In 2018, there were more than 300 cruise ships on the high seas, and this year, 21 new ships are launching. With those numbers, it’s hard to know where to begin when you’re trying to figure out where to go on a cruise vacation — whether you’re a novice cruiser or a seasoned sailor.
That’s where Cruiseline.com comes in. The website’s new Member’s Choice Awards analyzed more than 30,000 online reviews in order to determine the best cruises for every travel personality. And the good news is that no matter what you’re looking for — a solo trip, a family vacation, a food adventure — there’s a ship for you. Here are the winners.
Best for First-Timers
Royal Caribbean clearly knows how to deliver when it comes to first-time cruisers. The line also won the category in 2015, 2016 and 2017. You can get the scoop on other great cruises in “The 20 Best Cruises To Take In 2019.”
- Royal Caribbean
- Celebrity Cruises
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Princess Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line
The new Celebrity Edge is a game-changing cruise ship.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best for Solo Travelers
According to Cruiseline.com, Celebrity’s “refined yet relaxed style made it the preferred line of single and solo cruisers for the second year in a row.” You can read about why the new Celebrity Edge is great for women travelers in “Why This Billion-Dollar Cruise Ship Is The Ultimate Ship For Women.”
- Celebrity Cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- Princess Cruises
Celebrity Cruises was voted best for couples. Pictured here: Francisco Vargas and Benjamin Gray, who were legally married on the Celebrity Equinox.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best for Couples
Celebrity Cruises was voted best for couples — all couples. In 2018, Francisco Vargas and Benjamin Gray became the first same-sex couple ever to be legally married at sea on a major cruise line, in a historic ceremony hosted onboard Celebrity Equinox.
- Celebrity Cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Cunard
- Holland America Line
An aerial view of the Celebrity Flora, which will be cruising the Galapagos.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best for Groups
In addition to couples, Celebrity Cruises is the top line for multi-generational cruises. This is the second year Celebrity has won the group category.
- Celebrity Cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- Holland America Line
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Princess Cruises
The Disney Dream, which blends the elegance of early 20th-century ocean liners with contemporary design.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID ROARK
Best for Families with Young Children
According to Cruiseline.com, “Disney continues to be the undisputed best line for kids,” winning with a massive margin. MSC Cruises was a newcomer to this list this year, thanks to its programs with LEGO and more. You can read more about MSC Cruises .
- Disney Cruise Line
- Princess Cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- Carnival Cruise Line
- MSC Cruises
Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Best for Teenagers
Cruiseline.com attributes Royal Caribbean’s win to its focus on keeping passengers active — a hit with restless teens.
- Royal Caribbean
- Celebrity Cruises
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Disney Cruise Line
- Princess Cruises
Celebrity Cruises – voted best for food – has a new partnership with chef Daniel Boulud.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best for Foodies
Celebrity comes in at the top of the list, and it’s no surprise. The brand has a new partnership with chef Daniel Boulud — who is now the global culinary ambassador — and is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to food. On the new Celebrity Edge, there’s even digitally enhanced dining.
- Celebrity Cruises
- Disney Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- Oceania Cruises
- Viking Ocean Cruises
Flight…..Dare To Dream onboard Symphony of the Seas, whose parent line, Royal Caribbean, was voted best for entertainment.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Best for Entertainment Seekers
“Royal Caribbean is always searching for new acts to wow newcomers and seasoned sailors alike,” says Cruiseline.com. Want to get an inside peek at what it’s like to work as an entertainer on a Royal Caribbean ship? Check out “Behind The Scenes: What It’s Like To Work On The World’s Largest Cruise Ship.”
- Royal Caribbean
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Disney Cruise Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- Princess Cruises
The Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea, aboard Harmony of the Seas, whose parent line, Royal Caribbean, was voted best for entertainment.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Best for Adrenaline Junkies
Cruiseline.com calls Royal Caribbean “the ultimate pioneers in onboard activities,” thanks to innovations ranging from onboard surfing simulators to rock-climbing walls to zip lines.
- Royal Caribbean
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Disney Cruise Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- Cunard
Celebrity Cruises CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo and crew member Nicholine Tifuh Azirh.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best for People Who Love Good Service
According to Cruiseline.com, “Celebrity and Disney regularly dominate this category with a level of service typically reserved for luxury hotels.” Perhaps Celebrity’s win has something to do with the number of women working onboard its ships? You can read more about Celebrity’s commitment to women crew members here.
- Celebrity Cruises
- Disney Cruise Line
- Royal Caribbean
- Holland America
- Cunard
A rendering of a Sky Suite on Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium Series ships.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES
Best for People Who Don’t Want to Leave the Cabin
This year, Celebrity won the best cabin race. Celebrity has certainly been putting a lot of thought into its cabins. On the new Celebrity Edge, staterooms created by world-renowned interior designer Kelly Hoppen, MBE, have something called an infinite veranda, where a glass wall in your cabin drops down with the touch of a button, turning your living space into a veranda. Celebrity Cruises’ revolutionized Millennium Series ships also have suites redesigned by Hoppen.
- Celebrity Cruises
- Disney Cruise Line
- Royal Caribbean
- Cunard
- Viking Ocean Cruises
Sunrise aboard Symphony of the Seas, which was voted best ship overall.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Best Ship Overall
This is the first time in the history of the Cruiseline.com awards that a brand-new ship has been voted best ship overall: Symphony of the Seas, which launched in April of 2018. Fun fact: Symphony of the Seas also happens to be the largest ship in the world.
- Symphony of the Seas
- Allure of the Seas
- Carnival Dream
- Carnival Breeze
- Disney Dream
Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s newest and largest ship. Pictured here: a view down to Central Park.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Best New Ship
Given that it won Best Ship overall, it’s no surprise that Symphony of the Seas won Best New Ship. Cruiseline.com members praised its onboard activities, entertainment and service.
- Symphony of the Seas
- Celebrity Edge
- Carnival Horizon
- MSC Seaview
- Norwegian Bliss
Around The World Travel 