Which cruise line is best for you? A veteran editor's guide to matching your cruise style

A Daily Mail cruise editor who has spent more than a decade traveling on 125 ships has compiled a guide to which cruise line best fits different traveler profiles. The aim is to help readers navigate the options before splashing out, whether a first voyage to Norway or a remote archipelago expedition. Each ship offers its own set of comforts, activities and cruise style, from intimate boutiques to megaships with waterparks and West End-style entertainment. The guide draws on more than 10 years aboard ships to point readers toward lines that match romance, adventure, culture and family fun.

Best for: Romance Windstar's fleet includes masted ships, and when Wind Surf sails, so does the romance of cruising. A Sweethearts at Sea package includes Champagne welcome, dining under the stars, sundowners on deck, bed linen adorned with rose petals, breakfast in bed and a couples spa date for around £375 extra. The Daily Mail's cruise editor says Windstar is the best cruise line if romance is your priority. Book it: Nine-night Adriatic Icons & Venetian Treasures round-trip from Venice from £2,832 per person including flights (windstarcruises.co.uk).

Best for: Ultimate adventure Snow Hill Island, on the eastern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Weddell Sea, is the only Emperor Penguin breeding ground accessible to visitors and is reached by a handful of expedition ships. Quark Expeditions was the first to sail there, and Polar Class Ultramarine’s two twin-engine helicopters bring guests within walking distance of the colony. Book it: 17-night Snow Hill to the Peninsula: Shackleton’s Emperors round-trip on Ultramarine from Buenos Aires, Argentina departs October 2025 with prices from £26,036 per person plus flights (quarkexpeditions.com).

Best for: Budget no issue Sailing around the planet on a world cruise is the dream, and Crystal Cruises presents the most all-inclusive version. Luxurious Crystal Serenity visits 37 countries in 19 weeks, with optional overland tours to the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and Uluru at sunset. Book it: 135-night Crystal 2026 World Cruise departs Los Angeles for Rome on January 11, 2026. Price from £124,200 per person includes business-class flights, all meals and drinks, and tips (mundycruising.co.uk).

Best for: Families Royal Caribbean Cruises is in a class of its own for large ships. The new Star of the Seas carries about 5,610 passengers and features the largest waterpark at sea, six slides, surf-riding, raft rides, climbing walls and an aerial adventure course. Book it: Seven-night Western Caribbean and Perfect Day round-trip from Orlando, Florida, departing August 9, 2026. Price from £1,435 includes meals, entertainment, pools and sports facilities; flights extra (royalcaribbean.com).

Best for: Fine dining Saga Cruises stands out for its menus. Its two boutique ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, offer a menu that includes US-imported beef tenderloin; guests return for beef medallions or French-style Tournedos Rossini with paté. Book it: 30-night The Tropical West Caribbean no-fly cruise on Spirit of Discovery, departing Portsmouth on October 30, 2025. Price from £8,780 per person includes all meals, drinks, tips and chauffeur service to and from the port (travel.saga.uk).

Best for: Those on a budget First-time cruisers often choose Norway, where fjords can be seen from a value-friendly base. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines offers great-value sailings in the region, and in summer guests enjoy long days under the midnight sun. Book it: Eight-night Mountains, Glaciers & Fjords of Norway on Borealis, departing Southampton (round-trip) on June 18, 2026. Price from £1,199 per person includes meals, afternoon tea, entertainment, dance and fitness classes (fredolsencruises.com).

Best for: Club vibes Classic yacht SeaDream I offers a boutique atmosphere with 95 crew looking after up to 100 guests, and guests can sleep under the stars on Balinese beds on warm nights. The Glorious Grenadines itinerary features an overnight in Bequia. Book it: Seven-night Barbados round-trip departs November 21, 2026. Price from £4,999 per person includes BA flights, one night pre-cruise stay at Cobblers Cove, Barbados, all meals and drinks, use of watersports marina and tips (unforgettabletravel.com).

Best for: Adults only Viking appeals to those seeking culture with relaxation. The new Grand Australia Circumnavigation from Sydney offers encounters with native and European cultures, plus the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsundays. Book it: 31-night Grand Australia Circumnavigation departs Sydney on December 30, 2025. Price from £11,990 per person includes flights, 14 guided tours, all meals including wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi and tips (viking.com).

