If you are considering a British Isles cruise, you may be wondering how much they ACTUALLY cost and which itineraries are available.
I’ve taken multiple British Isles cruises. Some visited a couple of English, Irish, or Scottish ports, and others included ports like the Channel Islands or Le Havre in France.
I have also spent a lot of time researching the cheapest ways to cruise.
In this post, we will look at the prices of British Isles and Ireland cruises on the following cruise lines: Princess Cruises, Cunard, Carnival, Fred Olsen, Ambassador NCL, and Disney.
Which Cruise Lines Offer British Isles Cruises?
Princess Cruises, Cunard, Carnival, Fred Olsen, Ambassador, NCL and Disney all offer British Isles cruises.
Surprisingly, P&O, the largest British cruise line does not offer sailings around the UK at present.
The same applies to MSC, who often have cruise ships based in British waters.
They regularly sail from the UK to the Norwegian Fjords, France, Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, or the Mediterranean.
Some cruise companies do a whole season of British Isles sailings, others – such as NCL and Disney just have the odd cruise fitted in amongst their other itineraries.
How Long Are British Isles Cruises?
Most full British Isles cruises tend to be between 10 days and two weeks long.
Week-long cruises are often available but only tend to visit three or four ports at most.
Popular ports to visit include:
Liverpool, Belfast, Cobh, Dublin, Guernsey, Greenock, Invergordon, Queensferry, Le Havre.
Which Ports do British Isles Cruises Depart From?
The most popular departure point for a British Isles cruise is Southampton, most of the larger cruise companies, such as Princess and Cunard leave from here.
Southampton is easy to reach from major airports.
If you’re travelling from Gatwick, Heathrow or Southampton Airport, check out my transportation guides here:
Heathrow Airport to Southampton Cruise Port: Transport Guide
How to Get From Gatwick Airport to Southampton Cruise Port – Options Explored
Southampton Airport to The Cruise Port: Complete Transport Guide
Smaller cruise companies sometimes use other regional ports.
| British Isles Cruise Usual Departure Port | |
| Princess Cruises | Southampton |
| Cunard | Southampton |
| Ambassador | Tilbury |
| Fred Olsen | Dover, Liverpool, Belfast or Rosyth |
| Carnival | Dover |
Ambassador, the newest British cruise line, leaves mostly from the port of Tilbury. This port is on the River Thames, much nearer to London – although the transport links are not so good.
To learn more about getting to Tilbury, check out this post:
Tilbury Cruise Port: How to Get There From London Airports
Fred Olsen, another British cruise line use a variety of regional British or Scottish ports – Dover, Liverpool, Belfast, Rosyth etc.
Carnival sometimes sails from Dover. This is another large historic British port, underutilised by cruise companies, and better known for cross-channel ferry traffic.
What Is The Weather Like on a British Isles Cruise?
The temperature on a British Isles cruise is usually mild with temperatures varying from 10c (50f) – 30c (86f) depending on the time of year.
The warmest month of year tends to be August, with temperatures averaging at 21c (71f) in the South of England and 17c (62f) in Scotland.
The below photo was taken on a British Isles cruise with Celebrity in September.
Regardless of the time of year rain is always possible. Always bring a coat when cruising the British Isles – or you might end up having to buy one!
For my full packing list, check out this post:
British Isles Cruise – Complete Packing List + Printable Checklist
| Southern England | Scotland | Northern Ireland | |
| January | 8c (47f) | 7c (44f) | 7c (44f) |
| February | 8c (47f) | 7c (44f) | 8c (47f) |
| March | 10c (50f) | 9c (49f) | 10c (49f) |
| April | 13c (56f) | 12c (53f) | 12c (53f) |
| May | 16c (61f) | 14c (57f) | 15c (59f) |
| June | 19c (66f) | 17c (62f) | 17c (62f) |
| July | 21c (69f) | 19c (67f) | 19c (67f) |
| August | 22c (71f) | 19c (67f) | 19c (67f) |
| September | 19c (65f) | 16c (61f) | 16c (62f) |
| October | 15c (59f) | 13c (55f) | 13c (55f) |
| November | 11c (51f) | 9c (47f) | 10c (49f) |
| December | 8c (46f) | 7c (44f) | 7c (44f) |
Britain, Scotland, and Ireland have a reputation for being rainy. Sometimes, this is the case, but without the rain, they would not be the beautiful, lush, green countries that they are. Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle, after all!
