Best cruise lines revealed in World of Cruising's Wave Awards 2021

The cruise industry was feted for its achievements this evening at World of Cruising's glamorous Wave Awards 2021 held in central London.

The Wave Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in the cruise sector, recognising cruise lines, travel agents, tourist boards and ports.

As ever it was tough competition but it was only body per category who could take home the trophy... So who won?

Royal Caribbean International was named the Best Ocean Cruise Line while Regent Seven Seas Cruises took the crown for the Best Luxury Ocean Cruise Line.

As for river cruising, Avalon Waterways was dubbed the Best River Cruise Line, with Crystal River Cruises the Best Luxury River Cruise Line.

Best Expedition Cruise Line was revealed to be Hapag-Lloyd Cruises while Saga Cruises won Best for Solo Travellers as well as the Best Value for Money Cruise Line.

Royal Caribbean International also received a double win by triumphing in the Best Family Cruise Line category.

Best Premium Cruise Line was Cunard and Best Specialist Cruise Line was Hebridean Island Cruises.

Lastly, in the cruise line categories, MSC Cruises ship MSC Bellissima was crowned Best New Ship Launch.

- READ MORE: MSC Cruises reveals two ships will sail World Cruise 2023 -

As for onboard categories, Best for Entertainment went to Marella Cruises, Best for Cuisine was Oceania Cruises, Best for Accommodation was Norwegian Cruise Line, Best for Wellbeing/Spas was Seabourn, and Best for Enrichment was Holland America Line.

Also in the 2021 Wave Awards were Industry categories, Ports & Destinations and Passenger Favourites.

These are all the winners of this year's Wave Awards.

Cruise line categories

Best Ocean Cruise Line

WINNER - Royal Caribbean International

Finalists:

Cunard

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Holland America Line

Marella Cruises

MSC Cruises

Norwegian Cruise Line

P&O Cruises

Saga Cruises

Best Luxury Ocean Cruise Line

WINNER - Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Finalists:

Crystal Cruises

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Oceania Cruises

Seabourn

SeaDream Yacht Club

Star Clippers

Best River Cruise Line

WINNER - Avalon Waterways

Finalists:

A-Rosa River Cruises

Riviera Travel

Saga Cruises

Titan Travel

Best Luxury River Cruise Line

WINNER - Crystal River Cruises

Finalist:

AmaWaterways

Avalon Waterways

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

- READ MORE: How to pick the river cruise line that’s right for you -

Best Premium Cruise Line

WINNER: Cunard

Finalist:

Holland America Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Princess Cruises

Best Expedition Cruise Line

WINNER - Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Finalist:

G Adventures

Best for Solo Travellers

WINNER - Saga Cruises

Finalist:

Celestyal Cruises

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

G Adventures

Hebridean Island Cruises

Riviera Travel

Star Clippers

Best Family Cruise Line

WINNER - Royal Caribbean International

Finalists:

MSC Cruises

Best Specialist Cruise Line

WINNER: Hebridean Island Cruises

Finalists:

Azamara

Celestyal Cruises

Seabourn

Star Clippers

Best Value-for-Money Cruise Line

WINNER – Saga Cruises

Finalists:

Celestyal Cruises

Marella Cruises

Best New Ship Launch

WINNER - MSC Cruises - MSC Bellissima

Finalists:

Holland America Line – Nieuw Statendam

Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian Encore

Saga Cruises – Spirit of Discovery

Onboard categories

Best for Entertainment

WINNER - Marella Cruises

Finalist:

Norwegian Cruise Line

Best for Cuisine

WINNER - Oceania Cruises

Finalist:

Crystal Cruises

Saga

SeaDream Yacht Club

Seabourn

Best for Accommodation

WINNER - Norwegian Cruise Line

Finalist:

Avalon Waterways

Holland America Line

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Seabourn

- READ MORE: The ultimate family cruise guide -

Best for Wellbeing/Spas

WINNER – Seabourn

Finalists:

