Countdown: The 25 most beautiful cruise vessels

Floating blocks of flats. Condos on a barge.

We’ve all heard and probably even used similar epithets to describe many of today’s cruise ships, even though, in most cases, they offer an impressive array of comforts and amenities. The down side of incorporating more frills and revenue-generating space into today’s technologically superior hulls and superstructures means the gracious curves and sleek proportions that once made ships a sight for sore eyes are, for the most part, a thing of the past.

Despite this trend, there are, thankfully, a few exceptions to the overall rule. A handful of the latest mid-size cruise ships are quite pleasing to look at, and there are enough fetching veterans hanging in there to help round out a solid top 25 bevy of beauties.

Scroll through the carousel above for our picks of the most beautiful cruise vessels currently at sea. While we set out to anoint the top 25, there actually are 54 ships mentioned in our list as many of those named in the rankings are part of a series of up to eight identical sisters.

Probably more significant than the ships that made the beauty grade are those whose exterior looks just don’t quite cut it. Between the three largest cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian), there is merely one once-pioneering trio of aging vessels included.

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Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In my case, that eye has spent decades photographing, sizing up and writing about every cruise ship imaginable, from the smallest expedition vessel to the most massive newcomers. I am judging these ships for their overall exterior design, but some, such as Celebrity’s Solstice Class and Viking’s Ocean Class, deserve extra points for fine detailing, masterful layouts and tasteful, trendsetting decor. All said, this top 25 is purely subjective and no more scientific than any other beauty contest.

Erstwhile lookers that missed the final cut include Cunard’s Queen Victoria and Holland America’s four-member Vista Class, all of which were “bulked up” with more cabins on their sterns that compromised their appealing original lines. Others that were bubbling under and worthy of consideration include Hapag-Lloyd’s deluxe Europa and Europa 2, Paul Gauguin Cruises’ Paul Gauguin, Seabourn’s Sojourn Class and Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer.