List of Cruise Ship Companies (I-P)

All the best cruise line companies list, also including several renown smaller passenger ship companies and operators with well-established market positions and high indices for passenger loyalty. The world's best sea travel lines, and the best river ship cruise companies information and concise reviews. All links pertain to the companies' official websites. For detailed info about the corporate ownership of some brands, click on the last link below.

As to the fares, the cheapest (and the MOST FUN) lines are listed as "Best" (including luxury brands with cheap affordable packages), and the majority of the most expensive cruise lines are listed as "major".

• InnerSea Discoveries /ISD (founded 2011, Seattle expedition line, sister brand of ASC, in "Alaska Small").
• Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten (since 1970, Hamburg, Germany, 5 smaller best luxury ships, including 2 future vessels) - the owner of the worlds most expensive cruise ship MS Europa; a brand of Hapag-Lloyd company (Hapag-Lloyd AG). Since 1998, the line is partialy owned by TUI AG (50%). The HAPAG line ("Hamburg American Line") was founded in 1912 as Transatlantic cargo passenger ship line, and the Lloyd company ("North German Lloyd", or NGL) was formed in 1856 as Bremen-New York cargo and passenger carrier. Nowadays, Hapag-Lloyd is again a major shipping company - the world's 5th largest by fleet capacity.
• Holland America Line (since 1873 - in "Best").
• Hurtigruten /Norwegian Coastal Express (since 1893, 13 vessels) - passenger cruise and freight line, operates 10-night round-trips of Norway (referred to as "World's Most Beautiful Sea Voyage"), also to Antarctica, Greenland, and around South America. The Hurtigruten ships sails from 38 ports in Norway alone.
• Ibero Cruceros (since 2007 - in "Major").
• Lindblad Expeditions (founded 1979 by Sven-Olof Lindblad, since 2004 the line has a joint fund and alliance with the National Geographic Society, and since 2007 all vessels are renamed with the prefix "National Geographic") - leader in adventure sea voyages, 5 private and 6 chartered small ships, including river boats (28-148 passengers). The founders of eco-tourism, the best academic and enrichment programs at sea by numerous and superb naturalists. Also sails Galapagos, Arctic, Antarctica, Baja California, Central America, Peruvian Amazon, Mediterranean and Northern Europe, Egypt, West Africa, and New Zealand.
• Louis Lines (since 1986 - in "Major").
• MSC Crociere SA (since 1987 - in "Best").
• NCL Norwegian Lines (since 1966 - in "Best").
• Oceania Line (since 2002 - in "Major").
• Orion Expedition /OEC (2004, Australian luxury line, 2 small  ships) - operates Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Far East of Russia, and Japan.
• P&O and P&O Australia (since 1837 - in "Major").
• Peter Deilmann (Neustadt, Germany) - 1 ocean ship (MS Deutschland), and 8 river ships.
• Phoenix Reisen (1988, Germany) - operates 4 chartered passenger  ships of smaller sizes, plus 1 from P&O.
• Polar Star Expeditions (2001, Halifax NS, Canada) - owned by Karlsen Shipping Co Ltd (Norway), MV Polar Star adventure Arctic and Antarctic passenger ship (a former Norwegian icebreaker).
• Princess Lines (since 1965, an ex brand name of P&O - in "Best").
• Pullmantur (1993, luxury all-inclusive line, Madrid, Spain, 5 big ships) - the largest Spanish cruise line, a subsidiary of RCCL since 2006.