# List of cruise lines

A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships and markets cruises to the public. Cruise lines are distinct from passenger lines which are primarily concerned with transportation of their passengers. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain, and a hospitality staff headed by the equivalent of a hotel manager.
Because of mergers and consolidations, a cruise line may also be a brand of a larger holding corporation. For example, as noted below, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line are cruise lines within the larger parent corporation Carnival Corporation & plc. This industry practice of using the brand, not the larger parent corporation, as the cruise line is also followed in the member cruise lines in Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA); the listing of cruise ship sales, transfers, and new orders; cruise line market share; and the member-based reviews of cruise lines.
Cruise ships can cruise in oceans or rivers. The listing of cruise lines below includes separate lists for both areas. Cruise lines operating ocean and river ships can be found in both lists.

## List of cruise lines by size

As of 2021, the cruise industry was estimated to be around US$23.8 billion with 13.9 million passengers per year. The following is a list of the largest cruise lines with over 1,000 passengers per year and their market share by passengers and revenue as of 2021 according to Cruise Market Watch. The list also includes the combined market share of each of the cruise line holding companies: Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, TUI Group, and Genting Hong Kong.
Legend:
* Bold: Major cruise company
* Italic: Subsidiary of a major cruise company
| Cruise line | Parent company | Passengers | Passengers | Revenue | Revenue |
| Cruise line | Parent company | (thousands) | % | (US$ millions) | % |
| Carnival Corporation & plc | Carnival Corporation & plc | 5,842.6 | 42.0 | 8,833.19 | 37.1 |
| Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | 2,528.1 | 18.2 | 1,803.87 | 7.6 |
| Costa Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | 862.4 | 6.2 | 1,121.19 | 4.7 |
| Princess Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | 816.3 | 5.9 | 2,065.35 | 8.7 |
| AIDA Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | 749.3 | 5.4 | 1,373.71 | 5.8 |
| Holland America Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | 384.2 | 2.8 | 1,095.07 | 4.6 |
| P&O Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | 241.5 | 1.7 | 466.79 | 2.0 |
| P&O Cruises Australia | Carnival Corporation & plc | 127.3 | 0.9 | 134.98 | 0.6 |
| Cunard Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | 99.7 | 0.7 | 427.11 | 0.6 |
| Seabourn Cruise Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | 33.8 | 0.2 | 345.12 | 1.4 |
