Best Honeymoon Cruises & Best Honeymoon Cruise Lines

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Europe’s ancient towns and cities in Spain, France, Greece & Italy await on a Mediterranean cruise.

Maybe the Pacific Ocean paradise of Hawaii or the South Pacific’s heavenly island of Bora Bora are at the top of your bucket list? They’re just waiting to be explored on a Pacific cruise.

Explore the northwest US on an Alaska Cruise. Take a wonderful trip around New Zealand and Australia. Marvel at the epic greens and greys of the Norwegian Fjords.

You could explore the majestic coast of Asia. Take an Arabian adventure from Dubai or a transatlantic journey from Europe to the Americas or vice versa.

The options for honeymoon cruises are endless! Plus, there is a cruise for most budgets, making a cruise honeymoon very affordable!

Traditionally, adult only cruises would attract an older cohort, closer to retirement age than just-married age (forgive us for generalising here!) but Virgin Voyages are turning cruising upside down with 21st-century honeymoon cruise ships.

It really is one of the most innovative honeymoon cruise lines. For entertainment, think of a festival at sea!

For foodies, there are 20+ places to eat (with no buffets). A 24/7 diner, Michelin-starred chefs curating the menus, mixologists and drinks to suit all budgets.

If you love to move, you’ll be in heaven with a Technogym equipment and scheduled training camps. They even have a tattoo parlour onboard. We’re kinda obsessed!

You have Insider cabins or Sea View cabins for couples on a budget. Upgrade to a Sea Terrace and you’ll find a cute hammock on your private balcony.

Go all out with a RockStar Quarters or Mega RockStar Quarters with big balconies, hammocks, marble bathrooms and exclusive access to Richard’s Rooftop. Taking honeymoon cruises to the next level.

Essential drinks (i.e. water, soft drinks, tea and coffee) are included as standard.

For alcoholic drinks, you can pay as you go or purchase a Bar Tab before boarding which you can spend how you like. Drink prices start relatively reasonably, with beers from $6 and cocktails from $9.

The Aquatic Club pool deck was modelled on a mega-yacht. The Redemption Spa has a thermal suite with a mud room and salt room.

By night is where Virgin Voyages comes alive with the most innovative entertainment – late-night cabaret by a sexologist, elaborate circus shows, modern dance and absurdist nightclub shows.

The entertainment on Virgin Voyages makes it one of the most unique honeymoon cruise lines!

We love The Manor with its ‘moody and sexy 70s punk vibe’. The entrance alone will have you living your Studio 54 dreams.

The first thing to mention is that, despite the name, they don’t just cruise Caribbean destinations!

They have many beautiful itineraries on their honeymoon cruises. They go to the top-rated honeymoon destinations in the world, but honestly, it’s hard to tear yourself away from the ship because of the sheer number of fun things to do onboard.

From surfing to rock climbing to bumper cars, there are so many fun things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise. There’s also a vast array of places to wine and dine!

While Royal Caribbean are extremely family-friendly, don’t let that put you off choosing this cruise line.

It’s still one of the best honeymoon cruises with ample adult-only areas like the beautiful Solarium area, meaning that they’re perfect for a honeymoon, too!

We’d recommend the Oasis Class, Quantum Class or the new Icon class ships, as these are the biggest and best with the most amenities and dining options on board.

While their older ships don’t have as many bells and whistles, they do have some interesting itineraries that are worth considering when you’re searching for the best honeymoon cruises.

Older ships can be excellent value if you’re on a tighter budget, too. Royal Caribbean has a new cruise ship launching almost every year.

Icon of the Seas launched late January 2024 and is the biggest ship in the world. Utopia of the Seas joined the incredible line up of Oasis class ships in July 2024.

Star of the Seas will be sailing from Orlando in 2025, too.

If budget allows, we’d recommend at least an Ocean View Stateroom, which has a porthole window.

However, for a honeymoon, a balcony is very desirable as it will give you more space and a beautiful view. On some newer ships, you have private balconies looking in on the interior of the ship.

These are called Neighbourhood Balcony Staterooms and Central Park Balcony Staterooms, which can be great value compared to Ocean View Balcony Staterooms.

On some newer ships, you’ll also find innovative Virtual Balcony Staterooms.

We love the Royal Suites with upgraded VIP extras across 3 tiers – choose between Sea, Sky & Star class for the ultimate in Royal Caribbean luxury.

For breakfast and lunch, you have high-quality buffet restaurants. For dinner, you will dine in the main dining room.

However, there are also many speciality restaurants to try which incur an extra cost. You can purchase speciality dining packages which we’d strongly recommend for foodie couples.

From sushi to steakhouses to seafood – you’ll be in heaven with the culinary delights you can find. It’s one reason Royal Caribbean is one of the best cruise lines.

Drinks are not included in your base cruise price, but you can add on drinks packages (including non-alcoholic packages and premium alcoholic drink packages) to your online Cruise Planner on the Royal Caribbean website before you embark.

If purchasing an alcohol drinks package, you must purchase for all passengers in your cabin (i.e. no buying one drinks package and sharing)

Don’t feel you have to purchase a drinks package. If you’re not huge consumers of alcohol, it may not be the best value for you!

