The best cruise lines in the world: 2022 Readers' Choice Awards
The survey for the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards is open, vote now for your favourite places, hotels, airports, cruise ships, travel fixers and more.
Cruising is booming right now, buoyed partly by the popularity of domestic seacations that hauled in first-time sailors. So much so that Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 34,000-mile world trip for 2024 sold out in just over two hours, while the new adults-only Virgin Voyages, which aims to throw cruise stereotypes overboard, rose to second place in Large Ships. And we’ve introduced a new category this year, showcasing the expedition cruises – small, often sustainable vessels with a shoal of scientific experts onboard – that follow in the wake of adventurers such as Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose last voyage into the unknown ended exactly a century ago.
These are the best cruise lines in the world, according to the 2022 Readers' Choice Awards.
Alastair Miller / VikingThe best cruise lines in the world 2022
Mega ships (More than 4,000 passengers)
3. Norwegian Cruise Line. Score 78.98
2. MSC Cruises. Score 80.11
1. Royal Caribbean International. Score 80.86Large ships (2,500 to 4,000 passengers)
10. Royal Caribbean International. Score 72.49
9. Carnival Cruise Line. Score 73.48
8. MSC Cruises. Score 77.68
7. Princess Cruises. Score 77.76
6. Cunard. Score 78.69
5. Holland America Line. Score 80.50
4. Disney Cruise Line. Score 80.57
3. Celebrity Cruises. Score 81.52
2. Virgin Voyages. Score 82.36
1. Norwegian Cruise Line. Score 85.28Medium ships (500 to 2,500 passengers)
10. P&O Cruises. Score 76.61
9. Azamara. Score 77.84
8. Holland America Line. Score 80.48
7. Cunard. Score 80.95
6. Disney Cruise Line. Score 81.01
5. Silversea Cruises. Score 82.13
4. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Score 82.73
3. Seabourn. Score 83.39
2. Oceania Cruises. Score 83.72
1. Viking Ocean Cruises. Score 88.79Small ships (Fewer than 500 passengers)
9. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Score 76.63
8. Star Clippers. Score 81.03
7. SeaDream Yacht Club. Score 82.67
6. Windstar Cruises. Score 85.19
5. Seabourn. Score 86.59
4. American Cruise Lines. Score 87.26
3. Silversea Cruises. Score 88.45
2. Paul Gauguin Cruises. Score 88.46
1. Ponant. Score 88.84River ships
5. Grand Circle Cruise Line. Score 89.47
4. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Score 90.86
3. Tauck. Score 93.33
2. American Cruise Lines. Score 94.17
1. Viking River Cruises. Score 95.21Expedition ships
5. Atlas Ocean Voyages. Score 88.78
4. Silversea Cruises. Score 89.54
3. Lindblad Expeditions - National Geographic. Score 93.64
2. Viking Expedition Cruises. Score 94.48
1. Ponant. Score 95.39
