A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships and markets cruises to the public.[1] 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);[2] the listing of cruise ship sales, transfers,[3] and new orders;[4] cruise line market share;[5] and the member-based reviews of cruise lines.[6]
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.
, the cruise industry was estimated to be around 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.[7]
Legend:
| Cruise line | Parent company | Passengers | Revenue | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (thousands) | % | (US$ millions) | % | |||
| 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 | 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[8] | 31.7 | 0.2 | 161.53 | 0.7 | |
| 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 | 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 | |
| Total | 13,905.8 | 100% | 23,834.84 | 100% | ||
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 | ||
| No longer operates cruise ships |  Finland | ||
| Kristina Cruises | No ships in operation | Finland | Last cruise ship Kristina Katarina sold off in 2013 |
| No ships in operation |  Mexico | Last cruise ship Ocean Star Pacific sold for scrap in 2014 | |
| Silja Line | Ships are operated by Tallink | Finland | |
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 |
| American Queen Steamboat Company | United States | Mississippi river |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | River cruises in Russia | |
| Pandaw River Expeditions | River cruises in Asia | |
| Paradise Cruises | 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) | Luxury river cruises in Europe on the Rhone, Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine, Main and Moselle.[15] Travel Brand of the Year 2017.[16] | |
| Sanctuary Retreats | 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 | 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 | 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) |
| Vodohod | 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 |
The following is a list of defunct river cruise lines.
| Name | Headquarters | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
United Kingdom
Saudi Arabia
Cyprus
Italy
New Zealand
Norway
Israel
Canada
Monaco
Greece
Spain
India
Hong Kong
Sweden