AmaWaterways

Best for Enrichment

WINNER - Holland America Line

Finalists:

Celestyal Cruises

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Saga Cruises

Ports & Destinations categories

Best Port

WINNER - Port of Southampton

Finalists:

Port of Dover

Port of Seattle

Best Destination

WINNER – Jamaica

Finalists:

Greece – Greek National Tourism Organisation

Seattle

- READ MORE: Best winter sun destinations right now -

Best Excursion or Excursion Programme

WINNER - Regent Seven Seas Cruises – Go Local and Small Group Tours

Finalists:

Intercruises Chasing Waterfalls from the Skies in Litchfield

Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services – Behind the Scenes at the Marine Mammal Centre

Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services – Argo Village – Sri Lanka

Industry categories

Best Online Agent

WINNER- Cruise118

Finalists:

Iglu.com

CruiseKings

Best Agent Consortia or Homeworking Agency

WINNER - Hays Travel

Finalists:

Advantage Travel Partnership

Best Retail Agent

WINNER - Barrhead Travel

Finalists:

Hays Travel

Kuoni Travel

Best Specialist Cruise Agent

WINNER – ROL Cruise

Finalists:

Cruise1st

Cruise2.com

CruiseKings

Iglu.com

Mundy Cruising

Passion For Cruises

Six Star Cruises

Best Advertising, PR or Marketing Campaign

WINNER: Accord Marketing & Celebrity Cruises

Finalists: Holland America Line

Marella Cruises

Titan Travel

- READ MORE: Princess Cruises launches new sustainable accessory -

Best Use of Technology

WINNER - Princess Cruises

Finalists:

Marella Cruises

Best Digital or Web-based Platform or Service

WINNER - Azamara

Finalists:

CruiseKings

Iglu.com

Best Environmental Initiative

WINNER - Solent Stevedores

Finalist:

Avalon Waterways

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Best Transfer Service

WINNER - Titan Travel

Finalists:

Saga Cruises

Travelsphere

Best Escorted & Specialist Tour Operator

WINNER - Riviera Travel

Finalists:

Azamara

Saga Cruises

Travelsphere

Best Brand Partnership

WINNER - Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and British Legion – D-Day 75 Voyage of Remembrance

Finalists:

Marella Cruises and Champneys Spa

MSC Cruises and Chelsea FC

Passenger Favourites

Favourite Cruise Travel Blogger

WINNER - Cruise with Ben & David

Finalists:

Anna Twitchin – The Cruise Blogger

Dave Monk – Shipmonk

Emma Le Teace – Emma Cruises

Gary Bembridge – Tips for Travellers

Favourite Cruise Destination

WINNER – Greece

Finalists:

Barbados

Iceland

Jamaica

Singapore

Favourite Cruise Travel Agent

WINNER - Fred. Olsen Travel and Fred.\ River Cruises

Finalists:

Abercrombie & Kent

Bolsover Cruise Club

Hays Travel

ROL Cruise

Favourite Luxury/Premium Cruise Line

WINNER – Cunard

Finalists:

Celebrity Cruises

Holland America Line

Princess Cruises

Silversea

- READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Cunard -

Favourite Specialist Cruise Line

WINNER - Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Finalists:

Celestyal Cruises

Saga Cruises

Favourite River Cruise Line

WINNER - Viking River Cruises

Finalists:

AmaWaterways

Crystal River Cruises

Emerald Cruises

Riviera Travel

Favourite Ocean Cruise Line

WINNER - Royal Caribbean International

Finalists:

Celebrity Cruises

Cunard

P&O Cruises

CTN BEST COMPANIES

WINNERS - AmaWaterways

Cosmos Tours

Mundy Cruising and The Cruise Portfolio

WTH UK

The Peter Grant Contribution to the Cruise Industry Award

WINNER: Lynn Narraway, UK & Ireland Managing Director, Holland America Line and Seabourn

Grand Prix Winner

Saga Cruises