Cruise Lines Owned by Norwegian
Contemporary, upper-premium and luxury in one family.
Ask Which Line Fits YouCruise Lines Owned by Norwegian
The cruise lines owned by Norwegian form a neat three-step ladder. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings owns Norwegian Cruise Line, a contemporary brand with big, flexible ships; Oceania Cruises, an upper-premium line built around food; and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, a luxury line with very inclusive fares. If you like the family but want to move up or down a step, you can do it without changing companies.
All three brands have new ships on order through the 2030s, so the fleets will keep changing. That is one reason we describe style and fit rather than quoting fleet sizes that will soon be out of date.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian popularized freestyle cruising: no assigned dining times, a long list of restaurants and a relaxed dress code. Its larger ships add go-kart tracks, water slides and big-name shows. It also runs Pride of America, which sails round trips in Hawaii.
Suits: travelers who hate schedules, groups of friends, families, and solo travelers, since some ships include studio cabins designed for one.
May not suit: people who want everything included; many restaurants and extras carry their own charges unless bundled in a promotion.
Oceania Cruises
Oceania describes itself as food-focused and destination-rich. Its ships are mid-sized, with several specialty restaurants included in the fare and, on four ships, a hands-on cooking school. Itineraries lean toward longer voyages with many port calls.
Suits: food lovers, experienced couples, travelers who want a country-club calm rather than a theme park.
May not suit: families with young children or travelers who want lively nightlife.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent is the group’s luxury brand. Its all-suite ships are spacious, and its fares are among the most inclusive at sea, typically covering drinks, gratuities and many shore excursions; check each booking for the exact terms. Suits: travelers who want to pay once and stop counting. May not suit: anyone on a tight budget, or travelers who rarely go ashore and would not use the included tours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cruise lines are owned by Norwegian?
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings owns three brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The company reports to investors under the NCLH name and lists all three in its annual filings.
Is Oceania a luxury line?
Oceania positions itself as upper-premium with a strong focus on cuisine. Its ships carry no more than about 1,250 guests, according to the parent company. Regent Seven Seas is the group’s luxury, all-inclusive brand.
What is freestyle cruising?
It is Norwegian’s name for flexible cruising: no fixed dinner times or assigned tables, many restaurant choices and a relaxed dress code. It suits travelers who dislike set schedules.
Choosing Within the Norwegian Family
Think of the three brands as answers to one question: how much do you want included, and how much do you want going on? Norwegian gives you the most to do and the most choice of where and when to eat, with extras priced separately or bundled in promotions. Oceania gives you fewer distractions and better food for the money, with several restaurants in the fare. Regent gives you the most space and the fewest bills at the end of the voyage. Families and friends’ groups usually belong on Norwegian; couples who care about dinner more than the show lean to Oceania; travelers who want the whole trip paid in advance gravitate to Regent.
Climb the NCLH Ladder
Curious whether Oceania or Regent is worth the step up from Norwegian? Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will price the same region on all three.
Compare All Three