When you embark on a cruise, you expect top-of-the-line service—from breakfast in bed to poolside piña coladas. And obviously, you'll want incredible accommodations and activities, to boot. But with hundreds of cruise lines to choose from, it can be daunting to know which will be best for all your vacation needs. Or, perhaps more importantly, which lines you should never, ever book.
Luckily, in January 2019, consumer group Which? released their annual report of the 20 best and worst cruise lines. To make their list, the group asked more than 2,500 passengers to rate their cruise experiences on a scale of one to five across 11 categories. Those categories included customer service, cabin space, onboard facilities, food and drink, port excursions, entertainment, atmosphere, WiFi, and value for money.
According to the comprehensive report, the Swiss-based MSC Cruises landed at the bottom of the list, scoring an overall customer satisfaction score of 54 percent. MSC Cruises scored twos across the board, except for cabins and value for money, where it scored three out of five. MSC's customers described the cruise line's drinks packages as "confusing" and said they were constantly "bombarded with sales promotions" while on board.
The Scandinavian line Viking Ocean Cruises was named the best cruise line in the world and earned an impressive customer satisfaction score of 88 percent. Viking was followed by Saga (87 percent), Noble Caledonia (86 percent), Hurtigruten (85 percent), and Azamara (84 percent). The consumer group says that proves the continued popularity of small-ship cruise lines over traditional mega-ships.
The lowest-ranking cruises included MSC (54 percent), followed by Norwegian Cruise Line (66 percent), Royal Caribbean (68 percent), Cruise and Maritime (69 percent), and Princess Cruises (70 percent).
MSC responded to the ranking with the following statement: "MSC Cruises is dedicated to ensuring that every guest who travels with us has a memorable experience for all the right reasons. As such, we were disappointed that some of the guests surveyed by Which? were not completely satisfied with every aspect of their stay with us."
"In the past 12 months we have won more than 10 awards in the UK and Ireland recognizing the excellence of our product," they continued. "All these the accolades were voted by local consumers and trade partners from this market. Considering the significant investments we made in innovative hardware and tailoring our product for the UK market, MSC Cruises offers great value for money. That is also the feedback we consistently receive."
Obviously, selecting a cruise line is highly personal. Before you book your trip, research your cruise line to make sure the activities, dining options, and other accommodations align with what you and your travel companions expect from the trip. And if you want to learn even more about these incredible cities at sea, check out the 27 Amazing Facts You Never Knew About Cruise Ships.
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