Cruise Frog guide
The best mainstream cruise lines
The best mainstream cruise line, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Royal Caribbean International, at 4.0 out of 5. Carnival Cruise Line (3.7) and Norwegian Cruise Line (3.6) follow. 11 rated lines are classed mainstream, ranked by the fleet's overall score.
Ranking updated
Mainstream: big ships with lots to do and fares for most budgets.
| # | Line | Style | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Caribbean International30 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | Families, First-time cruisers, Multigenerational groups |
| 2 | Carnival Cruise Line29 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.7 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 3 | Norwegian Cruise Line20 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.6 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 4 | MSC Cruises23 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.4 | Families, First-time cruisers, Value seekers |
| 5 | P&O Cruises7 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.4 | Families, Couples, Adults only |
| 6 | Ambassador Cruise Line3 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.2 | Couples, Solo travelers, Adults only |
| 7 | Costa Cruises8 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.1 | Families, Couples, Value seekers |
| 8 | Marella Cruises5 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.1 | Couples, Families, Adults only |
| 9 | Margaritaville at Sea2 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.1 | Value seekers, First-time cruisers, Families |
| 10 | AIDA Cruises11 rated ships | Mainstream | 3.0 | Couples, Families, First-time cruisers |
| 11 | Celestyal Cruises2 rated ships | Mainstream | 2.9 | History and culture, Couples, Value seekers |
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 mainstream cruise line?
The best mainstream cruise line, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Royal Caribbean International, at 4.0 out of 5.
Which mainstream cruise lines rate highest?
The top three are 1. Royal Caribbean International (4.0), 2. Carnival Cruise Line (3.7) and 3. Norwegian Cruise Line (3.6), scored out of 5 on the fleet's overall score.
Which mainstream cruise line 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 classed mainstream by the fleet's overall score. The scores are editorial, not averages of reader reviews.
More rankings
- Best premium cruise lines
- Best luxury cruise lines
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- Best river cruise lines
- Best cruise lines for families
- 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