Cunard vs Royal Caribbean
A detailed side-by-side comparison of Cunard and Royal Caribbean 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 Cunard if you want…
- Luxury and sophistication
- Transatlantic crossings
- Formal dining
- History and tradition
Cunard may not suit you if…
- Budget travellers
- Families with young children
- Those who dislike formal dress codes
Choose Royal Caribbean if you want…
- Families with kids
- Thrill seekers and adventurers
- Mega-ship experience
- Entertainment and activities
Royal Caribbean may not suit you if…
- Quiet/intimate cruise seekers
- Ultra-luxury preference
- Those avoiding large crowds
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
Cunard Fleet (4 ships)
Queen Mary 2
Built 2004 · 2,691 guests
Queen Victoria
Built 2007 · 2,081 guests
Queen Anne
Built 2024 · 2,996 guests
Royal Caribbean Fleet (28 ships)
Anthem of the Seas
Built 2015 · 4,905 guests
Icon of the Seas
Built 2024 · 7,600 guests
Utopia of the Seas
Built 2024 · 5,668 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
Cunard Sailings
18 NIGHTSWestbound Transatlantic Crossing from Southampton to New York with Stay
Ports: Southampton · Zeebrugge · Olden · Skjolden · Isafjordur · Reykjavik
9 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Luxury Western Mediterranean
Ports: Civitavecchia · Tarragona · Palma de Mallorca · Villefranche · Marseille · Barcelona
Save 1%10 NIGHTSCunard Queen Elizabeth Alaska 10 nights
10 NIGHTS3-night Barcelona & 7-night Luxury Italy And Spain
Ports: Barcelona · Ibiza · Cagliari · Messina · Salerno · Civitavecchia
Save 1%7 NIGHTSCunard Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic 7 nights
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska in Luxury
Save 1%7 NIGHTSCunard Queen Elizabeth Alaska 7 nights
Save 1%11 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Luxury Greece & Adriatic & 2-night Venice
Save 3%17 NIGHTSAlaska Cruise and 5-night Seattle Stay with Mt Rainer National Park & Snoqualmie Falls Tours
Ports: Seattle · Ketchikan · Icy Strait Point · Juneau · Haines · Sitka
Save 1%2 NIGHTSCunard Queen Mary 2 Northern Europe 2 nights
Save 1%11 NIGHTSCunard Queen Elizabeth Alaska 11 nights
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords Michelin-star Chef Michel Roux cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Kristiansand · Oslo · Skagen
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
14 NIGHTSSeattle Sights and Glacier Vistas: Cunard's Farewell Season to Alaska
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
Save 4%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Barcelona · Civitavecchia (Rome)
Hot deal7 NIGHTS7 Night Transatlantic Crossing
Ports: New York
Save 9%10 NIGHTS3-night Rome & 7-night Luxury France And Italy
10 NIGHTSItalian Coastal Treasures with Cunard
Save 1%7 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Ports: Southampton · New York
10 NIGHTSAlaska from Seattle with Stay
Ports: Seattle · Ketchikan · Juneau · Victoria, British Columbia
19 NIGHTSMediterranean and Greek Islands cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Cadiz · Thira · Mykonos Town · Piraeus · Heraklion
10 NIGHTSVoyage of the Ancients: A Journey from Istanbul to Rome with Cunard
10 NIGHTSVoyage of the Ancients: A Journey from Istanbul to Rome with Cunard
Ports: Rome
Deal18 NIGHTSNo-fly Grand European Rail & Sail Adventure: Including 4* Hotel stays, Upgraded Rail & Queen Victoria Cruise
7 NIGHTS7 Night Transatlantic Crossing
Ports: New York
4 NIGHTS4-night Rotterdam And Zeebrugge Short Break
Save 1%16 NIGHTSCunard's Caribbean Eclipse with 12-night sailing on Queen Elizabeth
12 NIGHTSNorway and North Cape cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Alesund · Tromsø, Norway · Narvik · Stavanger, Norway
