TOP 15 best cruise lines with most recognisable cruise ships

Cruises have undergone a non-standard evolution over the past century, from luxury expeditions to Antarctica to the proliferation of floating hotels with incredible amenities such as roller coasters, music performances and a huge variety of restaurants on the high seas. Today there are a number of cruise destinations that span these two categories - cozy riverboats exploring historic Europe and sea or ocean cruises sailing the Galapagos Islands and other outlying destinations that are the ultimate luxury. And while 2020 has been a volatile year for cruise lines, the industry has continued to grow.

Carnival Cruise Line is an international cruise line headquartered in Doral, Florida. It is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. His logo is a funnel, like the funnels on his ships, in red, white and blue. The funnels are shaped like a whale's tail. Carnival ranks first on the list of the largest cruise lines in terms of the number of passengers carried annually and the total number of ships in the fleet.

As of September 2020, the Carnival Cruise Line's fleet consists of 23 vessels.

With its reputation as an entertainment company, Carnival offered low-cost cruises for the first time. Decorated with the neon lights of Las Vegas, Carnival cruises are perfect for young and young at heart.

Biggest vessel: Mardi Gras

Tonnage: 181 808 GT

Length: 340 m

Max capacity: 6 500 passengers

P&O Cruises is a British cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. It was originally a subsidiary of the shipping company P&O and was founded as part of the restructuring of P&O operations in 1977. Along with P&O Cruises Australia, a subsidiary also founded by P&O, it has the oldest legacy of any cruise line in the world, dating back to the first P&O passenger operations in 1837.

P&O Cruises was spun off from P&O in 2000, becoming a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, before taking over its current ownership in 2003 following the merger of P&O Princess Cruises and the Carnival Corporation. In 2018, the company accounted for 2.4% of the market for all cruise lines worldwide.

Perhaps the most famous name in the cruise industry, P&O Cruises offers a relaxed pace and a true sense of extravagance to guests visiting Asia, South America, the South Pacific and the Middle East.

Biggest vessel: MS Iona

Tonnage: 184 089 GT

Length: 344,5 m

Max capacity: 5 206 passengers

P&O Cruises Australia is a British-American cruise line headquartered with Carnival Australia and based in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia.

Originally a subsidiary of P&O Cruises in the UK, it was previously part of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company and has a direct historical relationship with the first cruise ships in the world. As such, it is one of the oldest cruise lines in the world and is now part of the Carnival Corporation & plc, operated locally by Carnival Australia. He currently operates three ships from various ports in Australia and New Zealand.

The name P&O Australia is synonymous with cruising, boasting architect-designed superliners and an excellent range of on-board services for cruising Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Asia.

Biggest vessel: Pacific Encounter

Tonnage: 109 000 GT

Length: 290 m

Max capacity: 2 600 passengers

Holland America Line is an American-owned cruise line subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Holland America Line was founded in Rotterdam, Netherlands and from 1873 to 1989 it operated as a Dutch shipping line, passenger line, cargo line and cruise line, operating mainly between the Netherlands and North America. As part of the company's legacy, she was directly involved in the transport of many hundreds of thousands of emigrants from the Netherlands to North America.

In the first quarter of a century, it transported over 400,000 people from Europe to America. Today, 15 Holland America ships host guests around the world.

Holland America has been a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation since 1989.

Biggest vessel: MS Nieuw Statendam

Tonnage: 99 902 GT

Length: 299,75 m

Max capacity: 2 666 passengers

Cunard Line is a British cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, the Cunard and three of its ships have been registered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

In 1839, Samuel Cunard was awarded the first contract with the British Transatlantic Steamship Mail, and the following year, together with the shipowner Sir George Burns (whose descendants took the title of Lord Inverclyde), together with the shipowner Sir George Burns, they founded the British North American Royal Steamship Company in Glasgow. Robert Napier, a renowned Scottish designer and builder of steamboats, will operate four of the pioneering rowing steamers on the Liverpool-Halifax-Boston line. For most of the next 30 years, Cunard held the Blue Ribbon as the fastest voyage across the Atlantic. However, in the 1870s, Cunard lagged behind its competitors, the White Star Line and Inman Line. To meet this competition, the company was reorganized into Cunard Steamship Company, Ltd. in 1879 to raise capital.

