01:50 - Source: CNN
One brand won big in Cruise Critic awards
CNN  — 

Viking Cruises dominated the 12th annual Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards for the third year in a row with five wins in 2019.

Crystal Cruises came in second place with four awards, while Disney and Celebrity Cruises each picked up three awards, all of which were revealed on Tuesday.

“The breadth of these awards – from mainstream ocean lines, to river and luxury – exemplifies the wide range of cruise options available today and the impressive quality of offerings,” said Colleen McDaniel, Cruise Critic’s senior editor.

“Our editors keep close tabs on the industry throughout the year, and this list of winners is a compilation of our first-hand experience and industry expertise, highlighting the lines that have truly stood out as being exceptional throughout the year,” McDaniel said.

Viking still rules the waterways

Viking Cruises
Viking's ocean ship Aquavit offers ocean-view dining on the terrace.

Cruise Critic’s editors name winners in three categories: ocean cruises, luxury cruises (all on ocean ships) and river cruises.

Viking won three luxury awards (best enrichment, best spa, best value for money) and two river cruise awards (best for first-timers and best itineraries).

Viking also dominated the website’s Cruisers’ Choice Awards in February, which are chosen by reviews posted by travelers registered with the site.

Crystal Cruises won four awards, three of which came in the luxury ocean category: best ship refurbishment, best service and best for solo travelers. It also won for best dining in the river cruise category.

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Coming in third place, Disney won three editors’ choice awards: Disney Cruise Line won for best entertainment (ocean) and best for families (ocean). Disney’s Adventures by Disney won best for families in river cruising.

Tied for third place, Celebrity Cruises also won three awards, all in the ocean category: best cabins, best for romance and best shore excursions.

The new Norwegian Encore

Ivan Sarfatti/Courtesy MSC
MSC Seaside won the award for best new ocean cruise ship.

There’s also a lot of excitement around the best new ship award awarded in all three categories.

“MSC Seaside is a flashy new 4,000+ passenger ship with bells and whistles like a full-sized bowling alley, 5D-movie theater and outdoor waterpark,” McDaniel said.

The MSC Seaside, which set sail from Trieste, Italy, on December 1 to its new home in Miami, took the best new ocean ship award. It will be named at its new port on December 21, and its godmother will be Sophia Loren.

“On the other hand, our best new ship in the luxury category – Silverseas’ Silver Muse – carries fewer than 600 passengers, and boasts understated luxury with all suites and butlers,” she said. “In the river category, Uniworld’s Joie de Vivre carries just under 130 guests, but offers the opulence and elegance Uniworld is known for with its fans.

Ocean winners

Matt Stroshane/Disney Cruise Line via Getty Images
Disney Cruise Line won two awards in the ocean category.

Best New Ship: MSC Seaside 

Best Ship Refurbishment: Holland America Line’s Westerdam

Best for Adventure: Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic

Best Cabins: Celebrity Cruises

Best Dining: Holland America Line

Best Entertainment: Disney Cruise Line

Best for Families: Disney Cruise Line

Best Itineraries: Princess Cruises

Best Nightlife: Norwegian Cruise Line

Best for Romance: Celebrity Cruises

Best Service: Carnival Cruise Line

Best Shore Excursions: Celebrity Cruises

Best for Solo Travelers: Norwegian Cruise Line

Best Suites: Royal Caribbean International

Best Value for Money: Carnival Cruise Line

Best North American Homeport: Quebec City

Viking Cruises
The 10th annual Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards, which were announced on December 12, 2017, named winners in the ocean, luxury and river categories. Viking Cruises dominated the awards with five wins.
Anthony Weller/Viking Cruises
In the luxury category, Viking won for best luxury spa and best value for money. In the river category, it won for best cruise for first timers, best enrichment and best shore excursions.
Ivan Sarfatti/Courtesy MSC
The winner for best new ocean cruise ship, MSC Seaside set sail for the first time in December 2017 and calls Miami its home port.
Courtesy Silversea Cruises
Silverseas Cruises' Silver Muse, which carries fewer than 600 passengers, won the best new ship award in the luxury category.
Courtesy Uniworld Cruises
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection won the award for best new river ship.
Courtesy Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises won four awards overall.
Courtesy Crystal River Cruises
Three of Crystal's awards were in the luxury category for best ship refurbishment, best service and best for solo travelers. The fourth was for best dining on a river cruise.
Matt Stroshane/Disney Cruise Line via Getty Images
Disney won three awards overall.
Courtesy Adventures by Disney
Disney Cruise Line won best entertainment and best cruise for families in the ocean category, and Adventures by Disney won the best cruise for families in the river category.
Daniel Romagosa/Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises won three awards, including one for best cabins in the ocean category.
Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises also won best for romance and best shore excursions in the ocean category.
Michel Verdure/Courtesy Holland America Line
Holland America won two ocean category awards, for best dining and best cruise ship refurbishment.
Michel Verdure/Azamara Club Cruises
Azamara Club Cruises won for best itineraries and shore excursions in the luxury category.
Courtesy AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways won for best river cruise line and best river cruise for active cruises.
Stephen Beaudet/Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises took home two awards in the luxury category -- for best cruise line and best cabins.
Ralph Lee Hopkins/Courtesy Linblad Expeditions
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Explorer, which emphasizes education along with exploration of the unusual locales on its itineraries, won best ocean cruise for adventure.
Courtesy Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises won for best itineraries.
Courtesy Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn Cruise Line won for best enrichment in the luxury category.
Roger Paperno/Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises took home the award for best ocean cruise for romance.
Courtesy Pandaw River Cruises
Pandaw River Cruises took the award for best river cruise for adventure.

Ocean winners/luxury

Best Luxury Cruise Line: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best New Luxury Ship: Silversea Cruises’ Silver Muse

Best Ship Refurbishment: Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony

Best for Adventure: Silversea Cruises

Best Cabins: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best Dining: Oceania Cruises

Best Enrichment: Seabourn Cruise Line

Best Itineraries: Azamara Club Cruises

Best for Romance: Windstar Cruises

Best Service: Crystal Cruises

Best Shore Excursions: Azamara Club Cruises

Best for Solo Travelers: Crystal Cruises

Best Spa: Viking Ocean Cruises

Best Value for Money: Viking Ocean Cruises

River cruise winners

Courtesy Uniworld Cruises
Uniworld won for best new river ship.

Best River Cruise Line: AmaWaterways

Best New River Ship: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection’s Joie de Vivre

Best Ship Refurbishment: Scenic Diamond/Scenic Sapphire

Best for Active Cruises: AmaWaterways

Best for Adventure: Pandaw Cruises

Best Cabins: Avalon Waterways

Best Dining: Crystal River Cruises

Best Enrichment: Viking River Cruises

Best for Families: Adventures by Disney

Best for First-Timers: Viking River Cruises

Best Itineraries: CroisiEurope

Best for Luxury: Tauck River Cruising

Best Service: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best Shore Excursions: Viking River Cruises

Best for Solo Travelers: American Cruise Lines

Best Value for Money: Emerald Waterways