8 Cruise Lines with the Best Atriums

Carnival Cruise Line

Whether or not you like Joe Farcus’ extravagant interior designs, there’s no denying that Carnival Cruise Line’s ships sport some of the most striking atriums as they soar from the lobby below up to the top decks above. All the while, glass elevators skirt by impressive vast murals, mirrored surfaces and an abundance of colorful fixtures.

Celebrity Cruises

In order to convey “modern luxury,” Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice-class atriums vibrantly display a large-scale boutique hotel aesthetic under a skylight with a live tree suspended mid-height in between the angular glass elevators. Meanwhile, the line’s Millennium-class ship atriums are both modern and classy with back-lit marble surfaces and boldly draped linens.

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Disney Cruise Line

They may not be the grandest in height, but Disney Cruise Line’s elegant triple-decker atriums perfectly set the scene for what's in store onboard. Everything Disney does is in service of telling stories, and its atriums playfully welcome guests with character statues and friezes depicting many of the activities that can be enjoyed onboard and ashore during a vacation.

Holland America Line

Most of Holland America Line’s ships are distinctive thanks to individually showcased centerpieces, anything from Westerdam’s rotating Waterford Crystal clipper ship to Zaandam’s grand organ in keeping with that vessel’s musical theme throughout. Its atriums are not the tallest, but they definitely exhibit some of the best conversation pieces.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises ships are already pristinely maintained, and inside and out they are architecturally magnificent. The same goes for the line’s atriums like that which literally sparkles on the MSC Divina thanks to Swarovski crystals embedded in each and every translucent step spiraling up and down on either side of the open space. 

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Princess Cruises

The Piazza on Princess Cruises ships successfully makes its atriums the focal point of all activity with lots of shops, eateries and bars surrounding the central core. The most beautiful is found on the newest Royal-class ships as smells from the pizzeria invite guests to gather socially with a slice in one hand and a cocktail in the other.

Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International calls its atriums "centrums" as the fantastic spaces open up the center of the ships in grand fashion. Even the line’s smaller vessels benefit from a hollow core that bursts at the seams as it pushes out far towards the promenade deck with expansive windows, letting in brilliant shafts of natural light to illuminate the comings and goings below.

Viking Ocean Cruises

For smaller ships that carry less than a thousand guests, Viking Ocean Cruises’ young fleet presents The Viking Living Room that makes the vessels feel much larger than they actually are with high ceilings and plenty of windows. Particularly inviting are all the nooks and crannies in which to kick up your feet and read a good book as the passing scenery goes by.

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