Cruise Critic Names the World's Most Popular Cruise Destinations Based on Consumer Reviews

Alaska's Glacier Bay named the top cruise destination in the world; Disney's Castaway Cay named Best Cruise Line Private Island for the third year in a row; Celebrity Cruises dominates cruise line accolades

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Cruise Critic

Jul 24, 2018, 03:00 ET

EWING, N.J., July 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic^®, the world's leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community, has announced the winners of its third annual Cruisers' Choice Destination Awards, naming the world's most popular cruise destinations, based entirely on consumer ratings submitted with reviews on Cruise Critic. The awards name the top cruise destinations across 18 regions worldwide. New in 2018, the awards also highlight the best cruise lines to visit each region.

"Our data regularly shows that whether you're a first-time cruiser or you've sailed dozens of times, destination is a top consideration when shopping for a cruise," explains Colleen McDaniel, Senior Executive Editor of Cruise Critic. "While tropical destinations will always be popular among cruisers, what's really exciting to see is the rise in esteem of destinations more known for their immersive and experiential offerings – places like Havana, Edinburgh and Arles.

"By awarding top destinations and now the best lines that visit them, we're even better able to connect travelers with standout experiences available in the incredible places they're looking to explore."

Highlighted Awards:

Glacier Bay in Alaska was named the Most Popular Cruise Destination in 2018 – receiving the highest ratings among cruise destinations across the globe. Glacier Bay was also the top-rated destination in Alaska for the third year in a row. It's one of the best Inside Passage locations for glacier and wildlife viewing, with its Margerie Glacier considered one of the most photogenic glaciers.

Cuba's capital city of Havana was named the Best Cruise Destination in the Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya for the first time. While international cruise lines have long visited Cuba, U.S. travelers have only been legally visiting since 2016. Today, 17 cruise lines visit Cuba, and cruise travel is considered one of the best – and easiest – ways to visit the island as U.S. regulations continue to evolve.

Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay received the award for Best Cruise Line Private Island for the third consecutive year. The port also ranked as the top overall island in the Caribbean, across all three regions (Eastern, Western and Southern). The island is an all-ages hit with families, offering the same character experiences that Disney is famous for, while also including an adults-only retreat for those looking for some quiet time.

Celebrity Cruises was a big cruise line winner, receiving awards in nine of the 18 regional categories – including Best Cruise Line in Alaska, Australia & New Zealand and all three Caribbean regions.

Viking Ocean Cruises stood out among the small cruise lines, receiving four awards, including Best Cruise Line in the Baltic & Scandinavia, Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya, British Isles & Western Europe, and Western Mediterranean.

The full list of first-place winners includes:

Top-Rated Port in Alaska: Glacier Bay

Best Large Ship Line in Alaska: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in Alaska: UnCruise Adventures

Top-Rated Port in Asia: Singapore

Best Large Ship Line in Asia: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in Asia: Azamara Club Cruises

Top-Rated Port in Australia & New Zealand: Sydney

Best Large Ship Line in Australia & New Zealand: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in Australia & New Zealand: Coral Expeditions

Top-Rated Port in the Baltic & Scandinavia: St. Petersburg

Best Large Ship Line in the Baltic & Scandinavia: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in the Baltic & Scandinavia: Viking Ocean Cruises

Top-Rated Port in the Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda: King's Wharf

Best Large Ship Line in the Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in the Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda: Island Windjammers

Top-Rated Port in the Southern Caribbean: Curacao

Best Large Ship Line in the Southern Caribbean: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in the Southern Caribbean: Island Windjammers

Top-Rated Port in the Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya: Havana

Best Large Ship Line in the Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in the Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya: Viking Ocean Cruises

Top-Rated Port in the British Isles & Western Europe: Edinburgh

Best Large Ship Line in the British Isles & Western Europe: Royal Caribbean International
Best Small Ship Line in the British Isles & Western Europe: Viking Ocean Cruises

Top-Rated Port in the Eastern Mediterranean: Dubrovnik

Best Large Ship Line in the Eastern Mediterranean: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in the Eastern Mediterranean: Variety Cruises

Top-Rated European River Port: Arles

Best European River Line: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Top-Rated Port in the Western Mediterranean: Villefranche

Best Large Ship Line in the Western Mediterranean: Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises)
Best Small Ship Line in the Western Mediterranean: Viking Ocean Cruises

Top-Rated Port in Hawaii: Kauai

Best Large Ship Line in Hawaii: Carnival Cruise Line

Top-Rated Port in the Mexican Riviera: Huatulco

Best Large Ship Line in the Mexican Riviera: Princess Cruises

Top-Rated Port in the Panama Canal & Central America: Puerto Quetzal

Best Large Ship Line in the Panama Canal & Central America: Norwegian Cruise Line
Best Small Ship Line in the Panama Canal & Central America: Windstar Cruises

Top-Rated Port in South America & Antarctica: Buenos Aires

Best Large Ship Line in South America & Antarctica: Norwegian Cruise Line
Best Small Ship Line in South America & Antarctica: Australis

Top-Rated Port in the South Pacific: Mystery Island

Best Large Ship Line in the South Pacific: Carnival Cruise Line
Best Small Ship Line in the South Pacific: Ponant

Top-Rated Port in the U.S. & Canada: Quebec City

Best Large Ship Line in the U.S. & Canada: Celebrity Cruises
Best Small Ship Line in the U.S. & Canada: Pearl Seas Cruises
Best River Line in the U.S. & Canada: American Cruise Lines

Top-Rated Cruise Line Private Island: Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay

For full details on this year's winners, visit the 2018 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Destination Awards.

Cruise Critic boasts the world's largest online cruise community, with more than 350,000 cruise reviews, covering approximately 500 cruise ships and over 300 worldwide ports. Awards are based on reviews submitted for cruises taken over the past year.

Key Elements:

Homepage: Full list of winners for each category, and consumer comments, available here.

Image Library: Photos of all top destinations for media use, available here.

Video: Highlights of winners and consumer reviews, available here.

About Cruise Critic
Cruise Critic® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 350,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travelers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers. Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet, launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

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