The best part of summer cruising is that there are more cruising options than in any other season. Cruises to destinations like Alaska and Scandinavia are highly seasonal; go in the summer, or you can't cruise there at all. Even the Mediterranean is somewhat seasonal, with most cruise lines leaning heavily into summer and moving ships to warmer destinations during the cooler months.
While putting together our list of favorite cruises for summer travel, we looked for options that would appeal to a wide variety of travelers. The one thing all these cruises have in common is that they make planning a summer trip easy. When you book a summer cruise, one transaction gets you transportation to multiple destinations, food, accommodations and onboard entertainment.
Whether you're looking for a short escape or the adventure of a lifetime, here are seven of our favorite summer cruises to book.
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Best for short summer escapes: 3- to 5-night Carnival cruises
Carnival Cruise Line is an industry leader in short getaway cruises from local departure ports. You can sail to the Bahamas from Florida ports; Bermuda from Manhattan in New York; the Caribbean from Galveston, Texas, and New Orleans; and the Mexican Riviera from Long Beach, California. Each of these destinations promises beaches, water sports and land-based activities that range from cooking classes to all-terrain-vehicle rides.
Most Carnival ships feature top-deck waterslides and miniature golf, plus Seuss at Sea character parades, storytime and themed breakfasts. The Cloud Nine Spa and adults-only Serenity Retreat give adults a quiet place to relax, whether you cruise with kids or without. Carnival is known for having multiple included food venues like Guy's Burger Joint, Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que and the Mexican BlueIguana Cantina.
Carnival is also budget-friendly. The line's short cruises are affordable while still providing all the food, fun and entertainment you crave on a big-ship cruise.
Best for grown-up fun: Virgin Voyages to the Mediterranean
Virgin Voyages deploys ships to multiple European destinations, all loaded with summer fun grown-up style. Choices range from seven- to 12-night Mediterranean adventures (think: round-trip cruises from Barcelona featuring ports of call like Cannes in France or Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza in Spain, where ships often stay overnight, allowing time for a night of clubbing European style). Longer cruises include one-way routes between Barcelona and Rome, adding Italian ports like Florence and Naples. The line also takes in the Greek islands on cruises originating in Athens (Piraeus).
Virgin's adults-only ships carry 2,770 passengers (known on board as "sailors"), all 18 or older. The line claims to offer the ideal cruise for adults who don't care for cruises. Entertainment on board includes pajama parties and immersive naughty nightclub performances. Virgin ships focus on wellness with a techno fitness studio, an outdoor gym and a boxing ring.
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Dining choices are where Virgin Voyages really breaks from traditional cruise lines. All 20 eateries on board are included in the cruise fare, and you won't find even one buffet line.
Related: 11 things I loved on Virgin Voyages — and 6 that I kind of hated
Best for solo cruisers: Greek island cruises on Windstar
What better way to sail among the Greek islands than on a gorgeous ship with sails or an intimate yachtlike ship where you never feel like just another number? Windstar Cruises offers summer cruises in the Greek islands, stopping at dream destinations like Santorini, Mykonos and Patmos. Port activities in the Mediterranean lean toward cultural and culinary interests.
What moves the needle toward Windstar for solo cruisers is its standard single supplement of 175%, which dips even lower on occasion. That's quite a cruise budget bonus when most cruise lines charge 200% of the fare for cruising solo.
All Windstar ships carry just over 300 passengers or fewer. You'll feel like you're cruising the Mediterranean on a private yacht. Solo cruisers will find it easy to meet fellow passengers — mixing and mingling are a normal occurrence for almost everyone on such small ships.
The main dining room (Amphora) features solo-friendly open seating each evening. I once met an 82-year-old woman cruising alone on back-to-back Windstar cruises. She had no shortage of invitations to join tables at mealtimes, but when she opted to dine alone, the staff treated her like a queen.
As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, Windstar goes above and beyond when it comes to serving amazing food. Menus for both Amphora and a pop-up steak restaurant called Candles are highlighted by selections from James Beard Award-winning chefs — all included in the cruise fare.
Those same chefs are sometimes hosted on the line's special James Beard Foundation cruises. Besides hanging out with these amazing chefs (because they are there to enjoy the cruise, too), guests can go shopping with them as they prepare for menu takeovers using locally sourced ingredients. It's foodie heaven.
Best Alaska cruise: Weeklong Holland America cruises
Alaska sits at the top of many summer cruise wish lists. Sometimes it's a beat-the-heat plan. Most often, it's the desire to see the glaciers and wildlife in Alaskan waters and along its shores. You have lots of options for Alaska cruises, but we recommend the tried and true.
