Celebrity Cruises vs Norwegian Cruise Line
A detailed side-by-side comparison of Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line covering ratings, fleet size, food quality, entertainment, value for money, and available sailings from UK ports. Updated for 2026.
The head-to-head
Ratings are based on aggregated passenger reviews, editorial analysis, and expert scoring. The cobalt outline marks the stronger line for each attribute.
Who should choose which?
Every cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is an honest look at who each line is best suited for, based on passenger feedback and our editorial assessment.
Choose Celebrity Cruises if you want…
- Food and dining enthusiasts
- Modern luxury seekers
- Couples and adults
- Design-conscious travellers
Celebrity Cruises may not suit you if…
- Families wanting mega-ship activities
- Budget-conscious cruisers
- Those wanting UK departures only
Choose Norwegian Cruise Line if you want…
- Flexible, no-rules cruising
- Solo travellers (studio cabins)
- Broadway entertainment
- Modern ship design
Norwegian Cruise Line may not suit you if…
- Those wanting traditional cruise formality
- Budget travellers
- UK-departure-only preference
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
Celebrity Cruises Fleet (17 ships)
Celebrity Apex
Built 2020 · 2,910 guests
Celebrity Ascent
Built 2023 · 3,260 guests
Celebrity Beyond
Built 2022 · 3,260 guests
Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet (19 ships)
Norwegian Prima
Built 2022 · 3,215 guests
Norwegian Viva
Built 2023 · 3,215 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
Celebrity Cruises Sailings
Save 4%11 NIGHTSGreece, Italy & Malta from Barcelona with 1-night Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Valletta · Souda Bay (tours to Chania), Crete · Olympia (Katakolon) · Messina, Sicily · Naples
Save 1%10 NIGHTSGreece, Italy & Malta from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Valletta · Souda Bay (tours to Chania), Crete · Olympia (Katakolon) · Messina, Sicily · Naples
20 NIGHTSBest of Thailand & Vietnam fr. Hong Kong to Singapore with Stays
Ports: Hong Kong · Hanoi · Chan May (tours to Hue or Da Nang) · Ho Chi Minh (Phu My) · Bangkok (Laem Chabang) · Koh Samui
12 NIGHTSUltimate Southern Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale with 1-night Stay
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · Philipsburg, St. Maarten · Castries, St. Lucia · St. George's, Grenada · Bridgetown, Barbados · St. John's, Antigua
Save 3%13 NIGHTSMadeira, Canaries & Morocco from Barcelona with 1-night Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Lanzarote · Santa Cruz, Tenerife · Las Palmas, Gran Canaria · Funchal, Madeira · Tangier
Save 18%18 NIGHTSWaves, Wonders & New Zealand's Whispers, including FREE Sydney stay and Celebrity Edge cruise
22 NIGHTSSiem Reap, Angkor Wat, Killing Fields, Singapore, Bali & Asia
Ports: Singapore (Marina Bay) · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) · Celukan Bawang
19 NIGHTSSingapore, Malaysia, Thailand & Balinese Delights with Stays
Ports: Singapore · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) · Celukan Bawang
Save 1%12 NIGHTSCanary Islands & Morocco
17 NIGHTSTreasures of Thailand & Vietnam
21 NIGHTSFestive Thailand & Vietnam fr. Singapore to Hong Kong with Stays
Ports: Singapore · Koh Samui · Bangkok (Laem Chabang) · Ho Chi Minh (Phu My) · Nha Trang · Chan May
9 NIGHTSEastern Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale with 1-night Stay
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · Basseterre, St. Kitts · San Juan · Perfect Day at Cococay
18 NIGHTSBali, Malaysia & Thailand to Singapore with Stays
Ports: Benoa, Bali · Celukan Bawang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) · Penang · Langkawi · Phuket
19 NIGHTSSingapore, Malaysia, Thailand & Balinese Delights with Stays
Ports: Singapore · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) · Celukan Bawang
Save 5%13 NIGHTSUltimate Southern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Save 13%10 NIGHTSSt. Thomas, Antigua & Bahamas with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Nassau · Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands · St. John's, Antigua
21 NIGHTSBalinese Delights, Malaysia & Thailand with Bali Beach Break and Singapore Stay
