TOP CRUISE LINES IN THE WORLD

 In case you missed the Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse yesterday.

Yesterday also began my travel series with best airports.  Today, best cruise lines, voted by subscribers to Condé Nast.

Mega Ships (more than 4,000 passengers)

1. Norwegian Cruise Line 86.72
2. Royal Caribbean International 86.69
3. Carnival Cruise Line 85.35
4. MSC Cruises 83.42

Large Ships (2,500 to 4,000 passengers)

1. Virgin Voyages 94.07
2. Disney Cruise Line 92.21
3. Cunard 89.55
4. Princess Cruises 89.42
5. Celebrity Cruises 88.57
6. Costa Cruises 87.95
7. Holland America Line 87.79
8. Norwegian Cruise Line 86.41
9. Royal Caribbean International 84.31
10. MSC Cruises 83.77
11. P&O Cruises 81.73
12. Carnival Cruise Line 80.37

Medium Ships (500 to 2,500 passengers)

1. Viking 94.98
2. Disney Cruise Line 92.92
3. Seabourn 91.67
4. Regent Seven Seas Cruises 91.07
5. Oceania Cruises 87.99
6. Silversea  87.74
7. Azamara 87.50
8. Celebrity Cruises 86.68
9. Holland America Line 86.42
10. Cunard 86.33
11. Hurtigruten 86.23
12. Marella Cruises 85.60
13. Princess Cruises 84.84
14. P&O Cruises 83.29
15. Carnival Cruise Line 80.56
16. Norwegian Cruise Line 80.01
17. Royal Caribbean International 79.51
18. MSC Cruises 76.15
19. Costa Cruises 72.18

Small Ships (fewer than 500 passengers)

1. Emerald Cruises 95.27
2. Paul Gaugin Cruises 92.94
3. American Cruise Line 92.88
4. Sea Cloud Cruises 91.94
5. Windstar Cruises 91.87
6. Ponant 91.45
7. Seabourn 91.34
8. Silversea 89.93
9. SeaDream Yacht Club 89.66
10. Variety Cruises 86.75
11. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection 86.58
12. Star Clippers 81.92
13. Regent Seven Seas Cruises 76.15

River Ships

1. Viking 97.32
2. American Cruise Lines 96.66
3. Tauck River Cruising 96.14
4. Oberoi 95.91
5. Les Bateaux Belmond 95.90
6. Grand Circle Cruise Line 95.69
7. Pandaw 95.28
8. Uniworld River Cruises 93.24
9. Sanctuary Retreats 93.14
10. AMAWaterways 93.09
11. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours 90.09
12. Sonesta 89.57
13. Avalon Waterways 88.09
14. Emerald Cruises 86.54
15. American Queen Voyages 81.89
16. A-ROSA 73.03

Expedition Ships

1. Viking 96.52
2. UnCruise Adventures 96.41
3. Aqua Expeditions 95.97
4. Ecoventura 95.82
5. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours 95.80
6. Celebrity Cruises 95.38
7. Quasar Expeditions 94.91
8. Metropolitan Touring 94.71
9. Seabourn 93.37
10. Quark Expeditions 93.15
11. Ponant 92.25
12. Hurtigruten 91.87
13. Silversea 91.81
14. Lindblad Expeditions 91.23
15. Alaskan Dream Cruises 80.77

From Wikipedia about large cruise ships:

• As of a year ago, there were 64 ships over 135,000 gross tons in service.
• The first were 137,000 GT Voyager-class ships from Royal Caribbean debuting in 1998, starting with the Voyager of the Seas, 1021 feet long and passenger capacity of 3602.
• The came Cunard's 149,215 GT Queen Mary 2 in 2005, 1132 feet long, 2691 passengers.  We have made reservations to sail on her from Southampton to New York City in the spring of 2024.

• 
  Royal Caribbean then in 2009 introduced it's first 225,000 GT Oasis-class vessel, Oasis of the Seas, which could accommodate 5400 passengers and was 1180 feet long.  
• The fifth and largest is Wonder of the Seas, launched in 2022, and is now the biggest passenger ship in the world, 1188 feet in length, 5,734 passengers.
• 
  Next year will come the 6th and final, Utopia of the Seas, to become the first in its class to be powered by liquid natural gas.  

• 
  Will have 5668 passengers, so lower than the WotS.  Not certain about length comparison.  Has already been floated.  Watch the video.  First passengers on 2 July 2024.
• Will have 20 dining options and 20 bars/entertainment spots, and an expanded Izumi (Japanese) assortment of dining venues.

• 
  Will only have 3 and 4 night journeys in the Caribbean, Port Canaveral to Bahamas and back.
• Warning for some:  there will be a lot children.
• Watch a 3-minute video.

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