| Royal Caribbean Group | Royal Caribbean Group | 3,246.8 | 23.6 | 5,054.21 | 21.2 |
| Royal Caribbean International | Royal Caribbean Group | 2,657.9 | 19.1 | 3,048.67 | 12.8 |
| Celebrity Cruises | Royal Caribbean Group | 540.0 | 3.9 | 1,452.3 | 6.1 |
| Silversea Cruises | Royal Caribbean Group | 48.9 | 0.4 | 391.71 | 1.6 |
| Azamara Cruises | Royal Caribbean Group at the time of the statistics; subsequently sold to Sycamore Partners | 31.7 | 0.2 | 161.53 | 0.7 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings | 1,319.9 | 9.5 | 2,996.28 | 12.6 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings | 1,200.3 | 8.6 | 2,057.99 | 8.6 |
| Oceania Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings | 71.1 | 0.5 | 373.14 | 1.6 |
| Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings | 48.5 | 0.3 | 565.15 | 2.4 |
| MSC Cruises | Mediterranean Shipping Company | 1,414.7 | 10.2 | 1,539.65 | 6.5 |
| TUI Cruises | TUI Group (50%) and Royal Caribbean Group (50%) | 481.5 | 3.4 | 1,318.47 | 5.6 |
| TUI Cruises | TUI Cruises | 330.1 | 2.4 | 903.79 | 3.8 |
| Marella Cruises | TUI Cruises | 102.9 | 0.7 | 281.77 | 1.2 |
| Hapag-Lloyd Cruises | TUI Cruises | 48.5 | 0.3 | 132.91 | 0.6 |
| Genting Hong Kong | Genting Hong Kong | 385.1 | 2.8 | 1,054.34 | 4.4 |
| Dream Cruises | Genting Hong Kong | 264.1 | 1.9 | 723.03 | 3.0 |
| Star Cruises | Genting Hong Kong | 80.2 | 0.6 | 219.67 | 0.9 |
| Crystal Cruises | Genting Hong Kong | 40.8 | 0.3 | 111.64 | 0.5 |
| Disney Cruise Line | Disney Experiences | 312.2 | 2.2 | 653.45 | 2.7 |
| Viking Cruises | Other | 143.7 | 1.0 | 393.41 | 1.7 |
| Hurtigruten | Hurtigruten, Inc. | 122.3 | 0.9 | 334.93 | 1.4 |
| Virgin Voyages | Virgin Group and Bain Capital | 111.1 | 0.8 | 304.1 | 1.3 |
| Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines | Bonheur | 110.7 | 0.8 | 303.03 | 1.3 |
| Ponant/Paul Gauguin Cruises | Artémis | 85.4 | 0.6 | 233.92 | 1.0 |
| Celestyal Cruises | Louis PLC | 64.1 | 0.5 | 175.44 | 0.7 |
| Paradise Cruise Line | | 50.5 | 0.4 | 138.23 | 0.6 |
| Phoenix Reisen | Other | 43.7 | 0.3 | 119.62 | 0.5 |
| Saga Cruises | Saga plc | 38.8 | 0.3 | 106.22 | 0.4 |
| Windstar Cruises | The Anschutz Corporation | 23.3 | 0.2 | 63.80 | 0.3 |
| Lindblad Expeditions | Other | 17.5 | 0.1 | 47.85 | 0.2 |
| Quark Expeditions | Travelopia | 15.5 | 0.1 | 42.42 | 0.2 |
| American Cruise Lines | Other | 13.6 | 0.1 | 37.21 | 0.2 |
| Star Clippers | Star Clippers Ltd | 11.7 | 0.1 | 31.90 | 0.1 |
| Voyages to Antiquity | Other | 7.8 | 0.1 | 21.27 | 0.1 |
| SeaDream Yacht Club | Other | 3.9 | 0.0 | 10.63 | 0.0 |
| Blount Small Ship Adventures | Other | 3.9 | 0.0 | 10.63 | 0.0 |
| Hebridean Island Cruises | Other | 1.9 | 0.0 | 5.32 | 0.0 |
| Grand Circle Cruise Line | Other | 1.9 | 0.0 | 5.32 | 0.0 |
| SAILNSTAY | Other | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.32 | 0.0 |
| Total | Total | 13,905.8 | 100% | 23,834.84 | 100% |

