Cruise Frog guide
The best cruise lines for first-time cruisers
The best cruise line for first-time cruisers, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Disney Cruise Line, at 4.2 out of 5. Royal Caribbean International (4.0) and Princess Cruises (4.0) follow. 11 rated lines suit first-time cruisers, ranked by the fleet's overall score.
Ranking updated
First-time cruisers: easy to book, short itineraries, nothing intimidating.
| # | Line | Style | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney Cruise Line8 rated ships | Premium | 4.2 | Families, Multigenerational groups, First-time cruisers |
| 2 | Royal Caribbean International30 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | Families, First-time cruisers, Multigenerational groups |
| 3 | Princess Cruises17 rated ships | Premium | 4.0 | Couples, Multigenerational groups, First-time cruisers |
| 4 | Viking River Cruises86 rated ships | River | 3.8 | Couples, History and culture, Adults only |
| 5 | Riviera Travel13 rated ships | River | 3.8 | Couples, Solo travelers, History and culture |
| 6 | Carnival Cruise Line29 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.7 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 7 | Norwegian Cruise Line20 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.6 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 8 | MSC Cruises23 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.4 | Families, First-time cruisers, Value seekers |
| 9 | Margaritaville at Sea2 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.1 | Value seekers, First-time cruisers, Families |
| 10 | Costa Cruises8 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.1 | Families, Couples, Value seekers |
| 11 | AIDA Cruises11 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.0 | Couples, Families, First-time cruisers |
Ranked by the fleet's 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.
Head to head
Quick answers
What is the best cruise line for first-time cruisers?
The best cruise line for first-time cruisers, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Disney Cruise Line, at 4.2 out of 5.
Which cruise lines are best for first-time cruisers?
The top three are 1. Disney Cruise Line (4.2), 2. Royal Caribbean International (4.0) and 3. Princess Cruises (4.0), scored out of 5 on the fleet's overall score.
Which cruise line for first-time cruisers is the best value?
Riviera Travel 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 first-time cruisers by the fleet's 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 families
- Best cruise lines for couples
- 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