Best and worst cruise lines

Whether you’re planning to sail the Med, the Caribbean or further afield, if you’re a novice or have started to question your decades-long loyalty to the same brand, it pays to do you research into the best and worst cruise lines.

When booking, you’ll need to know which cruise lines get you closer to lesser-visited beauty spots, which brands offer the best value and which ships are so congested you’ll face a queue at the restaurant each day.  That’s why we survey thousands of cruise passengers across the UK to find out exactly what customers think.

Cruises can cost a fortune, but sailing with the best need not break the bank. With ratings for everything from port excursions and on board entertainment to the cabins and food and drink you’ll be able to pick the right cruise company for you.

Find out how to find the best cruise deals.

Cruise lines survey results
Brand	WRP	Customer service	Passenger-to-space ratio	On-board facilities	Cabins	Food and drink	Port excursions	Value for money	Customer score
									93%
									88%
									87%
									85%
									85%
									84%
									84%
							-		82%
									80%
							-		80%
									76%
									76%
									76%
									71%
									71%
									71%
									70%
									69%
									68%
									57%

Best cruise companies overview

In our annual survey we ask thousands of cruise customers about their experiences when booking and aboard their ship, to be sure that Which? Recommended Providers are the best cruise companies on the water.

Our survey doesn’t just reveal which cruise line will give you excellent value for money and customer service, but also what the social atmosphere feels like on board, what the food tastes like and how imaginative the excursions are. Customers share their real experiences so we can tell you which brands feature spas, planetariums and libraries on-board and the ones with cabins you’ll struggle to tear yourself away from. Not only this but we highlight which ships feel crowded, overpriced, or in need of a refresh.

Discover the results of our cruise survey with ratings for all the major brands including P&O, Fred Olsen, Saga, Royal Caribbean, Cunard, Marella and Viking.

To get all of this information, join Which? and access all of our reviews of cruise companies.

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What makes a Which? Recommended Provider?  

Which? Recommended Providers are the cream of the crop and the accolade is only given to cruise lines that achieve a customer score of 70% or above.  That’s not all. We know that pricing transparency is important, so we only give the award to the companies that provide clear information about gratuities, excursions and drinks at the booking stage. After all, it's hard for customers to compare prices if they can't find these details before parting with their cash. If the companies fall down in more than one area, they’re not eligible to be Which? Recommended Providers, whatever score they receive in the survey.  Which? is independent - we work for you, the consumer, so you can be sure that our product recommendations are influenced only by our test results. We don’t take advertising and we buy all the products that we test ourselves, so our advice helps you to make the right choice first time and avoid costly mistakes