Cruise Critic Awards Explained

Reading Review-Based Awards Sensibly

• Review scores are an average of the people who chose to write a review; small and specialist ships may have fewer reviews.
• Categories by ship size compare like with like; a small-ship win is not a win over the largest ships.
• Ratings move year to year as ships are refurbished, renamed or redeployed.
• Look at the year: awards based on a previous year’s reviews describe that year.

Using Cruise Critic Results With Clients

Review-based awards are a good way to reassure a client already leaning toward a ship. They are less useful for comparing two very different products — a family mega-ship and a small luxury ship will both have happy reviewers. Combine an award with your own knowledge of the ship, a look at the deck plans and the client’s priorities.

Clients who like to read reviews will also find Mister Cruise’s own write-ups at Mister Cruise, and answers to common questions at Ask the Cruise Expert.

Cruise Critic Awards and the Trade

Cruise lines quote Cruise Critic results heavily in their marketing to agents and to the public, so you will see them in supplier emails, on agent portals and in brochures. Treat those mentions as leads, not facts: check the award on Cruise Critic’s own pages, note whether it came from reviewers or editors, and look at the category. A line can win an editors’ award for one ship while another of its ships scores differently with reviewers.

Review-based results also give you language clients understand. “Travelers rate its service highly” is a claim a client can test for themselves by reading reviews, which makes it more persuasive than a trophy they have never heard of.

Finally, remember the date range. An award announced late in a year usually reflects reviews or judging from that year, while the client is booking a sailing one or two years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions