It’s full steam ahead for the cruise industry: after a pandemic pause, mega-ship ocean cruise lines are back, and readers are raving about the quality of vacations at sea. Consider this stat: more travelers are planning to set sail on a cruise this year than booked one in 2019, according to one industry association. The reasons are as plentiful as the options in this category, which ranks ships with 1,500 cabins or more. There’s a ship to please almost any taste, whether it’s a familiar favorite or a brand-new vessel. There’s the endless array of onboard food and entertainment options. And, yes, there’s the value that only a cruise can deliver, particularly at a time when most travel experiences are getting pricier.
How Voting Works
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, iBestTravel asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 iBestTravel readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).
For the cruise category, respondents were asked to rate individual ships; the results were combined to generate scores for cruise lines in different categories based on the number of cabins. The mega-ship ocean cruise line category is only for ships with 1,500 cabins or more. Some cruise lines may appear in multiple categories depending on the makeup of their fleet.
Ships were specifically rated on the criteria below:
- Cabins/facilities
- Food
- Service
- Itineraries/destinations
- Excursions/activities
- Value
For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
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What Readers Loved
This year’s No. 2, Celebrity Cruises, drew raves from readers for innovative new ships such as Celebrity Beyond, which entered service in 2022. “A design showstopper,” said one voter, who liked “the new Daniel Boulud restaurant on board, the new nightlife options, and the Sunset Bar, which has a Caribbean-meets-Mediterranean feel.”
Also highly regarded this year was Princess Cruises (No. 3), which impressed travelers with the right combination of quality, cleanliness, and value, with impressive itineraries to boot. “It’s an excellent cruise line for families with children, with activities geared to the age of your kids,” wrote one voter, who has traveled with Princess several times to places including Alaska, the Mediterranean, and even Japan. “Everything is clean and well-organized.”
Still, as good as those mega-ship stalwarts were, this year’s winner surged ahead thanks to its innovative new take on cruise vacations. Read on for what made Virgin Voyages the top line for mega-ship ocean cruises in 2023.
The Winner
Virgin Voyages
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Leave it to Sir Richard Branson to shake up an industry: the rock-star investor put his wattage behind this mega-ship upstart, which launched in 2021. It’s gotten rave reviews from just about everyone, both veteran cruise-goers and newbies alike. “The crew was the best I’ve ever experienced at sea, the food was outstanding, and the beautiful ship was full of fun people of all ages,” said one fan of the line, which makes a point of calling its customers “sailors” rather than guests. Unique onboard amenities such as the only (legitimate) tattoo parlor at sea — not to mention intriguing, audience-participation entertainment options — deliver plenty of Virgin verve. The line is already expanding, with three ships now sailing. The newest is Resilient Lady, which launched in May and will summer in the Mediterranean.
The Full List
1. Virgin Voyages
Reader Score: 93.01
2. Celebrity Cruises
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 86.05
3. Princess Cruises
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 82.20
4. Royal Caribbean International
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 82.06
5. Norwegian Cruise Line
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 80.03
