U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday revealed its rating of the “best” cruise lines of 2022.
The publication evaluated 17 cruise strains by means of a mixture of skilled evaluations (30%), traveler opinions (50%) and well being scores revealed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program (20%).
Scores have been then analyzed by class to decide winners, ranked highest to lowest, in six areas.
Best cruise strains for the cash
The 2022 rankings for best valued cruises are: Â
- Celebrity Cruises — “Gold Award”
- Holland America Line — “Silver Award”
- Royal Caribbean International — “Silver Award”
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Carnival Cruise Line
Here, common each day charges accounted for 60% of scores, whereas skilled, traveler and well being scores accounted for the opposite 40%. Cruise strains with common each day charges of $300 or extra didn’t qualify for this class.
The Celebrity Edge cruise ship, the primary revenue-earning cruise to depart from the U.S. after a pandemic-induced hiatus, docks throughout a cease in Costa Maya, Mexico on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.
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Celebrity Cruises was named the best cruise for the cash. It’s half of the Royal Caribbean Group, which additionally operates Royal Caribbean International, which took dwelling a “Silver Award” on this class.
Wi-Fi, suggestions and drinks — like cocktails, wine and specialty coffees — are included in most Celebrity cruise bookings, nonetheless the most affordable charges will be bought with out them. Right now, a four-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas is round $440 per individual, together with taxes, for an inside state room.
Also on the record: Princess Cruises (No. 6), Costa Cruises (No. 7) and MSC Cruises (No. 8).
Best cruise strains for luxurious
Smaller cruise strains — with ships that match a whole bunch somewhat than hundreds of company — dominated U.S. News’ luxurious rankings record.
- Viking Ocean Cruises — “Gold Award”
- Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises — “Silver Award”
- Azamara
- Crystal Cruises
The Viking Sea cruise ship arrives at Bodrum Cruise Port in Mugla, Turkey on March 13, 2021.
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Viking, a cruise line primarily based in Basel, Switzerland, isn’t any stranger to accolades. It topped U.S. News’ luxurious record final 12 months too — regardless of Chairman Torstein Hagen indicating he is not a fan of the phrase.
“I have outlawed the use of the word ‘luxury’ … I think we are elegant, we are … understated and hopefully timeless,” he mentioned at a naming celebration for seven new river boats in March 2019, according to cruising website QuirkyCruises.com.
Also on the record: Silversea Cruises (No. 6) and Oceania Cruises (No. 7).
Best cruise strains for {couples}
Awards for the best cruises for these touring in twos are: Â
- Viking Ocean Cruises — “Gold Award”
- Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
- Azamara — “Silver Award”
- Crystal Cruises
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Viking dominates this class due to its “adult-focused environment and luxurious and romantic amenities, such as fireplaces in each ship’s common area and private verandas in every stateroom,” according to a U.S. News & World Report’s press launch. Â
To qualify for this class, not less than 62% of a cruise line’s on-line traveler opinions should be made by {couples}.
Most luxurious cruise strains enable youngsters, although they typically do not cater to them the way in which the bigger strains do. Viking, nonetheless, would not enable kids in any respect.Â
The firm beforehand welcomed youngsters aged 12 and older to cruise, however as of 2018, all company should be 18 or older to board.
Also on the record: Celebrity Cruises (No. 6), Oceania Cruises (No. 7), Silversea Cruises (No. 8), Cunard Line (No. 9) and Holland America Line (No. 10).
Best cruise strains for households
The top-ranking cruises for households for 2022 are:
- Disney Cruise Line — “Gold Award”
- Royal Caribbean International — “Silver Award”
- Carnival Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- MSC Cruises
Disney dominates the household cruise class, because it has yearly since U.S. News began rating cruises in 2013. Â
Disney cruises have translucent water slides, pirate-themed deck events and stay performances of traditional Disney motion pictures, but additionally adult-only swimming pools, spas and bars for folks.
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The firm has 5 ships: Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy and its newest, Disney Wish, which is scheduled to launch in summer time 2022. The ship can also be set to introduce Disney’s first “attraction at sea” — 760 ft of water slide tubes with Mickey Mouse-themed music, lighting and particular results.
Also on the record: Costa Cruises (No. 6).
Best cruise strains within the Caribbean
- Disney Cruise Line — “Gold Award”
- Celebrity Cruises — “Silver Award”
- Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
- Royal Caribbean International
- Crystal Cruises
It’s a clear sweep for Disney on this class too. Disney has been named the highest cruise line within the Caribbean for the previous eight years, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Disney Magic cruise ship sails previous Manhattan with the Empire State Building within the background.
Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images
Living up to its title, the Miami-based Celebrity Cruises companions with well-known names within the arts and leisure business. It’s latest ship, Celebrity Beyond, has Gwyneth Paltrow as its “wellbeing advisor” and a restaurant created by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, according to its web site. Â
Also on this record: Regent Seven Seas Cruises (No. 6), Holland America Line (No. 7), Carnival Cruise Line (No. 8), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 9), Oceania Cruises (No. 10), Princess Cruises (No. 11) and MSC Cruises (No. 12).
Best cruise strains within the Mediterranean
- Viking Ocean Cruises — “Gold Award”
- Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
- Azamara — “Silver Award”
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Celebrity Cruises
With one other win, Viking tops three of U.S. News’ six classes, this time for its presence within the Mediterranean. In each occasion, it’s adopted by Seattle-based Seabourn Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation‘s ultra-luxury model.
The spa within the luxurious Seabourn Sojourn cruise ship.
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Seabourn has 5 ships, which maintain between 450-600 passengers and cruise to greater than 400 locations. As half of a multi-year settlement, the cruise line has contributed greater than $1.5 million to help UNESCO, which grants its company “unique access” to greater than 170 World Heritage Sites, according to its website. Â Â
Also on the record: Oceania Cruises (No. 6), Crystal Cruises (No. 7), Costa Cruises (No. 8), MSC Cruises (No. 9), Silversea Cruises (No. 10), Holland America Line (No. 11), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 12), Princess Cruises (No. 12), Royal Caribbean International (No. 13) and Cunard Line (No. 14).
Cruising on the comeback? Â
Though mass Covid-19 outbreaks early within the pandemic uncovered well being issues surrounding cruising, a brand new survey signifies vacationers might not abandon ship journey in any case. Â
Before the pandemic, 2% of prior cruisers mentioned they would not cruise once more, whereas as of August 2021, 4% mentioned the identical, according to an ongoing survey performed by U.S. News & Report.
The pandemic hasn’t scared off non-cruisers both. Pre-pandemic, 62% of individuals who had by no means cruised indicated they wished to attempt it. Now, 61% of individuals say the identical.
Sentiments could also be softening with time too. Before the pandemic, about 10% of those that had by no means cruised mentioned they “never” would. According to the survey, this quantity rose to 17% in June 2021, however fell to 14% by August.
Click here to read the full report from U.S. News & World Report.
