Cruise editor reveals the best cruise lines for every traveler

After more than a decade spent charting the seas and evaluating some 125 ships, The Daily Mail’s cruise editor has distilled a practical guide to help travelers choose the line that best fits their plans. The aim is to pair a ship’s style with a traveler’s priorities, whether romance at sea, an expedition to remote regions, family adventures or cultural immersion.

Among the editor’s top fits, certain lines stand out for specific moods and itineraries. Windstar, for example, is singled out for romance, with its masted ships and sails that evoke a maritime mood. The line’s Sweethearts at Sea package includes Champagne on arrival, dining under the stars, sundowners on deck, bed linen adorned with rose petals, breakfast in bed and a couples spa date for £375 extra. A nine-night Adriatic Icons & Venetian Treasures itinerary, round-trip from Venice, starts at £2,832 per person, including flights.

For travelers chasing the ultimate adventure, Quark Expeditions leads the way. Its Polar-Class Ultramarine carries guests toward some of the world’s most remote shores, with twin-engine helicopters bringing visitors within walking distance of emperor penguin colonies on Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea. The 17-night Snow Hill to the Peninsula: Shackleton’s Emperors itinerary departs Buenos Aires in October 2025, with prices from £26,036 per person, plus flights.

For those dreaming of a world cruise in luxury, Crystal Cruises offers an all-inclusive option. Crystal Serenity visits 37 countries over about 19 weeks, and the 135-night Crystal 2026 World Cruise departs Los Angeles for Rome on January 11, 2026. Prices start at £124,200 per person and include business-class flights, all meals and drinks, and gratuities.

Royal Caribbean Cruises stands out for families seeking scale and variety, led by the new Star of the Seas, a mega-ship with a waterpark, multiple dining venues and diverse activities. The seven-night Western Caribbean and Perfect Day itinerary departs from Orlando in August 2026, with prices from £1,435 per person and includes meals, entertainment, pools and sports facilities; flights are extra.

Saga Cruises appeals to food lovers with fine dining on its two boutique ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure. The ships offer menus described as among the tastiest at sea, featuring beef tenderloin and French-inspired dishes. The 30-night The Tropical West Caribbean no-fly cruise on Spirit of Discovery departs Portsmouth on October 30, 2025. Prices start at £8,780 per person and include all meals, drinks, tips and chauffeur service to and from the port.

First-time cruisers and budget-conscious travelers often choose Norway as a destination because it offers value and long days in the summer. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines offers great-value sailings, with the eight-night Mountains, Glaciers & Fjords of Norway departing from Southampton on June 18, 2026. Prices from £1,199 per person include meals, afternoon tea, entertainment, dance and fitness classes.

SeaDream I emphasizes a club-like atmosphere on a small scale, with a crew of 95 attending to about 100 guests—plus the option to sleep under the stars on Balinese beds during balmy nights. The Glorious Grenadines cruise features an overnight in the palm-fringed island of Bequia. The seven-night Barbados round-trip departs November 21, 2026, with prices from £4,999 per person and includes BA flights, one night pre-cruise at Cobblers Cove, all meals and drinks, use of the watersports marina and tips.

Viking positions itself as an adults-only option focused on culture and enrichment. The new Grand Australia Circumnavigation sails from Sydney and provides insights into native and European cultures, with the Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday Islands and Tasmania on the itinerary. The 31-night voyage departs December 30, 2025, with prices from £11,990 per person and includes flights, 14 guided tours, all meals including wine, beer and soft drinks, Wi-Fi and tips.

For water lovers, Cruise Croatia’s 36-guest MY WISH offers intimate island-hopping through unspoilt coves and turquoise waters. The seven-night sailing runs from Split to Opatija, departing June 20, 2026, with prices from £3,195 per person and includes return flights, all breakfasts and lunches, two dinners, private transfers, excursions and Wi-Fi.

Solo travelers often look for value, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Tokyo-bound itinerary on Norwegian Star is hard to beat. The 14-night Tokyo, Osaka & Beyond voyage departs London Gatwick on November 23, 2025, from £3,379 per person and includes flights, meals and drinks.

Ultra-luxury Seabourn Cruises spoils guests with a private-yacht atmosphere. Seabourn Encore offers an Alaska Fjords & Canadian Inside Passage cruise, a seven-day itinerary departing Juneau for Vancouver on July 3, 2026, from £4,198 per person and includes all drinks, dining, Wi-Fi and tips.

Oceania Cruises leans into culture with curated experiences. The 10-day Regal Baltic Shores itinerary aboard Oceania Marina departs Stockholm for Copenhagen on July 20, 2026, with prices from £3,049 per person. The fare includes meals, soft drinks, Wi-Fi and access to fitness classes, with flights available on request.

For fans of West End-style theater at sea, Cunard’s Queen Anne delivers stage productions in a grand theater setting. The 18-night Greece, Adriatic and Western Mediterranean voyage departs Southampton on May 11, 2026, with meals, afternoon tea, entertainment, dance classes and talks included in the fare.

Wildlife enthusiasts head to the Galápagos with National Geographic Endeavour II, which runs an Explorers-in-Training family program and offers close encounters with sea lions, iguanas and other iconic species. The seven-night Exploring Galapagos itinerary departs from Quito or Guayaquil, with prices from £4,241 per person and meals, park fees, permits, activities and excursions included; flights are extra.

Small-ship specialist Noble Caledonia looks to the South Pacific in 2027 with island-hopping aboard the 100-guest MS Island Sky. The 16-night Nomads of the Winds voyage sails from Tahiti to the Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga, departing February 22, 2027, with prices from £11,295 per person and including flights, all meals, wines, excursions and tips.

An intimate option in the Scottish isles comes from Argyll Cruising, where Splendour—a compact, eight-guest ex-trawler—offers a focused look at the Inner Hebrides. The three-night Magic of Mull cruise departs Oban on August 8, 2026, with prices from £1,412 per person and meals included.