Cruise passengers and industry professionals have only a short time remaining to vote in the World Cruise Awards 2026, with the ballot due to close on 21 August.
The sixth annual awards programme covers cruise lines, individual ships, destinations, terminals, river cruising and travel agencies. Voting opened on 13 July, following the announcement of the nominees earlier that month.
The nominee receiving the most votes in each category will be declared the winner, according to the awards organisers. The results will be celebrated during a gala ceremony at Princess Grand Jamaica on 14 October 2026.
Global ship awards
The worldwide categories allow voters to compare individual vessels according to their size and onboard strengths. Ships are nominated for areas including dining, entertainment, activities, families, technology, romance and suites.
The Best Large Cruise Ship contest includes:
- AIDAnova
- Carnival Jubilee
- Costa Toscana
- Icon of the Seas
- MSC Euribia
- MSC World Europa
- Utopia of the Seas
- Wonder of the Seas
The category is defined by the organisers as covering ships carrying more than 2,500 passengers. Separate awards recognise small ships carrying fewer than 1,500 passengers and midsize vessels accommodating between 1,500 and 2,499 passengers.
Dining and entertainment at sea
Eight ships are competing for World's Best Cruise Ship for Dining:
- Carnival Horizon
- Celebrity Edge
- EXPLORA II
- Oasis of the Seas
- Oceania Allura
- Seven Seas Grandeur
- Sun Princess
- Valiant Lady
Sun Princess won the dining category in both 2024 and 2025 and is seeking a third consecutive victory.
The entertainment shortlist features Carnival Breeze, Disney Magic, MSC Bellissima, MSC Meraviglia, Nieuw Statendam, Norwegian Encore, Queen Mary 2, Sun Princess and Utopia of the Seas.
Europe's cruise lines compete
Ten familiar companies are nominated for Europe's Best Cruise Line:
- Celebrity Cruises
- Holland America Line
- MSC Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Oceania Cruises
- P&O Cruises
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Royal Caribbean International
- Silversea
- Viking Ocean Cruises
The regional structure means cruise lines can also compete in areas including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and Oceania.
Southampton and Portsmouth among UK nominees
Visit Southampton is nominated for Europe's Best Cruise Destination alongside Athens, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Lisbon, Madeira, Monte Carlo, Nice, Oslo and Rome.
Portsmouth International Port appears on the shortlist for Europe's Best Cruise Terminal. Its competitors include terminals serving Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Amsterdam, Limassol, Lisbon, Málaga, Kiel, Monaco, Oslo, Rostock-Warnemünde, Valletta and Reykjavík.
The nominations give the two south-coast locations recognition in different fields: Southampton as a destination and Portsmouth for its passenger-terminal operation.
Expedition and boutique cruising
The global expedition category contains 15 operators, including Aurora Expeditions, Hurtigruten, Lindblad Expeditions, Oceanwide Expeditions, PONANT, Quark Expeditions, Scenic and Seabourn.
Smaller-scale cruising is represented by the Best Boutique Cruise Line award. Its nominees include Azamara, Sea Cloud Cruises, Star Clippers, PONANT, Viking Ocean Cruises and Windstar Cruises, alongside several smaller operators.
How to vote
Votes can be cast through the World Cruise Awards website. Voters must create an account and verify their email address before logging in to make their selections.
Voting closes on 21 August 2026. The organisers list nominees alphabetically, and Deck7 has no involvement in the awards or voting process.
View the complete 2026 nominee list and voting categories.