Croc Farms/Cruise

On one of our U.S. cruises, you can sail through the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast or explore ports of call along the Pacific Ocean. On the Pacific side, you can also do a cruise that sails to America's 49th and 50th states: the rugged mountains and glaciers of Alaska and the tropical islands of Hawaii.
This huge country, with the Atlantic on one side and the Pacific on the other, is freckled with headline cities and equally famous natural wonders. A cruise removes the hassle of a road trip and constantly changing hotels and allows you to see the States from its network of lakes and rivers instead. These rivers don’t get any bigger than the mighty Mississippi, but there are plenty of other options that may turn your head. Here are 19 of our favorite cruise lines in America.

1. Holland America Line
With a legacy stretching back nearly 150 years, Holland America has a deservedly good reputation when it comes to traditional cruise experiences and tasteful ships. Its American itineraries include an Atlantic Coast sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, visiting the history-filled maritime ports of Boston and quaint Bar Harbor. Notable shore excursions include dining on clam chowder and other New England seafood specialties at Union Oyster House, which dates back to 1826 and is Boston’s oldest restaurant. Children are welcome, but you won’t see many outside the holiday season; the line typically attracts a mature crowd.
2. American Queen Voyages
Few rivers fire up the imagination like the Mississippi, a winding 2,340-mile waterway steeped in adventure and romance. American Voyages, previously the American Queen Steamboat Company, operates the equally impressive American Queen, the largest ship in a fleet of four vessels. The 436-passenger, six-deck recreation of a classic paddle wheeler is kitted out in palatial decor and is, in fact, the largest steamboat ever built. The line also offers river cruises on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers and the Columbia and Snake rivers.
3. Royal Caribbean
Be it leaf-crunching and taking in the striking autumn color palette of New England or getting accustomed to laid-back island life in Hawaii, Royal Caribbean has you covered. Once ashore, the line offers several interesting excursions, whichever cruise you plump for. Hike through the Acadia National Park along the Atlantic coastline, walk Boston’s Freedom Trail to find out about the American Revolution in the place where it began, or get star-struck in Los Angeles with a tour of the Warner Bros Studio.
4. Disney Cruise Line
This line knows a thing or two when it comes to entertaining the young and young at heart. Little ones can soak up the magic at sea by meeting their favorite Disney characters or be transformed into superheroes at Marvel’s Adventure Academy while parents and grandparents escape to sleek, adult-only areas. Itineraries include three-night breaks from Miami to Key West, plus Pacific Coast sailings from San Diego with a visit to San Francisco and the Walt Disney Family Museum. The company has recently launched a new ship, Disney Wish, the first of three planned for 2025.