## List of ocean cruise lines
### Operational

List of operational ocean cruise lines :
| Name | Owner | Headquarters | Notes |
| Adora Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | China | |
| AIDA Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | Germany | |
| American Cruise Lines | | United States | Based in Guilford, Connecticut, offers coastal cruises and paddle-steamer cruises |
| Ambassador Cruise Line | | United Kingdom | Replacement of Cruise & Maritime Voyages |
| Aroya Cruises | Cruise Saudi | Saudi Arabia | Currently has one cruise ship M/V Manara |
| Atlas Ocean Voyages | Mystic Cruises | Portugal | |
| Aurora Expeditions | | Australia | Operates arctic cruises with Polar Pioneer |
| Azamara Cruises | Sycamore Partners | United States | |
| Bohai Cruises | China (state owned) | China | Owns Chinese Taishan. |
| Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | United States / United Kingdom | |
| Celebrity Cruises | Royal Caribbean Group | United States (originally Greece) | |
| Celestyal Cruises | | Cyprus | Previously named Louis Cruises |
| Club Med | | France | Based in Paris, operates Club Med 2 |
| Compagnie du Ponant | | France | Based in Marseille, operates yacht cruises |
| Costa Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | Italy | |
| Crystal Cruises | A&K Travel Group | United States | |
| Cunard Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | United Kingdom | |
| Disney Cruise Line | Disney | United States / United Kingdom | |
| Explora Journeys | Aponte family (private) | Switzerland / Italy | |
| Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines | | United Kingdom | |
| Hansa Touristk | | Germany | Privately owned (Kilian family), offers river cruises |
| Hapag-Lloyd Cruises | TUI Group | Germany | |
| Heritage Expeditions | | New Zealand | |
| Holland America Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | United States (originally Netherlands) | |
| Hurtigruten | | Norway | Also marketed as Norwegian Coastal Express |
| Iceland ProCruises | | Switzerland | Operates arctic cruises with MV Ocean Diamond |
| St Hilda Sea Adventures | | United Kingdom | Dunoon (Scotland), offers Scottish island cruises |
| The Majestic Line | | United Kingdom | Dunoon (Scotland), offers Scottish island cruises |
| Mano Maritime | | Israel | |
| Marella Cruises | TUI Group | United Kingdom | |
| Margaritaville at Sea | | United States | Formed by former executives from the defunct Celebration Cruise Line, operates the MAS Paradise & MAS Islander |
| MSC Cruises | Aponte family (private) | Switzerland / Italy | |
| Nanhai Cruises | China (state owned) | China | Exclusively run South China Sea cruises |
| Nicko Cruises | | Germany | Operates M/V Vasco da Gama |
| North Pacific Expeditions | Teevin family (private) | United States | Offers Alaska cruises with M/Y Sea Star |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd | United States (originally Norway) | |
| Oceania Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd | United States | |
| One Ocean Expeditions | | Canada | Operates arctic cruises with MS Akademik Ioffe |
| P&O Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | United Kingdom | |
| P&O Cruises Australia | Carnival Corporation & plc | Australia | |
| Paul Gauguin Cruises | | United States | Branch of Regent Seven Seas Cruises till 2010, offers South Pacific cruises |
| Pearl Seas Cruises | | United States | Offers Great Lakes, New England and Cuba cruises |
| Phoenix Reisen | Zurnieden family (private) | Germany | |
| Plantours Kreuzfahrten | | Germany | Operates MS Hamburg and several river cruise ships |
| Polar Cruises | | United States | Operates arctic cruises with MS Ocean Atlantic |
| Poseidon Expeditions | | United Kingdom | Arctic cruises with nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy |
| Princess Cruises | Carnival Corporation & plc | United States / United Kingdom | |
| Quark Expeditions | | United States | Expedition cruising |
| Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd | United States | |
| Royal Caribbean International | Royal Caribbean Group | United States (originally Norway) | |
| Saga Cruises | Saga Group | United Kingdom | |
| Sail Croatia | | United Kingdom | |
| Seabourn Cruise Line | Carnival Corporation & plc | United States | |
| SeaDream Yacht Club | Atle Brynestad (private) | Norway | |
| Silversea Cruises | Royal Caribbean Group | Monaco | |
| Swan Hellenic | Private Group | United Kingdom | |
| TUI Cruises | Royal Caribbean Group and TUI Group | Germany | |
| Universal Studios Cruise Line | Universal Studios | United States / United Kingdom / South Korea | |
| UnCruise Adventures | | United States | |
| Variety Cruises | | Greece | Yachts and small cruise ships |
| Vidanta Cruises | Grupo Vidanta | Mexico | |
| Viking Line | | Åland ( Finland) | Cruiseferries |
| Viking Ocean Cruises | Viking Cruises | Switzerland | |
| Virgin Voyages | Virgin Group | United States | |
| Windstar Cruises | Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. | United States | |

### Shipping line still in service

The following is a list of defunct ocean cruise lines where their shipping line is still in service.
| Name | Status | Headquarters | Notes |
| Club Cruise | No longer operates cruise ships | Netherlands | Continues to charter cruise ships to other companies |
| Far East Shipping Company | No longer operates cruise ships | Russia | |
| Finnlines | No longer operates cruise ships | Finland | |
| Kristina Cruises | No ships in operation | Finland | Last cruise ship Kristina Katarina sold off in 2013 |
| Ocean Star Cruises | No ships in operation | Mexico | Last cruise ship Ocean Star Pacific sold for scrap in 2014 |
| Silja Line | Ships are operated by Tallink | Finland | |

