50 Best Cruise Ship Songs for IG Reels & Stories

There’s a strange kind of buzz that comes with boarding a cruise. You’ve got the shuffle of flip-flops on metal ramps, the faint smell of sunscreen before anyone even hits the deck, and that mix of excitement and slight disorientation from staring at nothing but ocean. The right track cuts through that haze and turns the whole scene into something that feels like it belongs on screen. Some tracks lean into the open water vibe, others sneak in with a completely different mood but still click in ways that make sense once you’re in it.

It’s not all smooth sunsets and sparkling cocktails. Cruise life has awkward buffet lines, sudden blasts of karaoke, and dance floors that feel sticky by midnight. In those in-between moments, a track can sneak into someone’s Story and lock the vibe. It might be a pop anthem that feels oversized, a country ballad that leans into nostalgia, or R&B slipping in with laid-back sway. Even a rock tune can match the chaos when the pool deck feels like it could tip over. These pop, rock, country, and R&B songs might not be literally tied to ships or sailing, but the energy still works when you’re scrolling through reels that smell like saltwater and sunscreen.

Not every memory on a cruise feels glossy. Some hit messy, some are louder than they should be, and some only make sense once you’re back on land replaying clips in your camera roll. These songs carry that scattered energy and hold it steady long enough to soundtrack the trip. Here are the best cruise ship songs for Instagram reels and stories.

1. 'Come Sail Away' by Styx

2. 'Sailing' by Christopher Cross

3. 'Beyond the Sea' by Bobby Darin

4. 'Kokomo' by The Beach Boys

5. 'I'm on a Boat' by The Lonely Island

6. 'Sloop John B' by The Beach Boys

7. 'Southern Cross' by Crosby, Stills & Nash

8. 'Sail On' by The Commodores

9. 'Boat' by The Doors

10. 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen

11. 'Soak Up the Sun' by Sheryl Crow

12. 'Walking on Sunshine' by Katrina & The Waves

13. 'Island in the Sun' by Weezer

14. 'Toes' by Zac Brown Band

15. 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys

16. 'Margaritaville' by Jimmy Buffett

17. 'Lovely Day' by Bill Withers

18. 'Volare' by Dean Martin

19. 'Under the Sea' by Samuel E. Wright

20. 'Cruisin'' by Huey Lewis & The News

21. 'A Sky Full of Stars' by Coldplay

22. 'Feels Like Summer' by Samuel Jack

23. 'Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)' by Enya

24. 'Three Little Birds' by Bob Marley

25. 'Sailing' by Rod Stewart

26. 'I've Been Everywhere' by Johnny Cash

27. 'Home' by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

28. 'On the Road Again' by Willie Nelson

29. 'Into the Mystic' by Van Morrison

30. 'Red Red Wine' by UB40

31. 'Escape (The Piña Colada Song)' by Rupert Holmes

32. 'Don't Worry Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin

33. 'Vacation' by The Go-Go's

34. 'Lovely Cruise' by Jimmy Buffett

35. 'Adventure of a Lifetime' by Coldplay

36. 'La Isla Bonita' by Madonna

37. 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles

38. 'One Particular Harbour' by Jimmy Buffett

39. 'My Heart Will Go On' by Céline Dion

40. 'Sailing Away' by Whitesnake

41. 'Hoist the Colours' by Hans Zimmer

42. 'The River' by Garth Brooks

43. 'Sail Away Sweet Sister' by Queen

44. 'Come Fly With Me' by Frank Sinatra

45. 'The Love Boat Theme' by Jack Jones

46. 'Cruisin' Together' by Huey Lewis & Gwyneth Paltrow

47. 'Two Tickets to Paradise' by Eddie Money

48. 'Here Comes the Sun' by The Beatles

49. 'Get On Your Feet' by Gloria Estefan

50. 'I Lived' by OneRepublic