The Best Cruise Ships in the World: The Gold List 2025
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For 31 years the editors of Condé Nast Traveler have been compiling this annual compendium of hotels and cruises we’ve discovered, or fallen in love with all over again. We highlight them not only for their beauty, comfort, or impeccable service, but also because we’ve developed deeply emotional relationships with them: These are the hotels and cruises we recommend to our friends, that we tell stories about later. And this year, for the first time, we’re telling those same stories in video form, too. Below are the best cruises in the world, according to our editors.
View the entire 2025 Gold List here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Aqua MareshipAqua Mare
Gold List 2025In the morning we plunge into the 60-degree sea to snorkel with penguins. In the afternoon we scramble up cliffs and watch albatross chicks stretch their wings into the wind. In the evening we take a culinary tour through Ecuador and Peru during our family-style dinner on the aft deck. Such is a day on Aqua Mare in the Galapágos. With seven suites for just 16 guests, Aqua Mare isn't your typical Galápagos cruise ship but a true superyacht—one that you can book by the cabin rather than charter. Built in 1998 by CRN Yachts and designed by Francois Zuretti, and refurbished in 2021, Aqua Mare has all the Italian-inspired glitz and glam you'd expect from that partnership, including glossy walnut-veneer walls and Carrara-marble tables and bath. As much as I enjoyed the sun deck with its whirlpool and the beach club with its swim platform, the experience is all about the Galápagos. With two local guides for 16 guests, it feels as if you're seeing the archipelago on a private tour. And that's what Aqua Mare is all about. Seven-day sailings from $10,920 per person. —Stefanie Waldek
Michel Verdure/Celebrity CruisesshipCelebrity Edge
Gold List 2025Standing on the literal edge, I take in the ever-changing colors of the Caribbean from the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered platform dangling like a necklace pendant off the ship’s side. It moves like an elevator, maximizing the views as you clink glasses of sun-soaked Veuve Clicquot. Although, these days, the Celebrity Edge has swapped Mediterranean and Caribbean island-hopping scenery for summertime glacier spotting in Alaska and Aussie coastal landmarks in (northern) winter. The vessel’s first-of-its-kind Infinite Verandas, found in the Edge Staterooms, are tailor-made for Alaskan voyages, during which brisk temperatures might send you scurrying inside. One touch of a button, and my electronic glass panel slides closed, transforming balcony back into stateroom while satisfying comfort and Instagram simultaneously. Come sunset, Eden restaurant calls like a siren with its curvaceous sculptures guiding you into a sexy Patricia Urquiola–designed greenhouse lounge. Live music and hypnotic cocktail menus send fellow sailors to the dance floor by round two. Not the party type, I turn the corner for the water-facing swing chairs, suspended from the ceiling by a chain, to get lost in the magic of being at sea. The beauty of Celebrity Edge is its design-forward edginess. Instead of deciding which amusement park ride or superlative-inducing waterslide to wait in line for, my decisions are simpler: fresh oysters, Greek kebabs, or sushi? The right answer is all three. Eleven-night sailings from $1,589 per person. —Ramsey Qubein
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Courtesy Crystal SymphonyshipCrystal Symphony
Gold List 2025Fresh off a down-to-the-steel refurbishment, Crystal Symphony returns with luxe touches everywhere: plush carpets, polished stonework, and fascinating art. And no two spaces on the ship give off the same vibe. In the tony Connoisseur Club, while sunk into a tufted leather banquette, you might savor a limited-run Irish whiskey. Or in the sunlight-flooded Palm Court, you can luxuriate on an oversized lounger, with afternoon-tea views over the bow. Indulgent comforts don’t stop at public spaces. Sapphire Veranda Suites have walk-in closets and marble showers so spacious you could almost host a cocktail party in them. Butlers are on hand to memorize preferences (order that iced Americano just once, and it’s at the door on a silver tray at the same time each morning). But the best part is the space—more of it than virtually any ship afloat, making a fully booked sailing feel like it’s all to yourself. Seven-day sailings from $4,300 per person. —Scott Laird
