MSC Cruises vs Celebrity Cruises
A detailed side-by-side comparison of MSC Cruises and Celebrity Cruises 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 MSC Cruises if you want…
- Value for money
- All-inclusive packages
- Families (kids sail free)
- Mediterranean itineraries
MSC Cruises may not suit you if…
- Those wanting British-focused experience
- Small-ship intimacy seekers
- Adults-only preference
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
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
MSC Cruises Fleet (22 ships)
MSC Virtuosa
Built 2021 · 6,334 guests
MSC World Europa
Built 2022 · 6,762 guests
MSC Euribia
Built 2023 · 6,334 guests
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
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
MSC Cruises Sailings
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska Adventure
Save 1%11 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Bahamas and Ocean Cay
Save 4%3 NIGHTS3-night Belgium & France Short Break
9 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 7-night Ocean Cay and Bahamas
8 NIGHTS3-night Shanghai & 4-night Far East Fling
3 NIGHTSBahamas from Port Canaveral
Ports: Orlando (Port Canaveral) · Nassau · Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve · Orlando (Port Canaveral)
7 NIGHTSSpain, France, Italy & Malta Fly Cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Marseille (Provence) · Florence & Pisa (Livorno) · Cagliari, Sardinia · Palermo, Sicily · Valletta
Save 8%4 NIGHTS4-night Cork Overnight Taster Cruise
Save 1%10 NIGHTSMiami & Caribbean Cocktail
9 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 7-night Ocean Cay and Bahamas
Save 7%12 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
11 NIGHTS7-night Universal Orlando & 4-night Ocean Cay & Bahamas Break
Save 5%8 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Ocean Cay & Bahamas Break
11 NIGHTS4-night Malta & 7-night Mediterranean Marvels
8 NIGHTS3-night Miami & 5-night Caribbean Getaway
Save 1%6 NIGHTS2-night Genoa & 4-night Mediterranean Gems
4 NIGHTS4-night Cork Mini Cruise
Save 2%5 NIGHTS2-night Hamburg & 5-night Voyage to Southampton
3 NIGHTSNorthern Europe from Hamburg
Save 5%6 NIGHTS2-night Marseille & 4-night Mediterranean Gems
Save 4%5 NIGHTS5-night Northern European Getaway
7 NIGHTSHALF TERM France and Spain cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · La Rochelle · Bilbao (Getxo) · La Coruna · Le Havre (Paris)
Save 12%5 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 3-night A Taste of Italy
Save 1%7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Mediterranean Seaviews
3 NIGHTSBahamas from Port Canaveral
Ports: Orlando (Port Canaveral) · Nassau · Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve · Orlando (Port Canaveral)
Save 8%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Explorer
7 NIGHTS7-night France & Iberian Shores
Save 5%8 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Ocean Cay & Bahamas Break
9 NIGHTS2-night Marseille & 7-night Mediterranean Seaviews
Save 10%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Pearls
11 NIGHTS9-night Atlantic Shores to the Med & 2-night Barcelona
Save 2%10 NIGHTSEastern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Puerto Plata · San Juan · Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
Save 5%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Pearls
Save 6%7 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
9 NIGHTS3-night Taipei & 5-night Best of Japan
8 NIGHTS3-night Taipei & 4-night Japan Explorer
Save 17%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Sights
Save 5%7 NIGHTS3-night Santos & 7-night South America
8 NIGHTS3-night Taipei & 4-night Japan Explorer
6 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 4-night Mediterranean Gems
