WORST TO BEST CRUISE LINES?

We are scheduled to fly from Honolulu to Seattle in 8 days, then on to Iceland for a few days.  Never been there.  Then board a cruise to Montreal, with a positioning sail to optimize our chances of seeing the total eclipse of the sun on 12August2026.  We'll drop by Greenland for a couple of stops.  From Montreal, fly to Vancouver to board another cruise back to Hawaii.  So today, the topic is related to cruising.

I'll begin first with Hurricane Fausto, now at 85 MPH, centered 900 miles from Hilo, and moving west at 14 MPH.  Hurricane force winds extend through a 90-mile eye, with tropical storm-force winds a radius 175 miles out.  The good news is that Fausto is expected to weaken and slide by north of the Hawaiian Islands.

Next, those ongoing wars.

• Day 1,613 of the Ukraine-Russia War, and really Day 4,539 days since the Crimea takeover.  Today, mostly drone attacks these days, with no peace talk progress.
• Day 149 of the U.S./Israel vs Iran War features a kind of lull, with some movement in Omani-mediated talks in Tehran regarding maritime transit.

27-year old Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia won five stages and the championship of the Tour de France.  He has now been the victor of this race five times.  Is he now the GOAT in cyling?

The Tour wended through wildfires and extremely hot temperatures in Spain and France.  Adjustments had to be made.

I've been on more than a dozen cruises, and, frankly, I feel a lot safer at home.  However, I asked Google AI:

Cruise ships are generally very safe and highly regulated, often safer than staying home in terms of security, but they pose higher risks for infectious diseases due to close quarters. While serious crime on ships is rare, viruses like norovirus can spread quickly, and medical care is limited compared to land. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Safety Considerations:

• Disease Transmission: Ships are environments where viruses can spread easily; however, they also feature rigorous cleaning protocols.
• Security: Cruise ships have security personnel, cameras, and controlled access points.
• Medical Care: While ships have medical facilities, they are not hospitals; severe emergencies may require helicopter evacuation.
• Regulatory Inspections: Ships must pass CDC sanitation inspections, with many being very highly rated. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Ultimately, for most, a cruise is very safe, but it requires personal hygiene precautions (like frequent handwashing) to manage health risks. [1]

A few cruise rankings.  The worst to best cruise lines in 2026.

• #10  MSC
• #  9  Carnival
• #  8  Norwegian
• #  7  Princess
• #  6  Royal Caribbean
• #  5  Disney
• #  4  Celebrity
• #  3  Holland America  
• #  2  Virgin
• #  1  Your favorite cruise line missing?  They rank six of them #1, including, most probably, yours.

Cruise Blog this year ranked 10 cruise lines from worst to best.

• Worst:  
• Norwegian Cruise Line.
• They are nickel-and diming you, and are profit-driven.
• Seems restrictive.

• 
  Carnival Cruise Line.
• Their rewards program is now based on onboard spending rather than number of nights spent on cruise ships.
• For most, status only valid for two years.
• Increased cost of internet and drink packages.
• Mostly older ships with limited itineraries.
• Some pluses include non-stop entertainment and great fast-casual dining options.
• They do have the large ships.
• Holland America.
• Operated by Carnival.
• Has been stagnant for years.
• Now only modernize old ships rather than build new ones.
• A plus is their destination-focused itineraries.
• Target audience is retirees and older travelers, meaning little in nonstop entertaining and more lectures and wine tastings.
• Margaritaville at Sea.  New.
• Disney Cruise Line.
• 
  Royal Caribbean International.  Owns the mega-ships.  Ideal for families.
• Princess Cruises.
• Owned by Carnival.
• Caters to elders.
• Good packages.
• Virgin Voyages.
• Targets adults-only travelrs.
• Trendy.
• Small ships, but stylish.
• Celebrity.
• Member of Royal Caribbean Group.
• Targets families.
• Worldly itineraries.
• Elegant dining rooms.
• Sort of the best of the worst.
• 
  Best.  Only lists MSC Cruises.
• This is the top of their list.
• But tends to be overcrowded with poor service and mediocre food.
• Much cheaper.
• That's it!  And, particularly note that the BEST cruise line on this list is the WORST cruise line in the previous list.  Plus, what about the rest of the cruise lines????  

I asked Google AI, rank all cruise lines:

Major cruise lines are broadly ranked from budget/lower-tier passenger satisfaction to top-tier luxury experiences, starting with MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean at the lower-to-middle end, and moving up to Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and luxury lines like Viking Ocean Cruises at the top. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

All that makes me wonder about cruises we have recently taken.  Yes, Viking, but also Seabourne, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania and American River Cruise Lines.  Plus, upcoming on future trips are Azamara, Silversea Cruises and Crystal.  Google AI referred me to the 2026 U.S. News and World Report ratings.

• 
  I finally saw some of "our" cruise lines in the category, Best Luxury Cruise Lines.
• #1  Viking
• #2  Explora.  Explora Journeys is a new luxury lifestyle cruise brand launched in 2021 by the MSC Group. It features all-suite ships, inclusive amenities like fine dining and beverages, and a growing six-ship fleet. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
• #3  Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• #4  Silversea Cruises
• #5  Oceania Cruises
• #6  Seabourn
• #7  Azamara
• #8  Crystal
• Want further details?  

The No. 1-ranked cruise lines in these new categories include Viking Ocean Cruises for Best Cruise Lines for Dining – Luxury; Virgin Voyages in Best Cruise Lines for Dining – Mainstream; Celebrity Cruises for Best Cruise Lines for Wellness; and Crystal in Best Cruise Lines for Solo Travelers. In addition, newcomer Explora Journeys had an impressive showing, placing in the top three across six categories.

The Best Cruise Lines for the Money ranking has a new No. 1 this year, with Virgin Voyages leading as the best value among ranked cruise lines. Disney Cruise Line holds the top spot in both the Best Cruise Lines for Families and Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbeanrankings. In addition, Viking Ocean Cruises continues its reign as No. 1 in three categories: Best Luxury Cruise Lines, Best Cruise Lines for Couples and Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean.

To close, from Gan Jing World, 500,000 moss phlox (shibazakura) at the Fuji Shibazakura Festival this past spring.  Want to see it in person?  Runs from mid-April to late May.  Hmmm....we plan to be in the Orient this coming  spring.

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