Cruise Frog guide
The best cruise lines for families
The best cruise line for families, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Disney Cruise Line, at 5.0 out of 5 for entertainment and 4.2 overall. Royal Caribbean International (4.9) and Norwegian Cruise Line (4.3) follow. 15 rated lines suit families, ranked by the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score.
Ranking updated
Families: kids' clubs, family cabins, things for every age.
| # | Line | Style | Entertainment | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney Cruise Line8 rated ships | Premium | 5.0 | 4.2 | Families, Multigenerational groups, First-time cruisers |
| 2 | Royal Caribbean International30 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.9 | 4.0 | Families, First-time cruisers, Multigenerational groups |
| 3 | Norwegian Cruise Line20 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.3 | 3.6 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 4 | MSC Cruises23 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.3 | 3.4 | Families, First-time cruisers, Value seekers |
| 5 | TUI Cruises9 rated ships | Premium | 4.0 | 4.1 | Couples, Families, Food lovers |
| 6 | Carnival Cruise Line29 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.7 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 7 | AIDA Cruises11 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.5 | 3.0 | Couples, Families, First-time cruisers |
| 8 | Costa Cruises8 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.3 | 3.1 | Families, Couples, Value seekers |
| 9 | P&O Cruises7 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.1 | 3.4 | Families, Couples, Adults only |
| 10 | Paul Gauguin Cruises1 rated ship | Luxury | 3.0 | 4.0 | Couples, History and culture, Families |
| 11 | A-ROSA River Cruises15 rated ships | River | 3.0 | 3.5 | Couples, Families, Multigenerational groups |
| 12 | Lindblad Expeditions12 rated ships | Expedition | 3.0 | 3.4 | Adventure seekers, Couples, Families |
| 13 | Margaritaville at Sea2 rated ships | Mainstream | 2.5 | 3.1 | Value seekers, First-time cruisers, Families |
| 14 | Marella Cruises5 rated ships | Mainstream | 2.0 | 3.1 | Couples, Families, Adults only |
| 15 | UnCruise Adventures9 rated ships | Expedition | 2.0 | 3.0 | Adventure seekers, Couples, Families |
Ranked by the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score. Fleet scores average Cruise Frog's editorial ratings of each line's ships in service, 1 to 5; they are not reader reviews. How we rate.
Quick answers
What is the best cruise line for families?
The best cruise line for families, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Disney Cruise Line, at 5.0 out of 5 for entertainment and 4.2 overall.
Which cruise lines are best for families?
The top three are 1. Disney Cruise Line (5.0), 2. Royal Caribbean International (4.9) and 3. Norwegian Cruise Line (4.3), scored out of 5 on the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score.
Which cruise line for families is the best value?
Carnival Cruise Line has the best value score of the lines on this list, 5.0 out of 5: what you get for the fare, extras included.
How does Cruise Frog rank cruise lines?
Each ship in service is scored 1 to 5 by Cruise Frog's editors on cabins, dining, entertainment, service, pools and decks, and value. A line's fleet rating is the average over its rated ships. This list ranks the lines tagged as suiting families by the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score. The scores are editorial, not averages of reader reviews.
More rankings
- Best mainstream cruise lines
- Best premium cruise lines
- Best luxury cruise lines
- Best expedition cruise lines
- Best river cruise lines
- Best cruise lines for couples
- Best cruise lines for first-time cruisers
- Best cruise lines for multigenerational trips
- Best cruise lines for groups of friends
- Best adults-only cruise lines
- Best cruise lines for food lovers
- Best cruise lines for history and culture
- Best cruise lines for adventure
- Best cruise lines for value
- Best cruise lines for solo travellers