The results of the 2013 Travel+Leisure Worlds Best Awards have been released and Disney Cruise Line, for the fifth consecutive year earned top billing as the Best Mega-Ship cruise line for families.  Overall, Disney placed a close second in the Mega-Cruise Ship category trailing only Celebrity Cruises by 0.2 points.

“We are honored that the readers of Travel + Leisure have recognized Disney Cruise Line as the ‘World’s Best’ for families,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line. “We are fortunate to be in the business of delivering memories that endure for a lifetime for families around the globe. Our focus on creativity, storytelling and innovation enables our cast and crew members to deliver a unique and memorable experience at sea.”

The annual “World’s Best” list recognizes the best in travel for hotels, cities, islands, cruise lines, airlines, car-rental agencies, spas, and tour operators and safari outfitters. Winners were selected by readers who participated in a survey and rated cruise lines on criteria including cabins, food, service, itineraries and destinations, activities and value.

Last year Disney Cruise Line was included in the Large-Ship category while this year all the ships in the fleet fall into the Mega-Ship category.  In an apparent effort to better rank the ships Travel+Leisure expanded the cruise ship categories from Small versus Large used in previous years to 4 this year.  According to T+L’s 2013 methodology spec sheet the cruise category, respondents were asked to rate individual ships, and scores were rolled up into four categories organized by type of cruise and ship size. There is one category for river cruises (any capacity), and three categories for ocean cruises: mega-ship cruise lines (capacity of 2,200 passengers or more), large-ship cruise lines (capacity between 600 to 2,199 passengers) and small–ship cruise lines (capacity of fewer than 600 passengers). Some cruise lines may appear in multiple categories depending on the fleet of ships they own.

The complete results of Travel+Leisures World’s Best Awards 2013 can be found in the August 2013 issue of the magazine or online.

In order for Disney Cruise Line deliver a unique and memorable experience at sea they are continuously making shipboard enhancements that elevate the guest experience and reinvesting in the fleet. The reimagineering of the Disney Magic this fall is a case in point of Disney’s commitment to delivering the absolute best family vacations at sea.