Holland America has been cruising in Alaska for more than 75 years and has more itineraries visiting (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) than any other cruise line. You can feel confident that any Alaska cruise you book with the line will be done well.
Holland America ships carry between 2,000 and 3,000 passengers. While the passengers on other itineraries tend to be a mostly adult (and often senior) crowd, that changes during the summer season in Alaska. Families with children of all ages are welcomed and catered to with youth programs on board, including a Junior Ranger program in Glacier Bay.
Options include round trips from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, as well as one-way trips between Vancouver and Anchorage, Alaska. Add-on pre- and post-cruise land tours are a Holland America staple for those wishing to explore inland Alaska.
Best for families with teens: Weeklong Caribbean cruises on Royal Caribbean
Finding a cruise itinerary that pleases teens and preteens can be challenging. The megaships Royal Caribbean sails in the Caribbean fit the bill nicely. Look for the line's biggest ships cruising from Miami, Port Canaveral (near Orlando) and Galveston.
Most itineraries alternate between Eastern and Western Caribbean routes, all with beachy ports of call with plenty of water sports and land-based adventure options. Many itineraries also visit the teen-pleasing private island destination Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas. It's an island playground with beaches, a pool, sand sports and a water park seemingly designed with easily bored teens in mind.
The ships themselves, however, are likely to be the real stars of the cruise for your teens. These ships carry close to 6,000 passengers and come loaded with waterslides, surf simulators, zip lines and rock-climbing walls. Teens ages 13 to 17 have a hangout space all their own, and the preteens have loads of age-appropriate activities to keep them on the go when the ship is not in port.
Royal Caribbean's biggest ships are family-pleasing masterpieces, cruising on sunny itineraries that make for incredible summer vacations.
Best for families with littles: Short Bahamas cruises on Disney Cruise Line
Putting smiles on little faces is the mission behind any Disney cruise, and if the littles are smiling, moms and dads probably are, too. Disney sails short cruises from multiple ports. Look for summer cruises to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral with stops at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Three to five nights is ideal for kids in the 4 to 7 age group — and their parents.
Disney Cruise Line cabins are designed with families in mind. They have split bathrooms (toilet in one, shower-bath in the other), privacy curtains for napping and plenty of storage.
Besides the fun onboard character encounters, water attractions and live musicals based on favorite movies, Disney cruise ships offer the most kid-friendly menus of any cruise line. Plus, 24-hour in-room dining is complimentary — perfect when the need for a quieter meal arises.
Imagine if the best parts of the Magic Kingdom were put on a ship for a much smaller crowd to enjoy, and you'll understand the magic of a Disney cruise summer vacation.
Related: 11 ways to save money on a Disney cruise
Best for a cooler European vacation: Scandinavia cruises on Viking
If you're looking for a European getaway where the weather isn't as hot as in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia is calling your name. You can cool down while experiencing the summer beauty of the Norwegian fjords and the cultural delights of Denmark and Sweden. If you're an older adult, Viking has your cruise.
In fact, Viking has multiple options. Cruise lengths range from seven to 28 nights, with a long list of possible ports of call, including Oslo, Norway; Copenhagen; and the Norwegian ports of Bergen, Stavanger and Honningsvag (in the far north). And don't forget Iceland. Viking offers seven-night circumnavigation cruises of the land of fire and ice, as well as longer sailings that include Reykjavik as a port of call.
Viking ships carry just 930 passengers, all in cabins with private balconies. The ships feature seven dining options, all included in the cruise fare. Beer, wine and soft drinks are complimentary during lunch and dinner, and at least one tour is also complimentary in each port of call. Viking is an adults-only cruise line, so all guests must be 18 or older — though its loyal fans tend to be retirees.
Viking ships make seeing the incredible sights of Scandinavia not only possible but comfortable. At the end of a day ashore — sometimes spent on excursions skimming across the waters of fjords in rigid inflatable boats or exploring tiny fishing villages near, or even above, the Arctic Circle — you'll return to relax in one of the best complimentary thermal suites at sea. If that's not enough, you'll also dine on extraordinary cuisine without worrying about extra costs.
Bottom line
Summer is by far the busiest cruise season. Destination choices expand exponentially, giving you more possibilities than in any other season. Even getting to the port, whether driving or flying, is a tad easier in summer than it can be in winter.
The best summer cruise matches your travel needs at this moment. Luckily, an abundance of cruise options makes it possible for almost anyone to find their match.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- Top ways cruisers waste money
- The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
