The most popular cruise ships

With more than 320 cruise ships sailing around the world, choosing the perfect one for your next adventure may feel a little overwhelming. Luckily, our customers have great taste. Drawing on their top choices, we’ve compiled a list of five of the most popular cruise ships to help make your decision easier. 

Ambience was the first cruise ship to debut in the Ambassador Cruise Line fleet. She started life as Regal Princess before becoming Pacific Dawn and then Amy Johnson but was officially relaunched in 2022 as Ambience. As Ambassador Cruise Line’s flagship, Ambience was completely refurbished. Her 10-passenger decks are packed full of restaurants, bars and entertainment spaces. 

Ambience has six dining options. There are two complimentary restaurants; the Buckingham Restaurant on Deck 7 and Borough Market on Deck 12, as well as four speciality restaurants; Alfresco Grill, Saffron and Sea & Grass on Deck 12 and Chef’s Table on Deck 7. Bars include Raffles Bar, Botanical Lounge and SW19 all on Deck 7 and The Purple Turtle Pub on Deck 8. During the day, there’s plenty to keep passengers occupied with Aces & Eights, a bridge and card room, Kapoor’s, a crafting studio, Bronte’s Library and the Ambassador Casino, all on Deck 6. On Deck 12 and Deck 14, passengers will find the pool and sun deck. Evening entertainment can be found at the Observatory on Deck 14 and The Palladium on Decks 7 and 8. 

Ambience’s 798 cabins have been designed to offer the utmost comfort. Guests can choose from inside, outside and balcony cabins as well as suites. Each cabin features tea and coffee-making facilities, a fridge, a hair dryer, a safe and a flat-screen TV. Included in the price of an Ambience cruise are; accommodations, dining, onboard entertainment and activities, a range of fitness, dance and wellness classes, access to fitness facilities and the spa and luggage porterage. Not included are drinks packages, gratuities, shore excursions, shopping and laundry. 

Ambience sails to over 80 ports around the world. Standout destinations include the Baltic and Scandinavian regions, the Polar Regions, the Atlantic Islands and the Caribbean. 

When Queen Anne debuted in 2024, she made waves. As the first ship to join the Cunard fleet in 14 years, she marked a new era for the cruise line. The 2,996-passenger ship blends the classic with the contemporary, attracting both new travellers and loyal Cunarders. With everything that makes a Cunard ship so special plus a plethora of new venues onboard, Queen Anne offers a chance to sail in unparalleled comfort. 

Queen Anne offers guests more choices than ever before with plentiful dining options. There are six complimentary dining options onboard; Britannia Club and Golden Lion on Deck 2, Britannia Restaurant on Decks 2 and 3, Artisan’s Foodhall on Deck 9 and Princess Grill and Queens Grill on Deck 10, as well as four speciality restaurants; Aranya and Tramonto on Deck 9 and Aji Wa and Sir Samuel’s on Deck 10. Bars include the Chart Room on Deck 2, Carinthia Lounge on Deck 3, Pavilion Bar on Deck 9 and Commodore Club, Admiral’s Lounge and Churchill’s all on Deck 12. There’s entertainment aplenty on Queen Anne with the Royal Court Theatre on Deck 2 and 3, Queens Room on Deck 3, The Pavilion on Deck 9 and the all-new Bright Lights Society on Deck 2. Wellness also takes centre stage onboard through The Pavilion Wellness Studio, Mareel Wellness & Beauty and the exclusive partnership with Harper’s Bazaar and Cunard. 

You’ll find a variety of spacious staterooms and suites onboard Queen Anne. Guests can choose from inside, outside and balcony cabins as well as suites. Standout accommodations include the Princess Grill Suites which are approximately 302 square feet and the Queens Grill Suites which offer the pinnacle of luxury. Across all accommodations, guests will find a flat-screen TV, a dressing table with a mirror, tea and coffee-making facilities, USB charging ports, a safe, a hair dryer, bath robes and slippers for use onboard. 

During her maiden season, Queen Anne is sailing to Europe, including the Baltic and Scandinavian regions, Central America and the Panama Canal, Australia and New Zealand, Asia and the Far East and Africa and the Middle East. 

Borealis joined the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines fleet in 2020 along with her sister ship, Bolette. She began life as Holland America Line’s Rotterdam before officially relaunching as Borealis following total redecoration and refurbishment. The 1,353-passenger ship has a host of restaurants, bars and entertainment areas across 10 decks and is a great option for solo cruisers. 

Borealis has seven dining options. There are five complimentary restaurants; Borealis and Aurora on Deck 4 and Deck 5 (the ship's main dining options), The Arctic Room on Deck 5 and The Poolside Café and the View on Deck 8. There are two speciality dining options; Colours & Tastes on Deck 4 which serves a blend of modern Asian Fusion dishes and Vasco on Deck 8 which offers a fresh and modern take on Indian food. The ship boasts many bars and lounges split across several decks. Ocean Bar, Piano Bar, The Oriental Team Room, The Bookmark Café & Lounge, Morning Light Pub & Lounge, The Botanical Room and The Earth Room can all be found on Deck 5. You’ll see The Lido Bar and The View Bar on Deck 8 and The Observatory on Deck 9. There’s plenty to keep passengers entertained night and day onboard. Guests can enjoy interactive events at The Auditorium on Deck 4, a quiet space at The Card Room on Deck 5 and a spot of shopping at the boutiques also on Deck 5. At night, the Neptune Lounge and Balcony on Decks 4 and 5 come alive with superb shows. 

