The key facts

  • Norwegian Cruise Line named the world's best cruise line of 2026
  • Abu Dhabi — best cruise destination; Sun Princess, Disney Wish and Celebrity Apex recognized in ship categories
  • Awards presented on October 12 in Jamaica; Pandaw and DouroAzul — best river operators, Australis — expedition

Main Award Winners

The winners of the 2026 World Cruise Awards were announced on October 12 at a gala ceremony in Jamaica. The awards are being held for the sixth time. Norwegian Cruise Line was named the world's best cruise line, ahead of nominees MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Silversea.

Best Destinations

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, was named the world's best cruise destination. At the same time, as Euronews notes, some cruise lines have revised their schedules for the 2026/27 seasons to bypass Persian Gulf ports amid the ongoing crisis in the region. In addition to Abu Dhabi, the shortlist of nominees included Auckland Island in New Zealand, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco, Prince Edward Island in Canada, the Seychelles and Vietnam; Lisbon was the only European city on the list.

River and Expedition Cruises

Australis, which operates in Patagonia, was named the best expedition cruise operator. In the river cruise category, the winner was Pandaw, which operates voyages across Asian countries including India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Vietnam was named the best river cruise destination. In Europe, DouroAzul became the best river cruise line, and Lisbon in Portugal the best river destination.

Awards for Individual Ships

In addition to companies and destinations, the awards recognize individual ships in the categories of gastronomy, family vacations and romantic travel. Sun Princess, with seven specialty restaurants, was named the best ship for foodies: the Crown Grill steakhouse, the Italian trattoria Sabatini's, the seafood restaurant The Catch by Rudi (Rudi Sodamin is the company's chef de cuisine), The Butcher's Block by Dario (Dario Cecchini is an eighth-generation Italian butcher), Umai Teppanyaki, the Makoto Ocean sushi bar and Umai Hot Pot.

Family and Romantic Getaways, Entertainment

Disney Wish was named the best ship for families: on board there are live shows based on The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, restaurants styled after Arendelle from Frozen and the Marvel universe, water slides, sports courts, a cinema, as well as cocktail bars, pubs, a spa and an adults-only area with an infinity pool. In the romantic travel category, the winner was Celebrity Apex with its adults-only Solarium pool, The Magic Carpet platform and a casino. Utopia of the Seas was named the ship with the most entertainment on board: five pools, three water slides, 21 restaurants, 23 bars (including a karaoke club), two casinos and shows ranging from stand-up comedy to live music.