These are the world's best cruise lines and ships for 2026

The winners of the World Cruise Awards have just been revealed for 2026 – and Norwegian Cruise Line has taken the top prize.

Now in its sixth edition, the winners were announced on 12 October at a gala ceremony in Jamaica.

Norwegian Cruise Line was named the world’s best cruise line for 2026, beating out nominees including MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Silversea.

As for where you should be going for your next voyage, the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi was named the world’s best cruise destination. It should be noted that some cruise lines have revised their 2026/27 schedules to avoid Gulf ports, given the ongoing crisis in the region.

Lisbon was the only European destination among the nominees’ list, which also included Auckland Island in New Zealand, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco, Prince Edward Island in Canada, the Seychelles and Vietnam.

For those who have Patagonia on their bucket list, you should be looking to book with Australis, which was named the world’s best expedition cruise line.

Thinking about a river cruise? Pandaw, which operates throughout countries in Asia including India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, was named the world’s best river cruise line.

Which is handy, because Vietnam was also named the world’s best river cruise destination.

Within Europe, DouroAzul was named the best river cruise line, while Lisbon in Portugal was selected as the best river cruise destination.

Which cruise ship is right for you?

The World Cruise Awards also hand out gongs to individual cruise ships under categories such as dining, families and romance.

For foodies, the best cruise ship is Sun Princess, which has seven specialty restaurants. These include American steakhouse Crown Grill, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, seafood spot The Catch by Rudi (Sodamin, the cruise line’s head of culinary arts), The Butcher’s Block by Dario (Cecchini, an eighth generation Italian butcher), show-stopping Umai Teppanyaki, sushi eatery Makoto Ocean, and Umai Hot Pot.

If you’re travelling with your little ones, Disney Wish was named the best option for families, for obvious reasons.

Expect live shows themed around classics like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, restaurants that will transport you to Frozen’s Arendelle or the world of Marvel, plus water slides, sports courts and a movie theatre. Big kids won’t miss out on the fun, either, with cocktail bars, pubs, a spa, and an adults-only refuge with an infinity pool.

Celebrity Apex was selected as the world’s best cruise for romance. Here, you can relax by the adults-only Solarium pool, catch a live performance with a cocktail at the cantilevered, floating platform The Magic Carpet, or play games together at The Casino.

If you want a cruise ship that will keep you entertained even between ports, try Utopia of the Seas.

On board, there are five pools, three water slides, 21 restaurants and 23 bars (including a karaoke spot), two casinos and plenty of shows, whether you’re into comedy or live music.

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