11 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Bahamas and Ocean Cay
7 NIGHTS7-night Northern Cities & Culture
Save 4%11 NIGHTS1-night Rome & 6-night Canary Isles Sojourn & 4-night Tenerife
11 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Bahamas and Ocean Cay
9 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Med Elegance Collection
7 NIGHTS7-night Iconic European Cities
6 NIGHTS6-night Northern Pearls
7 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
7 NIGHTS7 nights Western Europe from Las Palmas de G.Canaria (Canary Is.)
Ports: Gran Canaria · La Palma · Tenerife · Fuerteventura · Funchal · Lanzarote
7 NIGHTS7 nights Western Mediterranean from Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Rome · Sicily · Malta
Celebrity Cruises Sailings
Save 19%11 NIGHTSAdriatic & Greek Isles from Athens with 1-night Stay
Ports: Athens (Piraeus) · Thira · Santorini · Rhodes Town · Rhodes · Ephesus (Kusadasi)
Save 2%10 NIGHTSAdriatic & Greek Isles from Athens
Ports: Athens (Piraeus) · Thira, Santorini · Rhodes Town, Rhodes · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Mykonos Town, Mykonos · Dubrovnik
10 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Perfect Day at Cococay · Cozumel · George Town, Grand Cayman · Nassau
11 NIGHTSItalian Riviera & France from Rome with Stay
Ports: Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples · La Spezia · Portofino · Nice (Villefranche Sur Mer) · Marseille (Provence)
15 NIGHTSSwiss Alps, Bernina Red Train and Greece & Turkey Explorer with Milan and Rome Stays
Ports: Rome · Souda Bay · Thira · Ephesus · Istanbul · Mykonos Town
13 NIGHTSGreece, Turkey & Italy from Rome with Stay
Ports: Rome (Civitavecchia) · Souda Bay (tours to Chania), Crete · Thira, Santorini · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Istanbul · Mykonos Town, Mykonos
Save 1%11 NIGHTSCanaries Portugal Cruise
Save 3%9 NIGHTSBest of Greece from Athens
Ports: Athens · Rhodes · Ephesus · Thira · Mykonos · Kavala
21 NIGHTSTreasures of Tahiti & Fiji from Honolulu with Waikiki Beach Stay
Ports: Honolulu, Oahu · Papeete, Tahiti · Moorea · Raiatea · Suva · Lautoka
Save 4%7 NIGHTS7-night Tortola, St. Maarten & Puerto Plata
Ports: Miami · Puerto Plata · Tortola · Philipsburg · Miami
Save 2%11 NIGHTSGreece, Turkey & Italy from Rome
Ports: Rome (Civitavecchia) · Souda Bay · Thira (Santorini) · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Istanbul · Mykonos Town
Hot deal11 NIGHTSItaly, Spain & French Riviera from Barcelona with 1-night Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Naples · Messina · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Portofino · La Spezia
11 NIGHTSGreece & Turkey from Athens with 1-night Stay
Ports: Athens (Piraeus) · Thessaloniki · Istanbul · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Thira (Santorini) · Rhodes Town
10 NIGHTSGreece & Turkey from Athens
Ports: Athens (Piraeus) · Thessaloniki · Istanbul · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Thira (Santorini) · Rhodes Town
Save 1%11 NIGHTSCanaries Portugal Cruise
Save 3%17 NIGHTSSydney Stay, Hunter Valley & Fjords of New Zealand
Ports: Sydney · Dunedin · Christchurch · Tauranga · Auckland
Save 3%21 NIGHTSSnow Monkeys, Tokyo & Kyoto Tour & Hiroshima & Nagasaki Voyage
Ports: Tokyo / Yokohama, Kanagawa · Kyoto (Osaka) · Kochi · Hiroshima · Busan · Nagasaki
10 NIGHTSBest of Greece from Athens with Stay
Ports: Athens (Piraeus) · Rhodes Town · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Thira (Santorini) · Mykonos Town · Thessaloniki
Save 4%9 NIGHTSBest of Greece from Athens with 1-night Stay
Ports: Athens (Piraeus) · Rhodes Town · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Thira (Santorini) · Mykonos Town · Thessaloniki
12 NIGHTSItaly, France & Malta from Barcelona with Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples · Valletta
17 NIGHTSPortugal & Bermuda Transatlantic from Southampton with Orlando Stay
Ports: Southampton · Vigo · Lisbon · Ponta Delgada · Royal Naval Dockyard · Orlando
Save 4%11 NIGHTSItaly, France & Malta from Barcelona with 1-night Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · La Spezia · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples · Valletta
12 NIGHTSBest of Italy & Croatia with Venice Stay
Ports: Ravenna · Split · Dubrovnik · Kotor · Messina, Sicily · Salerno
Save 13%10 NIGHTSBest of Italy & Croatia from Ravenna
Ports: Ravenna · Split · Dubrovnik · Kotor · Messina · Salerno
31 NIGHTSThe Yangtze River, Giant Pandas, Terracotta Warriors & Great Wall fr. Japan
Ports: Tokyo / Yokohama, Kanagawa · Shimizu (for Mount Fuji) · Kyoto (Osaka) · Kobe · Kochi · Okinawa
10 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 10-night Malta, Greece & Italian Gems
Save 1%11 NIGHTSGreece, Italy and France
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
MSC Cruises vs Celebrity Cruises: the bottom line
Choosing between MSC Cruises and Celebrity Cruises 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.
MSC Cruises, founded in 1970 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, operates a fleet of 22 ships. It is categorised as a contemporary cruise line and scores 4.3/5 overall based on 15,600 reviews. The line is particularly strong for value for money and all-inclusive packages, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Celebrity Cruises, established in 1988 from Miami, USA, has a fleet of 17 ships. As a premium line rated 4.7/5 from 11,200 reviews, it excels at food and dining enthusiasts and modern luxury seekers. If those are your priorities, Celebrity Cruises deserves serious consideration.
On food, MSC Cruises scores 7/10 compared to Celebrity Cruises's 10/10. For entertainment, MSC Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus Celebrity Cruises's 7/10. Value for money favours MSC Cruises with a score of 9/10.
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.
MSC Cruises vs Celebrity Cruises — FAQ
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