### Defunct

List of defunct ocean cruise lines :
| Name | Headquarters | Notes |
| Admiral Cruises | United States | Acquired by Royal Caribbean Group. in 1988. Ceased operations in 1992. |
| American Classic Voyages | United States | Bankrupt |
| Baltic Shipping Company | Soviet Union | |
| Birka Line | Finland | Subsidiary of Rederiaktiebolaget Eckerö, operates the Birka Gotland. As of July 20, 2020 and after 49 years on the Baltic Sea, Birka operations ceased in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Black Sea Shipping Company | Soviet Union | |
| Blue Star Line | United Kingdom | Merged and sold into P&O Nedlloyd |
| Celebration Cruise Line | United States | Re-branded into Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in 2014 |
| Chandris Cruises | Greece | Merged and re-branded into Celebrity Cruises in 1988 |
| Classic International Cruises | Australia | Liquidated on 20 December 2012 |
| Commodore Cruise Line | United States | |
| Croisières de France | France | Owned by Royal Caribbean Group, ceased operation in 2017 |
| Crown Cruise Line | United States | |
| Cruise & Maritime Voyages | South Quay Travel & Leisure Ltd. United Kingdom | Ceased operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic July 2020 |
| Cruise West | United States | Ceased operations on September 18, 2010 |
| Cunard-White Star Line | United Kingdom | Reverted name to Cunard Line in 1950 |
| Dolphin Cruise Line | Greece | Merged into Premier Cruise Line |
| Dream Cruises | Hong Kong | Ceased operations in May 2022 after Genting Hong Kong declared bankruptcy due to the Coronavirus pandemic |
| Eastern Cruise Lines | United States | Merged into Admiral Cruises in 1986 |
| EasyCruise | Greece | Sold to Hellenic Seaways |
| Effoa | Finland | |
| Epirotiki Line | Greece | Most well known for losing three of its cruise ships between 1988 and 1991, including the MTS Oceanos in 1991 |
| Fathom | United States | Ceased operations in June 2017 |
| Festival Cruises | Greece | |
| FTI Cruises | Germany | Cruise branch of Bavarian travel company FTI Group, operated MS Berlin (1980) |
| Hamburg Atlantic Line German Atlantic Line Hanseatic Tours | Germany | Merged into Hapag-Lloyd Cruises |
| Home Lines | Italy | Merged into Holland America Line |
| Iberocruceros | Spain | Merged into Costa Cruises |
| Imperial Majesty Cruise Line | United States | Became Celebration Cruise Line in 2009 |
| Island Cruises | United Kingdom | |
| Italian Line / Italian Cruises | Italy | |
| Jalesh Cruises | India | Ceased operations in 2020 due to Covid |
| Majestic International Cruises | Greece | |
| Majesty Cruise Line | Norway | Merged into Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Norwegian America Line | Norway | Merged into Cunard Line |
| Norwegian Capricorn Line | Australia | Merged into Star Cruises |
| Ocean Cruise Line | United States | Formed in 1984 by a combination of British, Swiss and American travel interests |
| Ocean Star Cruises | Mexico | First Mexican cruise line |
| Ocean Village | United Kingdom | Ceased operations in 2010 |
| Orient Lines | United States | |
| Orion Expedition Cruises | Australia | Taken over by and merged with Lindblad Expeditions in 2013 |
| Peter Deilmann Cruises | Germany | Ceased operations in 2015 |
| Polar Star Expeditions | Canada | Ceased operations in 2011 after major damage to MV Polar Star |
| Premier Cruise Line | United States | |
| Pullmantur Cruises | Spain | Ceased operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic in July 2020 |
| Renaissance Cruises | United States | |
| Royal Viking Line | Norway | Merged into Cunard Line |
| Sally Cruise | Finland | Merged into Silja Line |
| Shaw, Savill & Albion Line | United Kingdom | |
| Sitmar Cruises | Italy | Merged into P&O Cruises/Princess Cruises |
| Star Cruises | Hong Kong | Ceased operations in April 2022 after Genting Hong Kong declared bankruptcy due to the Coronavirus pandemic |
| Sundance Cruises | United States | Merged into Admiral Cruises in 1986 |
| Swedish American Line | Sweden | |
| Transocean Tours | Germany | From 2014 to 2020, German branch of Cruise & Maritime Voyages. Ceased operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic July 2020. |
| Van Gogh Cruises | United Kingdom | |
| Voyages of Discovery | United Kingdom | Ceased operations in 2017 after shutdown of All Leisure Holidays |
| Voyages to Antiquity | United Kingdom | |
| Western Cruise Lines | United States | Merged into Admiral Cruises in 1986 |
| White Star Line | United Kingdom | Merged with Cunard Line to form Cunard-White Star Line in 1934 |
| Windjammer Barefoot Cruises | United States | |