Wi-Fi, excursions and spa services cost extra but can be included in a package with drinks and other extras prepaid after you book online with Royal Caribbean’s handy Cruise Planner.

You can go on a skydive simulator and surf simulator, play laser tag, have a go at the rock-climbing wall, bumper cars, bungee trampoline, enjoy two pools with hammocks and sun loungers, Las Vegas-style shows, silent discos and of course, the casino!

The restaurants and bars are chic and sophisticated, with menus crafted by a Michelin-starred chef.

Interior designers like Kelly Hoppen & Nate Berkus oversee the interiors on their latest ships. Celebrity is truly one of the best honeymoon cruise lines.

Celebrity Cruises are also ideal for LGBTQ+ honeymoons with their annual Pride Party At Sea.

We’re obsessed with the innovative Edge class of ships. Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Ascent and the forthcoming Celebrity Xcel have cool features like the Magic Carpet.

This is a floating platform that can move up and down at the side of the ship, creating a different ambience depending on the deck it’s on!

You can also find the upgraded Concierge Class and one of our favourites, Aqua Class, for more space and personalised service.

The cabins will vary from ship to ship but the Edge Class cabins are slightly bigger. If you want to go all-out (it is your honeymoon after all!) opt for a suite with your own dedicated butler.

Celebrity is one of the best honeymoon cruise lines for luxurious decadence!

For general eating and drinking, you have the buffet-style Oceanview Cafe plus the main dining room. On the Edge Series of ships, you’ll have the choice of 4 complimentary restaurants, ideal for a romantic dinner.

You’ll spend a little more on speciality restaurants like Tuscan Grille and Murano (which are worth it!).

Celebrity Cruises have an ‘all included’ upgrade which you can opt for at the time of booking, which includes their Classic Drinks package and Wi-Fi.

The fact that you can make it all-inclusive is one reason we think it’s amongst the best honeymoon cruise lines.

There are other drinks packages you can add on or upgrade to, like wine packages and premium drinks packages.

Tips, shore excursions and spa treatments are not included, but you can book on their handy online Cruise Planner before travel.

There are so many areas to explore, including the floating platform, The Magic Carpet, the adults-only Solarium, the casino and beautiful bars like the Sunset Bar and The Club.

Or check out this 10-night Italian & French Riviera honeymoon cruise on Celebrity Ascent taking you to Nice, Portofino, Florence, Rome & the Amalfi Coast – honeymoon cruise heaven!

NCL are pioneers of freestyle dining, dispensing with the traditional dining of old with set sit-down times.

You can go all-inclusive with ‘free-at-sea’ including premium drinks, speciality restaurants and dining including.

Like most of the fun-orientated honeymoon cruise lines, NCL is family-friendly but they have plenty of adult-only spaces, too.

NCl will soon have 20 ships in their fleet when they welcome Norwegian Aqua in 2025. However, like with all honeymoon cruise lines, we generally recommend opting for their newer ships.

With epic itineraries (including one that cruises Hawaii all year, Pride of America) you won’t be short of fabulous honeymoon cruise options.

If budget allows, consider The Haven with its fantastic adult-only deck. The Breakaway, Breakaway Plus, and Prima class of ships are newer, so go with one of these ships if possible.

From Inside (no window), to Oceanview (porthole window) and Balcony staterooms.

They also have Spa Suite Cabins and our favourite The Haven, at the top of the ship with butler service and a private sundeck.

We really recommend exploring the speciality restaurants, for which you pay a supplement. Japanese, BBQ, Italian, seafood, steakhouse – you’ll find all of these onboard.

NCL is one of the best honeymoon cruise lines for food options.

We’d recommend opting for ‘Free At Sea’ upgrade, which includes premium drinks, Wi-Fi and speciality dining, plus a discount on excursions. Spa treatments are extra.

The deck is beautiful and we love the infinity hot tubs. There is a 10 deck water slide and tidal wave water slide for water lovers. You’ll also find bumper cars and mini golf.

By night, explore the virtual reality theatre, Broadway-style shows and a Las Vegas-style nightclub!

Spend a few days exploring England before hopping onboard, stopping in Amsterdam & Brussels before voyaging through Norway for the magnificent fjords and ending up in Iceland.

Or consider this 7-day Alaska honeymoon cruise on Norwegian Encore. Witness the magnificent Misty Fjords and you can hug a husky on a shore excursion!

If you love the idea of a Royal Caribbean cruise, then you may have noticed that Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is quite similar.

Planning a honeymoon without breaking the bank? Then consider Carnival Cruises or MSC Cruises.

If you’re thinking Carnival Cruise Line or MSC, opt for their newer ships and upgraded cabins for more luxury.

If you like the sound of Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises are fantastic (albeit a little more traditional interiors than Celebrity). Holland America Line is another more traditional style cruise line.

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Silversea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises and legendary luxury cruise line, Cunard, are ideal for couples looking for something smaller and more upscale.

These cruise lines offer a more traditional cruising experience and are renowned for their fine dining and extensive wine lists.

