Travelers are spoiled for choice when it comes to cruise lines, but the number of options can be overwhelming.
US News & World Report may be able to help limit this. The media company released its 2025 Best Cruise Lines rankings on Tuesday, showcasing operators that excel in activity-packed family vacations, romantic getaways and more.
“With so many cruise lines to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to finding the perfect cruise vacation,” said Nicola Wood, senior travel editor at US News, in a press release. “The 2025 Best Cruise Lines rankings not only recognizes the top cruise lines, but also gives travelers a way to compare features, amenities and offerings to find the right cruise for an exciting experience at sea.”
The company rated 18 popular cruise lines in six categories. Results are based on expert reviews from US News editors, reviews from travelers licensed to Cruiseline.com, and health assessments from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program inspection scores (with additional criteria and cutoff points for the ships evaluated and lines).
These are the top three lines in each category:
Best Cruise Lines for Families
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Royal Caribbean International
The Celebrity Beyond cruise ship.
Best Cruise Lines for Couples
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Best cruise lines for the money
Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady ship.
Are cruises all-inclusive?: Here’s what you need to know before you go sailing.
Best Luxury Cruise Lines
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Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean
Best cruise lines in the Mediterranean
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cruise line rankings: The best brands, according to a new report
