Explorer Fridtjof Nansen had a novel way of traversing the Arctic: he simply stranded his ship on the ice and let it drift for three years. The HX ship named after him is, thankfully, a little more nimble on its voyages – you gave the Norwegian cruise line top marks for crew and service. Other expedition high scorers include Ponant for its itineraries, Seabourn for its cabins and Silversea for its onboard experts.
When it came to large ships, you rated Cunard for entertainment; and small ships, you applauded Regent’s food and excursions, and SeaDream Yacht Club’s all-hands-on-deck service. In the river category, the elegantly minimal cabins of Oberoi’s Nile-sailing fleet helped propel it into the top five. These are the best cruise lines in the world, according to the 2024 Readers' Choice Awards .
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