The shortlist for The Wave Awards 2018 – the most prestigious awards event in the cruise industry – has been revealed.

The hotly anticipated line up features top cruise lines, agents and destinations who represent the best of the best of the industry.

Wave Awards chair and World of Cruising editor, Louise Robinson, said: “The Wave Awards celebrates excellence in the cruise industry both from a consumer and trade perspective. I’m proud to say we have been inundated with entries – up by 50 per cent on last year. The standard was so high our expert panel found it really hard to whittle each category down, but I’m extremely happy with our final shortlist. “

The winners will be announced at the awards, which will be held at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s Covent Garden on 1 March. Early booking for this event, which is widely regarded as the cruise industry’s biggest night, is strongly advised. To secure your table please visit thewaveawards.com or contact Claire Budd on 07841 758577.

The Wave Awards Shortlist 2018

Agent Categories

Best Cruise Online Travel Agent

• Bolsover Cruise Club
• Cruise Nation
• Iglu Cruise
• Planet Cruise

Best Cruise Travel Agent

• Barrhead Travel
• Bolsover Cruise Club
• Cruise Nation
• CruiseKings
• Forever Cruises
• Holiday Direction
• Iglu Cruise
• Kuoni
• Planet Cruise
• Ponders Cruise and Travel
• ROL Cruise
• Trailfinders
• World Travel Holdings UK

Individual Award for Best Cruise Agent

• Bolsover Cruise Club – Chloe Williams
• Bolsover Cruise Club – Poppy Outram
• Broadway Travel – Clare Illingworth
• Hays Travel – Ellie Barton
• Ponders Cruise and Travel – Lorraine Bainbridge
• Ponders Cruise and Travel – Millie Windeler
• ROL Cruise – Stacy Day
• World Travel Holdings UK (Cruise 118) – Ryan Creeney

Cruise Line Categories

Best Adventure/Expedition Cruise Line

• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• Ponant
• Silversea Expeditions

Best Family Cruise Line

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Marella Cruises
• MSC Cruises
• P&O Cruises
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Best for Solo Travellers

• Crystal Cruises
• Olsen Cruise Lines
• Hebridean Island Cruises
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
• Voyages to Antiquity

Best Luxury Cruise Line

• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• Hebridean Island Cruises
• Ponant
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Scenic
• Seabourn
• Silversea Cruises

Best Luxury River Cruise

• Avalon Waterways
• Crystal River Cruises
• Hebridean Island Cruises
• Scenic
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best New Ship Launch

• Cruise & Maritime Voyages
• Seabourn
• Silversea Cruises
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best Ocean Cruise Line

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
• Marella Cruises
• P&O Cruises
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
• Saga Cruises

Best Premium Cruise Line

• Holland America Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Princess Cruises

Best River Cruise Line

• Avalon Waterways
• Emerald Waterways
• Riviera Travel
• Saga Holidays
• Scenic
• Titan Travel
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
• Viking River Cruises

Best Specialist Cruise Line

• Azamara Club Cruises
• Silversea Expeditions
• Star Clippers
• Voyages to Antiquity

Best Value-for-money Cruise Line

• Celestyal Cruises
• Marella Cruises
• P&O Cruises
• Saga Cruises

Industry Categories

Best Advertising, PR or Marketing Campaign

• Barrhead Travel
• Cruise & Maritime Voyages
• Cunard
• Marella Cruises
• P&O Cruises
• Princess Cruises

Best Digital or Web-based Platform or Service

• Azamara Club Cruises
• Cruise Nation
• P&O Cruises
• ROL Cruise
• Silver Travel Advisor

Best Escorted & Specialist Tour Operator 

• Cosmos Tours & Cruises
• Riviera Travel
• Titan Travel
• Wendy Wu Tours

Best Transfer Service

• Avalon Waterways
• Ports Direct
• Saga Cruises
• Titan Travel

Best Use of Technology

• Intercruises
• Marella Cruises

On Board Categories

Best for Accommodation

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Saga Cruises
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best for Cuisine

• Crystal Cruises
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• Holland America Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Saga Cruises
• Seabourn
• SeaDream Yacht Club
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best for Enrichment

• Azamara Club Cruises
• Celestyal Cruises
• Cunard
• Emerald Waterways
• Holland America Line
• Saga Cruises
• Scenic
• Voyages to Antiquity

Best for Entertainment

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Marella Cruises
• P&O Cruises

Best for Wellbeing/Spas

• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Viking River Cruises

Ports & Destinations

Best Destination (Port or Country)

• Amsterdam
• Argentina
• Falkland Islands Tourist Board
• Seattle
• Singapore
• ABP Southampton

Best Excursion

• Intercruises – Taste the City with Locals (Barcelona)
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises – Seven Seas Wellness & Spa Pairings
• Tauck – Rendezvous on the Seine

Best UK & Ireland Departure Port

• ABP Southampton
• Dublin Port Company
• Port of Tyne

Judges included Rebecca Barnes, editor, Cruise Trade News and Cruise Destinations; Nicki White, director of destinations and sustainability, ABTA; Giles Hawke, CEO, Cosmos Tours & Cruises; Christopher Edgington, vice president, marketing, P&O Cruises; Sam Otter, director of marketing and PR, Celebrity Cruises UK and Ireland; Antonio Paradiso, MD, MSC Cruises UK and Ireland; Tony Roberts, vice president, Princess Cruises UK and Europe; Lucia Rowe, head of A-ROSA; Richard Tarrant, head of marketing, Voyages to Antiquity; Sally Winfield, CEO, Accord Marketing; Lisa McAuley, MD UK and Ireland, Silversea; Juliet Archer, MD, Blue Water Holidays; Claire Brighton, senior commercial manager, Advantage; David Ness, director of cruise, Trailfinders; Nick Wilkinson, general manager Northern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Norwegian Cruise Line.