Best cruise lines

P&O may be one of the most popular brands with travellers, but the world’s oldest cruise line has been trading off its history for too long, and the shine is long gone from its ships. 

In our recent survey, P&O found itself rated second from bottom in our table – with cruisers complaining that ‘standards have slipped due to cost cutting’. Only Norwegian Cruise Line (NLC) came out worse.

Our results are based on more than 3,800 experiences, with guests rating the cabin, facilities, excursions, food and drink and customer service – so you can avoid queuing for the restaurant every morning, or being ripped off over tips. 

From luxury small ships to big brands with entertainment and leisure facilities galore, it always pays to do your research before booking. Read on to find the best ocean cruise line for your budget – for 2025 and beyond.

The best cruise lines

It’s no coincidence that this year’s top-rated ocean cruise companies are all-inclusive. Some brands lure you in with a low headline price, but then slap on costly extras – for drinks, meals, excursions and service charges – once you’re on board. 

Not only are premium drinks and some shore excursions part of the package with top-rated Saga, but you’ll also get a balcony cabin as standard, as well as being chauffeured from your home to the port and back again.

You’ll also enjoy the all-inclusive treatment with runners-up Noble Caledonia, Silversea, Seabourn and Viking.

Read the full reviews for Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) Saga, Silversea, Viking, Noble Caledonia, Hurtigruten, Seabourn and Oceania.

Find out how to get the best cruise deals.

Ocean cruise lines rated

In the table, we show the latest results from our survey of Which? members.

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What makes a Which? Recommended Provider? cruise line

Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) are the cream of the crop and we only consider giving the accolade to cruise lines with the highest customer scores.

That’s not all. We know that pricing transparency is important, so companies must provide clear information about gratuities, excursions and drinks at the booking stage to be eligible. After all, it's hard for customers to compare prices if they can't find these details before parting with their cash. 

All our Which? Recommended Providers also scored at least four out of five stars for both customer service and that all-important passenger-to-space ratio.

Which? is independent. You can be sure that our recommendations are based on survey results and policy analysis only. We're not influenced by third parties and we don't accept freebies from product manufacturers, retailers or providers.