Travel + Leisure readers ranked Disney Cruise Line as the 2nd best large-ship ocean cruise line as part of the magazine’s annual World’s Best Awards 2024. Last year, the cruise line came in 3rd thus swapping spots this year with Holland America Line.

Readers were asked to rate individual ships; the results were combined to generate scores for cruise lines in different categories based on number of cabins, with large-ship ocean cruise lines falling between 800 to 1,499 cabins. Some cruise lines may appear in multiple categories depending on the makeup of their fleet.

For each characteristic listed below, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses from the following categories:

• Cabins/facilities
• Food
• Service
• Itineraries/destinations
• Excursions/activities
• Value

The Top 5 Large-Ship Ocean Cruise Lines for 2024

1. Cunard
2. Disney Cruise Line
3. Holland America Line
4. Celebrity Cruise
5. Princess Cruises

Moving up from No. 3 last year to the No. 2 spot in this year’s survey is Disney Cruise Line, receiving effusive praise from both adults traveling sans kids and the family crowd. “Our grandchildren loved it and so did we,” said one voter. “Like Disney World, it was first class all the way! Food was outstanding, entertainment was above and beyond.”

Holland America Line (No. 3), which has been taking visitors to Alaska for more than 75 years, received praise for its exploration of the 49th state. “They have high quality trips to Alaska and do a great job of coordinating the excursions and tours to the interior,” said one voter. Also making the top five in the large-ship category are popular lines Celebrity Cruises (No. 4) and Princess Cruises (No. 5).

With its traditional cruising style and regular roster of transatlantic cruises, Cunard retains its No. 1 ranking in the large-ship category for a second year in a row.

Travel + Leisure – The Top 5 Large-Ship Ocean Cruise Lines

Travel + Leisure‘s methodology for the annual awards for the cruise category begin by asking respondents to rate individual ships; the results were combined to generate scores for cruise lines in different categories. The categories are: mega-ship ocean cruise lines (capacity of 1,500 cabins or more), large-ship ocean cruise lines (800 to 1,499 cabins), midsize-ship ocean cruise lines (300 to 799 cabins), small-ship ocean cruise lines (150 to 299 cabins), intimate-ship ocean cruise lines (150 or fewer cabins) and river cruise lines. Some cruise lines may appear in multiple categories depending on the makeup of their fleet.

You can read more online, as well as the August issue of Travel + Leisure, which will be on newsstands July 19h.