19 NIGHTSBalinese Delights & Southeast Asia with Stays
Ports: Benoa · Lombok · Celukan Bawang · Kuala Lumpur · Penang · Langkawi
Save 1%10 NIGHTSBahamas, Mexico & Cayman with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Bimini · Nassau · Cozumel · George Town, Grand Cayman
12 NIGHTSBest of Southern Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale with 1-night Stay
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · St. John's, Antigua · Castries, St. Lucia · Bridgetown, Barbados · Roseau · Basseterre, St. Kitts
19 NIGHTSBalinese Delights, Singapore Sights, Thailand & Malaysia with Stays
Ports: Bali · Singapore · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang)
Save 2%18 NIGHTSSiem Reap, Angkor Wat, Killing Fields & Southeast Asia
Ports: Singapore · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur
14 NIGHTSBest of Thailand & Malaysia from Singapore with Stay
Save 9%12 NIGHTSBest of Thailand & Malaysia from Singapore with 1-night Stay
Ports: Singapore · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang)
Save 16%10 NIGHTSSt. Thomas, Antigua & Bahamas with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Nassau · Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands · St. John's, Antigua
Hot deal18 NIGHTSSouthbound Asian Allure fr. Hong Kong to Singapore with Stays
Ports: Hong Kong · Ha Long Bay · Chan May · Ho Chi Minh (Phu My) · Bangkok (Laem Chabang) · Koh Samui
13 NIGHTSUltimate Southern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
11 NIGHTS4-night Sydney & 11-night Great Barrier Reef inc Drinks & Wi-Fi
17 NIGHTSTokyo Stay, Mt. Fuji, Nagasaki, Osaka & Jeju Island
Save 4%12 NIGHTS12 Night Madeira, Canaries & Morocco
Ports: Barcelona · Lanzarote · Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Tenerife · Funchal · Tangier
Save 4%12 NIGHTS12 Night Thailand & Vietnam Cruise
Ports: Singapore · Ko Samui · Laem Chabang · Phu My · Chan May · Ha Long Bay
Save 1%24 NIGHTSRio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls & Argentina to Barcelona Transatlantic with Stays
22 NIGHTSIguazu Falls & Argentina to Barcelona Transatlantic with Stays
18 NIGHTSSnow Monkeys, Nagasaki's Blossoms, Peace Park, Tokyo Stay & Mt. Fuji
22 NIGHTSSouth America Transatlantic with Buenos Aires and Barcelona Stays
Save 6%17 NIGHTSNagasaki's Blossoms, Atomic Bomb Museum, Tokyo Stay & Mt. Fuji
Ports: Yokohama (tours to Tokyo) · Kobe · Kyoto (Osaka) · Kochi · Busan · Nagasaki
17 NIGHTSTokyo, Mt. Fuji, Osaka Castle's Spring Blossoms & Nagasaki
Ports: Tokyo · Kyoto (Osaka) · Osaka · Kochi · Busan · Nagasaki
Save 6%19 NIGHTSIndonesia & Australia from Singapore to Sydney with Stays
Ports: Singapore · Lombok · Darwin · Cairns · Airlie Beach · Sydney
18 NIGHTSDubai's Desert Dunes, Sydney's Hunter Valley & Australia's Wine Route
15 NIGHTSUltimate Southern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Save 3%18 NIGHTSPanama Canal Westward from Tampa with Stay
Ports: Tampa · George Town, Grand Cayman · Cartagena, Colombia · Colon · Panama Canal · Puntarenas
17 NIGHTSUniversal Orlando Resort Stay with Bermuda & Portugal Transatlantic to Southampton
Ports: Orlando (Port Canaveral) · Royal Naval Dockyard (King's Wharf) · Ponta Delgada, Azores · Lisbon · Southampton
16 NIGHTSBermuda & Portugal Transatlantic from Port Canaveral to Southampton with Orlando Stay
Ports: Orlando · Royal Naval Dockyard · Ponta Delgada · Lisbon · Southampton
Save 15%13 NIGHTSAruba & Grand Turk with Miami Beach and New York Stays
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · Oranjestad · Grand Turk · New York
Save 1%17 NIGHTSGolden Week Tokyo Stay, Mt. Fuji & Nagasaki
Ports: Tokyo · Kyoto · Kochi · Busan · Nagasaki · Kagoshima
12 NIGHTSRocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver & Alaska Glaciers Northbound from Vancouver
Ports: Banff · Vancouver · Ketchikan · Sitka · Icy Strait Point · Juneau
13 NIGHTSToronto, Niagara Falls & Alaska Explorer from Vancouver with Stays
15 NIGHTSToronto, Niagara Falls & Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver & Alaska with Dawes Glacier
Ports: Vancouver · Ketchikan · Juneau · Skagway · Seattle
16 NIGHTSToronto, Niagara Falls & Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver & Alaska with Hubbard Glacier with Stays
Ports: Toronto · Banff · Vancouver · Icy Strait Point · Hubbard Glacier · Juneau
