A cruise ship honeymoon blends luxury, convenience and exploration into one unforgettable getaway. Whether you’re looking for a short, budget-friendly escape or a longer luxury voyage where money is no object, there’s a honeymoon cruise for every kind of couple.
With options ranging from boutique yacht-style cruises in Croatia to Caribbean megaship sailings to bucket list Antarctica voyages, a cruise vacation makes it easy to celebrate your new life together without worrying about logistics. Simply book, board and let the romance unfold at sea. Read on to see our picks for the best honeymoon cruises for 2025 and 2026.
Royal Caribbean International: 4-Night Penang & Phuket
Starting price: $641 per person Ship: Ovation of the Seas
Sail dates: 17 sailings between October 2025 and March 2026
For something different that’s short, sweet and easier on the wallet, consider a four-night cruise to Penang, Malaysia, and Phuket, Thailand, round-trip from Singapore aboard Royal Caribbean‘s Ovation of the Seas. Ship highlights include 300-foot-high views from the North Star, robot-shaken cocktails at the Bionic Bar and even an onboard aerial adventure.
Curious to explore other far-flung destinations? Ovation of the Seas also sails to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing, Bali and more on cruises spanning three to 17 nights.
Royal Caribbean International: 4-Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise
Starting price: $624 per person Ship: Utopia of the Seas
Sail dates: 84 sailings between May 2025 and December 2026
For couples with a desire to get away but have limited time off, Royal Caribbean’s four-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise aboard the line’s second-biggest ship, Utopia of the Seas, is the perfect solution. Utopia bills itself as “The World’s Biggest Weekend” — and with 40 dining and drinking venues, five live music spots, and two casinos on board (as well as two days to soak up the sun in the Bahamas), it delivers.
To kick things up a notch (it’s your honeymoon, after all), reserve a private overwater cabana at Coco Beach Club or party hard on the adults-only Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay. This sailing is offered round-trip from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, on a weekly basis.
Princess Cruises: 7-Day Alaska Inside Passage (with Glacier Bay National Park)
Starting price: $998 per person Ships: Royal Princess; Star Princess Sail dates: Weekend departures between May and September (2025 and 2026)
For cruising couples who want a mix of adventure and natural beauty, this seven-day Inside Passage Alaska sailing, round-trip from Seattle, includes scenic Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. It also visits Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Alaska; plus Victoria, Canada.
Princess Cruises is famous for its role on “The Love Boat.” The 1970s sitcom was filmed aboard a Princess ship and is credited with popularizing cruise vacations to the masses. This romantic itinerary features whale watching in Alaska, glacier-viewing from the comfort of your balcony and intimate onboard dining.
For a 2025 journey, book on the Royal Princess. If you hope to set sail in 2026, book your honeymoon on the brand-new Star Princess (the ship debuts in late 2025) and upgrade to a mini-suite to experience the Sanctuary Collection: Princess Cruises‘ new ship-within-a-ship luxury enclave offering butler service, elevated amenities and exclusive events.
Virgin Voyages: 7-Night Greek Island Glow
Starting price: $2,366 per cabin Ships: Resilient Lady; Scarlet LadySail dates: 13 sailings between May 2025 and September 2026
With its all-inclusive, adults-only cruises and sultry onboard energy, Virgin Voyages is practically tailor-made for honeymooners. Dining at all specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi access, gratuities, fitness classes and entertainment are all included in the fare. Once you book, you can forget about touching your wallet during the trip — a welcome relief post-wedding.
Virgin Voyages has a plethora of ships, destinations, and itineraries to choose from, but the seven-night Greek Island Glow sails from Athens to several idyllic enclaves in the Greek Isles, including an overnight in the nightlife hot spot of Mykonos, where you can attend a fun beach club party. The itinerary also includes stops in breathtaking Santorini and Rhodes, Greece, plus Bodrum, Turkey.
Book the Splash of Romance package to take your honeymoon experience to the next level with priority boarding, cold-pressed juices, two three-hour thermal spa passes, Shake for Champagne (an on-demand bubbly delivery service), access to an exclusive Sail Away Hour party and more.
Celebrity Cruises: 7- or 10-Night Italy, Spain & French Riviera
Starting price: $1,390 per person Ship: Celebrity Xcel Sail dates: Six sailings between May and October 2026
Setting sail in 2025, Celebrity Xcel is the newest vessel in Celebrity Cruises‘ world-class lineup. And what better way to break in the ship (and your new marriage) than with a seven- or 10-night itinerary hitting Italy, Spain and the French Riviera? With a convenient round-trip option from Barcelona, the sailing visits romantic Mediterranean highlights like the Colosseum in Rome and the gorgeous Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
On board, enjoy perks like fine dining influenced by Celebrity’s global destinations (and a trained sommelier in every restaurant), time for two in the SEA Thermal Suite (a therapeutic spa area exclusive to Edge Series ships) and the line’s signature Infinite Verandas for the perfect in-room sunset view. Celebrity also offers custom shore excursions — called Private Journeys — to further tailor your trip.
