USA TODAY 10Best
Best Ocean Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line wins the title
Best Ocean Cruise Line (2017)
Whether you prefer long days at sea or ample time in diverse ports of call, megaships packed with features or intimate yachts, more restaurants than a resort or a single luxury dining room, there's a cruise line out there for you.
We asked our readers to vote for their favorite ocean cruise lines, and after four weeks of voting, the results are in.
- Holland America Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- Royal Caribbean International
- Windstar Cruises
- Crystal Cruises
- Seabourn Cruise Line
- Costa Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- Viking Ocean Cruises
- Carnival Cruise Line
Photo courtesy of Holland America Line
No. 10:
Holland America Line offers guests enriching journeys in distinctively classic cruise style, connecting them to the most fascinating people, places and cultures on earth. Itineraries span the globe with more than 400 ports of call, a number unequaled among premium cruise lines, and more than 500 carefully crafted itineraries. With elegant fine dining and gracious service Holland America Line’s mid-sized ships welcome guests onboard to discover timeless cruising, refined for a new generation.
Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises
No. 9:
Celebrity Cruises earns high marks for their spacious accommodations, as well as the money and effort they spend to keep their fleet sleek and modern. While kid- and teen-centric amenities are there, Celebrity really shines with its adult offerings, including above-the-norm alternative restaurants, world-class art collections, upscale boutiques and AquaSpa cabins geared toward the spa-going cruise crowd.
Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
No. 8:
Royal Caribbean International designed its fleet with the active cruiser in mind. Sure, you can laze away sea days on a deck lounger or ship library, but you can also go rock climbing, sky diving, zip lining, surfing, ice skating or bowling – all at sea. Royal Caribbean operates the six largest ships in the world, including the Harmony of the Seas which debuted in 2016.
Photo courtesy of Windstar Cruises
No. 7:
With fewer than 310 guests per sailing, Windstar Cruises promises passengers a cruising experience free of lines and waiting. Since the six yachts are smaller than a typical cruise ship, they can sail into small European villages, off-the-beaten-path harbors and hidden coves, giving guests the opportunity to visit both major capitals and smaller ports. Complimentary Destination Discovery Events introduce passengers to the local culture and cuisine of these special ports of call.
Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises
No. 6:
Crystal Cruises’ two ocean vessels, the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, have one of the highest per-guest space ratios in their class; more than half of staterooms have a private verandah (85 percent on the Crystal Serenity). The variety of dining venues onboard includes dishes from Nobu Matsuhisa, and wines and spirits are complimentary. At port, guests enjoy customized off-ship excursions. Other inclusive amenities include internet access, laundry and dry-cleaning and 24-hour in-stateroom dining.
Photo courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line
No. 5:
Seabourn’s fleet of all-suite, low-capacity ships carry a maximum of 600 guests each, allowing them to sail to some of the world’s most desirable destinations. Passengers enjoy a nearly one to one ratio with crew and one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry. Each of the five luxury ships offers a complimentary water sports marina, open bars serving wine, champagne and spirits, and world-class cuisine.
Photo courtesy of Costa Cruises
No. 4:
A heavy hitter in the European cruise market, Costa Cruises brings Italian flare to sea with cuisine by Michelin-Star Chef Fabio Cucchelli, partnerships with high-end Italian brands and one of the best cruise ship spas, Samsara Spa. Cruisers looking for a fun, festive and affordable cruise (featuring Costa's signature toga party toward the end) will find it on this line.
Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises
No. 3:
Princess Cruises' line of large and mega-sized ships sail nearly everywhere big ships can go, and they do so with traditional style and innovative touches. Adults-only deck areas and poolside movie screens were largely Princess innovations, and the fleet's atriums, called Piazzas, pioneered the idea of an atrium gathering place, filled with dining and drinking options.
Photo courtesy of Viking Ocean Cruises
No. 2:
Viking Cruises earned its reputation through its affordable, destination-focused river cruises. With the debut of Viking Star in April 2015, the line made a grand entrance into the world of ocean cruising. Now the line has four ocean vessels, with a fifth debuting in 2018. All cabins come with balconies and are notably larger than the industry average, and while the ships lack a casino and kids club, they offer the same destination-intensive programming that made river cruising so popular.
Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines
No. 1:
Carnival Cruise Line caters to families and casual cruisers with its fleet of "Fun Ships." On these big ship cruises, passengers have no excuse to feel bored; ships come equipped with water parks, glitzy casinos, live entertainment and a focus on diverse, casual dining, highlighted by a partnership with celebrity chef Guy Fieri to bring Guy's Burger Joint to the fleet. All of this comes at affordable price points.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Don and Heidi Bucolo (EatSleepCruise.com), Anita Dunham-Potter (ExpertCruiser.com), Danielle Fear (Cruise Miss), Carrie Finley Bajak (CruiseBuzz.net), Linda Garrison (TripSavvy), Sherry Laskin Kennedy (CruiseMaven.com), Jason Leppert (Popular Cruising), Chris Owen (ChrisCruises.com), Doug Parker (CruiseRadio.net), Aaron Saunders (From the Deck Chair) and Ming Tappin (Your Cruise Coach Consulting) were chosen based on their knowledge and experience of the cruise industry.
Congratulations to all these wining cruise companies!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Aaron Saunders
Aaron Saunders is the founder of From the Deck... Read More
Aaron Saunders is the founder of From the Deck Chair, an online site dedicated to cruising. He writes weekly about cruises in his Ports and Bows column, which is syndicated across seven different newspapers in Canada, and is the author of three books on cruising and maritime history, including the Frommer’s 2017 EasyGuide to Cruising. He is based in Canada.
Aaron Saunders
Aaron Saunders is the founder of From the Deck Chair, an online site dedicated to cruising. He writes weekly about cruises in his Ports and Bows column, which is syndicated across seven different newspapers in Canada, and is the author of three books on cruising and maritime history, including the Frommer’s 2017 EasyGuide to Cruising. He is based in Canada.
Anita Dunham-Potter
Anita Dunham-Potter is a cruise journalist whose... Read More
Anita Dunham-Potter is a cruise journalist whose articles offer advice and insight for travelers. She is editor-in-chief of ExpertCruiser.com and has penned numerous columns for Porthole Magazine, MSNBC.com, USA Today Travel Alliance, Smarter Travel, Tripso, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, Frommers, Fodors, and others.
Anita Dunham-Potter
Anita Dunham-Potter is a cruise journalist whose articles offer advice and insight for travelers. She is editor-in-chief of ExpertCruiser.com and has penned numerous columns for Porthole Magazine, MSNBC.com, USA Today Travel Alliance, Smarter Travel, Tripso, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, Frommers, Fodors, and others.
Carrie Finley Bajak
Carrie Finley is a cruise travel writer who lives... Read More
Carrie Finley is a cruise travel writer who lives in Southern California. Carrie cruises around the world and reports about her adventures on CruiseBuzz.net and via social media where she shares cruise news, tips and insight from the ships and ports. Carrie has curated small ship and river cruise experiences for AFAR.com and is frequently a guest Blogger-at-Large for cruise lines.
Carrie Finley Bajak
Carrie Finley is a cruise travel writer who lives in Southern California. Carrie cruises around the world and reports about her adventures on CruiseBuzz.net and via social media where she shares cruise news, tips and insight from the ships and ports. Carrie has curated small ship and river cruise experiences for AFAR.com and is frequently a guest Blogger-at-Large for cruise lines.
