Here’s Travel with Deb's comprehensive list (in no particular order) of cruise lines for River, Ocean, and Expedition categories. These companies offer everything from scenic domestic river journeys to global ocean voyages and adventurous expeditions to remote destinations.
And Travel with Deb can book them ALL!!
🛶 River Cruise Lines
These lines specialize in cruising iconic America and World rivers.
North America Mississippi, Columbia, Hudson, and Ohio - Canadian St. Lawrence River, Ottawa River, and Rideau Canal.
European River cruises to Danube, Rhine, Seine, Rhône, Douro, Elbe, Moselle, Main, Garonne, and Po.
African river cruises include journeys on the Nile, Chobe, Zambezi, and Lake Kariba.
Asian river cruises sail the Mekong, Yangtze, Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Red River
South America river cruises are the Amazon, Magdalena, Paraná, and Orinoco.
And Let's not forget about the Murrary River in Australia.
- American Cruise Lines – Offers cruises on the Mississippi, Columbia & Snake, Hudson, and New England rivers.
- Viking River Cruises – Though global, they operate U.S. River itineraries, especially on the Mississippi.
- AmaWaterways offers upscale river cruises with award-winning dining, immersive excursions, and personalized service across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
- AMADEUS River Cruises offers elegant, European river journeys with refined service and panoramic views aboard boutique-style ships.
- Viva Cruises offers stylish, all-inclusive river cruises across Europe aboard modern, boutique ships
- American Queen Voyages – Known for paddlewheel-style ships on the Mississippi and tributaries.
- USA River Cruises – Focuses on small ship river cruises across the U.S., including themed journeys.
- Blount Small Ship Adventures – Offers intimate cruises on U.S. rivers and the Great Lakes.
- UnCruise Adventures – Combines River and coastal cruising with adventure-focused itineraries.
- CroisiEurope offers affordable, all-inclusive river and coastal cruises across Europe, Asia, and Africa aboard intimate, French-style ship
- Scenic Cruises offers all-inclusive luxury river and ocean journeys with elegant ships and personalized service.
- Avalon Waterways offers panoramic river cruises aboard modern, suite-style ships designed for scenic European journeys.
🚢 Ocean Cruise Lines
These lines operate small, medium and large ships sailing to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Europe and the World beyond.
- Carnival Cruise Line – One of the largest and most popular U.S.-based Ocean cruise lines.
- Azamara Cruise Line – Small ship luxury with a focus on destination immersion, longer port stays and overnight visits. US and World Departures.
- Royal Caribbean International – Offers global itineraries with U.S. departure ports.
- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) – Known for flexible cruising and entertainment.
- Princess Cruises – Offers Alaska, Caribbean, and world cruises from U.S. ports.
- Celebrity Cruises – Premium Ocean cruises with U.S. departures.
- Holland America Line – Offers refined experiences, especially in Alaska and the Pacific.
- Explora Journeys offers ultra-luxury ocean voyages with a focus on wellness, slow travel, and immersive cultural experiences.
- Disney Cruise Line – Family-focused cruises departing from U.S. ports.
- MSC Cruises USA – European line with growing U.S. presence.
- Cunard offers timeless, luxury ocean voyages with British elegance aboard iconic ships like Queen Mary 2.
- Crystal Cruises offers luxurious, all-inclusive voyages with exceptional service aboard elegant ocean and river ships.
- Celestyal Cruises offers culturally rich, all-inclusive voyages through the Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean aboard mid-sized ships.
- Viking Ocean Cruises offers destination-focused, luxury voyages on small ships with elegant Scandinavian design and cultural enrichment.
- Emerald Cruises offers stylish river and yacht cruises with modern ships, active excursions, and exceptional value.
- Kensington Tours curates personalized cruise journeys with private shore excursions and custom land experiences before, during, or after your voyage.
- Riverside Luxury Cruises offers refined river cruising with elegant ships and elevated service,
- Paul Gauguin - Paul Gauguin Cruises offers intimate, all-inclusive luxury voyages through French Polynesia and the South Pacific aboard its small ship designed for immersive island exploration.
- Virgin Voyages – Adults-only cruises with U.S. departures.
- Uniworld offers luxurious, all-inclusive river cruises aboard artfully designed boutique ships in Europe, Asia, and beyond.
- Margaritaville at Sea offers laid-back, tropical-themed cruises inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s Island lifestyle.
- Variety Cruises offers small-ship voyages to exotic destinations with a focus on authentic cultural experiences and personalized service.
- Swan Hellenic offers boutique expedition cruises to remote destinations with a focus on cultural enrichment and elegant small-ship experiences
- SeaDream Yacht Club offers intimate, luxury yachting experiences with personalized service and exclusive itineraries.
- Oceania Cruises – Luxury Ocean cruises with culinary focus.
- Scenic Cruises offers all-inclusive luxury river and ocean journeys with elegant ships and personalized service.
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises – All-inclusive luxury ocean voyages.
- Star Clippers offers tall ship sailing adventures with classic elegance and intimate, wind-powered voyages.
- Atlas Ocean Voyages offers luxe-adventure cruises on small yachts to remote destinations with all-inclusive, expedition-style experiences.
- Seabourn Ultra-luxury cruises with small ships and personalized service.
- Windstar Cruises – Small ship cruises with sails, often departing from U.S. ports.
- The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers ultra-luxury cruises aboard intimate yachts with personalized service and immersive itineraries.
🧭 Expedition Cruise Lines
These lines offer immersive, adventure-focused voyages to remote destinations like Antarctica, Alaska, and the Arctic.
- Lindblad Expeditions – Partnered with National Geographic, offering U.S. and global expeditions.
- Aurora Expeditions offers small-ship adventure cruises to remote polar regions with expert-led exploration and immersive wildlife experiences.
- Aqua Expeditions offers ultra-luxury, small-ship cruises to remote rivers and oceans with immersive, wildlife-rich adventure.
- UnCruise Adventures – Small ship expeditions in Alaska, Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii.
- HX (formally Hurtigruten Expeditions) – Norwegian company with U.S. departures for polar regions.
- Aurora Expeditions – Offers Arctic and Antarctic voyages with U.S. booking options.
- Silversea Expeditions – Luxury expedition cruises to remote destinations.
- Viking Expeditions – New expedition ships exploring the Great Lakes, Antarctica, and more.
- Ponant Explorations – French luxury expeditions with U.S. availability.
- Quark Expeditions – Polar specialists with U.S. booking access.
- Atlas Ocean Voyages – Luxe-adventure brand with U.S. departures.
- American Queen Voyages (Expedition Division) – Offers Great Lakes and Alaska expedition-style cruises.