MSC Cruises: 7-Night Western Caribbean
Starting price: $743 per person Ship: MSC World America Sail dates: 29 sailings between November 2025 and December 2026
Hop aboard MSC Cruises‘ newest ship, MSC World America, for a round-trip sailing from Miami to four ports of call across the Caribbean. The voyage features two days at sea and visits Isla de Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; Cozumel, Mexico; and MSC Cruises’ private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. At the idyllic hideaway, plan to swim, hop between seven beaches and participate in a variety of shore excursions that highlight the island’s protected marine life.
The destinations are appealing, to be sure, but so is World America itself: the megaship has seven unique districts, the only Eataly at sea, a Dirty Dancing in Concert live show, 19 dining venues, 20 bars and lounges, six pools, 14 hot tubs, and an 11-deck-tall dry slide to keep you busy.
To amp up the luxury, MSC’s ship-within-a-ship Yacht Club concept provides a fully personalized experience with privileges like priority check-in and checkout, a private area of the ship, 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge, and access to the serene Ocean House Beach at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
Cruise Croatia: 7-Night Dubrovnik to Split Deluxe Cruise
Starting price: $1,845 per person Ships: MS Adris; MS Phoenix 72; MS Avantura Sail dates: 44 sailings between May and October (2025 and 2026)
For an intimate European escape, Cruise Croatia offers yacht-style cruising in the Adriatic. On this seven-night sailing from Dubrovnik to Split, you’ll enjoy fresh seafood, medieval towns, island-hopping, stunning coastlines and regional wines in a boutique ship environment with stunning views of the Dalmatian coast. With a maximum capacity for 36 or 38 passengers on each ship, this cruise is ideal for honeymooners seeking exclusivity, authenticity and a slow pace in the sun to truly enjoy their time off together.
Cunard Line: 7-Night Transatlantic Crossing
Starting price: $919 per person Ship: Queen Mary 2
Sail dates: 11 sailings between May 2025 and September 2026
Queen Mary 2’s transatlantic crossing — Cunard Line‘s signature voyage — makes for a perfect honeymoon. You’ll spend seven days aboard a luxury ocean liner to decompress and disconnect from the stress of wedding planning. The cruise sails from New York to Southampton, England (or vice versa), and oozes old-school glamour: think dressing up for formal dinners, ballroom dance classes, Broadway-caliber shows and no jet lag traveling to and from Europe. As the only true ocean liner in the world, Queen Mary 2 is a unique choice for a memorable honeymoon.
AmaWaterways: 7-Night Romantic Danube
Starting price: $2,639 per person Ships: AmaBella; AmaLea; AmaMora; AmaReina; AmaSonata; AmaVerde Sail dates: Weekly sailings between May and November 2025; March and December 2026
For couples seeking a blend of old-world charm and intimate luxury, AmaWaterways’ Romantic Danube cruise offers a memorable journey through Europe’s heartland. The seven-night voyage from Vilshofen, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, includes stops in picturesque towns and cities like Passau, Germany; Linz and Vienna, Austria; and Bratislava, Slovakia. Along the way, couples can enjoy historic sites, classical music performances and local wine tastings — an idyllic way to begin your forever.
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions: 12-Day Voyage to Antarctica
Starting price: $13,584 per person Ships: National Geographic Resolution; National Geographic Endurance Sail dates: 20 sailings between November 2025 and December 2026
Adventurous couples can cuddle up together on a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list honeymoon to the White Continent. The 12-day Voyage to Antarctica cruise sails to the breathtaking Antarctic Peninsula aboard comfortable expedition ships. Cruisers can explore with expert guides via Zodiac inflatable boat, kayak past icebergs, cross-country ski, watch for whales and sleep in a private igloo on the deck of the ship (if you choose). And for those wildlife sightings, you’ll even receive National Geographic photography coaching to help you capture photos you’ll cherish forever.
Windstar Cruises: 12-Day Golden Days in Bora Bora
Starting price: $7,508 per person Ship: Star Breeze Sail dates: 16 sailings between July and December 2025
If you’ve always dreamed of spending your honeymoon in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora (who hasn’t?), but you also want to explore the South Pacific during your trip, Windstar’s romantic Golden Days in Bora Bora offering — inspired by “The Golden Bachelorette” TV show — is a great pick. It includes airfare from Los Angeles or Seattle, two nights in an overwater villa in Bora Bora and a seven-night round-trip cruise on a Windstar yacht from Papeete, Tahiti. With airfare, hotels and a cruise included, this honeymoon is easy to plan while maximizing your time away together. Book the Sweethearts at Sea package for a Champagne welcome, sunset cocktails, a private dinner for two under the stars, couples massages, rose petal turndown service and more.
Why Trust U.S. News Travel
Skye Sherman has been cruising since childhood, when her parents took her on her first cruise through the Caribbean. She has sailed on various ocean cruise lines, gone off the grid for a six-day riverboat expedition deep into the Amazon River and even planned a European river cruise with 48 of her closest family and friends. She’s a fourth-generation Floridian and hopes to visit every country in the world during her lifetime. She covers travel and lifestyle topics for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.
You might also be interested in:
— The Best Cruise Lines for Couples
— The Top Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts
— Celebrity Cruises vs. Virgin Voyages
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The 11 Best Honeymoon Cruise Itineraries for 2025 and 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com
