traditional key cards on Princess ships. Photo by Princess Cruises. |
If you are interested in Alaska or other unique destinations and want an elevated experience that is more traditional than the contemporary lines, Princess is a great choice you should consider. Their prices and overall value are also very competitive compared to other lines.
Virgin Voyages
Characteristics:
- All cruises are adults only (18+)
- More included dining options than other cruise lines
- Very casual and relaxed vibe
- Most itineraries are only 4-5 days
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| Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady, launched 2023. Photo by Virgin Group. |
Virgin Voyages is a newcomer to the industry that would most closely fall under the premium segment. Virgin cruises are the only 18+ cruises in the industry, and they are attempting to do many things differently than the established cruise lines. Many cruisers seem to not like the presence of children, especially during school holidays and peak season, so Virgin has become a very attractive brand for those who are looking to avoid kids at all costs.
Virgin has received very good reviews for their food particularly. They have done away with the traditional buffet and main dining room concepts found on other cruise lines, and have instead included a wide variety of dining venues on their ships that are all free and included in the cruise fare. However, it is worth noting that Virgin Voyages are some of the highest priced cruises in the industry at this time. Some cruisers have commented that some of the entertainment and general vibe on Virgin ships is a bit risqué at times, so that is something to consider before booking a cruise with them. The onboard vibe is extremely casual and relaxed. Even the crew members wear simple t-shirts as their uniforms. There are no dress codes.
Virgin is still a very new cruise line, so it will take some time for them to establish a loyal customer base and figure out who their target guest is. While their marketing materials all feature guests in their 30s, online reviews have noted that most guests are 50+. Virgin may be a good option for you if you want an adults only environment and a non-traditional cruising experience.
Other Cruise Lines
There are other cruise lines in both the contemporary and premium segments, but they are either too small or regionally specific to mention here. Other cruise lines you might have heard of include P&O, P&O Australia, Costa, Marella, AIDA, Azamara, and Cunard. Perhaps I will discuss these in a future article.
Choosing the right cruise line
There are a number of factors you need to consider when choosing a cruise line, but I don’t think you need to worry too much about it. All of them offer a good experience and have a loyal customer base, but it’s good to have an idea of what is really motivating you to cruise and what type of experience you are looking for in order to avoid a mismatch.
At this time, MSC and Princess are the brands that appeal to me the most, and these are the two brands I recommend to most new cruisers, but you also can’t go wrong with the other ones. I think MSC and Princess both offer exceptional value at a time when the cost of everything seems to be constantly increasing. MSC is a good affordable option for cruisers who want a modern and mainstream experience, while Princess is a good option for those who want something a bit more traditional and elevated while still providing a good value.
I hope that helps you understand some of the distinguishing features and differences for all of the major cruise lines. Stay tuned for my next article where I will discuss how money and payment works on cruise ships.