Sailing aboard the Cunard is like stepping back in time to the great old days of ocean travel. Steeped in maritime history, Cunard is renowned for luxury and elegance, embodying a bygone era of cruising.

Biggest vessel: Fincantieri 6274

Tonnage: 113 000 GT

Length: 322,51 m

Max capacity: 3 000 passengers

Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The line operates all over the world, from short seven-day Caribbean cruises to exotic 100+ day cruises around the world. It is owned by Carnival Corporation, part of the World's Leading Cruise Lines marketing group, which also includes Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises and AIDA Cruises.

Currently, the company's fleet consists of five ships and two sister ships.

Sailing on a Seabourn is like sailing your own private yacht. These are cozy ships with less than 300 apartments on board. Guests share large open decks, inviting areas and the personal attention of an outstanding crew.

Biggest vessel: MV Seabourn Ovation

Tonnage: 41 865 GT

Length: 210 m

Max capacity: 604 passengers

Princess Cruises is a cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. The company is incorporated in Bermuda and is headquartered in Santa Clarita, California. As of 2018, it is the second largest cruise line in terms of net revenue. It was previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises and is currently owned by the Holland America Group under Carnival Corporation & plc, which exercises executive control over the Princess Cruises brand. The line has 18 ships plying global routes that are offered to both American and international passengers.

The company became famous thanks to the American television series The Boat of Love, which featured its ship Pacific Princess. In May 2013, the Royal Princess, the first royal ship and the largest ship built for the Princess at the time, became the flagship of Princess Cruises.

Princess Cruises, one of the most recognized names in the industry, is best known for its cruise vacation concept. Starting with a solo cruise in 1965, Princess boasts an impressive fleet of ships.

Biggest vessel: MS Island Princess

Tonnage: 91 627 GT

Length: 294 m

Max capacity: 2 214 passengers

Royal Caribbean International (RCI), also formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organized as a 100% subsidiary of the Royal Caribbean Group since 1997. Based in Miami, Florida, USA, it is the largest cruise line in terms of revenue and the second in terms of passenger numbers. In 2018, Royal Caribbean International controlled 19.2% of the global cruise market in terms of passengers and 14.0% in terms of revenue. He operates the four largest passenger ships in the world. As of January 2021, the line serves twenty-four ships and six more ships on order.

Royal Caribbean cruises boast one of the newest and most innovative fleets in the industry, offering some of the most unique amenities of any cruise line, including the already renowned observation capsule.

Biggest vessel: Symphony of the Seas

Tonnage: 228 081 GT

Length: 361,01 m

Max capacity: 6 680 passengers

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), also known as Norwegian, is an American cruise line founded in 1966, registered in Bermuda and headquartered in Miami. It is the third largest cruise line in the world in terms of passenger numbers, controlling about 8.7% of the total global cruise market share by passengers as of 2018. It is wholly owned by the parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Norwegian Cruise Line, a pioneer in the cruise industry, introduced the Freestyle Cruising concept for the first time. NCL boasts a 48-year history of pushing the boundaries of traditional cruises.

Biggest vessel: Norwegian Encore

Tonnage: 169 116 GT

Length: 333,44 m

Max capacity: 3 998 passengers

MSC Cruises is an international cruise line registered in Switzerland and based in Geneva. It was founded in Naples, Italy in 1989. It is part of Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC), the second largest container transport operator in the world. In addition to being the largest privately-owned cruise line in the world, employing approximately 23,500 people worldwide and offices in 45 countries as of 2017, MSC Cruises is the fourth largest cruise line in the world after Carnival Corporation & plc. , Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which accounted for 7.2% of all passengers carried in 2017.

MSC Cruises is a leader in the cruise industry and boasts one of the most dynamic and state-of-the-art fleets at sea, each vessel featuring a signature blend of innovative design and the traditional elegance of MSC Cruises.

