Cruise Critic Names Top Cruise Lines Honored With 2010 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards

News provided by

Nov 09, 2010, 04:45 ET

PENNINGTON, N.J., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic^® (http://www.cruisecritic.com), the world's largest cruise reviews site, revealed its 2010 Editors' Picks Awards winners today, naming the top cruise lines and cruise ships in 20 categories.

This year's categories included "Best for Families," which went to Royal Caribbean for the third consecutive year, "Best Shore Excursions," which was awarded to Disney Cruise Line for its unique onshore offerings and "Best for Budget-Friendly Cruising," which went to Carnival Cruise Lines for its range of excellent, value-packed cruises.

Cruise Critic editors evaluated cruise lines and ships according to the types of passengers to whom they cater. Then they compared, like-for-like, aiming to honor the very best cruise companies and highlight their particular strengths.

"It's incredibly hard to select winners in just 20 categories when all of the companies under consideration are among the best travel operators in the world," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. "But, even with consistently high standards across the board, some cruise lines simply shine brighter in some areas than they do in others, making them more appropriate to certain travelers -- such as those with children. We aim to highlight that with these awards."

For information on this year's winners, including information about why each particular company was selected, go to http://www.cruisecritic.com/slideshows/?ID=190

The 2010 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards:

Best for Families – Royal Caribbean

Best for Budget-Friendly Cruising – Carnival Cruise Lines

Best for Luxury – Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn

Best River Cruise Line – Avalon Waterways

Best New Ship – Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas

Best for Evening Entertainment – NCL's Norwegian Epic

Best Shore Excursions – Disney Cruise Line

Best for Music-Lovers – Sixthman's Music-Themed Cruises

Best Pool Scene – Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas

Best for Gamblers – NCL's Norwegian Epic

Best for Healthy Dining – Celebrity Cruises

Best for Adventure – Lindblad Expeditions

Best Itineraries – Crystal Cruises

Best for Kid-free Travel – Oceania Cruises

Best Main Dining Room – Princess Cruises

Best New Restaurant – NCL's Brazilian steakhouse

Best for Weddings at Sea – Princess Cruises

Best for Honeymooners – NCL's Pride of America

Best for a Second Honeymoon – Paul Gauguin Cruises

Best for Classic Cruising – Holland America

Cruise Critic's U.K. Editors' Picks Awards can be viewed at Cruise Critic's U.K.-based sister-site, www.cruisecritic.co.uk: http://www.cruisecritic.com/slideshows/?ID=193

About Cruise Critic:

Cruise Critic is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruisers. The site features professional reviews and member reviews of more than 350 ships and hosts an active community where travelers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers.

Launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet. The Independent Traveler, Inc. is a subsidiary of TripAdvisor® LLC, which is an operating company of Expedia.

Cruise Critic and The Independent Traveler are either trademarks or registered trademarks of The Independent Traveler, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.