Cruise Critic announced the 2023 Best Cruise Lines of The Year
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The United States Military Academy at West Point, founded in 1802, is also on the itinerary, as is Sleepy Hollow. The Sleepy Hollow legend comes to life during a tour of the local cemetery where author Washington Irving is buried. Back in the Big Apple on day seven, you'll have time to explore before saying farewell to your ship. In Tennessee's two famous music cities, you'll have a chance to visit Elvis Presley's Graceland, stroll blues club-lined Beale Street and check out the Grand Ole Opry.
The 11 Best Luxury Cruise Lines, According to T+L's Experts
2024 Member Choice Awards: Best Cruise Lines and Ships - Cruiseline.com
2024 Member Choice Awards: Best Cruise Lines and Ships.
Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 02:14:25 GMT [source]
After the delivery of four Prima-Plus class ships from 2025 through 2028, the cruise operator is expected to take delivery of four approximately 200,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity of nearly 5,000 guests, in 2030, 2032, 2034, and 2036. Last but not least, MSC Meraviglia will be alternating between cruises to Bermuda and cruises to Florida and the Bahamas from New York, from where the ship operates year-round. MSC Seascape’s shorter sailings, which will last for 3 to 4-nights, will sail to the Bahamas, calling on Ocean Cay and Nassau.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Viking Cruises is a river and ocean cruise line that recently added expedition sailings and the Great Lakes trips to its repertoire. "T+L readers rave about the consistency of Viking's vessels and their Scandinavian design," cruise expert Fran Golden reported when Viking once again topped T+L's World's Best Awards last year. Viking came in at No. 1 in T+L's best mid-size ship category and river cruise category. Golden said the WBA Hall of Fame honoree's 50 river "longships" are "light-filled floating boutique hotels."
Best Large Cruise Ship: Sky Princess - Princess Cruises
For a premium fare, MSC’s Yacht Club offers what’s called a “ship-within-a-ship” experience — a dedicated VIP enclave on a larger cruise ship that gives guests the best of both worlds. In October, U.S. News and World Report published its 2023 ranking of the best cruises for the money. The report ranked the top ships out of 17 of the most popular ocean cruise lines and gave them a rating of one through five. Oceania Cruises has just seven ships, but the debut of the brand-new Oceania Vista catapults this cruise line into the luxury division. The cruise line's relatively new Go Local shore excursions for small groups bring travelers to under-the-radar destinations, T+L contributing editor and long-time cruiser Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon reported recently. Her 2022 cruise on Riviera included 70 excursions "from canoeing Croatia’s Cetina River to cooking classes in Athens."
A Guide to Cruise Lines

The ships even offer babysitting services so grownups can have a night out at a restaurant, nightclub or show. Royal Caribbean International’s ships sail to a wide variety of destinations, from shorter trips to the Caribbean and Mexico to longer vacations to Alaska, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific. Cruisers who seek an ultimate luxury experience must typically take a trip with boutique, small-ship cruise lines such as Seabourn that have relatively few crowd-pleasing attractions.
Second, purchasing early may qualify you for add-on coverage like “cancel for any reason,” which is typically available only within a specific period (about 15 days) after you book your trip. If you’re ready to hop aboard, here are Money’s picks for the five best cruise lines of 2023. It is the third-largest cruise line in the world by passengers, according to Cruise Market Watch. Princess Cruises ranked as the No. 3 cruise line for the money, with an overall rating of 4.02. Since late 2020, Celebrity Cruises has included free Wi-Fi, unlimited drinks and daily gratuities in its base fare.
River Awards
Cruises are booming right now, buoyed partly by the popularity of domestic seacations that hauled in first-time sailors. So much so that Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 34,000-mile world trip for 2024 sold out in just over two hours, while the adults-only Virgin Voyages, which aims to throw cruise stereotypes overboard, rose to first place in Large Ships. And we’ve brought back last year's new category showcasing the expedition cruises – small, often sustainable vessels with a shoal of scientific experts onboard – that follow in the wake of adventurers such as Sir Ernest Shackleton. About 285 miles away in Port Canaveral, Florida, MSC Seashore will offer a range of itineraries departing on Thursdays and Sundays. These include 3 to 4-night cruises to the Bahamas, which will call on Nassau and Ocean Cay, and 7-night Western Caribbean Cruises, which will stop at Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico and Ocean Cay.
