2012 World’s Five Best Large Cruise Ships

According to a poll conducted by Condé Nast Traveler, a premier travel magazine with vacation ideas, destination information and travel tips, the following are voted as the world’s 5 best large cruise ships in random order.

  

Here is the list of the world’s five best large cruise ships of 2012 according to the votes of Condé Nast Traveler travel magazine readers. Disney Cruise Line and Celebrity share the top 5 positions with three cruisers from Disney and two from Celebrity.

Celebrity Eclipse of Celebrity

Celebrity Eclipse is Celebrity’s third stylish Solstice class which debuted in April 2010 at Southampton, England. She also has what her other sisters brag, such as the Lawn Club which houses the first half-acre grass patch at sea, “molecular gastronomy” cocktails bar and a glassblowing show. Eclipse has an Apple store where passengers can shop and an innovative cybercafe iLounge wherein anyone can take digital photography and web design classes. The cruiser launched Qsine, a restaurant that is interactive having iPad wine lists, crab dip that cooks at tables on hot lava rocks, decorate-your-own cupcakes and sushis in lollipops.

Celebrity Equinox of Celebrity

Second of the Celebrity Line’s top Solstice-class ships, Celebrity Equinox’s most amazing feature is its half-acre lawn on the top deck which is covered with real grass for passengers to have picnics on, play croquet or bocce or simply lounge. Celebrity Equinox’ homeport port is Fort Lauderdale for Caribbean winter cruises, from Mexico to Barbados. It also has Rome as its home port in summer for its Mediterranean sailings. Its two repositioning transatlantic cruises that take 14 nights link the two cities in April and November. These 14 night cruises are good options if you want to experience the ship’s all ten onboard dining halls. Three of them – Italian, Asian and Continental cuisines promise extra special food and service at extra fees. The main dining room is a spectacular draw – white, glittering and with a two-storey wine rack at the center. A Mediterranean restaurant is available only to passengers who occupy spa-class cabins, that also include access to saunas and steam rooms for free.

Disney Dream of Disney Cruise Line

It’s Disney Cruise Line again continuously setting the bar high with its Disney Dream. Disney Dream blends fantasy and technology to create new features like the first aquatic roller coaster and AquaDuck, a big upgrade to water slides at the top-deck. The cruiser’s interior cabins are fit with “magical” portholes showing live feeds; “enchanted” paintings line the hallways which are screens of LCD that show videos of animated characters. There are plenty treats for parents too – adults-only pool and Remy, a French restaurant that is Ratatouille-themed.

Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line

Disney Magic from Disney Cruise Line is a 2,700-passenger capacity cruiser which debuted in 1998. Its emphasis, of course is family fun and entertainment. Not surprisingly for Disney. It has a nursery named Little Mermaid for the young ones, a 24-hour teens-only Vibe with “Central Perk” decor having video games and flat screen TVs. Passengers can also take time to lax at the four adults-only lounges that include roadhouse-inspired Rockin’Bar D as well as the mellower Sessions piano bar. Itineraries of Disney Magic are mostly in the Mediterranean in the summer and Caribbean in the winter, including some calls at Castaway Cay, private island of Disney in the Bahamas.

Disney Wonder of Disney Cruise Line

Disney Wonder is one of the first two ships of Disney Cruise Line. It debuted in 1999, 12 months after Disney Magic debuted in 1998. Wonder celebrates Disney characters as well as their respective artists. Tinkerbell is Disney Wonder’s godmother and like the other Disney shops, has Animator’s Palate restaurants which interiors are beautified with drawings of characters and highlight the walls and columns at unfeasible fun-house angles. A show which stars cast members in costumes is the dinner’s highlight though others who do not want to join all the family fun can go to adults-only Palo for Italian, or Remy for French. Disney Wonder cruises Alaska in the summer since 2011. She also sails in the coasts of the Bahamas and along Mexican Riviera in fall and winter.