## List of river cruise lines
### Operational

The following is a list of operational river cruise lines.
| Name | Headquarters | Notes |
| 1AVista | Germany | River cruises in Europe |
| AmaWaterways | United States | River cruises in Europe, Asia and Africa |
| American Cruise Lines | United States | Paddle-steamer cruises on US rivers |
| Aqua Expeditions | Peru | Privately owned by Francesco Galli Zugaro, eco-friendly river cruises on Amazon and Mekong rivers |
| A-ROSA Flussschiff | Germany | River cruises in Europe, offered ocean-going cruises with A-Rosa blu 2002–04 |
| Australian Pacific Touring (APT) | Australia | Privately owned (McGeary family), river cruises in Europe, Asia and Africa, shares many ships with AmaWaterways |
| Avalon Waterways | United States | River cruises in Europe, Egypt, Asia and South America |
| Century Cruises | China | Operates along the Yangtze river |
| CroisiEurope | France | Privately owned (Schmitter family), river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| Crystal Cruises | United States | Owned by Genting Hong Kong, river cruises in Europe |
| DouroAzul | Portugal | Owned by Mystic Invest, river cruises in the Douro, Portugal |
| Emerald Waterways | United States | Owned by Australian river cruise operator Scenic, river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| European Waterways | United Kingdom | Operates converted trading barges on European Rivers |
| Grand Circle Cruise Line | United States | Owned by Grand Circle Corporation, river cruises in Europe |
| Great Lakes Cruise Company | United States | Privately owned (Conlin family), Great Lakes and river cruises in USA and Canada |
| Hansa Touristk | Germany | Privately owned (Kilian family), offers ocean and river cruises (Europe, Asia) |
| Heritage Line | Vietnam | River cruises in Asia |
| Lüftner Cruises | Austria | Privately owned (Lüftner family), river cruises in Europe |
| Nicko Cruises | Germany | Owned by Mystic Invest, river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| Orthodox Cruise Company | Russia | River cruises in Russia |
| Pandaw River Expeditions | Vietnam | River cruises in Asia |
| Paradise Cruises | Vietnam | Ha Long Bay |
| Phoenix Reisen | Germany | Privately owned (Zurnieden family), river cruises in Europe, Egypt, Asia and South America |
| Plantours Kreuzfahrten | Germany | Offers ocean and river cruises (Europe, Asia) |
| President Cruises | China | Operates along the Yangtze river |
| Reisebüro Mittelthurgau | Switzerland | Owned by Twerenbold Group, river cruises in Europe |
| Riviera Travel (DBA Riviera River Cruises) | United Kingdom | Luxury river cruises in Europe on the Rhone, Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine, Main and Moselle. Travel Brand of the Year 2017. |
| Sanctuary Retreats | United Kingdom | River cruises in Asia |
| Scenic | Australia | Owned by coach tour operator Transit Scenic Tours, river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| Tauck River Cruises | United States | Privately owned (Tauck family), river cruises in Europe |
| The River Cruise Line | United Kingdom | River cruises in Europe |
| Uniworld River Cruises | United States | River cruises in Europe, Egypt and Asia |
| Victoria Cruises | United States | The only American-based cruise line operating along the Yangtze River |
| Victoria Mekong Cruises | Vietnam | Partnership between Vietnam-based hospitality managers Thien Minh Group and Wendy Wu Tours |
| Viking River Cruises | Switzerland | River cruise line of Viking Cruises with operating HQ in Basel, Switzerland, marketing HQ in USA (California) |
| Viva River Cruises | Switzerland | Owned by Scylla AG (Tauck), river cruises in Europe |
| Vodohod | Russia | Owned by UCL Holding, river cruises in Russia |
| Yangtze Gold Cruises | China | Operates along the Yangtze River |
| Sardinha do Tejo | Portugal | Operates in Tejo River |

### Defunct

The following is a list of defunct river cruise lines.
| Name | Headquarters | Notes |
| American Queen Steamboat Company | United States | Ceased operations in Feb 2024. 4 riverboats sold to American Cruise Lines in Apr 2024. |
| DDSG | Austria | |
| Transocean Tours | Germany | From 2014 to 2021, German branch of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Ceased operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic July 2020 |
| TUI FlussGenuss | Germany | Former river cruise branch of TUI Group, ceased operations in 2014 |