Cruise Frog guide
The best cruise lines for value
The best cruise line for value, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Riviera Travel, at 5.0 out of 5 for value and 3.8 overall. Carnival Cruise Line (5.0) and Emerald Cruises (4.0) follow. 10 rated lines suit value seekers, ranked by the fleet's value score, then its overall score.
Ranking updated
Value seekers: low fares and frequent deals.
| # | Line | Style | Value | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riviera Travel13 rated ships | River | 5.0 | 3.8 | Couples, Solo travelers, History and culture |
| 2 | Carnival Cruise Line29 rated ships | Mainstream | 5.0 | 3.7 | Families, First-time cruisers, Friends and groups |
| 3 | Emerald Cruises13 rated ships | River | 4.0 | 3.7 | Couples, Value seekers, Adventure seekers |
| 4 | MSC Cruises23 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.4 | Families, First-time cruisers, Value seekers |
| 5 | Ambassador Cruise Line3 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.2 | Couples, Solo travelers, Adults only |
| 6 | Margaritaville at Sea2 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.1 | Value seekers, First-time cruisers, Families |
| 7 | Costa Cruises8 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.1 | Families, Couples, Value seekers |
| 8 | Marella Cruises5 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 3.1 | Couples, Families, Adults only |
| 9 | Oceanwide Expeditions4 rated ships | Expedition | 4.0 | 3.0 | Adventure seekers, Couples, Value seekers |
| 10 | Celestyal Cruises2 rated ships | Mainstream | 4.0 | 2.9 | History and culture, Couples, Value seekers |
Ranked by the fleet's value 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 value?
The best cruise line for value, on Cruise Frog's editorial ratings, is Riviera Travel, at 5.0 out of 5 for value and 3.8 overall.
Which cruise lines are best for value?
The top three are 1. Riviera Travel (5.0), 2. Carnival Cruise Line (5.0) and 3. Emerald Cruises (4.0), scored out of 5 on the fleet's value score, then its overall score.
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 value seekers by the fleet's value score, then its overall score. The scores are editorial, not averages of reader reviews.
More rankings
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- 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 solo travellers