The below photo was taken on a British Isles cruise I took with Celebrity.
Which Months Are Best To Go On A British Isles and Ireland Cruise?
The most popular times to take a British Isles cruise is from May through to September.
Some cruise lines do extend this season but during the summer months the weather is best and there is more cruise line choice.
The school holidays in the UK usually last from mid-July until the start of September. Ships are busiest then.
How Much do British Isles Cruises Cost?
The average cost of a British Isles cruise is £96 ($114) per person per night, based on two sharing the cheapest inside cabin.
Prices are highest in late July and August, when the UK schools are on summer break.
Each cruise price was found either on the cruise lines website or large cruise travel agent websites.
Only one example from each cruise line was used for the comparison, but these are the cheapest prices I found available.
All these prices are for an inside cabin. Balcony cabins will be more expensive.
Some cruise lines include more than others, so it is always worth checking what “extras” you may have to budget for.
Of course, cruise prices vary monthly and from year to year, but the prices below provide a good example of what to expect.
The average cost of a British Isles cruise in June is £103 ($123) per person per night based on two sharing the cheapest inside cabin.
| June | |
| Princess (12 Nights) | £1193 ($1456) Total – £99 ($121) per night |
| Cunard (12 Nights) | £1299 ($1641) Total – £108 ($137) per night |
The average cost of a British Isles cruise in July is £73 ($87) per person per night based on two sharing the cheapest inside cabin.
This list was gathered in July, so the prices may be slightly lower than average due to last-minute price drops. If you’d like to know when cruises are the cheapest, check out this post:
Do Cruises Get Cheaper Closer To The Sailing Date?
| July | |
| Princess (12 Nights) | £787 ($957) Total – £65 ($80) per night |
| Carnival (9 Nights) | £519 ($631) Total – £58 ($70) per night |
| Fred Olsen (8 Nights) | £699 ($850) Total – £87 ($106) per night |
| Ambassador (11 Nights) | £899 ($1094) Total – £82 ($99) per night |
The average cost of a British Isles cruise in August is £92 ($109) per person per night based on two sharing the cheapest inside cabin.
| August | |
| Princess (12 Nights) | £654 ($791) Total – £54 ($66) per night |
| Carnival (9 Nights) | £619 ($753) Total – £69 ($83) per night |
| Fred Olsen (11 Nights) | £1699 ($2066) Total – £155 ($227) per night |
| Ambassador (12 Nights) | £999 ($1215) Total – £83 ($101) per night |
| Norwegian (10 Nights) | £993 ($1208) Total – £99 ($120) per night |
The average cost of a British Isles cruise in September is £120 ($143) per person per night based on two sharing the cheapest inside cabin.
| September | |
| Princess (12 Nights) | £1199 ($1451) Total – £100 ($120) per night |
| Ambassador (11 Nights) | £1149 ($1398) Total – £105 ($127) |
| Norwegian (10 Nights) | £993 ($1208) Total – £99 ($120) per night |
| Disney (7 Nights) | £1247 ($1507) Total – £178 ($215) per night |
There is a great variety in prices from one cruise line to another:
Are Princess Cruises A Good Choice For A British Isles Cruise?
Princess Cruises are a cruise line owned by the Carnival Corporation.
I have taken two British Isles cruises with Princess, and they didn’t disappoint.
Find out about all the interesting places I visited here:
They focus on high-quality food, entertainment and service. Princess is definitely one of my favourite cruise lines, their ships are gorgeous and the experience onboard is very relaxing.
The below photo was taken onboard the Sky Princess on a British Isles cruise departing Southampton.
There is usually a variety of nationalities onboard Princess cruises, but English is the primary language spoken on board.
Princess don’t include gratuities, but there is an option to upgrade to “Princess +.” For an additional cost (at time of writing £50 a day) you will have gratuities, drinks and Wi-FI included.
To explore a Princess ship, check out this video:
Are Cunard a Good Choice For a British Isles Cruise?
Cunard is what many would consider traditional ocean cruising.
