BOSTON, Oct. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Circle Cruise Line, the leader in small ship and river cruising worldwide, has been named the #1 "World's Best River Cruise Line" in Conde Nast Traveler's 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. This is the fourth year in a row that Grand Circle Cruise Line has taken the top spot and the 11th year it has been included as a top cruise line. This year, Grand Circle Cruise Line received an overall excellence rating of 92.572, the highest score of any cruise line in all categories. Conde Nast Traveler's 2015 Readers' Choice Awards were announced on line today and will be featured in the magazine's November issue, on newsstands October 28, 2015.
"We are delighted to be named the world's best river cruise line for the fourth year and to be among the top cruise lines for so many years," said Grand Circle Cruise Line CEO Michael Dowd. "We design our itineraries to bring travelers off our ships and into homes, markets, schools and communities so that travelers can meet locals and experience their way of life firsthand," said Dowd. "Our ships are not fancy, but they offer something that clearly appeals: expert, local guides, stellar nautical and hospitality crews, and onshore itineraries that engage travelers with local people, communities, and cultures. We are honored to be recognized by Conde Nast Traveler and appreciate our travelers for sharing their experiences of us."
Established in 1998 with a single river cruise ship, Grand Circle Cruise Line's fleet now includes 20 river ships and small ships, including 15 privately-owned river ships, three, 4-star plus 50-passenger ships that operate in the Mediterranean (Athena, Artemis and Arethusa), the 98-passenger Corinthian, the 88-passenger Clio (formerly Tera Moana) and exclusive charters. For 2016 Grand Circle Cruise Line will offer more than 30 cruise and cruise tour itineraries throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, Antarctica, Panama, and beyond.
More than 719,000 travelers have sailed with Grand Circle Cruise Line since its beginnings, including 216,000 solo travelers. This year, 40,000 people will travel with Grand Circle Cruise Line, including more than 13,000 solo travelers, who are attracted by Grand Circle's comprehensive solo-friendly programs, which include free or reduced Single Supplements, free Single Supplements on all pre-and post-trip extension options, a free roommate matching service, a complimentary online travel companion program, and best price and lowest price guarantees.
A record number of more than 128,000 travelers participated in Conde Nast Traveler's 28th annual Readers' Choice Awards, which ranks the best hotels, resorts, cities, islands, airlines, and cruise lines in the world. In the river ship category, readers rated their experiences based on the ships' activities/facilities, cabins, crew/service, design/layout, food/dining, itineraries/schedule, and shore excursions.
For more information about Grand Circle Cruise Line, please visit Grand Circle Cruise Line or view our video about the Grand Circle Cruise Line experience.
About Grand Circle Cruise Line
Established in 1998, Grand Circle Cruise Line offers 16 River Cruises throughout Europe, as well as 14 Small Ship Cruise Tours to destinations like Antarctica, Panama, Europe, the Dalmatian Coast, Greece and its islands, the Aegean, the Adriatic, and beyond. Grand Circle Cruise Line is a division of Grand Circle Corporation, which is also comprised of Overseas Adventure Travel (est. 1978) and Grand Circle Travel (est. 1958). Grand Circle has more than 40 offices worldwide and approximately 3,500 associates, guides, and crew serving more than 110,000 travelers per year. In 1992, Grand Circle owners Alan and Harriet Lewis established Grand Circle Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting communities in which Grand Circle works with and travels to, including some 300 humanitarian, cultural, and educational endeavors worldwide, including 100 schools in 50 countries. Grand Circle Foundation is an entity of the Lewis Family Foundation, which has pledged or donated more than $144 million since 1981.
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SOURCE Grand Circle Cruise Line
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