With significant product improvements, newer ships, innovative technology and new immersive experiences, the cruise industry appears in the midst of a renaissance.

The industry closed out 2017 with extraordinary earnings, with several of its largest companies, including Carnival Corp., enjoying the best profit margins in a decade.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line reported a net income of $1.3 billion after the third quarter in 2017 — a significant 19.7 percent margin. In 2007, the cruise line’s profit margin was 9.8 percent, a level it didn’t surpass again until 2016.

“All of our brands are performing at a level we’ve simply never seen. Our guest satisfaction ratings are at the highest point in our history, and they keep rising. Our onboard revenue figures are doing well, both in terms of sales and satisfaction,” said Richard Fain, CEO, Royal Caribbean.

It’s a similar story for Norwegian Cruise Line, which brought in a net income in 2017 of $834.5 million, up from $633 million the year before.

Who are the top players in the cruise industry resurgence?

In December, Princess Cruises celebrated 50 years of travel to Alaska with its largest deployment ever and, in August, Norwegian unveiled features of Norwegian Bliss, the line’s 16th ship offering several industry firsts.

Most recently, Carnival announced a mega makeover of its Paradise ship to include a water park, 38 new staterooms, 98 new balconies and a wide range of new food and beverage concepts. The line also announced four additional ships across four of its 10 brands.

At the end of 2017, U.S. News & World Report announced the 2018 Best Cruise Line rankings, evaluating 165 ships from 17 top cruise lines across six categories.

New to the list this year, Viking Ocean Cruises snagged the No. 1 spot as Best Cruise Line in the Mediterranean, and Royal Caribbean ranked No. 1 Best Cruise for the Money. Crystal Cruises was named Best Luxury Cruise Line, but Seabourn, also new to the rankings this year, took No. 1. for the Best Cruise Line for Couples for its intimate ships and abundance of fine-dining options.

If you’ve been on a cruise lately, share your experience. Have you witnessed an overall improvement? Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com.