Chris Owen
Chris Owen is a photojournalist from Florida... Read More
Chris Owen is a photojournalist from Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information about cruise vacations with travelers. Also certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris offers a unique perspective; tapping his behind-the-scenes working knowledge of cruise vacations. Beginning his cruise history as a family vacation option, Chris has written his way through a variety of cruise lines, ships and itineraries. His goal is simple: to never forget that travel has a positive impact on our world, and to introduce cruising to as many people as possible.
Chris Owen
Chris Owen is a photojournalist from Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information about cruise vacations with travelers. Also certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris offers a unique perspective; tapping his behind-the-scenes working knowledge of cruise vacations. Beginning his cruise history as a family vacation option, Chris has written his way through a variety of cruise lines, ships and itineraries. His goal is simple: to never forget that travel has a positive impact on our world, and to introduce cruising to as many people as possible.
Danielle Fear
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized... Read More
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized and trusted cruise bloggers and is better known to her audience as CruiseMiss. As well as maintaining an award-winning cruise blog, she also works as a freelance writer, content manager and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 75 sailings, including 2 world cruises, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising.
Danielle Fear
Danielle Fear is one of the UK’s most recognized and trusted cruise bloggers and is better known to her audience as CruiseMiss. As well as maintaining an award-winning cruise blog, she also works as a freelance writer, content manager and social media professional covering all aspects of sea travel. Having embarked on more than 75 sailings, including 2 world cruises, it’s fair to say that Danielle knows a thing or two about cruising.
Don and Heidi Bucolo
Don and Heidi Bucolo are the husband and wife team... Read More
Don and Heidi Bucolo are the husband and wife team behind EatSleepCruise.com. Their love for cruising began after taking their first cruise together back in 2007. Having spent over 180 days at sea on more than 30 cruises with various cruise brands, they have learned a thing or two about planning and executing the perfect cruise vacation. The couple was voted as one of Porthole Cruise's Top 10 Cruise Influencers and is featured in the new book Cruising Interrupted. You can find them on the web and social media sharing detailed cruise ship reviews, port guides, packing tips and planning tips to help travelers "sea the world, one port at a time."
Don and Heidi Bucolo
Don and Heidi Bucolo are the husband and wife team behind EatSleepCruise.com. Their love for cruising began after taking their first cruise together back in 2007. Having spent over 180 days at sea on more than 30 cruises with various cruise brands, they have learned a thing or two about planning and executing the perfect cruise vacation. The couple was voted as one of Porthole Cruise's Top 10 Cruise Influencers and is featured in the new book Cruising Interrupted. You can find them on the web and social media sharing detailed cruise ship reviews, port guides, packing tips and planning tips to help travelers "sea the world, one port at a time."
Doug Parker
Doug Parker is the creator and executive producer... Read More
Doug Parker is the creator and executive producer of Cruise Radio, a weekly podcast that shares cruise reviews and other cruise news.
Doug Parker
Doug Parker is the creator and executive producer of Cruise Radio, a weekly podcast that shares cruise reviews and other cruise news.
Jason Leppert
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert... Read More
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert with more than 150 sailings under his belt and a fresh, millennial perspective on the industry. He has been cruising since before he was two years old, thanks to his parents’ shared passion for traveling and their desire to experience all journeys together as a family. Now, he regularly sails and writes “he said, she said” cruise columns with his wife Heidi. He is the founding editor of Popular Cruising, producer of the successful Popular Cruising YouTube channel and Cruise Editor for TravelAge West. He also contributes to Cruise Travel, Porthole and Cruise Business Review magazines; USA Today 10Best; Oyster.com; MiceChat.com and the Cruise Radio podcast.
Jason Leppert
Jason Leppert is a San Diego-based cruising expert with more than 150 sailings under his belt and a fresh, millennial perspective on the industry. He has been cruising since before he was two years old, thanks to his parents’ shared passion for traveling and their desire to experience all journeys together as a family. Now, he regularly sails and writes “he said, she said” cruise columns with his wife Heidi. He is the founding editor of Popular Cruising, producer of the successful Popular Cruising YouTube channel and Cruise Editor for TravelAge West. He also contributes to Cruise Travel, Porthole and Cruise Business Review magazines; USA Today 10Best; Oyster.com; MiceChat.com and the Cruise Radio podcast.