5 NIGHTS5-night Hamburg And Zeebrugge Short Break
Ports: Hamburg · Zeebrugge
13 NIGHTSFalls, Skyscrapers & Sea: Niagara, New York & Cunard Transatlantic Crossing
Ports: Niagara · New York
Save 3%7 NIGHTSSpain and France cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Bilbao (Getxo) · Santander · Gijon · Cherbourg · Southampton
Save 6%12 NIGHTSAzores, Portugal and Spain cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Ponta Delgada, Azores · Funchal, Madeira · Lisbon · Vigo · Southampton
Save 3%4 NIGHTS4-night Short Break To Rotterdam
4 NIGHTS4-night Zeebrugge And Cherbourg fr Southampton
12 NIGHTSNorway and North Cape Michelin-star Chef Michel Roux cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Alesund · Tromsø, Norway · Narvik · Stavanger, Norway
12 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · George Town, Grand Cayman · Montego Bay · Roatan Island · Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
4 NIGHTS4-night Short Break to Rotterdam
Save 14%7 NIGHTS7-night Zeebrugge, Amsterdam And Cherbourg fr Southampton
Save 8%7 NIGHTS7-night Le Havre & Amsterdam
Save 3%12 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · George Town, Grand Cayman · Montego Bay · Roatan Island · Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
30 NIGHTSTransatlantic crossing and Caribbean Celebration cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · New York · Tortola · Philipsburg, St. Maarten · Bridgetown, Barbados · Castries, St. Lucia
7 NIGHTSHamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge
Save 8%7 NIGHTS7-night Spain And Portugal fr Southampton
5 NIGHTS2-night Hamburg & 5-night Rotterdam And Zeebrugge Short Break
Ports: Rotterdam · Zeebrugge
5 NIGHTSRotterdam and Zeebrugge Short Break
Save 2%13 NIGHTSAzores from Miami to Southampton with 1-night Stay
Ports: Miami · Praia da Vitoria · Ponta Delgada, Azores · Southampton
45 NIGHTSSouthampton to Sydney
Ports: Southampton · New York · Oranjestad, Aruba · Panama Canal · Acajutla · Puerto Vallarta
34 NIGHTSSouthampton to the Caribbean & South America with Rio & Iguazu Falls Stays
Ports: Southampton · Hamilton · Orlando · Fort Lauderdale · Grand Turk · Bridgetown
Save 3%7 NIGHTS7-night Portugal & Spain fr Southampton
Royal Caribbean Sailings
14 NIGHTS14 Night Eastern Mediterranean
Ports: Rome · Santorini · Mykonos · Dubrovnik
5 NIGHTS5 Night Hamburg & Bruges Cruise
Ports: Hamburg · Zeebrugge
Save 1%4 NIGHTSKey West Perfect Day Cruise
Save 1%4 NIGHTSBahamas Perfect Day Cruise
5 NIGHTS5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
7 NIGHTS7 Night Italy & France Cruise
Ports: Barcelona · Toulon · Ajaccio · Civitavecchia · Naples · Messina
Save 1%4 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean Cruise
9 NIGHTS9-night Spanish Flair & Solar Eclipse
Ports: Bilbao, Spain · Gijon, Spain · Vigo, Spain · La Coruna, Spain · Paris (Le Havre), France
Save 1%4 NIGHTSBahamas Perfect Day Cruise
Save 1%3 NIGHTSPerfect Day Getaway Cruise
Save 1%7 NIGHTSNorthbound Alaska Hubbard Glacier
Save 1%3 NIGHTSBahamas Perfect Day Cruise
Save 1%8 NIGHTSSouthern Caribbean Perfect Day
7 NIGHTS7 Night Cabo, Vallarta & Mazatlan
Ports: Los Angeles · Cabo San Lucas · Mazatlan · Puerto Vallarta · Los Angeles
5 NIGHTS5 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Miami · Nassau · Coco Cay · Miami
5 NIGHTS5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
7 NIGHTS7 Night Greek Isles Cruise
Ports: Santorini · Mykonos · Athens · Split
Save 1%7 NIGHTSSouthern Caribbean Cruise
Save 3%7 NIGHTSWestern Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · Marseille (Provence) · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples
