Best cruises named in escape’s Readers’ Choice Cruise Awards
Once the domain of retirees, cruising has found a younger fan base who are skipping the buffets and heading to the on-board bars instead.
From heated waterbeds, hydrotherapy pools, sensory showers and steam rooms to hip bars complete with craft cocktails and beer on tap – cruising has well and truly shed its reputation as only for retirees.
The Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) State of the Cruise Industry 2024 report released earlier this year found more than a third (36 per cent) of cruisers were aged under 40, and 81 per cent of cruise travellers aged 29 to 44 were planning to cruise again.
According to the CLIA’s Australian Managing Director Joel Katz, the number of Australians embarking on cruise holidays is close to record levels.
“Forecasts show more than 37 million people from around the world will take a cruise this year, and we expect well over a million of those will be Aussies,” Mr Katz said.
Australia’s number one travel brand escape.com.au asked their 3.3 million readers which cruise lines they think are the best in their inaugural Readers’ Choice Cruise Awards.
“Cruising is such a popular topic with our audience …[and] Escape is the authority on travel in Australia – we’ve got an enormous, curious, well-travelled and vocal audience,” Escape’s Editorial Director Kerrie McCallum said.
The Awards featured 18 categories including best food and drinks, best shore excursions, best suites and design and best expedition cruise line. And after weeks of voting – the winners are in.
For the best on-board experiences, readers voted on the best on-board activities, the best entertainment, the best for pool and sun time and the best in health and wellness.
And the winner was unanimous: Princess. The Love Boat triumphs, and outshines the rest on sea days.
“Princess strikes the perfect balance between comfort, service, and seamless technology. With stylish ships, well-crafted itineraries, and entertainment that actually impresses, they make holidays feel effortless – exactly how they should be,” Escape’s Digital Director John Hannan, who recently sailed with Princess said.
Escapes Deals Editor Mercedes Maguire also recently sailed with Princess and particularly enjoyed the spa experience.
“My favourite part of the Lotus Spa was The Enclave,” Maguire said.
“It has a pool-sized hydrotherapy pool, sensory showers, various steam rooms, hot tile beds and, the best bit, heated waterbeds”.
It’s not just the on-board experiences that got our reader’s votes – with Royal Caribbean named best in food and restaurants.
Locally based Royal Caribbean ships Ovation and Spectrum of the Seas offer everything from unexpected flavour combinations at Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine to sustainably sourced seafood at Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver.
World Fresh Marketplace on Princess took out readers’ choice for best buffet, thanks to its diverse food stations ranging from Mongolian barbecue and tapas to Asian stir fry and panini stations.
Princess took out top place for best bars, with Discovery Princess, Crown Princess, and Grand Princess sailing in Australian waters in the upcoming 2025/26 season offering bars such as Good Spirits at Sea where fresh local ingredients are used in craft cocktails to tap beer at the comfy Salty Dog Gastropub.
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“The best bar for me would go to Celebrity Edge’s Martini Bar. Obviously they make a great martini (plus they stock Australian brand Four Pillars) but it’s such an energetic and fun place that is the heart of the ship,” McCallum said.
“And if you’re dancing at a silent disco there, combined with the theatrics of the bartenders, it makes for a great time”.
For the full list of winners go to www.escape.com.au
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