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Cunard fans love the line's relatively formal vibe (including nightly dress codes) and other nods to ocean liner tradition, including evenings with ballroom dancing. Some of the negative experiences will be justified, but some people just love to complain. Food quality is praised by some and harshly reviewed by others, with some guests saying that food was basic or even inedible.
Top 5 Cruise Lines for Luxury Seekers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 13 norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships so far in 2023. The last time the industry's yearly gastrointestinal illness outbreak total was that high was back in 2016 — and it's only July. Crystal Cruises touts itself as a luxury cruise line, and it certainly delivers. What’s more, Crystal Cruises aren’t nearly as ostentatious as some other luxury boats. While Crystal delivers world-class service and food, the boat boasts a more relaxed feel comfortable enough to bring children along, though there may not be many activities geared specifically towards kids. Windstar’s fleet of six boats offers cruises around the world, though they’re best known for their destinations in the northern Mediterranean.
Ocean Awards
Norovirus cases have spiked across the United States this year, which some experts say is the result of ending COVID-19 restrictions. This was despite the fact that the ship had no power and all the toilets were malfunctioning, leading to the overflow of human waste into the ship. She has been refurbished, but there are still signs she’s an older ship – particularly in the lack of modern soundproofing, which means engine noises can be heard more throughout the ship. The newest ship currently sailing is Icon of the Seas, which launched in 2024, while the oldest is Grandeur of the Seas, still going strong since she launched in 1996. Silversea Cruises topped the list as Best Luxury Cruise Line for the second year in a row. Cruise Critic just announced its annual list of the Best Cruise Lines of The Year.
Cabin locations on cruise ships you should definitely avoid - The Points Guy
Cabin locations on cruise ships you should definitely avoid.
Posted: Fri, 31 Jul 2020 12:02:32 GMT [source]
Top 5 Cruise Lines for Adults-Only Cruisers
Carnival is one of the biggest cruise lines in the world, with a massive fleet of ships. Particularly popular in the US for cruises to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico, the cruise line calls its fleet “Fun Ships”, with a focus on a party atmosphere. Scenic Ocean Cruises is a luxury cruise line from a company that is well-known for its river cruise options.
The 14 Worst Cruise Lines (According to Reviews)
Eco-friendly practices, such as eliminating single-use plastics and using cleaner fuels, are also rising, reflecting a broader industry push toward sustainability. From luxury small-ship cruises to big-name brands with full entertainment and leisure facilities, the cruise lines rated top are always those that have the best passenger-to-space ratio on board. See the full results below to find out which companies provide enough room, and which ones pack you in like sardines.
Navigator of the Seas
While setting off on an onshore adventure is enticing, passengers want their time onboard to be just as enjoyable. On the positive side, the cabins on Paul Gauguin cruises are lovely and the expeditions are amazing, according to past customers. However, the high price tag, limited availability, and romantic atmosphere mean this cruise only works for a certain type of person.
Virgin Voyages
Operating a fast-growing fleet of tough but upscale expedition ships (none carrying more than 264 passengers), Ponant is known for voyages to places like Antarctica and the Arctic. The choice of roughly one in five cruisers, Carnival Cruise Line's ships are notoriously lively, flashy and packed with fun features such as water parks with multiple waterslides. The self-described "fun ship" line is the king of short, affordable, fun-focused cruises from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Mexico and beyond. It's just a short overview — enough to give you a sense of which particular cruise operator might best appeal to you. We know that pricing transparency is important, so we only make a company a WRP if it provides clear information about gratuities, excursions and drinks at the booking stage. After all, it's hard for customers to compare prices if they can't find these details before parting with their cash.
Cruises
Virgin Voyages' first three ships (Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady) have suites by acclaimed designer Tom Dixon. Destinations include the Dominican Republic, Mexico and a private beach club in the Bahamas, as well as parts of Europe and Australia. Its growing fleet of small expedition ships will take you everywhere from the Arctic to Papua New Guinea in style. Itinerary-wise, Oceania is known for destination-intensive voyages that typically are 10 nights or more in length, with some globe-circling trips as long as 180 days.
Most cruises are adults only although some are multigenerational during the school holidays. The atmosphere onboard is very relaxed and the clientele does tend to be older. MSC Cruises is another Italian cruise line that offers affordable ocean cruises on mid-size and large ships.
There's nothing like a stomach virus to ruin your vacation, as hundreds of cruise ship passengers have unfortunately learned this year. A family favorite, Disney Cruise Line’s mission is to bring the magic and joy of Disney to the water. Also – none of the Royal ships were badly reviewed, so even the ‘worst’ ones are still great. Now, here’s a table showing the review score for each of the Royal Caribbean ships according to the most popular review sites.
While the atmosphere is less formal than other cruise lines, the many amenities onboard always lead to an enjoyable experience. Silversea Cruises has a fleet of 11 ships that they send all across the world. While it’s considered a high-end luxury cruise line, the environment onboard sometimes errs on the side of stuffy. Silversea leans into the lavishness of their cruise ships with Bulgari toiletries and Pratesi linens. Plus, many of the cabins are suites since the cruises are geared towards high-end clientele.
Exquisite service, refined dining and well-appointed accommodations are hallmarks of this Monaco-based luxury line with 12 vessels. Silversea Cruises is also known for its industry-leading array of off-the-beaten-path itineraries. As with other luxury lines, Seabourn offers a wide range of itineraries around the globe.
This ship was only launched a few years ago, in 2016, but it didn’t take long for customers to start complaining about its average pool and small dining areas. It began by sailing the waters around Australia and New Zealand but in the summer of 2019, it moved to Alaskan waters. Vision of the Seas launched in 1998 and despite being the last Vision-class ship to arrive, she was the one that lent her name to the class of ship. She’s considerably smaller than much of the fleet, so some criticism in reviews comes from passengers who didn’t realise there wouldn’t be much to do on board. Adults will probably appreciate Enchantment more, with a good selection of bars and places to eat. The entertainment is a little less exciting than on the bigger ships, according to some guests, but the food gets better reviews on Enchantment of the Seas than it does on similarly-aged Royal ships.
Instead, guests will embark and disembark at most ports on the cruise – your first day might be halfway through someone else’s cruise on the ship. The flexibility is good, but it can also make each port visit a little hectic. Fares are affordable and there’s a good range of entertainment onboard, including fun daytime activities such as bowling, mini golf, arcades and a Formula 1 driving simulator – although these do have additional costs attached. Costa’s cruises are some of the cheapest available, and that can show with the quality of a cruise holiday onboard, but if you’re on a budget and you know what to expect then you can still have a great time. Cruises are booming right now, buoyed partly by the popularity of domestic seacations that hauled in first-time sailors.