Save 2%13 NIGHTSSwiss Alps, Bernina Red Train and Western Mediterranean Cruise with Milan and Rome Stays
Ports: Civitavecchia (tours to Rome) · Livorno (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Salerno · Palermo, Sicily · Cagliari, Sardinia · Valencia
Norwegian Cruise Line Sailings
9 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
Ports: Caribbean · Great Stirrup Cay
Save 3%13 NIGHTS2-night Lisbon & 11-night Canaries, Madeira, Oporto voyage to Southampton
Ports: Lisbon · Las Palmas · Santa Cruz De Tenerife · Santa Cruz de la Palma · Funchal · Oporto (Leixoes)
11 NIGHTS1-night Lisbon & 11-night Canaries, Madeira, Oporto Voyage to Southampton
Hot deal15 NIGHTSAsia Voyage with Tokyo & Seoul Stay
Ports: Yokohama · Shimizu · Nagoya · Kobe · Kochi · Hiroshima
11 NIGHTS7-night Universal Orlando & 4-night Great Stirrup Cay & Nassau
12 NIGHTS7-night Universal Studios & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
9 NIGHTS2-night Los Angeles & 7-night Mexican Riviera
12 NIGHTS7-night Universal Studios & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
19 NIGHTSNew Year Thailand & Philippines fr. Hong Kong to Singapore with Stay
17 NIGHTSSingapore, Thailand & Vietnam to Hong Kong with Stays
11 NIGHTS7-night Universal Studios & 4-night Bahamas Getaway
15 NIGHTSPanama Canal with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami Beach · Miami · Great Stirrup Cay · Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic · Willemstad, Curacao · Oranjestad, Aruba
Save 10%15 NIGHTS7-night Waikiki Beach Honolulu Stay with Tours & 7-night Inter-Island Cruise of Hawaii
Ports: Honolulu, Oahu · Kahului, Maui · Hilo, Hawaii · Kona, Hawaii · Nawiliwili, Kauai
15 NIGHTSCaribbean Round-Trip from New York with Stay
Ports: New York · Puerto Plata · San Juan · Charlotte Amalie · Road Town · Basseterre
8 NIGHTS8-Day Bahamas Round-Trip Philadelphia: Nassau & Jacksonville
Ports: Philadelphia · Nassau · Bahama Islands · Orlando · Jacksonville
7 NIGHTS7-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Orlando: Great Stirrup Cay & Dominican Republic
Ports: Orlando · Puerto Plata/Dominican Republic · St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands) · Tortola · Great Stirrup Cay
5 NIGHTS5-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Orlando: Cozumel
Ports: Orlando · Cozumel · Puerto Costa Maya
9 NIGHTS9-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Tampa: Dominican Republic & Key West
Ports: Tampa · Key West · Great Stirrup Cay · Falmouth · George Town
8 NIGHTSNASCAR Daytona 500 and Bahamas from Port Canaveral
Ports: Port Canaveral · Nassau · Great Stirrup Cay
Save 1%17 NIGHTSHong Kong, Nagasaki, Hiroshima & Osaka to Tokyo with Stays
Ports: Hong Kong · Kaohsiung · Taipei · Ishigaki · Nagasaki · Kagoshima
14 NIGHTSTokyo Stay, Mt. Fuji, Osaka, Hiroshima & Nagasaki to Seoul
Save 2%15 NIGHTSTokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima & Nagasaki to Seoul with Stays
Ports: Tokyo · Shimizu · Nagoya · Osaka · Kochi · Hiroshima
Save 2%7 NIGHTSCaribbean: Harvest Caye, Cozumel & Roatan
Ports: Galveston · Cozumel · Roatán Island · Harvest Caye · Costa Maya · Galveston
Save 2%7 NIGHTSCaribbean: Curacao & Aruba
Ports: San Juan (Puerto Rico) · Road Town · Saint Thomas · Oranjestad · Willemstad
13 NIGHTSPanama Canal from Miami with 1-night Stay
Ports: Miami · Miami Downtown · Falmouth · Cartagena, Colombia · Panama Canal · Colon
15 NIGHTSMusic Cities of the Deep South with Tours & Caribbean Cruise from Miami
Ports: Miami · Roatan Island · Harvest Caye · Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
10 NIGHTSCaribbean & Great Stirrup Cay with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Puerto Plata · Charlotte Amalie · Road Town · Great Stirrup Cay
17 NIGHTSCaribbean from New Orleans to Boston with Stay
Ports: New Orleans · George Town, Grand Cayman · Oranjestad, Aruba · Willemstad, Curacao · Kralendijk, Bonaire · St. George's, Grenada
6 NIGHTS3-night Los Angeles & 6-night Pacific Coast to Vancouver
10 NIGHTSHalifax & Bermuda from Boston with Stay
Ports: Boston · Halifax · Royal Naval Dockyard (King's Wharf)
11 NIGHTSPorto, Lively Lisbon & Med Melody
Save 3%14 NIGHTSChicago, U.S Rockies By Rail & Alaska with Dawes Glacier from Seattle
Ports: Seattle · Sitka · Holkham Bay Glacier · Juneau · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan
