Consumer satisfaction group Which? has revealed the best and worst cruise lines of 2018. Oceania topped the rankings, scoring well on almost all categories, while Norwegian Cruise Lines came last – ranking poorly on passenger-to-space ratio and port excursions.

The annual report, based on passengers’ feedback of on-board experiences, looked at 13 cruise companies. Categories included: value for money, port excursions, entertainment, cabins food and drink, facilities, entertainment, space on deck and whether reality met description.

Oceania received an 89 per cent rating, after gaining five stars in most categories – its average cruise prices are around £283 per night. It rated well around quality of food and facilities such as spas and saunas – the only downside was entertainment. Which? said, overall, the experience itself justifies the higher price tag. Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line gained a customer satisfaction score of just 60 per cent. The average price of a cruise here is around £175 a night.

Second in the rankings was Saga, with an average price of £252 per night and a satisfaction rating of 85 per cent. The cruise line exclusively for those over 50, ranked well on most categories, though the report said its on-board facilities could not match Oceania’s. It did particularly well on food and drink; customers liked on-board gratuities and wine which was included in the headline price, therefore offering good value for money.

Fred. Olsen which came forth in the rankings, has cruises for under £200 a night. It received 76 per cent in customer satisfaction, especially around customer services and guests to space ratio.

Justin Stanton, sales and marketing director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “This is excellent result for us, particularly when comparing the average price per night we charge: it is an important confirmation of the quality of service and value for money we provide.”

The best large cruise liner went to P&O, with average prices per night of around £163. Customer satisfaction here was 71 per cent. It ranked well on on-board facilities, cabin quality and passenger-to-space ratio, though passengers ‘grumbled’ about the ‘hard sell of add-ons’ such as excursions and souvenirs.

Coming ninth in the list of 13, was Marella Cruises, where each ship carries less than 2,000 passengers. Marella charges an average of £152 per night, with customer satisfaction hovering around a healthy 68 per cent. It did well on passenger-to-space ratio, though Which? says passengers were not wowed by the on-board facilities.

Norwegian Cruise Line, average price £175 per night, customer satisfaction 60 per cent. It is described as a ‘giant among cruise lines’, with three of its 16 ships carrying more than 4,000 passengers. It scored badly on passenger-to-space ratio, which translated in queues for restaurants, bars and entertainment. The report said: ‘Although there’s praise for its “freestyle dining”, meaning there are no fixed times or pre-assigned seating, it gets just three stars for passenger-to-space ratio.’

Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said: ‘Want to have a fantastic cruise? Book aboard a smaller ship is the simple advice. Whether you want to go big brand or budget, small name or luxury, passengers who sailed on ships with a capacity of under 2,000 told us they had a better time than those on larger vessels.’

Results 

Oceania Cruises Saga *(89%)

Saga Ocean Cruises (85%)

Hurtigruten (77%)

Fred. Olsen Cruises (76%)

Cunard (75%)

Celebrity Cruises (74%)

Royal Caribbean (72%)

P&O Cruises (71%)

Marella Cruises (68%)

Holland America (65%)

Princess Cruises (64%)

Cruise and Maritime (63%)

Norwegian Cruise Line (60%)

*(overall customer services ranking)