AmaMagna
The double-width Danube ship: suites as large as an ocean ship's, a pool, four restaurants and a water sports platform.
Research
36 ships, written up one by one.
The ship decides the vacation more than the line does. Each page below says who the ship suits and who it does not, which suites we would book, how it feeds you, what it does for children and grandparents, how it handles mobility, and our verdict. Guest counts and years are approximate; itineraries confirm ports.
River ship
AmaWaterways
River ships of around 150 to 196 guests on the Danube, Rhine, Rhone, Douro and Mekong, with AmaMagna twice the width of the rest.
7 more AmaWaterways ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Mid-size ship
Crystal
Two mid-sized luxury ships of around 600 to 740 guests, relaunched in 2023 with fewer cabins and more space per guest.
Crystal Serenity
Crystal's larger ship after the 2023 refit: fewer cabins, butlers everywhere, and the classic Crystal evening.
1 more Crystal ship is listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Yacht
Emerald Cruises
Two 100-guest yachts in the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Caribbean, plus a river fleet in Europe, at a sharper price than Scenic.
Emerald Azzurra
A 100-guest yacht with balconies on most suites and a marina platform, at a mid-market price.
5 more Emerald Cruises ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Mid-size ship
Explora Journeys
Modern, relaxed, generous with space, and genuinely happy to see children.
Explora I
The ship we shortlist first for three generations in the Mediterranean.
Explora II
Explora I's twin, a year newer, with the same room to spread out.
1 more Explora Journeys ship is listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Yacht
Four Seasons Yachts
The newest entrant at the very top of the market: hotel-brand luxury on a yacht of around 200 guests.
Four Seasons I
Four Seasons at sea: the largest suites per guest of any yacht we sell.
Small ship
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
German-run luxury ships of around 400 to 500 guests, with Europa 2 the most relaxed and the best for families in the top tier.
Europa 2
All-suite, bilingual and relaxed: the small luxury ship that still runs a children's club.
4 more Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Mid-size ship
Oceania Cruises
Food-led, country-club casual ships of around 670 to 1,200 guests at an accessible luxury price.
Vista
Oceania's newest ship: the food-led, country-club alternative to all-suite luxury.
7 more Oceania Cruises ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Small ship
Ponant
French small ships and a true polar icebreaker, with a children's program in the summer vacations.
Le Commandant Charcot
The only luxury icebreaker: the North Pole, the Weddell Sea and the Ross Sea.
Le Bougainville
A small French ship with an underwater lounge, at home in the Adriatic and the Aegean.
Le Lapérouse
The first Ponant Explorer: Le Bougainville's twin, often farther afield.
9 more Ponant ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Mid-size ship
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
The most inclusive fare at sea, on all-suite ships that take elegance seriously.
Seven Seas Grandeur
Regent's newest ship: everything included, elegant without being stiff.
around 750 guests · entered 2020
Seven Seas Splendor
Grandeur's sister: the same inclusive formula, a few years older.
Seven Seas Explorer
The first of Regent's modern class, still one of the most spacious ships at sea.
Seven Seas Mariner
Regent's smaller, well-kept ship for longer and more distant itineraries.
2 more Regent Seven Seas Cruises ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Yacht
Scenic
All-inclusive discovery yachts with helicopters and a submersible, plus a well-regarded river fleet.
Scenic Eclipse
The discovery yacht with helicopters and a submarine, everything included.
around 228 guests · entered 2023
Scenic Eclipse II
Eclipse's sister, with refinements learned from the first.
Small ship
Seabourn
Small, sociable, quietly luxurious ships, with a sister expedition fleet.
Seabourn Ovation
Small, sociable, quietly luxurious; Seabourn at its most polished.
Seabourn Encore
Ovation's elder sister: the same ship, two years older.
Seabourn Quest
The smaller Seabourn ship that goes to Antarctica and the fjords.
Seabourn Venture
Seabourn's purpose-built expedition ship, with two submarines.
2 more Seabourn ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Small ship
Silversea
Butler-served suites, serious destinations, and one of the strongest expedition fleets afloat.
around 730 guests · entered 2023
Silver Nova
Silversea's brightest ship: asymmetric, open to the sea, a butler in every suite.
around 730 guests · entered 2024
Silver Ray
Silver Nova's sister, a year newer, same open design.
Silver Moon
The classic Silversea ship with the destination-led dining program.
Silver Muse
The ship that set the template for modern Silversea.
Silver Dawn
The Muse-class ship with the Otium spa program and a calm, grown-up tone.
Silver Endeavor
The most capable luxury expedition ship we sell: Antarctica with a butler.
Silver Wind
The classic small Silversea ship, rebuilt for ice and still elegant.
5 more Silversea ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Yacht
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Hotel-style luxury on yachts of roughly 300 to 450 guests, with a surprisingly warm welcome for children.
Evrima
A Ritz-Carlton hotel on a yacht: anchorages the ships cannot reach.
Ilma
Evrima's larger sister: more suites, more restaurants, the same marina.
1 more The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ship is listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
River ship
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Boutique river ships with lavish interiors and dedicated family sailings in the school vacations.
S.S. Beatrice
Uniworld's Danube ship: ornate, inclusive, with a lot of light.
around 150 guests · entered 2015
S.S. Maria Theresa
Uniworld's most ornate ship, built for the Danube.
4 more Uniworld Boutique River Cruises ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Mid-size ship
Viking
Calm, adults-only ships with Scandinavian design and an excursion included in every port.
Viking Star
The first Viking ocean ship: calm, Scandinavian, adults only.
Viking Octantis
Viking's expedition ship: Antarctica and the Great Lakes with a science deck.
9 more Viking ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Small ship
Windstar Cruises
Small sailing ships and motor yachts of around 150 to 340 guests, casual and port-focused, at an upper-premium price.
Wind Surf
A five-masted sailing ship for 340 guests: compact cabins, open decks and ports the motor ships cannot reach.
Star Breeze
An all-suite motor yacht, lengthened in 2020, with Windstar's casual style and a few real balconies.
4 more Windstar Cruises ships are listed by name on the line page; ask about any of them.
Not sure which ship?
Tell us who is traveling and what matters most. We will name the two or three ships we would put you on, and the ones we would not.