The Best Cruise Lines of the Year Named by Cruise Critic

MSC Seaside named Best New Ship; Carnival named Best Value for the fourth year; Viking Cruises receives five awards across River and Luxury Awards

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Cruise Critic

Dec 12, 2017, 03:00 ET

EWING, N.J., Dec. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic^®, the world's leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community, has named the winners of its 10^th annual Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards, naming the best cruise lines of the year across dozens of categories, as chosen by the site's international team of editors.

2017 Best New Ship: MSC Seaside (Photo Credit: MSC Cruises)

"More now than ever, there really is a cruise for every interest," explains Colleen McDaniel, Senior Executive Editor of Cruise Critic. "You can sail to remote areas of the world aboard a small expedition vessel, or in the comfort of a luxury ship complete with spa treatments and gourmet food. You can travel to the Caribbean on a brand-new ship with bells and whistles like water parks and bumper cars, or on a five-masted sailing ship. The options are endless, and this list highlights the lines that have stood out as the best of the best over the past year."

Award Highlights

Ocean Awards

MSC Seaside was named the Best New Ship of 2017, with editors raving that the ship has the potential to be "one of the best Miami-based ships around."
Celebrity Cruises received awards for both Best Cabins and Best for Romance with editors praising the line's modern and functional cabins, and various places onboard for a romantic escape – including a real lawn for picnics under the stars.
The award for Best for Families was given to Disney Cruise Line for the second year in a row for its wide array of activities for kids, plus plenty of adults-only venues for parents. The line was also awarded Best Entertainment.
Carnival Cruise Line was named Best for Value for the fourth year running for its affordable fares and wealth of fee-free dining venues and activities. Carnival also received the award for Best Service, a new category in the awards.

River Awards

AmaWaterways was named the Best River Cruise Line for the second year in a row for its continued dedication to innovation. The line was also awarded Best for Active Cruisers.
Uniworld's Joie de Vivre received the award for Best New River Ship, with editors naming this ship the line's "finest yet," for its tasteful décor, opulent cabins and exceptional crew. The line also received the award for Best Service.
Viking River Cruises received three awards – Best for First-Timers, Best Shore Excursions and Best Enrichment – a testament to their programming onboard and on land.

Luxury Awards

Silversea's newest luxury ship, Silver Muse, received the award for Best New Luxury Ship for "offering nearly everything a luxury cruiser could crave." Silversea also won Best for Adventure.
Regent Seven Seas was named Best Luxury Cruise Line, and also received an award for Best Cabins.
Viking Ocean Cruises received the award for Best for Value across luxury lines, and also received a nod for having the Best Spa for the second year.

2017 Cruise Critic Editor's Picks Awards

Ocean Category

Best New Ship: MSC Seaside
Best Ship Refurbishment: Holland America Line Westerdam
Best for Adventure: Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic
Best Cabins: Celebrity Cruises
Best Dining: Holland America Line
Best Entertainment: Disney Cruise Line
Best for Families: Disney Cruise Line
Best Itineraries: Princess Cruises
Best Nightlife: Norwegian Cruise Line
Best for Romance: Celebrity Cruises
Best Service: Carnival Cruise Line
Best Shore Excursions: Celebrity Cruises
Best for Solo Travelers: Norwegian Cruise Line
Best Suites: Royal Caribbean International
Best Value for Money: Carnival Cruise Line
Best North American Homeport: Quebec City

River Category

Best River Cruise Line: AmaWaterways
Best New River Cruise Ship: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection's Joie de Vivre
Best Ship Refurbishment: Scenic Diamond/Scenic Sapphire
Best for Active Cruisers: AmaWaterways
Best for Adventure: Pandaw River Cruises
Best Cabins: Avalon Waterways
Best Dining: Crystal River Cruises
Best Enrichment: Viking River Cruises
Best for Families: Adventures by Disney
Best for First-Timers: Viking River Cruises
Best Itineraries: CroisiEurope
Best for Luxury: Tauck River Cruising
Best Shore Excursions: Viking River Cruises
Best Value for Money: Emerald Waterways

Luxury Category

Best Luxury Cruise Line: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Best New Luxury Ship: Silversea's Silver Muse
Best Refurbishment: Crystal Cruises' Crystal Symphony
Best for Adventure: Silversea Cruises
Best Cabins: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Best Dining: Oceania Cruises
Best Enrichment: Seabourn Cruise Line
Best Itineraries: Azamara Club Cruises
Best for Romance: Windstar Cruises
Best Service: Crystal Cruises
Best Shore Excursions: Azamara Club Cruises
Best for Solo Travelers: Crystal Cruises
Best Spa: Viking Ocean Cruises
Best Value for Money: Viking Ocean Cruises

To view the full details on each category, visit the 2017 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards. For photos of this year's winners, click 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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