Cunard has a very strict dress code and multiple formal nights. Its cruise ships are very traditional and elegant in their design. You’ll find a lot of wood, original artwork, and vases of flowers.
They currently have four cruise ships: the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Victoria, the last Ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2. The Queen Anne joined the fleet in 2024.
If you are looking for a relaxed, easy-going cruise, they are not the cruise line for you. If you are looking for excellent service, and are happy to “dress up” for dinner, you may love them.
There is a sense of history on Cunard ships, and you almost feel like you are stepping back in time. The Cunard experience is quite unique and they do what they do, very well!
Find out what I thought about my cruise on the last Ocean Liner at sea, Queen Mary 2 here:
Are Carnival A Good Choice For A British Isles Cruise?
Carnival Cruise Lines are a large American Cruise line. The whole family can have a fantastic time on board, whatever their age.
They sail worldwide with an ethos of fun, affordable cruising.
If you’ve never cruised before, the Carnival may be great for a first-time cruise experience.
You don’t need to dress up every evening for your meal, it’s relaxed and casual. You can be as active or as relaxed as you want to be.
They offer very good value for money.
Find out about the only Carnival Cruise I have taken below. I sailed to Canada from New York City.
Are Fred Olsen a Good Choice For a British Isles Cruise?
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is a UK-based, Norwegian-owned cruise line. Fred Olsen says:
“While the cruise industry has gone for bigger ships, brimming with more and more people, we have always believed that smaller is better. We treat passengers as guests, we dock at smaller ports in more interesting places and we avoid overcrowding both aboard and ashore.”
At full capacity, their smaller ships will only ever sail with between 900 and 1,400 guests.
You will not find water slides or go-carts, as they cater to an older passenger demographic.
Their cruises have a very British feel about them, and they offer a more traditional style of cruising.
Find out about the cruise I took with Fred Olsen to Norway, in search of the Northern Lights here:
Are Ambassador a Good Choice For a British Isles Cruise?
Ambassador is a new British cruise line that sails out of Tilbury, near London. They also have some sailings from other regional UK ports.
Ambassador Cruise Line’s first ship, Ambience, set sail from Tilbury in April 2022, and a second ship, Ambition joined her in 2023.
Ambassador’s Ships are older, small to mid-sized classic cruise ships and say they offer a higher space to guest ratio.
Ambassador Cruise Line says it is primarily aimed at the 50-plus market.
However, it runs some multi-generation cruises over the summer holidays. They also offer themed cruises – Comedy cruises, Cricket Legend cruises, Radio cruises etc.
It offers a more traditional cruising experience and offers very good value for money.
Are Disney a Good Choice For a British Isles Cruise?
Disney cruise lines only offer the occasional British Isles cruise. They are a family-orientated cruise line with five cruise ships, the newest of which, The Disney Wish has recently launched. Disney Adventure will be coming in 2025.
Many children (and adults!) will love the Disney-themed shows and films, dressing up as Disney Characters, and having photos taken with Disney Characters.
However, cruises with Disney are considerably more expensive than many other cruise lines, and if Disney morning, noon and night is not your thing, don’t even consider them!
Find out about my cruise with Disney here:
Are Norwegian a Good Choice For a British Isles Cruise?
I’ve been cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line since I was a child. The thing that really keeps me coming back time and time again is the flexible approach to dining.
I love the lack of dress codes and the variety of food available.
Norwegian Cruise Line has been sailing for over 50 years. It is a large, American cruise line that offers live music and Broadway-style shows. There is always plenty of entertainment for any age!
Knowing what each fare includes is important. You can determine what offers real value for money.
Before You Go
As soon as you’ve booked a cruise, book your travel insurance. Don’t ever cruise without travel insurance, even if you’re from the UK and cruising around Britain. Here’s why:
You NEED Travel Insurance For a British Isles Cruise – Here’s How to Get it
Find out what cruise companies actually spend your cruise fare on here:
This is What Cruise Lines Spend Your Cruise Fare on (Real Breakdown)
Free Insiders Cruise Line Guide
Ever wondered how the mainstream cruise lines compare? Cruise lines won’t tell you this, but I will.
This FREE guide shows you everything you need to know to find your perfect cruise line.
Whenever I take a cruise I order a print of my trip. It uses the real satellite data from the cruise and is always a great conversation starter!
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