THE 2026 ‘BEST AT SEA’ AWARDS

PRESENTED BY CHURCHILL & TUREN LTD.

THE NATION’S MOST RESPECTED LUXURY CRUISE AND WORLDWIDE TOUR ADVISORS

WWW.CRUISETRUTH.COM

We take pleasure in presenting our 2026 ‘BEST AT SEA AWARDS’ in the “4-5-Star Inclusive Category”. These ratings are based on evaluations from the most respected industry and consumer media sources, our own personal Churchill & Turen Ltd. ship evaluations, and written evaluation reports from more than 1500 upscale cruise “evaluators,” each of whom has sailed multiple lines. The opinions or comments of unknown or uncertified website visitors are not used in any of our evaluations. Our ratings are not reader-generated opinion polls. We believe that they represent the best synthesis of professional industry evaluations and reports from a carefully selected roster of discerning worldwide travelers with significant five-star cruise experience. We receive no compensation of any kind for our Annual Rankings. We devote hundreds of hours of research to identifying the Top Tier Lines because we believe the industry has created an environment where consumers are constantly bombarded with misinformation about the relative merits of various cruise products.

MANAGING EDITOR – RICHARD BRUCE TUREN 630-717-7777 – documents@traveltruth.com

Our Traveltruth Media Group Includes:

www.traveltruth.com
www.cruisetruth.com
www.riverboatratings.com
www.richardturen.com
www.traveltruthratings.com (under construction)

Note: These Industry Awards are unique in that we accept no advertising, no promotional funding, and no complimentary Travel. Every attempt is made to present the consumer with the most unbiased evaluations currently available. Our Awards are updated annually. These are not so-called “reader polls” which tend to reflect the highest ratings for ships a majority of publication readers have sailed. We do not use reviews that are “PAYBACK” for complimentary trips for professional travel writers. We certainly do not use social media postings by self-identified travel influencers. We do utilize serious industry research as well as personal reports filed by a large team of Certified CSI (Cruise Ship Inspectors) who are experienced in sailing four and five-star vessels over many years. We train them, and they travel undercover, at full fare, filing inspection reports that meet our exacting standards. We personally train all Inspectors.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST FIVE-STAR EXPERIENCE AT SEA

# 1 – RITZ CARLTON YACHTS

# 2 – HAPAG-LLOYD EUROPE CLASS

THE BEST OVERALL DINING AT SEA FOR FOODIES

# 1 – HAPAG-LLOYD

# 2 – RITZ-CARLTON YACHTS

THE BEST SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS AT SEA

# 1 – RITZ -CARLTON YACHTS

# 2 – SILVERSEA CRUISES

THE MOST ACTUALLY ENTERTAINING ENTERTAINMENT AT SEA – 4-5 STAR LINES

# 1 – CRYSTAL CRUISES

# 2 – DISNEY CRUISE LINE

THE WARMEST/MOST SINCERELY FRIENDLY CREW

# 1 – CRYSTAL CRUISES

# 2 – RITZ-CARLTON YACHTS

THE BEST ON-BOARD ‘MAKE IT HAPPEN’ CONCIERGE SERVICE

# 1 – CRYSTAL CRUISES

# 2 – RITZ-CARLTON YACHTS

THE BEST STANDARD (MINIMUM VERANDA STATEROOMS)

# 1 – REGENT SEVEN SEAS

# 2 – SEABOURN

THE BEST ‘OVER THE TOP” SUITES

# 1 – REGENT SEVEN SEAS

# 2 – RITZ CARLTON YACHTS

THE BEST ONBOARD LECTURE PROGRAM LUXURY CATEGORY

# 1 – CRYSTAL CRUISES

# 2 – VIKING CRUISES

THE BEST DESTINATION-RELEVANT ONBOARD LECTURE PROGRAM EXPEDITION CATEGORY

# 1 – LINDBLAD/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS

# 2 – SILVERSEA EXPEDITION

THE MOST CREATIVE WORLDWIDE ITINERARY PLANNING

# 1 – SEABOURN CRUISES

# 2 – OCEANIA CRUISES

THE MOST TRULY INCLUSIVE OF THE LUXURY LINES

# 1 – REGENT SEVEN SEAS

# 2 – SILVERSEA CRUISES

THE BEST CONTEMPORARY 4-STAR + EXPERIENCE AT SEA

# 1 – OCEANIA CRUISES

# 2 – VIKING CRUISES

THE BEST FIVE-STAR LINE UNDER THE MEDIA RADAR

# 1 – SCENIC ECLIPSE EXPEDITIONS

# 2 – CRYSTAL (New A&K Version)

THE BEST OVERALL AIR/SEA PROGRAM (This Award Comes with “Reservations”)

# 1 – REGENT SEVEN SEAS

# 2 – SILVERSEA CRUISES

THE CRUISE YOU WANT WHEN YOUR OWN YACHT IS TIED UP

# 1 – SEA DREAM YACHT CLUB

# 2 – RITZ CARLTON YACHTS

THE BEST ITINERARIES AT SEA FOR THOSE SEEKING ISLAND PARADISE LOCALES

# 1 – PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES

# 2 – SEA DREAM YACHT CLUB

THE MOST SOPHISTICATED SHIPS AT SEA

# 1 – SILVERSEA CRUISES

# 2- SEABOURN CRUISES

THE BEST COMBINED SMALL SHIP CRUISE AND LAND JOURNEYS

# 1 – SCENIC ECLIPSE LUXURY YACHTS

# 2 – PONANT – ABERCROMBIE & KENT

THE BEST OVERALL VALUE IN THE FOUR-STAR PREMIUM CATEGORY

# 1 – OCEANIA CRUISES

# 2 – VIKING CRUISES

THE BEST VALUE IN THE SMALL YACHT (UNDER 300 GUESTS) CATEGORY

# 1 – EMERALD YACHTS

# 2 – SEA DREAM YACHTS

THE BEST OVERALL VALUE IN THE FIVE-STAR CATEGORY

# 1 – REGENT SEVEN SEAS

# 2 – SEA DREAM YACHT CLUB

Churchill & Turen Ltd. has been named recipients of the prestigious Cruise Icon Award representing the top 1% of Cruise Advisers in the $34 Billion Worldwide Virtuoso Consortium