Disney Cruise Line Scores Big in the 2016 Cruisers’ Choice Awards

Cruise Critic, the world’s leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community, recently announced the winners of its 6th Annual Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards. In 2016, Disney Cruise Line scored big in the large ship category with nine first place awards. The annual awards name the best cruise ships in the world, based solely on ratings submitted with reviews published on the Cruise Critic website.

Disney Cruise Line was this year’s big winner, with a total of 11 first place awards, nine in the large ship category. The recently enhanced Disney Dream was named Best Overall in the Large Ship category for a second year in a row, and was also awarded Best for Families, Best Cabins, and Best Public Rooms. Disney Cruise Line received top honors in two size categories for Best Entertainment and Best Service, for both Disney Dream and Disney Wonder, with the ships winning in the Large Ship and Mid-Size Ship categories, respectively.

Personally, the biggest shocker is the Disney Wonder ranking in 9 of the categories while the Disney Magic only earning a fourth place finish in the family category.

“To be recognized once is always an honor, but to place first in 11 categories is absolutely incredible and a true reflection of our Cast and Crew Members,” said Karl L. Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line. “Their commitment to delivering magical moments for our guests at sea is unparalleled, and I could not be prouder of these latest accolades.”

Viking Star was the only new ship named to the list of winners, after being launched by brand-new cruise line, Viking Ocean Cruises, in 2015. The ship was named Best for First-Timers, and also received Best Cabins and Best Public Rooms in the Small Ship category. Viking Star’s sister-ship, Viking Sea, will launch later in 2016.

This is the fifth year that an Oceania ship won Best Dining in the Mid-Size category, with Marina receiving the nod this year. In addition to dining venues onboard, Oceania unveiled new culinary classes and culinary immersion programs in 2015. Oceania received five awards in total, including Best Cabins and Best Fitness & Recreation for Oceania Riviera.

Carnival Cruise Line received Best Value-for-Money for the third year in a row, with Carnival Freedom winning the award this year. Holland America Maasdam won Best Value-for-Money in the Mid-Size category – along with Best Overall and Best for Embarkation – and Island Windjammers’ Sagitta, a ship carrying just 24 passengers, won Best Value-for-Money in the Small Ship category.

“The Cruisers’ Choice Awards serve as a true stamp of approval from cruisers,” explained Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. “With hundreds of ships reviewed each year by thousands of cruisers, the winners of these awards stand as the absolute best of the best.”

The Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards are awarded in three ship classes, based on passenger capacity (Large: 2,000+ passengers; Mid-Size: 1,200 to 1,999 passengers; Small: 1,199 or fewer passengers) and are calculated using the ratings submitted with each Cruise Critic member review. Cruise Critic boasts the world’s largest online cruise community, with more than 150,000 cruise reviews, covering approximately 500 cruise ships. Awards are based on reviews submitted for cruises taken in 2015.

First-place winners include:

Best Cruises Overall
Disney Dream (Large)
Holland America Maasdam (Mid-Size)
Celebrity Xpedition (Small)

Best Cruise Ship Cabins
Disney Dream (Large)
Oceania Riviera (Mid-Size)
Viking Star (Small)

Best Cruise Ships for Dining
Disney Fantasy (Large)
Oceania Marina (Mid-Size)
Island Windjammers Sagitta (Small)

Best Cruise Ships for Embarkation
Disney Fantasy (Large)
Holland America Maasdam (Mid-Size)
Windstar Wind Surf (Small)

Best Cruise Ships for Entertainment
Disney Dream (Large)
Disney Wonder (Mid-Size)
Pacific Princess (Small)

Best Cruise Ships for Fitness & Recreation
Disney Fantasy (Large)
Oceania Riviera (Mid-Size)
Oceania Nautica (Small)

Best Cruise Ship Public Rooms
Disney Dream (Large)
Oceania Riviera (Mid-Size)
Viking Star (Small)

Best Cruise Ships for Service
Disney Dream (Large)
Disney Wonder (Mid-Size)
Windstar Star Breeze (Small)

Best Cruise Ship Shore Excursions
Norwegian Jewel (Large)
Coral Princess (Mid-Size)
Celebrity Xpedition (Small)

Best Cruise Ships for Value
Carnival Freedom (Large)
Holland America Maasdam (Mid-Size)
Island Windjammers Sagitta (Small)

Best Cruise Ship for Families: Disney Dream

Best Cruise Ship for First-Timers: Viking Star

Disney Cruise Line’s Top 10 Rankings Summary

Cruise Critic categorizes the ships based on passenger capacity. The Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy are listed in the large ship (2,000+ passengers) category, while the Disney Magic & Disney Wonder are listed in the Mid-size ship (1200-1999 passengers) category. Keep this in mind while reviewing the following rankings. *The one exception is the Best for Families* category that does not break out by ship size.

Best… Fantasy Dream Wonder Magic
Cruise Experience
Overall 2 1 2
Cabins 2 1 6
Dining 1 2 7
Embarkation 1 2 7
Entertainment 2 1 1
First Timers 3
Fitness & Rec 1 2
Families* 2 1 3  4
Public Rooms 2 1 3
Service 2 1 1
Shore Excursions 6 9
Value 5 8

Visit the 2016 Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards for a complete list of winners. These awards are based on review submitted by Februrary 1, 2016 from Cruise Critic’s readers who cruised in 2015. To be included ships must have a minimum number of posted reviews and ratings in each category to be included in the top 10 list. Click here to read Cruise Critic’s complete methodology.

10 Replies to “Disney Cruise Line Scores Big in the 2016 Cruisers’ Choice Awards”

  1. Hannah

    Well…..of course. I have to admit Disney ships are the only ones we have ever been on and most likely ever will be. It has always been magical. Feb. 13 of next year…we will be boarding yet again.

    Reply
  2. Crystal Connors

    Interesting that the Magic only ranked fourth in the “best for families” category. Wonder what is happening on the Magic. Is it the port schedule this year, a change in the quality of service, or is the “re-imagination” not living up to expectations.

    Reply
  3. DanUa73

    Wow, yes of course DCL is the best cruise. Our first cruise was with Disney in our history began in Aug 2014 with Disney Dream for 4 day to test. We love it, foods, public ckeaning, etc are great. Then we return again Disney Fantasy with Star War at Sea, we love both Dream and Fantasy, both are great. We definitely will return to DCL for next sailing. We will might not use other cruise company. Disney is the best as we trust them.

    Reply
  4. Dennis C

    The Wonder is still our favorite Disney ship. Disney Cruise Line does an amazing job across the board but the staff and crew of the Wonder just seem to have a little something extra.

    Reply
  5. Amy Disney

    The Crew of the Wonder is so much more magical and amazing than the Magic. I believe that is why they got more high marks. I still think the Magic is great and would sail on her again but the experience on the Wonder was superior to the magic.

    Reply
  6. Stephen

    I am glad that Disney Cruise Line scored high. My favorite ship is still the Disney Fantasy. I will be sailing on it on February 13, 2016.

    Reply

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