Linda Garrison
Linda Garrison has sailed over 150 times and spent... Read More
Linda Garrison has sailed over 150 times and spent more than 1100 days on ships of all types, sizes, and price categories. Linda has enjoyed cruise destinations on all seven continents and visited hundreds of ports of call from a ship. Linda's MBA in accounting helps her analyze various cruise options and the importance of getting great value for your vacation dollars. She was responsible for the About.com Cruises site from July 2000 to May 2017 when the content was transferred to TripSavvy.com. Linda continues to contribute to TripSavvy and other cruise travel outlets and lives in the Atlanta area.
Linda Garrison
Linda Garrison has sailed over 150 times and spent more than 1100 days on ships of all types, sizes, and price categories. Linda has enjoyed cruise destinations on all seven continents and visited hundreds of ports of call from a ship. Linda's MBA in accounting helps her analyze various cruise options and the importance of getting great value for your vacation dollars. She was responsible for the About.com Cruises site from July 2000 to May 2017 when the content was transferred to TripSavvy.com. Linda continues to contribute to TripSavvy and other cruise travel outlets and lives in the Atlanta area.
Ming Tappin
Residing in New Brunswick, Canada, Ming has been... Read More
Residing in New Brunswick, Canada, Ming has been in the cruise industry since 1994. Ming spent over 20 years in the retail travel sector, working with travel agencies in marketing initiatives, cruise training, and promoting cruise vacations to their clients. In 2015, Ming created Your Cruise Coach and transitioned into travel writing, preaching the merits of cruising via her partnerships with Canadian and American travel trade publications as well as consumer media outlets. An avid cruiser since 1991, Ming has sailed on over 70 cruises and has experienced over 25 ocean, river, and expedition cruise lines combined.
Ming Tappin
Residing in New Brunswick, Canada, Ming has been in the cruise industry since 1994. Ming spent over 20 years in the retail travel sector, working with travel agencies in marketing initiatives, cruise training, and promoting cruise vacations to their clients. In 2015, Ming created Your Cruise Coach and transitioned into travel writing, preaching the merits of cruising via her partnerships with Canadian and American travel trade publications as well as consumer media outlets. An avid cruiser since 1991, Ming has sailed on over 70 cruises and has experienced over 25 ocean, river, and expedition cruise lines combined.
Sherry Laskin
Sherry hasn’t set foot on an airplane in more than... Read More
Sherry hasn’t set foot on an airplane in more than 25 years. Instead, she relies on cruise ships, river ships, trains and road trips to travel the world. In that time, she’s been on more cruises than she can count and includes her solo cruise and travel adventures on her website, CruiseMaven.com. Her articles have been published in major newspapers and magazines - in print and online. During a year and a half of living in Alaska, Sherry has cruised and spent time at every port in the Last Frontier except for Nome. She’s become an avid transatlantic cruiser since 2005, as that is the only way for her to get to Europe without flying. Sherry hopes to inspire and encourage her readers to travel slow and travel solo, experience new cuisines and cultures.
Sherry Laskin
Sherry hasn’t set foot on an airplane in more than 25 years. Instead, she relies on cruise ships, river ships, trains and road trips to travel the world. In that time, she’s been on more cruises than she can count and includes her solo cruise and travel adventures on her website, CruiseMaven.com. Her articles have been published in major newspapers and magazines - in print and online. During a year and a half of living in Alaska, Sherry has cruised and spent time at every port in the Last Frontier except for Nome. She’s become an avid transatlantic cruiser since 2005, as that is the only way for her to get to Europe without flying. Sherry hopes to inspire and encourage her readers to travel slow and travel solo, experience new cuisines and cultures.
