With new destinations, itineraries, and ships, we’ve found the best cruises in Europe for 2025. And it is shaping up to be a big season for cruise lovers looking for a European getaway.
Europe is shaping up for a blockbuster 2025 season with some exciting new arrivals and innovative luxury offerings.
Regent Seven Seas is adding a new dimension to its European voyages, with its Immersive Overnights program set to begin in October 2024, with seven different featured voyages. The program aims to increase destination immersion, with each port of call featuring an overnight stay.
The cruises will also have specially curated night-time shore excursions. The seven featured cruises span from seven to 14 nights, and the latest offering is a Sunset Over Tuscany sailing on Seven Seas Mariner. This sailing will feature overnight stays in Valetta, Naples, Tuscany and Provence, with specially curated shore excursions such as a sunset wine tasting and dinner at a Tuscan Villa and a sunset excursion to Florence.
Other itineraries include Croatian Elegance and Trendy Nightlife, with the chance to explore Hvar by night; Adriatic Tapestry, which focuses on Montenegro and Croatia; and Ancient Marvels of the Peloponnese, with immersive dives into Epidaurus, Mycenae and Corinth.
Other luxury lines are also turning towards longer and more immersive voyages. For example, luxury line Ponant noticed that Aussies are looking for longer stays after making the long trek to Europe, and for 2025 will be serving travellers exactly those.
General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Asia Pacific Deb Corbett says, “These extended journeys enable them to immerse themselves in the wonders of Europe, exploring its diverse landscapes, cultures and history amplified by Ponant’s small-ship access to ports and areas that larger vessels or land travel cannot reach.”
The best thing about these sailings is that there are ports of call almost daily.
Guests might opt for the Antalya to Venice itinerary, with 15 nights on L’Austral. This cruise will visit 16 ports Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, starting from $11,966 per person.
Another option is a 29-night sailing, also on L’Austral, from Lisbon to Antalya. Starting from $23,822 this cruise will visit 28 ports of call across Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece and Turkey.
For something almost as long, guests can enjoy 26 nights on Le Laperouse, with fares starting from $25,105. This cruise will hit 24 ports of call across 12 countries, including Finland, the Netherlands, the UK, France, Spain and Portugal.
Another exciting development for the 2025 European cruise season is the arrival of Disney Fantasy, which will reside in Europe from May to late July, offering a series of itineraries from five to 12 nights out of Barcelona and Rome. This includes a special 12-night sailing through the Greek Isles, which will also feature a season-exclusive stop in Valetta, Malta.
This isn’t the first-ever visit to Europe for Disney Cruise Line, but it is the first visit for Disney Fantasy, a fan-favourite ship. Disney Fantasy packs in 4000 passengers at full capacity and serves as the sister ship to Disney Dream.
Navigating which cruise line to pick in Europe can be tricky, and ultimately comes down to what type of holiday you and the rest of your travel party are looking for.
Here are the best cruises in Europe 2025
Here’s a quick summary of some of the best lines sailing Europe in 2025, and which cruise line might be the right fit for you.
Regent Seven Seas
Why them?
A cruise with Regent Seven Seas will cost you a pretty penny, but you’ll get what you pay for. The cruises are absolutely unrivalled in the level of luxury offered and if you want to mix a European holiday with an indulgence in the finer things in life, there’s no better cruise line for you.
Featured itinerary: Sunset Over Tuscany – Trieste to Barcelona – 22 October 2025 – 12 nights – Seven Seas Mariner.
Ponant
Why them?
Ponant provides luxury with an extra dose of exploration. Small ships allow for easy navigation into the tucked-away and hidden corners of Europe, free from the usual crowds. With an extra focus on immersion for the 2025 season, guests know they’re maximising opportunities for sightseeing and exploration, with ports of call nearly every day of the cruise.
Featured itinerary: Grand Voyage – Lisbon to Antalya – April 18, 2025 – 29 nights –L’Austral.
Celebrity Cruises
Why them?
Celebrity is more affordable than the luxury lines, but still offers high-scale onboard experiences. Celebrity’s ships are very well designed to offer great vantage points from which to view ports and waterways, which makes cruising through the beauty of Europe an idyllic experience.
Featured itinerary: Best of Greece – Athens roundtrip – multiple dates – 10 nights –Celebrity Infinity
Royal Caribbean
Why them?
Royal Caribbean has its reputation as the family line for a reason: it has exceptional facilities for younger cruisers. Its childcare programs are great, so if you want as much time as possible to unwind and soak up the ship while your kids play, Royal is the way to go.
Featured itinerary: Western Mediterranean Cruise – Barcelona roundtrip – multiple dates – seven nights – Allure of the Seas.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Why them?
While Norwegian Cruise Lines has plenty to recommend itself to anyone, NCL has been particularly renowned lately for its offers for solo travellers. Beyond special promotions and no single supplements on certain cruises, the ships have dedicated areas and activities for solo travellers to meet other travellers and share their vacations.
Featured itinerary: Northern European, Norwegian Islands and Belgium – Southampton to Reykjavik – multiple dates – Norwegian Prima.
Disney Cruise Line
Why them?
If you let your kids drag you to Disneyland, you’re resigning yourself to a day of crowds, heat and standing in lines – whereas on a Disney Cruise, you can sip cocktails on deck while your kids have the time of their lives in the kids’ club.
Featured itinerary: Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise – Rome to Barcelona – 30 June 2025 – 12 nights – Disney Fantasy.
