The Best Cruise Ships for Every Taste and Budget

Looking for the perfect cruise ship? There’s a source of solid advice for that: the 2108 Cruisers’ Choice Awards, from Cruise Critic.

Based on reviews posted to the Cruise Critic site during the past year, the awards recognize the best ships in multiple categories: best cabins, best for dining, best for entertainment, best for fitness, best for value, best for families, and so on.

Whatever your idea of the perfect cruise ship entails, Cruise Critic has you covered.

Here are some examples of the best large ships in several categories. If large ships aren’t to your taste, there are also ratings of mid-sized, small-mid, and small ships for each category, making it easy to home in on ships that meet your criteria.

Top 5 Large Ships Overall

1. Celebrity Equinox
2. Harmony of the Seas
3. Celebrity Reflection
4. Celebrity Silhouette
5. Allure of the Seas

Top 5 Large Ships for Value

1. Celebrity Silhouette
2. Celebrity Equinox
3. Harmony of the Seas
4. Celebrity Reflection
5. Allure of the Seas

Best Large Ships for Entertainment

1. Allure of the Seas
2. Harmony of the Seas
3. Disney Dream
4. Oasis of the Seas
5. Freedom of the Seas

Best Large Ships for Dining

1. Celebrity Equinox
2. Celebrity Silhouette
3. Celebrity Reflection
4. Allure of the Seas
5. Oasis of the Seas

As an admitted non-cruiser, I find these recommendations very helpful; without them, I’d be clueless. If I were in the market for a cruise on a large ship, my clear choice, as someone who cares most about dining and value, would be either the Celebrity Silhouette or the Celebrity Equinox. Both are top-rated in the relevant categories, as well as in the Best Overall category.

Reader Reality Check

What are you looking for in a cruise ship? Comment below.

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.