Entertainment and activities are more low-key than on some of the honeymoon cruises by bigger mega-liner ships.

However, you will find all the typical features of a cruise ship, including Broadway-style shows, casino, spa and pool deck.

The honeymoon cruises on these cruise lines are all about the destinations, too.

The ships sometimes take you to smaller ports that the big ships can’t go to. This means getting to go to some of the world’s most romantic spots rather than big city ports of call.

Perfect for couples looking for something more intimate, who don’t care about bells and whistles like water slides and who want to dive deeper into some incredible destinations!

One thing to note is that at this ultra luxury end of the cruise market, the age profile of guests is often a lot older than the average age of couples getting married and planning a honeymoon cruise.

Now, we believe age is just a number, but it’s worth noting that the atmosphere on these ships is more classic.

If you’re looking for a livelier vibe, opt for the other honeymoon cruise lines we’ve mentioned, like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, NCL and Virgin Voyages, which attract a broader range of ages, to varying degrees!

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Want to do something different to the big ocean liners?

Consider the small-ship yachts of Windstar Cruises or Paul Gauguin Cruises who have magnificent Pacific Island itineraries sailing to dream honeymoon destinations like Bora Bora in French Polynesia.

Consider a cruise on Disney. Disney Cruise Line is not just for families if you want to live our your fairytale fantasies, they might be the one for you!

So many honeymoon cruises and honeymoon cruise lines, so little time!

Destination, weather patterns, pricing? Here’s a quick guide on the ideal time for a honeymoon cruise.

However, the best time to plan a honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean is from December to April during the dry season.

From May to October is officially ‘hurricane season’ although later in the season, from September to early November are the riskiest months.

It’s worth noting that with modern weather technology, there is no safety risk to cruise during hurricane season but you can experience some rain.

However, these months are the cheapest time to cruise the Caribbean.

These months guarantee sun-kissed days and balmy evenings, perfect for exploring coastal towns, ancient ruins and cute seafront restaurants.

Late June to August is the peak of the tourist season and it is crowded and hot in Europe, including in ports, so consider outside of these months for a more relaxed experience.

While some honeymoon cruise lines sail Europe from early April to late October, the tail end of the seasons the sea can be a bit colder and towns are quieter so it’s best for a more cultural honeymoon.

A Med cruise is the perfect way to see multiple countries, can’t decide between Italy and Greece? Then a cruise is a great way to get a taste of both!

For islands like Bora Bora in French Polynesia and Fiji, May to October offers dry, cooler weather, making it idyllic time for a honeymoon cruise.

The best time to cruise Southeast Asia is from November to March during the dry season.

For Japan, cruises sail from April to October. However, we can’t think of a more romantic setting, than wandering around Japan during cherry blossom season so consider April (or autumn foliage in October is really cool to see to, too).

Although, Queensland and the northern states are in the midst of their rainy season from January to March, so earlier or later than these months is best.

In New Zealand, the best time to cruise is from December to March.

• If you can afford it, book a balcony (or even better, a suite). Ideal for some quiet romantic moments and quality time away from the eyes of fellow passengers.

• Pre-book your shore excursions. If you prebook, you won’t be disappointed that trips to the most popular destinations are sold out.
  
  Plus, if you’re travelling immediately after your wedding, no doubt you’ll be exhausted, so having things booked before travel means you’ll drag yourself away from the ship to see some magical honeymoon destinations!

• Pre-book dining to ensure you get a romantic seat for two (unless you’re sociable, of course, and don’t mind sitting with others).

• To avoid sea sicknesses, be up on deck in the fresh air when the ship pulls out of port (particularly good advice if you’ve had an alcoholic welcome drink!)
  
  
• Look out for sales Many cruise lines have sales throughout the year. Look out for summer sales, black Friday sales, January sales. You can get cabin upgrades, onboard spending credit that you can use for excursion credits, speciality restaurants, couples massage and other onboard spending.
  
  
• Book early-ish Unlike flights (which as a general rule of thumb, you’re able to book 10-11 months in advance), you can usually book a cruise 18-24 months in advance so you can book right up to the end of 2025 right now.
  
  However, even 11 months in advance should be plenty of time unless you have your eye on a unique cabin.
  
  

• Honeymoon Celebration Packages. Most cruises charge extra for romance packages but they can be a lovely treat on arrival with chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne. It is a special occasion after all!
  
  
• Always prepay gratuities / tips if they’re not already included, so you don’t have to faff around looking for cash to tip all the time.
  
  
• DIY vs booking with Travel Agent. So we know the pull of arranging a DIY honeymoon but for couples who want to work with a travel expert, the good news is that all the honeymoon cruise lines mentioned work with reputable travel agents.
  
  Not only will a great travel agent or tour operator know about the best honeymoon cruise package offers and the best routes, but you have someone to manage all the ins and outs of your honeymoon, too!
  
  If you prefer to DIY your honeymoon, we highly recommend checking out the honeymoon packages with Cruise Direct.
  
  You search all the the best honeymoon cruises in one place and discover the best discounts!
  
  Plus, importantly, Cruise Direct have a price guarantee – if the price of your cruise drops after you book, they will readjust the rate for you!