Your FREE Cruise Quiz

The quiz asks five questions, each targeting a different dimension of what makes a cruise line the right fit for a particular traveller. Every answer you give adds points to one or more cruise lines behind the scenes — and the line with the highest total score at the end is your match.
Question 1 — What matters most to you on a cruise? This is the foundation of the whole result. Whether you're drawn to grandeur and tradition, intimate personal service, world-class food or lively onboard energy, your answer here creates the strongest signal of all, because it goes to the heart of what each line does best.

Question 2 — How do you prefer your holiday to be priced? Cruise lines approach pricing in very different ways. Some include almost everything in the fare; others offer a lower headline price with extras available to add. Your preference here steers the result strongly towards lines like Regent Seven Seas (the gold standard of all-inclusive) or away from lines where the base fare is just the starting point.

Question 3 — What kind of destinations excite you most? Not every cruise line goes everywhere, and those that do don't all do it equally well. Cunard owns the transatlantic crossing. Seabourn excels in remote and expedition ports. P&O and Royal Caribbean have Caribbean and Mediterranean programmes built around volume and variety. Oceania is celebrated for destination-rich itineraries with longer port stays. Your destination preference is a strong differentiator.

Question 4 — How important is the onboard social atmosphere? This question separates the formal from the relaxed, the lively from the serene. Cunard scores highly for those who love black-tie evenings and a sense of occasion. Seabourn suits guests who want calm, unhurried elegance. Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages are built for energy and socialising. The atmosphere onboard is something guests either love or find jarring — so we weight this question carefully.

Question 5 — What is your ideal ship size? Ship size has an enormous influence on the experience. Small ships mean more personal service, access to smaller ports and a quieter pace. Mega ships mean more facilities, more entertainment and more choice — but also more passengers. Regent and Oceania sit in the mid-size sweet spot. Seabourn operates boutique ships. Royal Caribbean operates some of the largest cruise ships ever built. Your preference here fine-tunes the final result.

All five scores are combined and the top seven lines are ranked. Your result shows your top match, your runner-up, and a match percentage bar for the top four lines so you can see exactly how the scoring played out. No quiz can replace thorough research — but it's a genuinely useful starting point, and we've spent hundreds of days at sea across all of these lines to make sure the weightings reflect reality.

Cunard

Few names in travel carry as much weight as Cunard. Founded in 1839, Cunard virtually invented the modern concept of ocean liner travel, and the line still operates with a sense of occasion that is unlike anything else afloat. The flagship Queen Mary 2 remains the only true ocean liner in service today, making the transatlantic crossing between Southampton and New York in a way that feels genuinely historic. Onboard, expect formal evenings, the legendary Queens Grill dining experience, a ballroom, a planetarium and the kind of white-glove service that has been refined over nearly two centuries. Cunard suits travellers who appreciate ceremony, heritage and the romance of golden age travel.
[Read our full Cunard guide →]

Seabourn

Seabourn is widely regarded as one of the finest ultra-luxury cruise lines in the world, and for good reason. Operating a small fleet of intimate all-suite ships carrying between 458 and 600 guests, Seabourn delivers a near 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, complimentary open bars throughout the ship, caviar served on deck and a level of personalised attention that feels closer to a private members club than a cruise ship. Because the ships are small, they can access ports that larger vessels simply cannot reach — including remote expedition destinations in Antarctica, the Arctic and the far corners of the Pacific. Seabourn is the natural choice for well-travelled couples and solo travellers who want to feel genuinely looked after. [Read our full Seabourn guide →]

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

If you want to board the ship, relax and not think about your wallet again until you get home, Regent Seven Seas is the line for you. Regent pioneered the truly all-inclusive luxury cruise, and the package remains the most comprehensive in the industry — every shore excursion, all dining venues including speciality restaurants, unlimited premium drinks, business-class flights, gratuities and transfers are all included in the fare. Nothing is held back, and nothing is used to upsell you once onboard. The ships are mid-size, beautifully appointed and carry between 490 and 750 guests. For travellers who prioritise ease, comfort and genuine value at the top end of the market, Regent is very difficult to beat. [Read our full Regent Seven Seas guide →]

Oceania Cruises

Oceania has built its entire identity around one claim: the finest cuisine at sea. It is a claim that is extremely hard to dispute. The culinary programme, developed in partnership with world-renowned chefs, spans multiple speciality restaurants on every ship — all included in the fare — and the quality is genuinely exceptional by any standard. Beyond the food, Oceania operates a fleet of mid-size ships carrying between 684 and 1,250 guests, with destination-rich itineraries that spend more time in port and visit a broader range of places than most comparable lines. The atmosphere is relaxed but refined — smart casual rather than formal, unpretentious but unarguably luxurious. Oceania suits discerning travellers, food lovers and those who want interesting itineraries without the ultra-luxury price tag. [Read our full Oceania Cruises guide →]

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is the world's largest cruise line by capacity, and it has earned that position by doing something no other line does quite as well — innovation at extraordinary scale. The line's flagship ships, including Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, are floating resorts in the truest sense: surf simulators, ice rinks, zip lines, dozens of dining options, Broadway-style shows and enough activities to fill a fortnight without ever leaving the ship. Royal Caribbean is exceptional value for families, groups and first-time cruisers who want variety and entertainment as the centrepiece of their holiday. It is a very different proposition to the luxury lines above, but for the right traveller — especially those sailing with children — it delivers an experience that is genuinely hard to match. [Read our full Royal Caribbean guide →]

P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises holds a unique position in British cruising — it is the line that feels most like home. Sailing predominantly from Southampton, P&O removes the hassle and expense of flying, making it particularly appealing to British travellers who want to simply drive to the port and board. Onboard, expect familiar British food, entertainment that is pitched squarely at a UK audience, a warm and unpretentious atmosphere and a genuine sense of community among fellow guests. The ships are large — capable of carrying between 1,800 and 5,200 passengers — which means extensive facilities, multiple dining options and plenty to keep everyone entertained. P&O is strong value for money and consistently one of the most popular choices for first-time cruisers from the UK. [Read our full P&O Cruises guide →]

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages launched in 2021 with a clear ambition: to reinvent cruising for travellers who had never quite seen themselves as cruise people. The result is something genuinely different. Every single dining venue is included in the fare — and there is no buffet. There are no formal nights, no assigned dining times and no children onboard, giving the ships an adults-only energy that is vibrant, social and decidedly unstuffy. The ships themselves are sleek and design-forward, the entertainment leans towards live music and immersive experiences rather than big production shows, and the overall vibe is somewhere between boutique hotel and music festival. Virgin Voyages won't suit everyone — traditionalists need not apply — but for modern travellers who want something fresh, fun and genuinely inclusive in its pricing, it is one of the most exciting options in the market today. [Read our full Virgin Voyages guide →]