Cruise Frog guide
The best cruise lines for groups of friends
The best cruise line for groups of friends, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Royal Caribbean International, at 4.9 out of 5 for entertainment and 4.0 overall. Norwegian Cruise Line (4.3) and MSC Cruises (4.3) follow. 5 rated lines suit friends and groups, ranked by the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score.
Ranking updated
Friends and groups: nightlife, group dining, connecting cabins.
| # | Line | Style | Entertainment | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Caribbean International30 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.9 | 4.0 | Families, First-time cruisers, Multigenerational groups |
| 2 | Norwegian Cruise Line20 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.3 | 3.6 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 3 | MSC Cruises23 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.3 | 3.4 | Families, First-time cruisers, Value seekers |
| 4 | Virgin Voyages4 rated ships | Premium | 4.0 | 4.3 | Adults only, Couples, Food lovers |
| 5 | Carnival Cruise Line29 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.7 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
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.
Head to head
Quick answers
What is the best cruise line for groups of friends?
The best cruise line for groups of friends, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Royal Caribbean International, at 4.9 out of 5 for entertainment and 4.0 overall.
Which cruise lines are best for groups of friends?
The top three are 1. Royal Caribbean International (4.9), 2. Norwegian Cruise Line (4.3) and 3. MSC Cruises (4.3), scored out of 5 on the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score.
Which cruise line for groups of friends 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 friends and groups by the fleet's entertainment score, then its overall score. The scores are editorial, not averages of reader reviews.
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