Sunday, March 31, 2024

Cruise ship guide: 20 popular lines explained

best and worst cruise lines

Unfortunately, the cruises Marella offers often fall short of the standard most passengers expect. These ships travel within US waters only, taking travelers on historical tours. However, American Cruise Lines gets a place on this list thanks to the costliness of its cruises. The Wonder of the Seas is the most fun Royal Caribbean ship in the fleet currently, but Icon of the Seas will likely take her place once customers have had enough time to experience everything onboard. Even with the review rankings above, there isn’t really a single ship that’s best for everyone. It depends on what you’re looking for from your cruise because different ships appeal to slightly different tastes.

Worst: MSC Cruises -3.0

It also recently jumped into more adventurous, expedition-style cruising with two new 264-passenger vessels designed to operate in polar regions such as Antarctica and the Arctic. Princess Cruises' customers also like its wide range of itineraries, including voyages in Asia and Australia, as well as closer-to-home places like the Caribbean. Note that TPG has many guides to individual lines, which you can find by clicking on our cruise line hub pages linked in each segment below.

Top 5 Cruise Lines for Luxury Seekers

You may have heard of Celebrity Cruises because of its impressive onboard art collection and because it was the first cruise line to grew real grass on its ships. Princess Cruises had just one ship when it began operating in 1965 and now has 18 vessels that take over 1,000,000 travelers to places across the world every year. This line is a mid-priced, good-quality option, making it popular for families and couples young and old. See the Carnival cruise ships ranked and the NCL cruise ships ranked to see which ships in those respective fleets are the best and worst. All of the Oasis-class ships have the best selection of food with many restaurants to choose from. Wonder of the Seas is the latest ship and among its many venues it includes Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Wonderland, Hooked Seafood and the ever-popular Chops Grille.

Worst: Paul Gauguin Cruises

The ship is talked about positively for its service in the most part, but some cruisers have mentioned the decor looking a little tired and needing an update, or the quality of the food not being the same as on more modern ships. While the ship is overwhelmingly popular in reviews, there are a couple of negative comments that mention a lack of organisation – long waits for tables or bar service, and poor communication. These are in the minority, and for the most part, Royal seems to handle the staffing of this massive ship well. Also, one last bit of context – this isn’t a list ranking the ships from “good” to “bad”. In fact, the worst average score of any ship is 3.3 out of 5, which is still pretty good.

With such a packed schedule, dining hours are a little more limited on a Celesytal ship and that’s drawn some ire in the reviews too, along with some instances of poor customer service. There are two recurring themes to the negative reviews of MSC Cruises – the range and quality of the food are often commented on, as are the standards of service. Some people have found the crew to be less helpful or unresponsive to concerns when compared to other cruise lines.

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Viking Ocean Cruises rounds out the top three by catering to a more mature crowd, focusing on enriching itineraries and luxury inclusions like complimentary excursions. Holland America has been taking cruisers to historic and exotic destinations around the world for over 140 years. Their fleet of 15 spacious and comfortable mid-size ships offer more than 500 sailings each year and include destinations on all 7 continents of the world. In April 2016, the cruise line is adding a new 2,650 passenger ocean liner to their fleet which will be the first of its kind for Holland America. Just squeaking into the ‘Best’ category by .1 of a star, Carnival Cruise Lines are definitely known as ’the fun ships’. This cruise line has built a reputation for offering non-stop fun in the form of parties, karaoke, comedy shows and wacky contests and entertainment.

The line prides itself on offering longer stays in ports, including multi-day visits. Pricing is higher than at the big, mass-market lines but not quite as high as you'll find at luxury lines. A lot of the negative reviews felt that the ship didn’t meet the standards advertised, and that while the cruise was expensive, it certainly wasn’t luxurious. Guests felt that the cabins in particular fell some way short of what was expected, including worn-out furnishings and problematic heating systems. Marella is a cruise line primarily targeting the British market, but it’s a little unique in that it doesn’t ever sail from the UK. Instead, it offers cruises in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Canary Islands and Asia, cutting out the sea days by sailing from ports much closer to the action.

best and worst cruise lines

Best cruise lines for food: Virgin Voyages, Viking, Saga and more. - Which?

Best cruise lines for food: Virgin Voyages, Viking, Saga and more..

Posted: Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

She could do with another refresh, if she’s to remain sailing with the cruise line, as reviews do mention dated decor and signs of wear and tear. It’s not really surprising that four of the five Oasis-class ships occupy the top places on this list. Harmony of the Seas rounds out the top 4, with people again loving the sheer volume of things that kids and grown-ups can see and do during their time at sea.

The next 50 years of travel

Moreover, it ranks very poorly from an environmental perspective, with poor-quality sewage treatment practices and little effort to reduce the amount of air pollution its fleet emits. Viking River Cruises is particularly unsuitable for people who enjoy a greater degree of autonomy when traveling and like to be in charge of their own schedule. Remember that there isn’t really a single ‘best’ ship because that depends on what you want from your cruise.

Most people are still impressed, but some guests have criticised issues with housekeeping, and said that the food isn’t always the same quality. The approximate prices I’ve quoted are without flights but you can choose fares with flights included too. Otherwise, you’ll find that all dining, drinks, tips and excursions are covered, along with transfers to/from the ship from the airport. If you want to really delve into the regions that Pearl Seas Cruises offers, then it’s still worth considering – an average score of 3.7 out of 5 shows that most do have a good time.

best and worst cruise lines

Cruise lines offering or hosting themed trips are Norwegian Cruise Line, Windstar Cruises, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Ships also have a living room where guests can gather to talk or relax while listening to classical music performed by resident musicians. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Its six vessels carry just 148 to 342 passengers — fewer than fit on a single big-ship lifeboat — and are wonderfully intimate.

So there you have it – every current Royal Caribbean ship ranked, and recommendations for the best ship depending on what you’re looking for from your cruise. The largest Royal Caribbean ship is Icon of the Seas, which is also the largest ship in the world. It is the first of the new Icon-class of ships for Royal Caribbean and is around 20% larger than the previous largest, which was Wonder of the Seas.

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