Biggest vessel: MSC Virtuosa

Tonnage: 181 541 GT

Length: 331,43 m

Max capacity: 6 334 passengers

Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida and wholly owned by the Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greek company Chandris Group and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 1997. The signature Celebrity logo represents the "Χ" symbol on the funnel of the Celebrity ships and is the Greek letter chi for "Chandris".

Celebrity Cruises sets the standard with great styling and spacious staterooms. Relax like a star with Celebrity and enjoy large pools, signature nightlife, elegant spas and glass-walled dining rooms.

Biggest vessel: Celebrity Apex

Tonnage: 130 818 GT

Length: 306 m

Max capacity: 3 405 passengers

Costa Crociere SpA, operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and organized as a 100% subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily serves the Italian cruise market. but the fourteen ships of the company, all sailing under the Italian flag, provide routes to the countries of the world.

Founded in 1854 by Giacomo Costa as Giacomo Costa fu Andrea, the company originally operated cargo ships carrying olive oil and textiles.

Biggest vessel: Costa Smeralda

Tonnage: 185 010 GT

Length: 337 m

Max capacity: 6 554 passengers

Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line that is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited through the first Disney Magic ship and is located in London, England, with its operating headquarters in Celebration, Florida.

Disney Cruise Line currently operates four ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy. Three ships will join the fleet in 2022, 2024 and 2025. The first ship was named Disney Wish. Disney Cruise Line also owns Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas created as an exclusive port of call for Disney ships. A second private destination, Lighthouse Point, Bahamas, a 700-acre site at the southern tip of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, is under construction to open in late 2022 or early 2023. Disney Cruise Line operates the Disney Cruise Line Terminal (Terminal 8) in Port Canaveral, Florida.

Biggest vessel: Disney Fantasy

Tonnage: 129 750 GT

Length: 339,8 m

Max capacity: 4 000 passengers

Viking is a cruise line company offering river, ocean and expedition cruises. Its operating headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland, and its marketing headquarters are in Los Angeles, California.

Originally a river cruise line, Viking has launched six ocean-going vessels since 2015, the latest of which is the all-new Viking Jupiter, which made its maiden voyage in February 2019. The ships are almost identical, each carrying 930 passengers housed in the balconies of the cabins. Although not all inclusive, Viking Ocean guests receive one free excursion to each port (ships mostly sail in Northern Europe, although there are Mediterranean routes during the off-season), beer and wine for lunch and dinner, and unlimited Wi-Fi. -Fi connection.

The company has three divisions: Viking River Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking Expeditions. As of February 2020, it operates a fleet of 76 river vessels and 6 ocean-going vessels offering river and ocean cruises in the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, Egypt, China and Southeast Asia.

Biggest vessel: Viking Mississippi

Tonnage: 47 800 GT

Length: 137 m

Max capacity: 386 passengers

Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises) is a British cruise line operated by TUI UK offering cruises across Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. The company's fleet consists of six vessels, accommodating between 1,100 and 2,000 passengers, cruising across Europe, the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean, with some special trips to Asia.

Biggest vessel: Marella Explorer 2

Tonnage: 71 545 GT

Length: 248 m

Max capacity: 1 814 passengers

In Marine Digital we during the development process have formed 4 solutions that are suitable for charters, shipowners and fleet managers of different types of vessels for:

• Weather routing and voyage optimization for managing ETA

• Real time monitoring of vessel performance

• Predictive maintenance of equipment onboard

• Reduction in fuel consumption and GHG emissions

Аdvantage of Fuel Optimization System from Marine Digital:

Marine Digital FOS can be integrated with other system and third-party's solutions through the API. To implement vessel performance monitoring for any vessel, we are using mathematical algorithms, machine learning and the same equipment as in FOS. The more data we collect from vessels, the more precise reports and recommendations our system will perform according to your individual requirements in fleet management.

If you have any questions about the solutions and the Marine Digital System platform, write to us, we will be happy to answer

Increased business process speed

Reducing to zero the number of errors

Best offer to the clients

Reduction in operating expenses

Have a questions?