What Cruise Ships Are Registered In The United States?

The Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 allows overnight passenger ships to sail solely between U.S. ports without the need for a foreign flag. This is particularly important for cruise lines, such as Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which operate in foreign countries. The Jones Act, a federal statute, requires shipping to U.S. ports to be done by ships constructed in the United States and carry an American flag.

Cruise ship registration holds significant importance for both the cruise line and passengers. The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 mandates that ships registered domestically must also have been built in the country. However, there is only one major cruise ship registered in the USA, NCL America’s Pride of America, which operates solely in the Hawaiian islands.

The majority of NCL America’s fleet is registered in Panama, with a few vessels flying the flags of the Bahamas and Malta. Celebrity Cruises operates the Pride of America, a cruise ship owned by NCL America, which operates solely in Hawaii.

Liability does not exist because cruise lines register their ships in Panama, Bahamas, or Vanuatu under flag state law. Major US-based cruise line companies include Carnival Corporation plc and Royal Caribbean Group, which own several ships.

With the exception of Pride of America, no cruise ships are American flagged registered, and there are no American flagged cruise ships.