 | This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Some of the listed cruise lines are now bankrupt, out of business or have changed owners. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (November 2022) |
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
List of ocean cruise lines
Operational
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 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 |
See also
References
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- "Member Cruise Lines". Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
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- "Cruise ship orderbook". Cruise Industry News. 6 January 2011. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- "Cruise line market share". Cruise market watch. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- "Member reviews of cruise lines". Cruise Critic. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
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- "Ocean Cruise Line". www.simplonpc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
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- "Which? Awards 2017 winners revealed". Which? News. 17 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- "American Queen Paddlewheelers Sold to American Cruise Lines". The Maritime Executive.