With all results from the annual Cruise Hive Awards now counted, readers have declared the winners in seven key categories. Voting got under way in October and clsoed on December 22, 2024. So, let’s take a look at the huge winners to wrap things up!
Best Overall Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
With its fleet of 27 ships sailing global itineraries, Carnival Cruise Line received 32% of the total vote in a category that allowed readers to nominate any line they wished, rather than select from a list.
The cruise line offers a wide range of ship sizes that appeal to all types of cruisers, from smaller Fantasy-class vessels to the Excel-class mega-ships. With several more ships on order, the cruise line, founded in 1972, appears destined to continue on its growth-track.
Competitor Royal Caribbean came in second place in the category, with 20% of the total vote.
Best Overall Cruise Ship of 2024: Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Cruises’ 3,260-guest Celebrity Beyond, the third in the cruise line’s popular Edge class, received the most votes in the Best Overall Cruise Ship category.
She is the cruise line’s second-newest ship, behind Celebrity Ascent, and is sailing Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale. Celebrity Beyond introduced an expanded sundeck in The Retreat area, and offers the popular Magic Carpet dining and lounge space.
With six stateroom and 13 suite categories, and 32 dining and lounge venues, the ship caters mostly to an adult demographic, although she does offer structured activities for children.
Cruisers can embark on 10- and 11-night Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises from Fort Lauderdale through May 2025. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas came in second place, and Holland America Line’s Rotterdam came in third.
Best New Ship of 2024: Icon of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas launched in January of 2024 and was voted the Best New Cruise Ship of the year by nearly 35% of Cruise Hive voters. At 248,663-gross tons, 1,196 feet long, and with capacity for 7,600 guests with all berths occupied, she is the largest cruise ship operating today.
Cruise enthusiasts showed their appreciation for the mega-ship before it even launched, voting her the Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship for 2024 in the 2023 Cruise Hive Awards.
Designed with the family market in mind, Icon of the Seas has a series of neighborhoods, more than two-dozen stateroom categories, including family suites, and multiple thrill rides for adventurers of all ages. Based at PortMiami year-round, the ship sails 7-night Caribbean voyages.
Another giant Royal Caribbean ship, Utopia of the Seas, came in second place, and Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess came in third.
Best Cruise Ship Feature: Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT Roller Coaster
For the fourth year in a row, Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster took the top position as the Best Cruise Ship Feature.
The two-passenger, motorcycle-style, electric coaster zips along an 800-foot track above the ship’s Deck 19 and twists and turns around the whale-tale funnel. The high-speed thrill ride received 34% of votes in the category.
All three of the line’s Excel-class ships, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee offer the exciting roller coaster ride.
With the second highest number of votes came Royal Caribbean’s FlowRider surf simulator, and in third came Norwegian Cruise Line’s Speedway Go-Kart track.
Best Cruise Line Private Island: Perfect Day at CocoCay
Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay has, for the fourth consecutive year, been named the industry’s Best Cruise Line Private Island.
Located in the Bahamas archipelago, Perfect Day received 32% of the votes, with second runner-up Half Moon Cay a dozen points behind, with 19%.
Perfect Day was voted tops out of nine private island destinations, including the just-opened Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Bahamas.
Perfect Day, which was upgraded in 2019 to the tune of $250 million, offers fun-filled activities to guests. In early 2024 it introduced Hideaway Beach, an adult-only retreat area.
Best Cruise Homeport of 2024: Port Canaveral
With 35% of the vote, Central Florida’s Port Canaveral was honored as the top US cruise homeport. It is the fifth time the port has been recognized as such, having also won the title in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The category is not offered every year, but even so, the port’s record of success is a stand-out.
Considered the port for Orlando, Port Canaveral can offer homeporting and visiting ships the option to provide shore excursions to the major theme parks in Orlando, just an hour’s drive away.
Cruise lines currently homeporting ships there include Disney Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, and Princess Cruises.
PortMiami, the busiest cruise port in the world, came in second place, and the nearby Port Everglades came in third.
Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship for 2025: Star of the Seas
Looking ahead as the new year dawns, Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas was chosen as the Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship of 2025, with nearly 30% of total votes.
Under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Star of the Seas is due to enter service in late August 2025. Like her sister ship Icon of the Seas, now the largest cruise ship sailing, Star of the Seas will weigh in at 248,663 gross tons and have a guest capacity of 5,610 at double occupancy.
Read Also: Royal Caribbean vs. Carnival Cruise Line: Which One Does it Better?
Star of the Seas will offer eight neighborhoods, including the popular AquaDome entertainment and dining area, and Surfside, designed for family fun with multiple pools, a carousel, an arcade, and several food outlets. The new ship will homeport at Port Canaveral, Florida, and offer 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
The upcoming new Norwegian Aqua came in second and the Star Princess came in third place.