Best for: Water babies If swimming and snorkelling in crystal-clear waters is your cruise wish, Cruise Croatia’s 36-guest MY WISH weaves between islands to coves to fulfill life at sea for aquaphiles. Book it: Seven-night sailing from Split to Opatija, Croatia, departs June 20, 2026 with prices from £3,195 per person including return flights, all breakfasts and lunches, two dinners, private transfers, excursions and Wi-Fi (cruisecroatia.com).

Best for: Solo travellers Single travellers don’t always get the best deals, but Norwegian Cruise Line’s Japan itinerary on Norwegian Star does. The trip includes 11 nights cruising to Nagoya, Kyoto (Osaka) and Naha (Okinawa), plus Kaohsiung and Taipei with overnight stays in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Book it: 14-night Tokyo, Osaka & Beyond from London Gatwick on November 23, 2025 from £3,379 per person, including flights, meals and drinks (passionforcruises.co.uk).

Best for: Ultra-luxury Seabourn Cruises spoils guests with an ultra-luxury, private-yacht-like experience aboard Seabourn Encore. From Alaska’s Juneau to Holkham Bay, guests can combine helicopter adventures and glacier sightings with all-balcony suites and fine dining. Book it: Seven-day Alaska Fjords & Canadian Inside Passage on Seabourn Encore departs Juneau for Vancouver, Canada on July 3, 2026 from £4,198 per person and includes all drinks, dining, Wi-Fi and tips. Flights extra (seabourn.com).

Best for: Culture Classical music lovers can join A Magical Evening with Jean Sibelius during Oceania Marina’s call to Helsinki, Finland. This is just one of hundreds of tours within Oceania Cruises’ Select Excursions programme. Guests visit the composer’s former country home and gardens before a private concert. Book it: 10-day Regal Baltic Shores cruise on Oceania Marina departs Stockholm for Copenhagen on July 20, 2026. Prices from £3,049 per person include meals, soft drinks, Wi-Fi and fitness classes. Flights extra (oceaniacruises.com).

Best for: Onboard entertainment For those who love a West-End show, the Queen Anne’s 835-seater Royal Court Theatre is the ticket. It has plush velvet seating and unobstructed views to watch the free-of-charge playful production of Brief Encounter and a quirky version of Pride and Prejudice. Book it: 18-night Greece, Adriatic and Western Mediterranean round-trip on Queen Anne, departing May 11, 2026 from Southampton. Price includes meals, afternoon tea, entertainment, dance classes and talks (cunard.com).

Best for: Wildlife There's nowhere else quite like the Galapagos Islands, and the expedition team on National Geographic Endeavour II runs an Explorers-in-Training family programme in the archipelago. Guests can collect plankton for microscopic study, observe sea lions while snorkelling and hike across black-sand beaches. Book it: Seven-night Exploring Galapagos from Quito or Guayaquil from £4,241 per person, including meals and drinks, park fees and permits, activities and excursions. Flights extra (uk.expeditions.com).

Best for: The ultimate itinerary Noble Caledonia is a small-ship cruise line that focuses on getting into small ports. New for 2027 is island-hopping in the South Pacific on 100-guest MS Island Sky. Sail from French Polynesia to Fiji, visiting the Cook Islands and Tonga, to snorkel in coral reefs and take Zodiac rides to look for wildlife. Book it: 16-night Nomads of the Winds voyage from Tahiti on MS Island Sky departs February 22, 2027 with prices from £11,295 per person including flights, all meals, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, excursions and tips (noble-caledonia.co.uk).

Best for: An intimate cruise Skipper Ed’s enthusiasm for spotting eagles, deer and dolphins in the Inner Hebrides is contagious and the favourite pastime on eight-guest ex-trawler Splendour, closely followed by eating chef Mike’s locally sourced meals. Think mussels from the loch, Argyll Hill lamb and Highland beef. Book it: Three-night Magic of Mull cruise departs Oban on August 8, 2026. Price from £1,412 per person includes all meals. Excludes transport to Oban (argyllcruising.com).