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1. Explora Journeys

Best for high-end suites
There’s no chance of being stuck in a pokey state room with Explora Journeys, the new line from MSC Group that launched its first ship, MSC Explora 1, in August 2023. Explora 2 is set to follow in summer 2024. All suites are oceanfront, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a walk-in wardrobe and a terrace with a daybed, plus nice-to-have extras including a Dyson hairdryer, Frette bed linen and Illy espresso machine. A stocked minibar, thermal spa access, gratuities, fitness programmes and wi-fi are all included, while guests have nine dining options including room service, a gelateria and creperie, a European steakhouse and an immersive pan-Asian restaurant with its own sake sommelier. Itineraries include a seven-night voyage from Lanzarote to Barcelona and a more in-depth 14-night tour of the Adriatic’s most beautiful ports including Rovinj in Croatia and Nydri on the Greek island of Lefkada.

2. Silversea

Best for butler service
There’s no need to lift a finger when cruising with Silversea. Its lavish all-inclusive package includes a personal butler for each suite who can help out with everything from filling your bath to cleaning your sunglasses. The fare also includes a complimentary shore excursion each day, champagne on tap, 24-hour room service, a chauffeur-driven car from your home and hotel nights where needed before or after the cruise. Mediterranean itineraries include seven-night round trips from either Athens or Fusina (Venice), calling at ports including the Croatian island of Hvar and Nafplion in Greece, where you’ll find ancient ruins, rustic tavernas and quiet beaches.

3. Celestyal Cruises

Best for paying only for what you want
There’s no point splurging on an all-bells-and-whistles-inclusive voyage if you barely drink, don’t need wi-fi and don’t fancy visiting speciality restaurants. New for 2024, Greek cruise line Celestyal offers two all-inclusive packages for maximum value. The Celestyal Experience fare includes complimentary dining, drinks with meals, entertainment and discounts on shore excursions, while the Plus+ Experience also includes premium drinks, speciality dining and wi-fi. Optional shore excursions encourage guests to get to know the real Greece — they include a cooking class in a local home in Mykonos and pottery-making and a meze lunch in Rhodes.

4. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

Best for on-board activities
Great value all-inclusive fares from Fred Olsen don’t skimp on entertainment options, with guest speakers, chart-reading sessions with the captain, cooking classes and even stargazing sessions over a hot toddy. There’s also a house band, dance teachers, an art studio and a theatre company on each ship. Fares include all-day room service, afternoon tea and à la carte dinners — alcohol is extra, though reasonable packages can be added from £24.99 per person per night. Med itineraries sail from the UK so tend to be at least two weeks long, calling at ports including La Goulette in Tunisia and Gibraltar with its Moorish baths, cable car and the only wild monkeys in Europe.

5. Seabourn

Best for luxury
Expect to be pampered when you sail on any of Seabourn’s seven ships, all of which have a private yacht feel, with personal service and sumptuous extras included as standard. Fine wines, premium spirits, a bespoke in-suite bar, wi-fi, dining in any venue at any time and even unlimited caviar are all thrown in. Itineraries are more original than most too, calling at lesser-visited Med ports including pastel-coloured Greek fishing town Gythio, Andalusia’s Almeria and the sleepy Greek island of Patmos, where St John is believed to have written the Book of Revelation.

6. Marella

Best for regional UK departures
The cost of travelling to a London airport can be an unwelcome extra on top of many cruise fares. Marella, which is part of Tui, includes departures from several UK regional airports, so it’s easy to find a more convenient alternative. Cruise fares also cover luggage, transfers to the ship, selected drinks including certain spirits and house wine, gratuities and several informal dining options. Good-value Med itineraries include all the big-name stops including Barcelona, Civitavecchia for Rome and Malaga.

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7. P&O Cruises

Best for non-drinkers
If you prefer a juice to a gin and tonic, all-inclusive cruise fares can prove expensive. P&O’s package includes coach transfers, dining at a range of restaurants, room service breakfast, plenty of entertainment and a formal five-course gala night dinner created by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White. A choice of four drinks packages can be added including one for soft drinks only and another alcohol-free bundle including Costa coffee, non-alcoholic beer and wine and a range of mocktails, so you can toast your arrival in must-see ports including Genoa, Dubrovnik and Santorini.

8. Princess Cruises

Best for all-day dining
There’s no chance of going hungry on a Princess cruise. Meals are all covered but there are also sweet snacks aplenty on board for no extra cost, including complimentary soft serve ice cream on deck, popcorn dished out during open-air movies and freshly baked cookies available throughout the ship. Opt for a Princess Plus package — an extra £50 per day — and wi-fi, gratuities, drinks up to $15 (about £12), extra meals and other treats are included too. Med itineraries sail from Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome) or Piraeus (Athens) and tick off all the major ports along the way including Mykonos, Sicily and Marseilles.

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9. Azamara

Best for maximum shore time
All Azamara’s four ships hold around 700 passengers each so you can expect a boutique feel on board, plus more varied Med itineraries featuring smaller ports. Late-evening departures also mean plenty of time to explore the cobbled streets and shaded squares of Ermoupoli in Greece or the postcard-pretty harbour of Kotor in Montenegro. Back on board, room service, gratuities, self-service laundry, excellent food and selected alcoholic drinks are included in the standard fare, as is a weekly alfresco White Night party with entertainment, cocktails and an elaborate buffet dinner.

10. Scenic Ocean Cruises

Best for inclusions
You’ll struggle to find something to spend money on once you board a Scenic ship, unless you fancy a trip on its helicopter. Its all-inclusive package covers almost everything you can think of including the use of waterskis and kayaks, room service, self-service laundry, wi-fi and cooking classes that reflect the area the ship is travelling through. Med itineraries are a good mix of the bigger must-visit ports and underrated spots including Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany and the French town of Collioure, once popular with artists such as Dali, Picasso and Matisse.

11. Regent Seven Seas

Best for a five-star hotel feel
From its chic spas to the palatial suites, a Regent Seven Seas cruise feels more like staying in a top hotel. Every fare is all-inclusive and has every detail covered, including unlimited wi-fi, laundry, a stocked minibar, shore excursions and a pre-cruise hotel stay. Foodies are particularly spoiled with a range of chef-led shore excursions available for an extra charge, including a market tour and tapas meal in Bilbao, a foraging tour and on-board cooking class in Corfu, and lunch at a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Barcelona — plus a peek in the kitchens.

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