List of cruise lines
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships and markets cruises to the public.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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);<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the listing of cruise ship sales, transfers,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and new orders;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> cruise line market share;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the member-based reviews of cruise lines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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 passengers
Template:As of, the cruise industry was estimated to be around Template:Usd23.8 billion with 72.5 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 2025 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, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and TUI Group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Legend:
- Bold: Major cruise company
- Italic: Subsidiary of a major cruise company
List of ocean cruise lines
Operational
Defunct
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic Shipping Company | No longer operates cruise ships | Template:Flag | Engaging in construction of 116 vessels for various purposes including 4 passenger ferries |
| Black Sea Shipping Company | No ships in operation | Template:Flag | |
| Club Cruise | No longer operates cruise ships | Template:Flag | Continues to charter cruise ships to other companies |
| Far East Shipping Company | No longer operates cruise ships | Template:Flag | Operator of marine shipping, roll-on/roll-off, rail transportation and port handling. |
| Finnlines | No longer operates cruise ships | Template:Flag | Operator of ro-ro and passenger services |
| Kristina Cruises | No ships in operation | Template:Flag | Last cruise ship Kristina Katarina sold off in 2013. Company is concentrating on selling cruises on other ships as a tour operator |
| Majestic International Cruises | No ships in operation | Template:Flag | |
| Ocean Cruise Line<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | No ships in operation | Template:Flag | |
| Ocean Star Cruises | No ships in operation | Template:Flag | Last cruise ship Ocean Star Pacific sold for scrap in 2014 |
| Silja Line | No longer operates cruise ships | Template:Flag | Operator of cruiseferrys |
List of river cruise lines
Operational river lines
The following is a list of operational river cruise lines.
| Name | Headquarters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1AVista | Template:Flag | River cruises in Europe |
| AmaWaterways | Template:Flag | River cruises in Europe, Asia and Africa |
| American Cruise Lines | Template:Flag | Paddle-steamer cruises on US rivers |
| Aqua Expeditions | Template:Flag | Privately owned by Francesco Galli Zugaro, eco-friendly river cruises on Amazon and Mekong rivers |
| A-ROSA Flussschiff | Template:Flag | River cruises in Europe, offered ocean-going cruises with A-Rosa blu 2002–04 |
| Australian Pacific Touring (APT) | Template:Flag | Privately owned (McGeary family), river cruises in Europe, Asia and Africa, shares many ships with AmaWaterways |
| Avalon Waterways | Template:Flag | River cruises in Europe, Egypt, Asia and South America |
| Century Cruises | Template:Flag | Operates along the Yangtze river |
| CroisiEurope | Template:Flag | Privately owned (Schmitter family), river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| Crystal Cruises | Template:Flag | Owned by Genting Hong Kong, river cruises in Europe |
| DouroAzul | Template:Flag | Owned by Mystic Invest, river cruises in the Douro, Portugal |
| Emerald Cruises | Template:Flag | |
| Emerald Waterways | Template:Flag | Owned by Australian river cruise operator Scenic, river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| European Waterways | Template:Nowrap | Operates converted trading barges on European Rivers |
| Grand Circle Cruise Line | Template:Flag | Owned by Grand Circle Corporation, river cruises in Europe |
| Great Lakes Cruise Company | Template:Flag | Privately owned (Conlin family), Great Lakes and river cruises in USA and Canada |
| Hansa Touristk | Template:Flag | Privately owned (Kilian family), offers ocean and river cruises (Europe, Asia) |
| Heritage Line | Template:Flag | River cruises in Asia |
| Lüftner Cruises | Template:Flag | Privately owned (Lüftner family), river cruises in Europe |
| Nicko Cruises | Template:Flag | Owned by Mystic Invest, river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| Orthodox Cruise Company | Template:Flag | River cruises in Russia |
| Pandaw River Expeditions | Template:Flag | River cruises in Asia |
| Paradise Cruises | Template:Flag | Ha Long Bay |
| Phoenix Reisen | Template:Flag | Privately owned (Zurnieden family), river cruises in Europe, Egypt, Asia and South America |
| Plantours Kreuzfahrten | Template:Flag | Offers ocean and river cruises (Europe, Asia) |
| President Cruises | Template:Flag | Operates along the Yangtze river |
| Reisebüro Mittelthurgau | Template:Flag | Owned by Twerenbold Group, river cruises in Europe |
| Riviera Travel (DBA Riviera River Cruises) | Template:Nowrap | Luxury river cruises in Europe on the Rhone, Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine, Main and Moselle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Travel Brand of the Year 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Sanctuary Retreats | Template:Nowrap | River cruises in Asia |
| Scenic | Template:Flag | Owned by coach tour operator Transit Scenic Tours, river cruises in Europe and Asia |
| Tauck River Cruises | Template:Flag | Privately owned (Tauck family), river cruises in Europe |
| The River Cruise Line | Template:Nowrap | River cruises in Europe |
| Uniworld River Cruises | Template:Flag | River cruises in Europe, Egypt and Asia |
| Victoria Cruises | Template:Flag | The only American-based cruise line operating along the Yangtze River |
| Victoria Mekong Cruises | Template:Flag | Partnership between Vietnam-based hospitality managers Thien Minh Group and Wendy Wu Tours |
| Viking River Cruises | Template:Flag | River cruise line of Viking Cruises with operating HQ in Basel, Switzerland, marketing HQ in USA (California) |
| Viva River Cruises | Template:Flag | Owned by Scylla AG (Tauck), river cruises in Europe |
| Vodohod | Template:Flag | Owned by UCL Holding, river cruises in Russia |
| Yangtze Gold Cruises | Template:Flag | Operates along the Yangtze River |
| Sardinha do Tejo | Template:Flag | Operates in Tejo River |
Defunct river lines
The following is a list of defunct river cruise lines.
| Name | Headquarters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| American Queen Steamboat Company | Template:Flag | Ceased operations in Feb 2024. 4 riverboats sold to American Cruise Lines in Apr 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| DDSG | Template:Flag | |
| Transocean Tours | Template:Flag | From 2014 to 2021, German branch of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Ceased operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic July 2020 |
| TUI FlussGenuss | Template:Flag | Former river cruise branch of TUI Group, ceased operations in 2014 |