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Unfortunately, Virgin Voyages doesn’t offer an alcoholic drinks package like other cruise lines. However, to offset this drawback, drink prices are reasonable ($5-6 for a beer and $9 for basic cocktails), including the tip. Mega ships have more than 4,000 passengers, while large ships were defined as those with 2,500 to 4,000 passengers. Celebrity Cruises is the No. 2 cruise line that is worth the money, according to travelers. Over the next decade this will not only give NCLH the biggest growth story within the cruise industry but will also allow them to continue entering new markets with minimal cannibalization to their fleet, the analyst noted. With a historically smaller fleet, the company has been building new ships more aggressively versus peers in order to enter/serve certain markets.
MSC Cruises Cancels Grand Voyage for Newest Ship
From pools, waterslides and mini golf for kids to spas, shows and nightclubs for adults, there is something for everyone on a cruise ship. Whether it's a river or an ocean you want to cruise, Scenic can take you there in style. On board, you'll find fine dining, expansive spas and fitness facilities, and butler service.
Cruisers enjoy lots of world-class amenities like restaurants, shows and water activities on board, and they also have the option to disembark and sightsee or participate in excursions when the ship docks. Yacht Club guests get 24-hour butler service and their own dedicated concierge, plus a premium drink and internet package. They also enjoy complimentary access to the ship’s spa as well as other perks like a luggage packing and unpacking service and priority check-in and check-out.
Families will enjoy meet-and-greets with Disney characters, themed restaurants, and a slew of onboard activities and entertainment. Staterooms are also family friendly, with storage that’s designed to accommodate multiple guests. It is the fifth largest cruise line in the world with 17 ships and trips that last between two and 116 days. It sails to popular destinations in Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska and more. Emerald Yacht Cruises, a line best known for its river ships, launched its first ocean-going vessel, Emerald Azzura, in 2022 followed by an identical sister ship, Emerald Sakara, in 2023. Both ships are intimate with a capacity of 100 passengers in 50 staterooms.
French luxury cruise line Ponant aims to make passengers feel as if they're traveling on their own private yachts. Guests enjoy Ladurée macarons, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, and luxurious Hermès bath products on board. Each of the company's ships features an onboard spa with massage cabins and either a Turkish bath or sauna. Ponant's luxurious small ships sail to remote destinations like Antarctica, incorporating once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as eclipse spotting from the edge of the earth. The company also partners with Smithsonian and Disney on certain sailings. The best cruise lines offer travelers the opportunity to experience some of the world’s finest vacation destinations while enjoying a wide variety of amenities for every member of the family.
Paul Gauguin Cruises operates just one ship, but it is exquisite, hosting 330 guests and sailing only in the South Pacific to destinations like Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, and the Cook Islands. The ship is small enough to access private ports at remote beaches and take travelers well off the beaten path. Named the best small-ship ocean cruise line in T+L's 2022 World's Best Awards, Golden said the line is known for Tahitian-inspired massage techniques in the onboard spa and noted that cruisers particularly love the wonderful staff. The other perks included in your cruise fare will depend on how much you pay; many larger cruise lines offer multiple tiers of fares. The lowest tier will be the cheapest, but you should expect to pay out of pocket for extras like drinks, certain restaurant meals and activities and excursions once you’re on board. Higher fare tiers include more amenities but are significantly more expensive.
With a 95-person crew and a maximum of 112 guests, each passenger receives personalized service. We considered prices; the number of ships in each fleet; the flexibility to serve specific traveler types, such as families and singles; and the types of itineraries offered by each company. These are some of the most popular itineraries because of their accessibility, affordability and wide variety of activities. The ships tend to be large – some can carry more than 6,000 passengers – and are packed with amenities. Single cruisers on Norwegian have access to a dedicated lounge and meetups where they can mingle with other travelers, too.
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