The Best Cruise Lines of 2013 Announced

PENNINGTON, N.J., Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic® (http://www.cruisecritic.com), the world's largest cruise reviews site, has released its 2013 Editors' Picks Awards, naming the best cruise lines, ships and ports for 2013. Cruise lines are awarded in 18 categories, by Cruise Critic's international team of editors.

"Over the past year, our editors have covered every major ocean and river cruise line in the world -- around 75 cruise lines, representing more than 400 ships," explains Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. "Choosing the best out of that list is always a tough task; there are so many fantastic offerings available, and lines are constantly improving their products. Taking all of this into account, this list represents the ships and lines that we feel have gone above and beyond this year."

Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Cruise Line's New York-themed ship, was named Best New Ship, after debuting in April 2013. The ship was lauded for its state-of-the-art sports complex and variety of dining options -- including waterfront venues and celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian's new restaurant, Ocean Blue.

For the third year in a row, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line won Best Entertainment for its impressive entertainment options across its entire fleet – including Broadway performances like "Hairspray" and "Chicago," ice skating productions and aerial shows.

Disney Cruise Line won in two categories -- Best for Families and Best Shore Excursions -- for its creative programming for all ages, such as family archeological digs in Athens and cigar rolling in Nassau. Azamara Club Cruises won Best Value-for-Money for its inclusive offerings, and Oceania Cruises won Best Dining for the second consecutive year. Also winning in back-to-back years is Viking Cruises, which has been named the Best River Cruise Line for the past two years.

The winners of the 2013 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards include:

• Best New Ship: Norwegian Breakaway
• Best Ship Refurbishment: Carnival Sunshine
• Best for Luxury: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Best for Families: Disney Cruise Line
• Best Itineraries: Princess Cruises
• Best for Adventure: Lindblad Expeditions
• Best Value-for-Money: Azamara Club Cruises
• Best Dining: Oceania Cruises
• Best Entertainment: Royal Caribbean Cruise  Line
• Best Suites: Oceania Cruises
• Best Inside Cabins: Norwegian Cruise Line
• Best Standard Cabins: Celebrity Cruises
• Best Shore Excursions: Disney Cruise Line
• Best for Honeymoons: Windstar Cruises
• Best Cruise Ship Bar: Martini Bar, Celebrity Cruises
• Best North American Homeport: Vancouver
• Best New River Ship: AmaPrima, AmaWaterways
• Best River Cruise Line: Viking Cruises

For the full list of the 2013 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards, and information on why each winner was chosen, visit http://www.cruisecritic.com/editors-picks/.

About Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 100,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travelers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers. Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet, launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 20 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com,  www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 260 million unique monthly visitors*, and more than 100 million reviews and opinions covering more than 2.7 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions.

*Source: Google Analytics, worldwide data, July 2013

Cruise Critic and The Independent Traveler are either trademarks or registered trademarks of The Independent Traveler, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 2013 The Independent Traveler, Inc. All rights reserved.

Media Contact:

Aubrey Manzo, Cruise Critic
[email protected]  
609-730-9155 ext. 274

SOURCE Cruise Critic

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