MSC Cruises vs Royal Caribbean
A detailed side-by-side comparison of MSC Cruises 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 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 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.
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
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.
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
Royal Caribbean Sailings
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
12 NIGHTSSouthern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Oranjestad, Aruba · Willemstad, Curacao · Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic · Perfect Day at Cococay
Save 3%10 NIGHTS3-night Shanghai & 5-night Japan & 1-night Shanghai
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Adriatic & Greek Explorer
25 NIGHTSHawaiian Tropics, South Pacific Islands & Sydney
6 NIGHTS6-night Norwegian Adventure
21 NIGHTSGreat Wall, Terracotta Army, Pandas, Avatar Mountains & Best of Japan
Ports: Shanghai (Wusongkou/Baoshan) · Sakaiminato · Kyoto (Maizuru) · Niigata · Hakodate
Save 3%10 NIGHTSWestern Caribbean & Perfect Day with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Puerto Costa Maya · Roatan Island · Cozumel · Perfect Day at Cococay
15 NIGHTS15 Night Spain & Portugal Transatlantic
Save 1%3 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 3-night Legend Med Taster
Ports: Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples · Barcelona
7 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 7-night Med Explorer
11 NIGHTS3-night Shanghai & 5-night Jeju, Busan & 2-night Hong Kong
Save 2%9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa Overnight
9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa & Ishigaki
13 NIGHTSOrlando Adventure & Star of the Seas Caribbean Escape with Royal Caribbean
9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa & Ishigaki
9 NIGHTS3-night Hong Kong & 5-night Okinawa & Taipei
14 NIGHTSHong Kong's Symphony of Lights and Christmas Best of Japan Voyage
Ports: Hong Kong · Fukuoka · Nagasaki · Kagoshima · Kumamoto
7 NIGHTS7 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise
Ports: San Juan · Charlotte Amalie · St Croix · Philipsburg · St John's · Roseau
5 NIGHTS5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Tampa · Puerto Costa Maya · Cozumel
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Tampa · Cozumel · Puerto Costa Maya · George Town
10 NIGHTS4-night Singapore & 5-night Penang, Langkawi & Phuket
7 NIGHTS7 Night South Pacific Cruise
Ports: Brisbane · Mystery Island · Noumea
7 NIGHTS7-night Cabo Overnight Catalina & Ensenada
Ports: Los Angeles · Catalina Island · Cabo San Lucas · Ensenada
9 NIGHTS9 Night New Zealand Cruise
Ports: Sydney · Wellington · Napier · Tauranga · Bay Of Islands
14 NIGHTS4-night Sydney & 9-night South Pacific Paradise
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Coco Cay
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Coco Cay
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas Getaway Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Freeport · Bimini Island
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Ports: Nassau · Coco Cay
Hot deal4 NIGHTS4 Night Hobart Getaway
Ports: Hobart
4 NIGHTS4 Night Busan Cruise
Ports: Baoshan Pt · Busan
7 NIGHTS7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Port Canaveral · Charlotte Amalie · Puerto Plata · Coco Cay · Port Canaveral
5 NIGHTS5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Galveston · Costa Maya · Cozumel · Galveston
6 NIGHTS6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · Cozumel · Costa Maya · Nassau
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
Ports: Tampa · Costa Maya · Belize City · Roatán Island · Cozumel
4 NIGHTS4 Night Catalina & Ensenada Cruise
Ports: San Diego · Santa Catalina Island · Ensenada
7 NIGHTS7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Miami · Coco Cay · San Juan (Puerto Rico) · Charlotte Amalie
5 NIGHTS5 Night Jeju & Fukuoka Cruise
Ports: Baoshan Pt · Seogwipo · Fukuoka
7 NIGHTS7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day
Ports: Coco Cay · Bimini Island · Georgetown · Cozumel · Miami
17 NIGHTS3-night Memphis, Graceland Tour, 2-night New Orleans & 17-night Transatlantic to Southampton
Ports: Memphis · New Orleans · Miami · Casablanca · Tangier · Cadiz
MSC Cruises vs Royal Caribbean: the bottom line
Choosing between MSC Cruises 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.
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.
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, MSC Cruises scores 7/10 compared to Royal Caribbean's 7/10. For entertainment, MSC Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus Royal Caribbean's 10/10. 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 Royal Caribbean — FAQ
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