Turismo
UK's Top Cruises of 2018 Announced by Cruise Critic
"The cruise industry is experiencing a real boom at the moment and cruise lines are capitalising on this popularity by investing in fantastic new ships, well-thought out refurbishments and a host of amazing, new onboard innovations and destination itineraries to keep British holiday makers coming back for more," explained Adam Coulter , UK Managing Editor, Cruise Critic. "These awards combine our editors' impartial cruise expertise, based on first-hand experiences and industry knowledge, to help travellers select the best cruise choice for them from an increasing number of options, which will include over 20 completely new ships from next year."
The award for on the ocean went to Celebrity Edge which debuted on 21 November, 2018 . With ground-breaking innovations such as the 'Magic Carpet', which transforms from tender platform to alfresco sushi restaurant; and the Infinite Veranda that changes the shape and size of a cabin at the touch of a button, Cruise Critic Editors felt that Celebrity has really set a new standard for cruise ship design. Celebrity Cruises also secured the ' ' award for its gourmet innovations fleetwide.
Royal Caribbean International secured four awards this year, including the coveted ' award for Independence of the Seas, a multi-million upgrade that marked the start of Royal's massive ship-wide refresh programme. New features on Indie included a headline-grabbing VR trampoline Sky Pad; a puzzle break room; Observatorium, a laser tag arena; two new waterslides; a new kids' splash park and innovative, new dining areas. The line also scooped awards for ' and '.
For the second consecutive year, Marella Cruises, whose fares include all tips and service charges, as well as alcoholic drinks on some of its ships, was awarded . Celestyal Cruises also won the award for the second year in a row.
For the fourth year running, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines won the ' award for the wide range of destinations offered – including far flung regions like Africa , Asia and the Middle East – and was also awarded for the first time.
Also for the first time, Saga Cruises bagged the ; whilst Hurtigruten held on to its award for the seventh year running.
Winning the award for the fourth year running, the judges felt that Uniworld's Boutique River Cruise Collection brought the atmosphere of luxury hotels with individually designed vessels to new heights. The line also secured the ' accolade for S.S. Beatrice which was radically overhauled to create a beautiful ship on par with is newer fleetmates. It additionally held on to the ' award. It's sister line U by Uniworld took the ' ' award for The A and The B which impressed the judges for well-appointed cabins, trendy decor and its digital daily schedules - all geared towards a younger traveller.
Crystal River Cruises secured the accolade for having some of the most spacious cabins on the rivers. It additionally took the ' and awards.
Viking River Cruises was named and both for the third year; and Emerald Waterways secured awards for ' and .
In the luxury awards, Crystal Cruises won the accolade for for its fleet of stunning ships and its constant innovation and investment in the updating of ships with modern touches, such as: open-seating dining, new casual eateries, enhanced Wi-Fi and beautifully appointed suites. The line also took the ' award.
Seabourn Ovation took the ' award for its impressive level of service, accommodation, dining, and overall ambiance. The line also won the award for .
The award went to for its imaginative menus and quality range of offerings.
Viking Ocean Cruises was handed awards for ' and ' for the third year in a row, and also secured this year's award for ' ', with a wide range of options, including a 245-day world cruise coming in 2019.
London secured the for the fist time; whilst Guernsey took the award for
for the second year in a row.
Please find the full list of all winners, below.
2018 Cruise Critic UK Editors' Picks Awards (Ocean):
Celebrity Edge
Independence of the Seas
Hurtigruten
Cunard Line
Celebrity Cruises
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
MSC Cruises
Celestyal Cruises
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Saga Cruises
Royal Caribbean International
Marella Cruises
London
Guernsey
2018 Cruise Critic UK Editors' Picks Awards (River):
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
: The A and The B – U by Uniworld
: S.S Beatrice, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
AmaWaterways
Crystal River Cruises
: Crystal River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
Tauck River Cruising
Emerald Waterways
Viking River Cruises
Crystal River Cruises
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Scenic
Riviera Travel
Emerald Waterways
2018 Cruise Critic UK Editors' Picks Awards (Luxury):
Crystal Cruises
Seabourn Ovation
Silver Spirit
Silversea Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
SeaDream Yacht Club
Crystal Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises
Windstar Cruises
Seabourn Cruise Line
Azamara Club Cruises
Noble Caledonia
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises
For the full details of this year's winners, visit the 2018 Cruise Critic UK Editors' Picks Awards listing.
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.
TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, enables travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. With over 702 million reviews and opinions covering the world's largest selection of travel listings worldwide – covering approximately 8 million accommodations, airlines, experiences, and restaurants -- TripAdvisor provides travelers with the wisdom of the crowds to help them decide where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat. TripAdvisor also compares prices from more than 200 hotel booking sites so travelers can find the lowest price on the hotel that's right for them. TripAdvisor-branded sites are available in 49 markets, and are home to the world's largest travel community of 490 million average monthly unique visitors**, all looking to get the most out of every trip. TripAdvisor: Know better. Book better. Go better.
The subsidiaries and affiliates of TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) own and operate a portfolio of websites and businesses, including more than 20 travel media brands:
www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bokun.io, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.citymaps.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com and www.viator.com.
* Source: Jumpshot for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, September 2018
** Source: TripAdvisor log files, average monthly unique visitors, Q3 2018
Laurena McKenna , Cruise Critic
lmckenna@cruisecritic.com
T: 07775 620 232
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/793757/Best_New_Ship.jpg