Borealis boasts 702 cabins across five decks. Guests can choose from inside, outside and balcony cabins as well as suites. Borealis boasts adapted cabins and accommodations for solo travellers, with grades ranging from balconies to suites for adapted and inside to suites for solo cruisers. Included in the price of a cruise on Borealis are; accommodations, dining, self-service tea and coffee in selected venues, in-cabin dining and snacks, all evening entertainment, use of leisure facilities, a wide choice of onboard activities, UK port taxes and luggage porterage. 

Lastly, Borealis spends her time sailing between Europe, the Mediterranean, the Polar Regions and the Caribbean.  

The adults-only Arcadia joined the P&O Cruises fleet in 2005. She was originally ordered in 2000 by Holland America Line, then allocated to Cunard in 2003 before making her way to P&O Cruises as Arcadia. Sailing year-round from Southampton, she offers a variety of itineraries from mini cruises (great for those dipping their toes into the world of cruising) to around-the-world once-in-a-lifetime voyages. 

Arcadia’s onboard experience is catered to an adult-only crowd. She has three complimentary dining options; Meridian Restaurant on Decks 2 and 3 and The Belvedere and Neptune Grill on Deck 9 as well as three speciality dining options; Ocean Grill on Deck 2, Caffé Vivo on Deck 3 and Sinhu on Deck 11. Arcadia has a plethora of bars and lounges for passengers to enjoy. Spinnaker, Intermzoo, The Globe and The Rising Sun are all on Deck 2. The Piano Bar and Caffé Vivo are on Deck 3, Aquarius Bar and Neptune’s Bar can be found on Deck 9, The Crow’s Nest on Deck 10 and East Bar on Deck 11. There’s a great variety of entertainment onboard, from the rejuvenating spa to all-out evening fun. During the day, why not wander around the Art Gallery on Deck 2, read a book in the Library on Deck 3 or enjoy a treatment at Oasis Spa on Deck 9? At night, catch a show at the Palladium Theatre on Decks 1, 2 and 3, try your luck at Monte Carlo Casino on Deck 2 or enjoy a film at The Screening Room on Deck 3. 

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to accommodations on Arcadia. There are 1,050 cabins; 6 single cabins, 162 inside cabins, 166 outside cabins, 650 balcony cabins, 31 mini suites and 35 suites. 18 of the cabins are fully adapted with wheelchair access and 12 are partially adapted cabins. Standard amenities include a TV, a radio, a telephone, a hair dryer, a refrigerator, a safe, tea and coffee-making facilities, air conditioning, a dressing table with a chair, a wardrobe and some drawer space. Included in the price of your Arcadia cruise are accommodations, dining, entertainment, onboard activities and flights and transfers (where applicable). 

Offering no-fly cruises from Southampton, Arcadia is most popular for her around-the-world voyages but she also sails to Europe and North America. 

The 3,660-passenger Sky Princess joined the Princess Cruises fleet in 2019. She was the fourth ship in the Royal Class and was designed and built on the basis of her successful sister ships, Royal Princess, Regal Princess and Majestic Princess. ROL Cruise team member Georgia sailed on Sky Princess in 2019, she told us why the ship is so popular: 

Her partnerships with award-winning chefs mean Sky Princess is packed full of excellent dining options. She has seven complimentary restaurants spanning from delicious gelato to tasty seafood. You’ll find Gelato and International Café on Deck 5, Alfredo’s Pizzeria and Ocean Terrace Sushi Bar on Deck 7 and Slice, The Salty Dog Grill and World Fresh Marketplace on Deck 16. Speciality dining options include Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria on Deck 5, Chef’s Table Lumiere on Deck 6 and Crown Grill and The Catch by Rudi on Deck 7. There are many bars and lounges to choose from on Sky Princess. Some options include Bellini’s on Deck 5, Good Spirits at Sea on Deck 6, Crown Grill Bar and Vista Lounge on Deck 7 and SeaView Bar and Wake View Bar on Deck 16. Much like everything else on Sky Princess, there’s plenty to keep you entertained onboard. Fun daytime activities include shopping at The Shops of Princess, soaking at one of the pools and the extensive Discovery at Sea programs. Not to be missed are Movies Under the Stars®, which is hosted on Deck 18, and the original musical productions at Princess Theater, which spans Decks 6 and 7. 

Sky Princess has a vast array of options when it comes to onboard accommodations but perhaps most impressive are her range of suites. The ship offers five different types of suites; Premium Suites, Penthouse Suites, Owner’s Suites, Window Suites and Sky Suites. All come with a host of perks like priority embarkation and disembarkation, priority speciality dining and shore excursion reservations and a complimentary mini-bar setup, to name a few. 

Sky Princess offers a range of cruises to the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean and North America.