Our favourite cruises for 2026
CRUISING has had the glow-up of the decade.
If you’ve never set foot on a ship, you might wonder whether it’s really worth trying one for your next getaway.
But with picks like these, you’ll be struggling to choose which cruise you want to give a go first.
Cruising is one of the easiest ways to hit bucket-list spots, enjoy the sun, and sink a few Aperol Spritzes along the way.
From refined dinners and West End shows onboard, to child-free party boats with nightclubs – there really is a cruise for every kind of holidaymaker.
So we asked The Sun’s travel team to reveal the cruises they still rave about.
Read more on cruise holidays
Here are their favourites – and exactly why they’d set sail again tomorrow.
Celestyal Cruises
Until a few years ago, I had never considered taking a cruise for a holiday.
But then during one sunny May, I hopped onboard a Celestyal ship that sailed around the Greek Islands, and I maintain to this day that it is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I saw Santorini, Patmos, Mykonos, Kusadasi and Crete over one week stopping at them for a day of exploration, seeing beautiful white-washed villages, calderas and historical ruins.
The ship itself is smaller than most so that it’s able to dock at the island harbours – or get as close to them as possible. It’s not as big as the likes of Royal Caribbean or Virgin Cruises so don’t expect waterparks or go-kart tracks.
That’s not to say there isn’t enough to keep you busy onboard, there are still swimming pools, a gym, spa, multiple restaurants and entertainment areas with brilliant evening shows.
But let’s face it, it’s all about the destinations and I’ve never been happier than sitting on a hilltop bar in Santorini clutching an enormous Aperol Spritz.
Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill
Virgin Voyages
If you love the idea of a cruise but not the screaming children then you might want to check out Virgin Voyages.
These adult-only cruises are like the ultimate playground for grown ups and include night clubs, sprawling pools and hilarious shows.
I headed off on a cruise from Southampton, so it didn’t involve flying which was ideal and stopped off at Amsterdam and Bruges.
My ship was the Resilient Lady and boy was she impressive.
The main hub of the ship can be found on Deck 15 – at one end there is The Galley which is full of different cuisines for people to try and then at the other end is an open deck, with a pool and several hot tubs.
The spa on board is still one of the best I’ve been to, to date – and that includes ones on dry land.
The Himalayan Salt Room was a favourite spot of mine, and left with skin that felt like a baby’s bum.
The entertainment really did steal the show though – think camp and colourful. It was a bag of laughs – especially when a half-naked man gave a elderly passenger a lap dance.
Virgin Voyages have cruises that you can either fly to or head off from the UK so there is truly something for everyone.
Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding
Oceania Allura
A cruise was once one of the most glamorous ways a person could travel. Chandelier-lit dinners were formal, the food was excellent and cabins were extremely tasteful.
Oceania is a brand that has managed to maintain much of this glamour and its newest ship, Allura, is no exception.
If, like me, you consider yourself a foodie, this is certainly the ship for you.
Allura lays claim to the largest galley at sea and chefs work tirelessly around the clock, baking fresh loaves every morning (something few other ships do).
Allura welcomed back a fan-favourite restaurant, Jacques, on board – and I’m so grateful for that decision, as it was here that I devoured one of the best cheese soufflés of my life.
The foodie fun doesn’t end with the restaurants, though.
Passengers can pick up basic and advanced culinary skills at the on-board cookery school, whipping up feasts and cocktails in a specially-designed kitchen, under the instruction of one of the ship’s top chefs.
With capacity for just under 1,500 passengers, the vessel doesn’t feel overwhelming, like some of the larger cruise ships often can, and it’s easy to navigate.
There’s everything you’d expect from a lavish ship including a serene spa, high-end entertainment, a casino and enough bars to keep even the fussiest drinker content.
Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski
Sun Princess
When planning a girly holiday, I had no idea a Princess cruise would be so perfect.
Hopping on their European excursion, we racked up the cities we visited along the way.
This meant morning Aperol Spritzs in Palermo, delicious tapas in Barcelona and beautiful tours of the Parthenon temple, to name a few.
But the fun didn’t stop even when we were onboard.
We were often found at the private Sanctuary Club onboard, open to guests staying in sanctuary-level rooms, where we rang bells for free prosecco chased by a dip in the pool.
There were West End shows onboard – something which after many failed attempts at us trying to decide what to see in London, it helped having just one choice per night.
Otherwise days were spent tanning by the ship pool, flitting between the many bars and restaurants.
One of our favourites being the very magical Spellbound speakeasy – I won’t say too much else to keep the magic…
And with flights and cabins included in the packages, it even meant we didn’t have to fight it out on what hotel we wanted to stay at.
Our highlight every night? Heading to the 24-hour snack bar in our dressing gowns to grab chocolate chip cookies before watching Clueless back in our room…
Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey
Celebrity Xcel
For relaxed, upscale cruising for adults, Celebrity is hard to beat.
And the fifth ship in their game-changing Edge series has yet again rewritten the rule book.
Setting sail just a month ago from the Floridian port of Fort Lauderdale, this sparkling new ship is perfectly formed for its 3,276 guests.
The Edge class brought us the Magic Carpet, a bar and restaurant terrace that glides up outside the decks of the ship, but Celebrity Xcel has some extra special treats up her sleeve.
Seven different reimagined spaces make it very different from its siblings. The cruise line enlisted the help of its guests – dubbed Dreammakers – to have the final say on the new ship.
More than 650,000 votes were cast to decide on key elements of the ship’s design, culinary experiences and entertainment.
Among the new spots I loved were the Bazaar – formerly Eden on other Edge ships – now transformed into a buzzing venue both day and night celebrating the ports of call the ship sails to.
For this winter this means a host of festivals, local cuisine and entertainment from the Caribbean and from next summer, this will offer an immersive dive into the ports of the Mediterranean.
New dining venues include Bora – up on the rooftop garden – brings the flavours of the Mediterranean but my fave was the addition of a build-your-own over the top Bloody Mary bar.
The spa has also had a makeover with the addition of Celebrity’s first-ever hydra-room, a therapeutic pool in the Thermal Suite as well as a new outdoor Vitamin D deck.
For those wanting to make their mani or pedi a little more boujee, there’s a new Bubbles bar with complimentary fizz as you get your nails done.
I also loved the new Attic at The Club. The ship’s nightclub has an atrium open 24/7 with a host of retro arcade games, pool tables, darts and more.
It also offers a fantastic viewing point for the new club nights including the slick Shoot Up Saloon country music night and amazing 254 West show featuring 80s classics.
Even the pool deck has had a makeover, with a stunning Monkey sculpture presiding over the generous pool with plenty of loungers and poolside valets offering sunscreen, chilled towels and more.
But my absolute favourite destination on the ship is a new, hidden speakeasy bar.
The Gatsby-inspired glitzy den is hidden behind a special photo opportunity – and with phones banned it will be the intrepid bar crawlers who will discover its delights.
Head of Travel, Lisa Minot