Steven Diaz / Disney Cruise LinesshipDisney Wish
Gold List 2025While you may think of families when you think of Disney Cruise Line, the Disney Wish is ideal for Disney-loving adults who may or may not be cruising with youngsters. The glittering 4,000-passenger ship highlights Disney royalty around every corner, and once you step on board, you feel like the king or queen of the ship too. Luxe adult-only spaces are found all around the vessel, from wake-facing infinity pools in the Quiet Cove to the signature extra-charge restaurant, Enchante, with a menu by chef Arnaud Lallement of the three-Michelin-starred L’Assiette Champenoise. Alternatively, head to the included rotational dining restaurant, 1923, for a steakhouse-caliber meal without the extra charge. Sip on a nightcap at the Cinderella-themed Nightingale’s piano bar, where whimsical cocktails inspired by bubbles are served—we love the Chocolate Frozen Bubbles, a decadent mix of Baileys Salted Caramel, Absolut Vanilia, and chocolate, served in a hollow ice sphere that you get to break open with a tiny metal hammer. Between the adult escapes, go to the Walt Disney Theater for a Broadway-style retelling of the Disney animated classic The Little Mermaid, play the interactive Disney Uncharted Adventure game, or even head to the kids club during open house hours to virtually build and ride your own roller coaster in the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab, and view once-a-cruise fireworks at sea. And besides all of this, at any moment during the voyage, you may find yourself face-to-face with Mickey Mouse himself. Four-night sailings from $2,018 per person. —Megan duBois
MARCO LEITER/Explora JourneysshipExplora I
Gold List 2025 
Hot List 2024With its Italian marble interiors, high-end art collection, and crystal art installations, stepping onto Explora 1 feels more like checking in to a luxury hotel than boarding a cruise. This is a ship that gets the details right. Even my entry-level Ocean Terrace suite had a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and a pair of binoculars. At 377 square feet, these suites are huge by cruise standards—like perfectly designed studio apartments with private balconies, glamorous dressing areas, and heated bathroom floors. I spent just a few nights on Explora 1; though it was too cold and windy to take full advantage of the pools, sun decks, and outdoor Technogym equipment, I enjoyed my time on the spa, at the gym, and eating and drinking my way across the ship. I’m still daydreaming about the pistachio gelato and the best veggie burger I've ever had. Seven-night sailings from $3,225 per person. —Meena Thiruvengadam
David VargasshipNational Geographic Islander II
Gold List 2025There’s no shortage of napping spots on board this striking expedition ship with space for just 48 guests. Whether in comfy beds in the oversized staterooms, open-air hammocks, or plush daybeds topside, snoozes are well deserved during these exploration-packed Galápagos voyages. It's possible to swim with seals and sea lions in the mornings. They may even try to blow bubbles or mimic snorkelers' movements. Or you might spot blue-footed boobies, iguanas, or sea lions from a bobbing Zodiac. Perhaps doing yoga on a beach at sunrise alongside whatever wildlife might curiously spectate is more your speed. Between naps, guests can feast on Ecuadorian cuisine (the golden roast suckling pig under the stars is a favorite) or chat with an onboard naturalist at the bar while the mixologist tops their newly invented tipple with a citrus slice they’ve dehydrated while you were saluting the sun on the beach that morning. Seven-day sailings from $6,864 per person. —Scott Laird
Courtesy Norwegian VivashipNorwegian Viva
Gold List 2025 Hot List 2024Never mind the go-kart tracks, escape rooms, and Broadway shows, Norwegian Viva’s specialty comes from family memories made sailing the Mediterranean (and sometimes the Caribbean). It’s the perfect multigenerational experience, a one-size-fits-all approach for every interest and appetite. From unending hospitality in The Haven, a butler-attended space for suite guests where staff remembered special preferences (there were 20 of us, ages 1 to 75), to soaking in one of the infinity plunge pools perched on the ship’s edge, the journey was as impressive as the destinations. Rocketing down the tidal wave waterslide and splashing in the aqua park, my young nieces and nephews squealed with delight. Similar thrills were had ordering endless plates of dosas, made-to-order tacos, and ramen bowls in the food hall. But cruising is not always about onboard game shows (yes, you can win real cash) or virtual reality arcades. You’ll find all of that here, but reconnecting with loved ones in new places was the best takeaway, and this spectacular ship did not disappoint. Seven-day sailings from $1,043 per person. —Ramsey Qubein
