We only started cruising a few years ago, and it was never something we thought we’d enjoy. We had all the same preconceived notions: cruises are noisy, crowded germ factories or floating casinos. To be honest, everything we thought we knew about cruising came from The Love Boat. So when we first started considering a cruise, we turned to YouTube for advice. Not only did it inform us, it changed our minds so completely that we’re now seasoned sailors.

Once we started digging into the world of cruising, we realised that YouTube was one of the best ways to understand what a ship, cabin or itinerary was really like. What do the rooms actually look like? Do you have to eat at the buffet every night? And is there plenty to do if you’re not part of the poolside parade?

These creators helped us figure out everything from whether a cabin upgrade was worth it to whether a ship was worth sailing on at all.

Cruise with Ben and David — Ahoy there, cruisers!

Why we love them: If you are going to start anywhere, start with Ben and David. They’ve just celebrated 10 years on YouTube and around 100 cruises, so it’s tough to find a couple who have consistently put out such high quality content across a massive range of ships.

What they’re great for: Big, detailed ship tours and honest reviews.

Nerdy Rating: 9️⃣ — Detailed and thorough. Plus, Ben’s pun game puts ours to shame.

Best video to start with ▶️This one is a couple of years old, but at over 1.6 million views (and counting) its a good indicator of what they do.

Emma Cruises — Experienced budget cruising

Why we love them: As Emma often says, she’s been cruising since she was 11 and it shows. She doesn’t just stick to the latest and flashiest either. She’s there to demystify budget cruising warts and all. We also love that she’s frequently advocating for Mercy Ships, and we have the plush toy of the late, great Captain Hudson to prove it.

What they’re great for: Sharp, no-fuss trip reports. Plus, where to find the good cookies.

Nerdy Rating: 🔟 — Emma’s style is like a book report in the best possible way

Best video to start with ▶️”I’ve just disembarked one of the world’s strangest cruises.” How can you resist an opening line like that?

Tips for Travellers — Authoritative and engaging

Why we love them: You aren’t going to find a more authoritative source than host Gary Bembridge. Since 2004, he’s taken over 128 cruises (at the time of writing). Following a cancer diagnosis in 2012 and subsequent all-clear he has been posting content on YouTube, and become the go-to source for many. His passion and deep knowledge show through, whether it’s a Transatlantic crossing, an all-inclusive luxury cruise or a jaunt down the Danube on a river cruise.

What they’re great for: Factual, informative and reliable content.

Nerdy Rating: 🔟 — Bembridge comes with the footnotes we crave.

Best video to start with ▶️Absolutely anywhere, but here’s his rundown of tips (for travellers) in 2026.

Views & Queues — Adventures as a couple

Why we love them: We started watching them for Disney content, but came to vibe to their laidback style, genuine curiosity and love of cruising. We see a lot of what we love about travel in their content. They favour Royal Caribbean and Disney, but there’s content on their trips from MSC, NCL, Princess and beyond.

What they’re great for: Feeling like you’re hanging out on board while someone shows you around the ship.

Nerdy Rating: 8️⃣ — They love exploring those little details, but they also keep it entertainingly light.

Best video to start with ▶️Note: Views & Queues don’t allow external embedding of their videos so click on the image to link to their channel.

Royal Caribbean Blog — Loyal to Royal

Why we love them: Matt from RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com has been in the game for over 13 years and is one of the most prolific vloggers on the largest cruise line in the world. Yes, we’d be remiss to mention that Matt’s thumbnails have leaned into AI generation of late, but that does seem to be part of the perpetual game creators are now playing with the algorithm. Don’t let that put you off: the content is still great.

What they’re great for: Latest news, tips and tricks, trend and recaps

Nerdy Rating: 7️⃣ — Fandom this deep is always a little nerdy, but Matt is also about making cruising accessible to everyone.

Best video to start with ▶️Matt has taken over 100 cruises and it shows. Here’s a celebratory summary of his time online.

CruiseTipsTV — Expert advice

Why we love them: CruiseTipsTV is probably the most recent addition to our subscriptions list, and we don’t know why we’ve been sleeping on their content. Like Tips for Travellers, Sheri Griffiths has been around since the start of the YouTube cruise game and offers expert advice for all travellers.

What they’re great for: Cruise planning, tips and expert advice.

Nerdy Rating: 7️⃣ — Griffiths could have been a morning show host if she wasn’t doing travel content, and her easygoing style is great for broad audiences.

Best video to start with ▶️We we were looking at doing a Japan cruise and came across this video. So we pass that serendipity on to you.

DisNEEDS — Up-to-the-minute Disney Cruise news

Why we love them: Cruising with Disney is one of our favourite things to do, and we love hearing about the latest ships, itineraries and developments for the line. DisNEEDS collects all the information together so you don’t have to go looking for it. Many of their videos feature (credited) clips from some of the other creators here, so look out for some familiar faces.

What they’re great for: The latest news and tips for making the most of your next cruise.

Nerdy Rating: 7️⃣ — Yes, some of this new can be fairly esoteric, but as a Disney fan we find that this best suits new and curious cruisers.

Best video to start with ▶️We tend to watch her news pieces, but here’s a more general one on 10 dining mistakes new Disney Cruisers make.

Where to next?

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Or are we not supposed to mention that word around cruisers? Cruise YouTube is one of the most popular corners of the travel vlogger world, and we’re always finding new people. Other ones you might like include ParoDeeJay, JJ Cruise and The Ship Life (aka Cruise Crew Jay).

If you’re looking beyond ships, we’ve also rounded up some of the travel YouTube channels we actually watch for inspiration when planning our trips.

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