A heavily debated question is, “What’s the best cruise line?” While it ultimately depends on your personal preferences, reputable rankings can help you by weighing key factors, such as value for money and dining. This year, Royal Caribbean performed better in a popular rankings list than it did last year.
The 12th annual U.S. News & World Report Best Cruise Lines rankings were released on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. The rankings cover the most popular cruise lines in ten categories:
- Best Luxury Cruise Lines
- Best Cruise Lines for the Money
- Best Cruise Lines for Couples
- Best Cruise Lines for Families
- Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
- Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean
- *Best Cruise Lines for Dining — Luxury (*new)
- *Best Cruise Lines for Dining — Mainstream (*new)
- *Best Cruise Lines for Solo Travelers (*new)
- *Best Cruise Lines for Wellness (*new)
Compared to last year, when Royal Caribbean only ranked in the top three for “Best Cruise Lines for Families,” the cruise giant walked away with awards in two categories heading into 2026.
This year, they earned second place for “Best Cruise Lines for Families,” as well as third place for “Best Cruise Lines for the Money.”
The latter isn’t a significant jump, but it is worthy of praise — Royal Caribbean placed fourth in the same category in the 11th annual rankings.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises was favored in this year’s rankings, receiving a top-three placement in three categories, including one brand-new one: “Best Cruise Line for Wellness.” This isn’t much of a surprise, as Celebrity’s AquaClass product offers an immersive wellness experience.
Celebrity also beat Royal Caribbean in the "Best Cruise Lines for the Money" category, coming in second just below Virgin Voyages. However, the premium cruise line came in first place last year.
Newcomer Explora Journeys also received an impressive number of accolades, placing in the top three in six categories.
"U.S. News Travel’s offerings are continuously evolving to meet consumers where they are as they consider new destinations, adventures and experiences," said Nicola Wood, Senior Travel Editor at U.S. News.
"The 2026 Best Cruise Lines rankings recognize the top cruise lines in a variety of categories, allowing travelers to compare features, amenities and itineraries across multiple lines. Now, four brand-new ranking lists give even more comprehensive choices for cruisers to create their ideal experiences at sea."
Here’s a breakdown of the 2026 rankings:
Best Cruise Lines for the Money
1. Virgin Voyages
2. Celebrity Cruises
3. Royal Caribbean International
Best Luxury Cruise Lines
1. Viking Ocean Cruises
2. Explora Journeys
3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Best Cruise Lines for Families
1. Disney Cruise Line
2. Royal Caribbean International
3. Norwegian Cruise Lines
Best Cruise Lines for Couples
1. Viking Ocean Cruises
2. Explora Journeys
3. Seabourn Cruise Line
Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
1. Disney Cruise Line
2. Virgin Voyages
3. Explora Journeys
Best Cruise Lines for Dining – Luxury
1. Viking Ocean Cruises
2. Explora Journeys
3. Oceania Cruises
Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean
1. Viking Ocean Cruises
2. Explora Journeys
3. Silversea Cruises
Best Cruise Lines for Dining – Mainstream
1. Virgin Voyages
2. Celebrity Cruises
3. Disney Cruise Line
Best Cruise Lines for Solo Travelers
1. Crystal
2. Norwegian Cruise Line
3. Oceania Cruises
Best Cruise Lines for Wellness
1. Celebrity Cruises
2. Explora Journeys
3. Virgin Voyages
How is the best cruise line determined?
U.S. News & World Report scores ships based on their overall rankings, a numerical score that is represented by a graphical star rating rounded to the nearest half-star.
Three important criteria determine the overall rankings:
- Expert Rating — 30% (U.S. News & World Report editors assign each ship an Expert Rating between 3 and 5 based on the ship’s level of luxury, size of the ship, the ship’s launch date, when the ship was last updated, crew-to-passenger ratio, cabin categories, and more)
- Traveler Rating — 50% (Ship's traveler ratings are provided under license by Cruiseline.com. Reviewers assign a rating between 1 and 5 based on their level of satisfaction with their cruise experience)
- Health Rating — 20% (A ship's health rating is based on sanitation inspection scores published by the Vessel Sanitation Program [VSP] at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]).