10 NIGHTSAlaska with Dawes Glacier from Seattle with Stay
Ports: Seattle · Sitka · Holkham Bay Glacier · Juneau · Icy Strait Point · Ketchikan
Save 7%10 NIGHTSAlaska with Glacier Bay from Seattle with Stay
Ports: Seattle · Juneau · Skagway · Glacier Bay · Ketchikan · Victoria, British Columbia
17 NIGHTSSouth Pacific with Papeete and Waikiki Beach Stays
Ports: Papeete, Tahiti · Moorea · Raiatea · Bora Bora · Kona, Hawaii · Nawiliwili, Kauai
9 NIGHTSNorthern Europe from Helsinki with Stay
Ports: Helsinki · Tallinn · Stockholm (Nynashamn) · Riga · Warnemunde · Kiel
17 NIGHTSSouth Pacific from Papeete with Stay
Ports: Papeete, Tahiti · Moorea · Bora Bora · Raiatea · Kona, Hawaii · Hilo, Hawaii
13 NIGHTSNorway, Iceland & Belgium from Reykjavik to Southampton with Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Experience
Ports: Reykjavik · Isafjordur · Akureyri · Alesund · Flam · Kristiansand, Norway
13 NIGHTSGreek Isles with Istanbul and Rome Stays
9 NIGHTSNorthern Europe from Helsinki with Stay
Ports: Helsinki · Tallinn · Stockholm (Nynashamn) · Riga · Warnemunde · Kiel
13 NIGHTSNorway, Iceland & Belgium from Reykjavik to Southampton with Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Experience
Ports: Reykjavik · Isafjordur · Akureyri · Alesund · Flam · Kristiansand, Norway
9 NIGHTSNorthern Europe from Helsinki with Stay
Ports: Helsinki · Tallinn · Stockholm (Nynashamn) · Riga · Warnemunde · Kiel
Save 15%13 NIGHTSNorway, Iceland & Belgium from Southampton to Reykjavik with Stay and Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Experience
Ports: Southampton · Zeebrugge (tours to Bruges) · Ijmuiden (tours to Amsterdam) · Bergen · Geiranger, Norway · Alesund
Save 1%10 NIGHTSCanada & New England from Boston with Stay
Ports: Boston · Portland, Maine · Saint John, Bay Of Fundy, Canada · Sydney, Nova Scotia · Halifax
12 NIGHTSBaltic Cities from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Gothenburg · Stockholm · Tallinn · Helsinki · Copenhagen
17 NIGHTSSouth Pacific from Papeete with Stay
Ports: Papeete, Tahiti · Moorea · Bora Bora · Raiatea · Kona, Hawaii · Hilo, Hawaii
19 NIGHTSTransatlantic with Barcelona & Universal Orlando Resort Stays
Ports: Barcelona · Cadiz · Funchal, Madeira · Great Stirrup Cay · Orlando (Port Canaveral)
11 NIGHTSBahamas from New York with Stay
Ports: New York · Port Canaveral · Great Stirrup Cay · Nassau
7 NIGHTS7-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Galveston: Harvest Caye, Cozumel & Roatan
Ports: Galveston · Cozumel · Roatan · Belize · Puerto Costa Maya
23 NIGHTSSouth America & Antarctica from Santiago to Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls with Stays
Celebrity Cruises vs Norwegian Cruise Line: the bottom line
Choosing between Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line ultimately comes down to what kind of holiday you are looking for. Both are well-established cruise lines with loyal followings, but they cater to different preferences and budgets.
Celebrity Cruises, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Miami, USA, operates a fleet of 17 ships. It is categorised as a premium cruise line and scores 4.7/5 overall based on 11,200 reviews. The line is particularly strong for food and dining enthusiasts and modern luxury seekers, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Norwegian Cruise Line, established in 1966 from Miami, USA, has a fleet of 19 ships. As a contemporary line rated 4.4/5 from 13,800 reviews, it excels at flexible, no-rules cruising and solo travellers (studio cabins). If those are your priorities, Norwegian Cruise Line deserves serious consideration.
On food, Celebrity Cruises scores 10/10 compared to Norwegian Cruise Line's 7/10. For entertainment, Celebrity Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus Norwegian Cruise Line's 8/10. Value for money favours Celebrity Cruises with a score of 7/10.
Our recommendation: browse the available sailings above and compare itineraries, dates, and total cost including what is bundled in the fare. The best cruise line is the one that matches your specific needs, budget, and travel dates. Use the scores as a guide, but remember that individual ship and itinerary matter just as much as the cruise line brand.
Celebrity Cruises vs Norwegian Cruise Line — FAQ
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