Have your say in the 2026 Cruise Passenger Readers’ Choice Awards and win a $500 wine voucher

• Cruise Passenger’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 are now live.
• We’re asking you to vote – and help your fellow cruisers choose the right cruise.
• You can win a $500 wine voucher by spending a couple of minutes telling us what you think.

It’s time to step up to the ballot box and help us find Australia’s favourite cruise lines, ships and cruise experiences for 2026.

Voting is now open in the Cruise Passenger Readers’ Choice Awards, the most important annual survey of Australian cruisers. Everyone who completes the survey will go into the draw to win a $500 wine voucher – a nice way to toast your next holiday.

Last year, almost 5,000 Cruise Passenger readers voted, sharing their experiences of the lines they loved, the ships that surprised them and the crews who made their holidays memorable. Their collective verdict helped tens of thousands of fellow readers decide which cruise was right for them.

Cruising is changing rapidly. New ships are arriving, familiar favourites are being refurbished and more Australians are moving into premium, luxury, expedition and river cruising. At the same time, value, service and what is included in the fare have become more important than ever.

That is why we need your vote.

The 2025 Cruise Passenger Readers’ Choice Awards produced some fascinating results – and a few surprises.

Oceania Cruises took out the top honour of Best Cruise Line for the first time, praised by readers for its smaller ships, exceptional food, attentive service and destination-rich itineraries. It was also a sign of Australians’ growing appetite for upper-premium and luxury cruising.

Princess Cruises remained a powerful reader favourite, winning Best Premium Line and Best for Entertainment. Its combination of big-ship facilities, polished service, dining and Broadway-style productions continued to resonate with Australian cruisers.

At the luxury end of the market, Regent Seven Seas Cruises retained the title of Best Luxury Cruise Line. Its all-inclusive approach, spacious suites, fine dining and ambitious shore excursion program proved hard to beat.

Viking Ocean was named Best Upper Premium Line, while Royal Caribbean won Best Family Cruise Line. Norwegian Cruise Line took the contemporary category and Ponant was again judged Best Adventure Line. Scenic continued its strong run as Best Line for Yachts.

One of the biggest stories of last year’s awards came from the rivers.

AmaWaterways, then a relative newcomer to the Australian market under its own banner, was voted Best River Cruise Line. Uniworld reclaimed the crown for Best Luxury River Line, while APT’s innovative new sister ships, APT Solara and APT Ostara, became the first river vessels to win Most Innovative Ship.

The results showed that our readers are both loyal and adventurous. They reward cruise lines that deliver consistently, but they are equally prepared to recognise a newcomer or a new ship that raises the bar.

Now we want to know what has impressed you in 2026.

Which cruise line offered the warmest service? Which ship had the best food, accommodation or entertainment? Who delivered the best family holiday, luxury experience or expedition adventure? Which river cruise line deserves to lead the field? And which port made you wish you could stay for another day?

You do not need to be a cruise expert or to have sailed with every line. We simply want you to vote from your own experience. Your opinion is valuable precisely because you have paid the fare, packed the suitcase and stepped aboard.

The winners of the 2026 Cruise Passenger Readers’ Choice Awards will be revealed in the November edition of Cruise & Travel magazine, where we will celebrate the cruise lines, ships and people that our readers believe are setting the standard.

So please take a few minutes to cast your votes. You could win a $500 wine voucher – and, more importantly, help thousands of Australian travellers choose their next great cruise.

Vote now and make your cruising experience count. Vote here.