Justin Kriel/VRX Studios/OceaniashipOceania Riviera
Gold List 2025Quiet luxury rules onboard Oceania Cruises’s Riviera, where hues like sand, charcoal, and auburn predominate. After a 2022 makeover the 1,250-passenger ship feels sleeker and richer, with redone staterooms going big on marble baths. The Riviera is now sexier too, notably in Martinis Bar; sip Flirtinis (sparkling wine, Cointreau, and Absolut Raspberry) on tufted couches amid black, silver, and gold décor. Among eight complimentary restaurants, discover Red Ginger’s perennial fave: banana-leaf-wrapped miso-glazed sea bass. Riviera’s lavish afternoon tea with a classical string quartet tempts daily at 4 p.m. Find your inner Frida Kahlo at Artist Loft, where free workshops led by notable artists in residence abound. Distinguished chef Stephanie Hersch, formerly Julia Child’s executive assistant, runs the Culinary Center. If booking a Concierge-level veranda stateroom or above, access to the surprisingly underused Aquamar Spa Terrace, with a big outdoor Jacuzzi and sun-protected loungers, is yours. Seven-day sailings from $2,470 per person. —Janice Wald Henderson
Regent Seven Seas GrandeurshipSeven Seas Grandeur
Gold List 2025 Hot List 2024Seven Seas Grandeur is the epitome of luxury small-ship sailing, complete with exceptional service and an awe-inspiring art collection. The new, all-inclusive 746-passenger ship has 373 all-veranda suites that start at a spacious 307 square feet and have beautiful marble bathrooms. Boasting Picasso and Miro paintings, as well as the only Fabergé egg permanently on display at sea, the vessel is a veritable floating art museum. Adventurous foodies will want to make reservations at Pacific Rim, a Pan-Asian restaurant where fresh sushi, traditional dim sum, and golden-fried Canadian lobster tempura grace the menu. Alternatively, the bejeweled Compass Rose dining room features a unique create-your-own entrée concept so diners can eat exactly what they wish each evening, even down to the sauces. Outside, on the upper deck, the putting green is inspired by famous golf holes, including the 17th hole “island green” at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida. The crew takes time to get to know each guest and anticipate their needs, so before you know it, your preferred coffee or Champagne is waiting at your favorite chair on the pool deck, and most cruisers wouldn’t want it any other way. Seven-day sailings from $4,299 per person. —Megan duBois
Scenic Luxury Cruises & ToursshipScenic Spirit
Gold List 2025The ship’s resistance pool is the perfect place to refresh yourself and reflect upon days spent touring floating markets and ancient ruins, or going on destination-immersive excursions (like helping local schoolchildren practice English) with fellow guests. Aboard Scenic Spirit’s flagship Mekong River cruise, guests enjoy upscale hospitality in an unsuspecting place. Where else would a $50 massage be on the same daily program as a visit to pay alms to young monks at a Buddhist temple? Free-flowing drinks, complimentary tours, and extravagant multicourse meals aside, this educational journey—and the people and places I saw—left me feeling fulfilled mentally and spiritually. Watching local kids gleefully bounce on the ropes that tied our all-suite vessel to shore and waving at farmers as they walked their cattle to work filled the gaps between local dance performances, educational talks, and cocktail hours onboard. Perhaps the best souvenir, though, is a newfound gratitude and empathy I gained from experiencing this life-changing itinerary. Nine-night sailings from $7,075 per person. —Ramsey Qubein
John Shedwick/Seabourn PursuitshipSeabourn Pursuit
