Thread: Travel + Leisure Magazine Selects Top Cruiselines for 2010

Travel+Leisure magazine selects the top hotels, islands, cities, airlines, tour operators and cruiselines in the world every year. For 2010, the top cruiselines are, with points earned:

Large ship Category (I'm guessing over 500 passengers)
1 Crystal Cruises 90.47
2 Regent Seven Seas 89.86

3
Oceania Cruises 86.65

4
Disney Cruise Line 84.93

5
Azamara Cruises 83.91

6
Cunard 83.35

7
Celebrity Cruises 81.49

8
Holland America Line 81.08

9
Royal Caribbean International 80.92

10
Princess Cruises 80.38
Cunard moved up from 8 to 6; Royal Caribbean moved up from 10 to 9.

Small Ship Category:
1
The Yachts of Seabourn 90.89

2
Silversea Cruises 90.40

3
Lindblad Expeditions 86.91

4
SeaDream Yacht Club 85.92

5
Windstar Cruises 84.81

Silverseas moved from 3 to 2; Lindblad moved from 5 to 3; SeaDream moved from 8 to 4; Windstar moved from 7 to 5.

River Cruises
1 - Abercrombie & Kent 91.72

2 - Avalon Waterways 90.09

3 - Tauck 89.83

4 - Viking River Cruises 85.33

5 - Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection 85.14

To see more categories, look here:
2010 World's Best Hotels - Travel + Leisure

Interesting that P&O, once my first choice do not even feature is this because they have got so bad or the poll just asked US travellers. Cunard are there, strange to see them so low down.

John, I believe that this based on a rating scale that T+L uses, not a survey. I am guessing that size of cabins and level of personal service factor into this, because except for Crystal and Disney, the ships that are out in front in the large category are under 700 passengers. Crystal is an all-inclusive luxury line, and Regent is not far behind, if at all. As for Disney, they have THE best program for children on the seas, but they also have such good service, that adults without children cruise them too.

I have tried to find this rating system, but so far no luck. I was surprised about P&O as well.

Originally Posted by johnthed0g

Interesting that P&O, once my first choice do not even feature is this because they have got so bad or the poll just asked US travellers. Cunard are there, strange to see them so low down.

Not that strange really, the only one I am surprised to see above Cunard is Disney. The others are all the top end of the market and I would guess an a level with the Grills on Cunard.

I think it is an American poll so P&O had no chance, but I am surprised Princess is in 10 place behince Royal Caribbean.

I think they are letting P&O go down market, thinking that anyone who does not like it can go on Cunard. The profits all still end up in the same place.

Originally Posted by MCcruiser

As for Disney, they have THE best program for children on the seas, but they also have such good service, that adults without children cruise them too.

Yes I had not thought of that

Hi
I don't expect ratings to agree with my tastes, everybody as different ideas of their prefect cruise and I don't feel that my ideal cruise would suit others. I am not too surprised that P&O did not make the upper level, the company don't have a set target audience (with the exception of the adult only ships Arcadia and Artemis) they try to be all things to all men and although I have always enjoyed my cruises with this company other lines suit my tastes better.

I wonder if all these lines carnival own will dissapear and all become one or the you think there is an agreement that this will not happen

With this economy, that is always a possibility, Paul. I suspect that the cruiselines that cater to a specific market such as Aida and Seaborne are safe, just as Pullmantur and Croisieres de France are safe in the Royal Caribbean company.

Actually, this is a survey as voted on by the T&L readers, not a rating applied by T&L. And as with all polls, it's very subjective. As I always say, what one person loves, another will hate, and polls reflect that.

Will it change anyone's mind about which cruise line they like or don't like? No.

I really didn't see any surprises given that the poll is based on the opinions of people who read T&L magazine and they may or may not have ever been on a cruise. Everyone was allowed to vote and their reader demographics is considerably different than Cruise Line Fans, as an example. Their poll is not based on any scientific or factual data gathered from a wider demographic that better represents the opinions of all cruisers.

It would be like asking all the CLF members to vote on who provides the best African safari experience whether they have been on a safari or not. Obviously the results would be skewed in such a way as to not represent any sort of reality.

For example, I would agree with others that no way should Disney exceed Cunard. The food, service, and amenities on Cunard are far superior than Disney, especially the food! While Disney is wonderful for kids and their shows and the private island are outstanding, overall they do not compare with Cunard. But they really are two different types of experiences and one could argue that thy shouldn't be in the same category. The same could be said about putting Crystal in the same category as Royal Caribbean - they offer two entirely different experiences at two entirely different prices. Sort of like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Yugo!

If you were given the chance to vote in a poll about the best cars and these two were presented, you would automatically vote the Rolls Royce higher than the Yugo. Even if you've never driven either of these cars, your opinion is based on information you've received from others. So your vote is biased because it's not based on personally experience, thus making the poll itself biased.

The only other one I saw that surprised me was that AMA Waterways was not in the top 5 in the river cruise category. They are definitely superior to Viking.

Based on the demographics of the T&L readers, I was not surprised to see both NCL and Carnival were not in the top 10 in the large ship category.

Of course, as with the poll, that's just my personal opinion and not based on any scientific fact.

Pete

I agree with Pete. If this is based on readers, you have to consider the source. They could be voting based on actual experience or based on the cruiselines they've heard of, but haven't actually tried themselves. And we don't know what criteria each reader used. Food? Kids programs?

And how can one compare Crystal with Royal Caribbean? Two different types of cruiseships and whole different experiences.