Best Cruise Ship Awards
Awards that judge one ship, not a whole fleet — and how to use them.
Get Quotes on Award-Winning Cruise LinesBest cruise ship awards judge a single vessel rather than a whole fleet. They are handy when you have already chosen a line and are deciding between its ships, or when a new ship is making headlines.
Recent Best Cruise Ship Awards
| Award | Ship | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Best New Ship | Celebrity Xcel | Cruise Critic Best in Cruise Awards, December 2025 |
| Best New Luxury Ship | Oceania Allura | Cruise Critic Best in Cruise Awards, December 2025 |
| Best New River Ship | AmaMagdalena | Cruise Critic Best in Cruise Awards, December 2025 |
| No. 1 mega cruise ship | Sun Princess | Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice 2025, as announced by Princess |
| Best ship for families | Disney Wish | World Cruise Awards 2026, as reported by Euronews |
| Best ship for foodies | Sun Princess | World Cruise Awards 2026 |
| Best ship for romance | Celebrity Apex | World Cruise Awards 2026 |
| Best overall cruise ship | Utopia of the Seas | Cruiseline.com Member Choice Awards 2026 |
Ship Ratings: The Long-Running Guide
Before online reviews, many travel agents relied on Douglas Ward’s annual guide, published for decades as Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships and in recent editions under the Insight Guides name. It scores hundreds of ships on detailed criteria rather than votes, which makes it a useful counterweight to popularity awards. Check the edition year before relying on a rating, since ships change after refits.
Using Ship Awards Well
- Match the category to your trip: a families award says little about a couples’ getaway.
- Compare sister ships — a class of ships often shares most of the features that won the award.
- Look at the cabin you will actually book; Cruise Ship Deck Plans shows how to read the deck plan.
- Newly launched ships often price higher in their first seasons; older award winners can be the better value.
Best Cruise Ship Awards: FAQ
Is there an award for the best cruise ship overall?
Several programs name ships rather than lines — Cruise Critic’s Best New Ship, the World Cruise Awards’ ship categories, Condé Nast Traveler readers’ ship rankings and review-site member awards. None is a single, universal “best ship” title.
Do new ships win more often?
New-ship categories exist precisely because newly launched ships attract attention. A ship’s results a few years after launch can be a better guide.
Ship Awards and Ship Classes
Most big lines build ships in classes — a series of near-identical sister ships. When one ship wins a best cruise ship award, its sisters usually share the layout, dining venues and cabin types that impressed voters, though each may differ in itinerary, refurbishment date and crew. If the award-winning ship does not sail where or when you want, ask which sister ship does.
Pick the Ship, We Will Price the Cabin
Name an award-winning ship and our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will quote the cabins and sailings that fit.
Quote an Award-Winning Ship