Gold List 2025 Hot List 2024I never dreamed I’d spend days in a Zodiac counting man-eating crocodiles or sipping Champagne under giant twin waterfalls that tumble over multimillion-year-old rocks. Sailing the Kimberley—the wildly remote northernmost Western Australia region—is an adrenaline-charged cruise celebrating prehistoric vistas and Australian First Nations culture. The contrast of time-travel Zodiac adventures to shipboard modernistic poshness electrifies all senses. Such sailings on this ultra-luxury expedition ship run May through August in 2025 and 2026, after which the 264-passenger vessel veers toward Antarctica. Consider Seabourn Pursuit an ode to extravagance. Cruisers can nibble complimentary Regiis Ova caviar and sip Champagne Montaudon anytime, anywhere on the ship. Indulge in the buzzy Constellation Lounge predinner with new friends (passengers are so friendly), or while ogling Kimberley sunsets so orangey-red they set the sky aflame. View these dusk thrillers in the Sky Bar–adjacent whirlpools, dirty martini in hand. You’ll fall in love with the ship even more when you have flat whites in Seabourn Square, nightly soufflés in the restaurant, and any wine pairing dinner. 10- and 11-day sailings from $11,825 per person. —Janice Wald Henderson
SilverseashipSilver Dawn
Gold List 2025 Hot List 2023I confess, after sailing all 12 Silversea ships, Silver Dawn stole my heart. Its Otium spa is the brand’s largest and most opulent: A Golden Radiance facial stars real gold leaf, and a massage is a daze-inducing 100 minutes. Post-treatment, awaiting en suite is a bath, drawn by white-gloved butler, and perhaps truffled popcorn (find the Otium suite service menu atop the bar). Props to the wonderfully whimsical and spacious Arts Café (it’s tiny on newer ships), which has scrumptious drinks and bites morning to late night. Its oceanfront terrace is the ultimate hideaway. If Silver Note supper club is booked, relish the jazz duo at the bar. La Dame’s cuisine and service vibe is like a one-Michelin-star Parisian restaurant, and worth the bucks. Request Bulgari toiletries and Calvisius caviar, as both are quietly complimentary in all 298 suites. Find camaraderie at the Pool Bar, the Dolce Vita lounge, or the SALT Bar and Lab, where cocktails and culinary workshops deliciously reflect the cruise itinerary, be it Asia, South America, or Europe. Seven-day sailings from $4,600 per person. —Janice Wald Henderson
Uniworld River CruisesshipS.S. La Venezia
Gold List 2025Dressing myself for dinner, I'm enveloped by Fortuny fabrics. Well, my cabin is, anyway. The ceiling, the walls, the headboard, the doors—practically all surfaces are upholstered in custom Fortuny, manufactured just across the Giudecca Canal in the factory I can see out my window. I lament the fact I don't have a 1930s-style gown to match the Venetian decor here, but the ship has enough style for the both of us. I stroll through the lobby, past black-and-gold palm-fringed walls and beneath a Murano chandelier, and make my way to the lounge for aperitivo, sinking into a blue velvet armchair with a spritz. Another perfect start to the evening on S.S. La Venezia. Tonight, after a farm-to-table Italian dinner in the restaurant, we have a treat in store: a private after-hours tour of Saint Mark's Basilica. The quiet patter of our shoes on the marble floor echoes throughout the empty nave as we enter in the dark. Illuminated one by one, the lights reveal the dazzling gold mosaics in the dome above us, and I gasp at the sight. Now, this is how you do Venice. Seven-day sailings from $3,699 per person. —Stefanie Waldek
Viking CruisesshipViking Octantis
Gold List 2025The experience of visiting Antarctica is so remarkable that most get to do it only once—making your selection of vessel a precious one. Aboard the sleek Viking Octantis, the goal is to get you as close to the continent’s most striking landscapes as possible, without the discomfort one might assume is standard for traversing this unforgiving destination. Every one of the 189 Nordic-style staterooms from which you can see the icy, sapphire waters outside—broken, perhaps, by the arch of a humpback whale or the speedy porpoising of gentoo penguins. You’re just as likely to score orca sightings from the open-air Norwegian badestamp in the spa or from plush armchairs facing floor-to-ceiling windows in the expansive library, where bartenders keep Irish coffees and crisp Sancerres coming, and lauded naturalists and an on-ship wildlife photographer are almost always within earshot for questions—and answers. It's not easy for a cruise ship to compete with Antarctica's scenery, but the Viking Octantis puts up a fair fight: Time on board is not time wasted. 13-day sailings from $12,995 per person. —Megan Spurrell