Port of Kiel Cruises

Specialising in fun-filled family holidays, Carnival Cruises traverse the seas of Europe and North America with a fleet of more than 20 sleek cruise liners. Founded in 1972 and based in the United States, Carnival strives to entertain travellers of all ages, offering a veritable smorgasbord of facilities and activities. Ultimately casual but packed full of excitement, Carnival Cruises are ideal for passengers looking for a livelier holiday.

Regent promises to deliver The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience, offering an all-inclusive, ultra-luxury experience that is Unrivalled at Sea™. Guests will be able to explore more than 550 destinations around the world while enjoying the unrivalled space, elegance, and comfort of The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet®. Regent will tend to every detail of their journey from start to finish, so guests can be pampered by the warm, Heartfelt Hospitality™ delivered by the crew. 

Founded in 1844 as the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company,  P&O Cruises can claim to be the world’s oldest cruise company. It’s also the largest British cruise line specialising in no-fly sailings from Southampton.

Oceania Cruises has built a reputation for its approach to small ship luxury. Onboard its intimate, upscale vessels, food sits firmly at the centre of the experience, with refined dining that ranks among the best at sea. Beyond that, the adults-only line is known for its destination-led itineraries, favouring lesser-visited ports and longer stays ashore.   

SeaDream led the industry down a path of post-lockdown recovery during a Norwegian cruise. However, the line's two 112-passenger ships are more at home in the Med and Caribbean, where they can offer a "champagne in the surf" experience. Dining and sleeping are offered on deck, thanks to an outdoor restaurant and a series of Balinese beds. Champagne, strawberries and towel swans add to the romance.

Holland America Line, which has been sailing for 150 years, visits 400 ports in 114 countries every year. Dutch heritage shines through in some of the $4million-worth of artwork to be seen onboard, complimenting the luxurious cruise experience. Live music remains HAL's forte, with venues including the Rolling Stone Rock room and BB King's Blues Club. For foodies, a wide range of restaurants serve the finest of fayre.

The age of elegance lives on aboard Cunard's impressive fleet, with white-gloved afternoon teas, grand staircases, exuberant cabins and formal galas in elegant restaurants. Now that Cunard has observed the centenary of its pioneering world cruise, the famous mantra of dignified excellence has intensified to create not just one of the greatest cruise experiences, but the finest travel money can buy.

Ambassador Cruise Line describes itself as a "premium value" service, offering value-for-money breaks aimed primarily at the over-50s. The company, based in Essex, first sailed out of Tilbury in 2022, with its first Ambassador ship - Ambience, now joined by Ambition. Guests can expect talks, a vast array of entertainment, and a healthy choice of restaurants. The tag claims "best value at sea" - we'd be inclined to agree.

Sold by Royal Caribbean Group in January 2021, Azamara is already expanding under its new owners, Sycamore Partners. The destination-focused line has brought forth a ship, Azamara Onward - the former Pacific Princess - which, like the rest of the fleet, is a Renaissance Cruises R-class. But regular customers needn't worry. In fact, they'll notice little change under the new ownership, as many itineraries will continue to be based on single countries, with late nights and overnight stays in port. The signature AzAmazing evenings - exclusive shore-based cultural events - and optional pre or post-cruise land tours are also staying.

Saga’s ships have redefined British boutique cruising with their contemporary and stylish aesthetic, and impressive feat of engineering. More akin to boutique hotels than cruise ships, vessels offer an intimate, relaxed and luxurious style of cruising that will no doubt appeal to its mature clientele - who value sumptuous public spaces, exquisitely appointed cabins and excellent cuisine over cutting-edge, high-tech facilities.

MSC Cruises may be headquartered in Switzerland, but the ambience onboard its 23 ships is very much Italian owing to its owners, the Aponte family. Ships feature a two-storey Mediterranean-style promenade and Instagram-worthy glass staircases filled with Swarovski crystals.The line’s flagship is the 6,327 passenger MSC Euribia, which is MSC's second ship to run on liquefied natural gas.