What are the best cruises in the world? Viking, Disney are big winners

US News & World Report released its ranking of “best” cruise lines of 2022.

The publication assessed 17 cruise lines through a combination of expert ratings (30%), traveler reviews (50%) and health notes published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Ship sanitation program (20%).

The scores were then analyzed by category to determine the winners, ranked from highest to lowest, in six areas.

The 2022 rankings of the best valued cruises are:

1. Celebrity Cruises – “Gold Award”
2. Holland America Line – “Silver Prize”
3. Royal Caribbean International – “Silver Prize”
4. Norwegian Cruise Line
5. Carnival Cruise Line

Here, average daily rates made up 60% of the scores, while expert, traveler and health ratings made up the remaining 40%. Cruise lines with average daily fares of $ 300 or more were not eligible for this category.

Celebrity Cruises was named the best cruise for the money. It is part of the Royal Caribbean Group, which also operates Royal Caribbean International, which won a “Silver Award” in this category.

Wi-Fi, tips, and beverages – like cocktails, wine, and specialty coffees – are included in most Celebrity Cruise bookings, but the cheapest rates can be purchased without them. At the moment, a four-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas is approximately $ 440 per person, tax included, for an indoor state room.

Also on the list: Princess Cruises (# 6), Costa Cruises (# 7) and MSC Cruises (# 8).

Smaller cruise lines – with ships that can accommodate hundreds rather than thousands of guests – topped the list of US News luxury rankings.

1. Viking Ocean Cruises – “Gold Award”
2. Seabourn Cruise Line – “Silver Prize”
3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises – “Silver Prize”
4. Azamara
5. Cristal Cruises

Viking, a cruise line based in Basel, Switzerland, is no stranger to accolades. It also topped US News’ luxury goods list last year, despite President Torstein Hagen indicating he was not a fan of the word.

“I have banned the use of the word ‘luxury’… I think we are elegant, we are… sober and, hopefully, timeless,” he said at a naming ceremony for the new seven. river boats in March 2019, according to QuirkyCruises.com cruise site.

Also on the list: Silversea Cruises (# 6) and Oceania Cruises (# 7).

The rewards for the best cruises for those traveling in pairs are:

1. Viking Ocean Cruises – “Gold Award”
2. Seabourn Cruise Line – “Silver Prize”
3. Azamara – “Silver Prize”
4. Cristal Cruises
5. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Viking dominates this category because of its “adult-oriented environment and luxurious, romantic amenities, such as fireplaces in the common areas of each ship and private verandas in each cabin,” according to a press release from US News. & World Report.

To qualify for this category, at least 62% of a cruise line’s online traveler reviews must be written by couples.

Most luxury cruise lines accept children, although they often don’t look after them like the big companies do. Viking, however, does not allow children at all.

The company previously welcomed children aged 12 and over for the cruise, but as of 2018 all guests must be 18 or over to embark.

Also on the list: Celebrity Cruises (# 6), Oceania Cruises (# 7), Silversea Cruises (# 8), Cunard Line (# 9) and Holland America Line (# 10).

The first cruises for families in 2022 are:

1. Disney Cruise Line – “Gold Award”
2. Royal Caribbean International – “Silver Prize”
3. Carnival Cruise Line – “Silver Prize”
4. Norwegian Cruise Line
5. MSC Cruises

Disney dominates the family cruise category, as it has every year since US News began rating cruises in 2013.

The company owns five ships: Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy and its latest, Disney Wish, scheduled to launch in the summer of 2022. The ship is also set to feature Disney’s first “sea attraction” – 760 feet of tubing. water slide. with music, lighting and special effects on the theme of Mickey Mouse.

Also on the list: Costa Cruises (# 6).

1. Disney Cruise Line – “Gold Award”
2. Celebrity Cruises – “Silver Prize”
3. Seabourn Cruise Line – “Silver Prize”
4. Royal Caribbean International
5. Cristal Cruises

It’s also a clean slate for Disney in this category. Disney has been named the Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean for the past eight years, according to US News & World Report.

True to its name, Miami-based Celebrity Cruises partners with well-known names in the arts and entertainment industry. His most recent ship, the Celebrity Beyond, has Gwyneth Paltrow as a “wellness advisor” and a restaurant created by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, according to his website.

Also on this list: Regent Seven Seas Cruises (# 6), Holland America Line (# 7), Carnival Cruise Line (# 8), Norwegian Cruise Line (# 9), Oceania Cruises (# 10), Princess Cruises (# 11) and MSC Cruises (# 12).

1. Viking Ocean Cruises – “Gold Award”
2. Seabourn Cruise Line – “Silver Prize”
3. Azamara – “Silver Prize”
4. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
5. Celebrity cruises

With another victory, Viking tops three of six US News categories, this time for its presence in the Mediterranean. Either way, it’s tracked by Seattle-based Seabourn Cruise Line, The ultra-luxury brand of Carnival Corporation.

Seabourn has five ships, accommodating between 450 and 600 passengers and sailing to more than 400 destinations. As part of a multi-year agreement, the cruise line has paid more than $ 1.5 million to support UNESCO, which grants its customers “one-stop access” to more than 170 World Heritage sites, according to its website.

Also on the list: Oceania Cruises (No. 6), Crystal Cruises (No. 7), Costa Cruises (No. 8), MSC Cruises (No. 9), Silversea Cruises (No. 10), Holland America Line (No . 11), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 12), Princess Cruises (No. 12), Royal Caribbean International (No. 13) and Cunard Line (No. 14).

Although the massive outbreaks of Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic revealed health concerns related to cruises, a new investigation indicates that travelers ultimately cannot give up boat travel.

Before the pandemic, 2% of previous cruisers said they would no longer sail, while in August 2021, 4% said the same, according to a investigation conducted by US News & Report.

The pandemic hasn’t scared non-cruisers either. Before the pandemic, 62% of people who had never taken a cruise said they wanted to try it. Today, 61% of people say the same thing.

Feelings can also soften over time. Before the pandemic, around 10% of people who had never sailed said they would “never” do so. According to the survey, that number rose to 17% in June 2021, but fell to 14% in August.

Click here to read the full US News & World Report.