Every year, cruise lines raise the bar with bigger ships, better dining, more entertainment, and new ways to experience life at sea. But not every ship hits the mark in the same way. After 19 cruises in 2025, we’ve narrowed down our Top 5 Cruise Ships of 2025: The Best Ships Sailing Right Now. These are the ships that truly stood out to us this past year. Ships in our Top 5 feature inspiring designs, standout food, incredible entertainment, and AMAZING crew. And our top ship for 2025? Let’s just say, it’s a vibe!
This list isn’t about hype or ship size alone. It’s about the total cruise experience: what works, what feels special, and what keeps us coming back.
Watch the full breakdown in our Top Cruise Ships of 2025 YouTube video, where we rank each ship and share what we loved and what surprised us the most.
Cruise Ships That Made Our Top 5 for 2025
These five ships earned their place on our Top 5 Cruise Ships of 2025 list thanks to strong overall experiences, standout onboard features, and cruise ships we would personally book again.
We’re not ranking them here as we’d never be able to do each ship justice, but if you’re researching a specific ship, we’ve linked our full reviews for the ships featured below. Note: Ships are listed in alphabetical order by brand:
- Margaritaville at Sea Islander
- Norwegian Aqua
- Norwegian Jade
- Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas
- Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady
Click any ship above to watch our full, in-depth review. Note: Norwegian Joy’s full review will be launching spring 2026 in time for her Alaska season.
How We Ranked the Top 5
To keep things fair and transparent, we looked at each ship through the same lens:
- Overall onboard experience
- Dining quality and variety
- Entertainment and nightlife
- Design, layout, and flow
- Value for the cruise fare
- That “wow” factor you feel when you step onboard
Some ships excelled in innovation. Others nailed the classic cruise experience. And a few surprised us more than we expected.
Our Top 5 Cruise Ships for 2025
The ships featured in our Top 5 Cruise Ships for 2025 represent the best of cruising right now. Each one offers something unique, whether you’re a first-time cruiser or someone who’s sailed dozens of times.
If you’re planning a cruise for 2026 or 2027 and want a ship that delivers across the board, this list is a great place to start.
Coming Next: The Worst Cruise Ships of 2025 😬
Not every ship makes the “best of” list. Next week, we’ll be sharing the other side of the story. Our Worst Cruise Ships of 2025 post will break down where certain ships missed the mark and who they might (or might not) be right for.
Make sure you’re subscribed to our YouTube channel and checking back here – and share your own thoughts below. What made the top of YOUR list?