Hot deal7 NIGHTSWestern Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · Marseille (Provence) · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples
7 NIGHTS7-night Norwegian Fjords
7 NIGHTS7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Port Canaveral · Perfect Day CocoCay · San Juan · Philipsburg
7 NIGHTS7 Night Perfect Day Bahamas Cruise
Ports: New York · Port Canaveral · Perfect Day CocoCay · Nassau
7 NIGHTS7 Night Greek Isles Cruise
Ports: Rome · Santorini · Ephesus · Mykonos · Naples
6 NIGHTS6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Galveston · Puerto Costa Maya · Roatan · Cozumel
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Mediterranean Cruise
Ports: Barcelona · Majorca · Florence/Pisa · Rome · Naples
7 NIGHTS7 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Colon · Cartagena · Willemstad · Oranjestad
8 NIGHTS8 Night Northern City Escapes Cruise
Ports: Southampton · Kristiansand · Copenhagen · Hamburg · Rotterdam
Save 1%9 NIGHTSCanada New England
8 NIGHTSBahamas & Perfect Day with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Perfect Day at Cococay · Nassau
9 NIGHTS9 Night Spanish Flair Cruise
Ports: Southampton · Vigo · Lisbon · Cádiz · La Coruña · Bilbao
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska Experience
7 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 5-night Freedom of Bahamas & Perfect Day
Save 1%9 NIGHTSCanada New England
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Greek Explorer & Split
9 NIGHTS9-night Spanish Flair
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Adriatic & Greek Explorer
Save 1%11 NIGHTSTennis US Open Men's Semi Final with Bahamas and Perfect Day from Cape Liberty
Ports: New York (Cape Liberty) · Orlando (Port Canaveral) · Nassau · Perfect Day at Cococay
Save 1%7 NIGHTS3-night Miami & 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska Experience
7 NIGHTS7-night Spain & France
Save 6%7 NIGHTSWestern Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · Marseille (Provence) · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples
Save 6%7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Greek Treasures
8 NIGHTS8-night Spain & France Cruise
35 NIGHTSHawaiian Explorer & Transpacific with Vancouver and Sydney Stays
Ports: Vancouver · Seattle · Kailua Kona, Hawaii · Napali Coast · Honolulu, Oahu · Papeete, Tahiti
7 NIGHTS5-night Salou & 7-night Legend of the Med
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Greek Icons & Split
Save 4%7 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 5-night Freedom of Bahamas & Perfect Day
7 NIGHTS3-night Miami & 4-night Key West & Bahamas
7 NIGHTSPRICE DROP! 7 Night Spain & France Cruise
Ports: Southampton · Cherbourg · La Coruña · Bilbao · Le Havre · Southampton
Cunard vs Royal Caribbean: the bottom line
Choosing between Cunard and Royal Caribbean 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.
Cunard, founded in 1840 and headquartered in Southampton, UK, operates a fleet of 4 ships. It is categorised as a luxury cruise line and scores 4.8/5 overall based on 8,900 reviews. The line is particularly strong for luxury and sophistication and transatlantic crossings, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Royal Caribbean, established in 1968 from Miami, USA, has a fleet of 28 ships. As a contemporary line rated 4.6/5 from 24,500 reviews, it excels at families with kids and thrill seekers and adventurers. If those are your priorities, Royal Caribbean deserves serious consideration.
On food, Cunard scores 9/10 compared to Royal Caribbean's 7/10. For entertainment, Cunard comes in at 7/10 versus Royal Caribbean's 10/10. Value for money favours Royal Caribbean 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.