Cruise Lines
The Big Three
Cruise Lines - Three Major Parent Companies
You will see many cruise lines advertised, but did you know that most of these are owned/managed by three main companies? That’s not to say that each line is the same within a group. They each have their own USP and individual ships also have vast differences.
Whilst these are the largest cruise parent companies, there are also now a number of independent cruise lines (Virgin Voyages, MSC Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Saga Cruises, Viking Cruises etc.).
Image courtesy of Carnival Corp & plc
Carnival
Carnival Corporation & plc/Carnival UK is the world’s largest cruise company and operates over 100 ships across 9 cruise lines (Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, P&O, Cunard, Costa Cruises and Aida (mainly German market).
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd run over 40 ships under the following brands: Royal Caribbean International (RCI), Celebrity Cruises. They also partly own TUI Cruises (Marella/Mein Schiff), Pullmantur and Hapag-Lloyd.
Logo Courtesy of NCL
Norwegian cruise lines
Norwegian Cruise Lines International currently have around 30 ships sailing under the brands NCL, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises.