Turismo
UK's Top Cruises of 2019 Announced by Cruise Critic
Adam Coulter , UK Managing Editor, Cruise Critic said: "The desire for more experiential holidays, especially amongst younger travellers is certainly helping to boost the UK cruise sector. There is more choice than ever before in ocean, river and expedition cruises as a result of an array of exciting new ships launched this year and next. Whether you are cruising as a multigenerational family, a couple or solo, travellers are starting to realise that there really is a cruise for everyone. Our 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 exciting ships and itineraries that are available – many of which now sail directly from the UK."
The award for ' on the ocean went to stunning new-build, Spirit of Discovery, which Saga Cruises debuted in July of this year. Cruise Critic editors agreed that the ship has set a new quality standard in British cruising with its luxurious thermal spa, inclusive speciality restaurants, beautiful, boutique hotel-inspired design and generous 2:1 passenger-to-crew ratio. Saga Cruises also secured the ' ' award for its high number of no-supplement single cabins, and daily events such as meet and greets, group dinners and special shore excursions.
Marella Cruises additionally secured two awards this year, including the coveted ' award for Marella Explorer 2, following its bow-to-stern makeover which saw the addition of four new-to-the-line venues. For the third consecutive year, the line was also awarded for its inclusive tips and service charges, as well as alcoholic drinks on some of its ships.
Celebrity Cruises bagged the award for ' for its practical and impressively stylish cabins, as well as new innovative features on its newest ship, Celebrity Edge, such as built-in USB ports in the bedside lamps and glass-fronted cabinetry. The line also won the ' accolade for its consistently high standard across all of its restaurants.
For the eighth year in a row, Hurtigruten won the ' ' award. With its new hybrid vessel, Roald Amundsen , the line can take intrepid travellers almost silently to the most remote and challenging areas, without upsetting the natural wildlife. Hurtigruten also secured the ' award for its wide and varied tour offerings.
MSC Cruises additionally secured two awards for ' for its partnership with Cirque du Soleil - and ' for onboard link-ups with Chicco and LEGO.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Line grabbed the ' ' award for the fifth year running, for its wide range of destinations offered, including sailings to Greenland , the Arctic and the Amazon directly from UK ports.
Winning the award for the fourth year running, the judges praised the continued attention of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection to every aspect of cruise service, food, accommodations and itineraries. The line also scooped the ' ' accolade for its outstanding overhaul of its ship , as well gongs for ' , and '
AmaWaterways grabbed the coveted ' ' for AmaMagna. Double the size of most river cruise ships, this modern ship offers large cabins, a full-sized pool, large gym, dedicated spa space and an array of restaurants – making it a real game changer on the river scene. The line also won the ' award.
For the fourth year in a row, Viking River Cruises held on to the award; and also grabbed the ' .
Scenic secured two awards for ' ' and ' '; Whilst Adventures for Disney impressed judges with its dedicated family focus to win the coveted ' ' award.
Crystal River Cruises secured this year's gongs for ' ', for its sophisticated dishes, made-to-order meals and excellent wine list; as well as ' ' for its 24-hour butler service in every cabin and low crew-to-passenger ratios.
In the luxury awards, Silversea won the accolade for , for its fleet of stunning ships and constant innovation and investment in updating ships with modern touches, as well as its consistently superlative cuisine. The line also nabbed the ' award for its commitment to seeking out the most exciting, undiscovered and exotic destinations across the globe; as well as the ' ' gong for its intuitive service where crew anticipate your every need.
With its super-chic modern design, generously-sized suites, two state-of-the-art helicopters and a six-person submarine, Scenic Eclipse stole the ' award – a great win for Scenic's first ocean ship.
Viking Ocean Cruises secured awards for ' ' and ' ', each for the fourth year running; and also bagged this year's ' ' gong for the knowledgeable onboard historians and experts across its fleet, and its stunning planetarium shows on Viking Jupiter and Viking Orion.
Dover secured the ; whilst Belfast took the award for .
Please find the full list of all winners, below.
Spirit of Discovery
Marella Explorer 2
Hurtigruten
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises
MSC Cruises
MCS Cruises
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Norwegian Cruise Line
Celestyal Cruises
Hurtigruten
Saga Cruises
Royal Caribbean International
Marella Cruises
Dover
Belfast
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
: AmaWaterways' AmaMagna
: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection's S.S. Bon Voyage
AmaWaterways
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
: Crystal River Cruises
Adventures by Disney
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
Scenic
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Crystal River Cruises
Scenic
Riviera Travel
Emerald Waterways
Silversea Cruises
Scenic Eclipse
Oceania Cruises' Insignia
Silversea Cruises
Seabourn Cruise Line
Oceania Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises
Azamara
SeaDream Yacht Club
Silversea Cruises
Windstar Cruises
Seabourn Cruise Line
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises
For the full details of this year's winners, visit the 2019 Cruise Critic UK Editors' Picks Awards listing.
Cruise Critic® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travellers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 650,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travellers 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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Laurena McKenna , Cruise Critic
lmckenna@cruisecritic.com
T: 07775 620 232
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