The best and worst cruise lines of 2018 revealed: Oceania Cruises comes top of the ranking, with Norwegian anchored at the bottom

  • Consumer group Which? has published its annual report based on cruise passengers' experiences on board
  • The study looked at 13 cruise companies and rated them out of five stars across eight different categories 
  • Coming out on top with an 89% rating is Oceania after it gained five stars in many categories
  • The worst rated cruise line is Norwegian Cruise Line, which has a customer satisfaction score of just 60%  
The best and worst cruise liners of 2018 have been revealed in a new report and it seems that holidaymakers prefer smaller ships that have fewer passengers.
The annual research, by consumer group Which?, shows that having less crowded decks and more space in cabins is key to impressing customers. Norwegian Cruise Line didn't fare so well in this area, a poor passenger-to-space ratio helping to drag it to the bottom of the table.
The study looked at 13 cruise companies and asked passengers about their experiences in terms of customer service, cabin space, on-board facilities, entertainment and value for money. Scroll down to see the winners and losers.
BEST CRUISE LINES
Oceania, average price £294 per night, customer satisfaction 89 per cent
The MS Riviera, one of the ships in the fleet belonging to Oceania, which has been named the best cruise line in a new report

The MS Riviera, one of the ships in the fleet belonging to Oceania, which has been named the best cruise line in a new report
Oceania sails to destinations across the globe but on smaller ships carrying no more than 1,250 cruise-goers.
The company scored five stars out of five across many of the categories, including the crucial passenger-to-space rating.
Which? says many of the passenger praised the quality of the food available on board as well as the facilities such as the spa, fitness centres and sauna.
The only downside is the entertainment, for which the study only awarded three stars, but overall Which? says the experience justifies the high price tag.
Saga, average price £252 per night, customer satisfaction 85 per cent
The Sapphire ship belonging to Saga. Saga came second in the study and is praised for its value for money

The Sapphire ship belonging to Saga. Saga came second in the study and is praised for its value for money
A table showing the cruise companies ranked in order by the Which? study, which rated them out of five stars on various factors 
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A table showing the cruise companies ranked in order by the Which? study, which rated them out of five stars on various factors 
Coming in second in the Which? report is Saga, the cruise line that is exclusively for those over 50.
The liner scored full marks in several categories but while the report says it couldn't quite match the facilities on board the Oceania liners, it does offer great value for money, with on-board gratuities and wine included in the headline price.
Eighty-five per cent of passengers are very satisfied with their experience.
BEST LARGE CRUISE LINERS 
P&O, average price £163 per night, customer satisfaction 71 per cent
P&O is named the best cruise line of the larger carriers and is rated highly for on-board facilities and quality of the cabins
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P&O is named the best cruise line of the larger carriers and is rated highly for on-board facilities and quality of the cabins
Out of the large superliners, the highest rated is P&O, which is one of the most recognisable names on the report.
Which? found that P&O rates highly when it comes to the likes of on-board facilities, cabin quality and passenger-to-space ratio.
However, the report added that passengers 'grumbled' about the 'hard sell of add-ons' such as excursions and souvenirs.
Marella (formerly Thomson), average price £152 per night, customer satisfaction 68 per cent
Marella Cruises is named ninth out of the list of 13, with passengers failing to be impressed by the amount of space on board
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Marella Cruises is named ninth out of the list of 13, with passengers failing to be impressed by the amount of space on board
Coming ninth in the list of 13 is Marella Cruises, where each ship carries less than 2,000 passengers.
Despite rating highly for value, Marella is given lower scores by Which? when it comes to the passenger-to-space ratio. The report adds that passengers weren't wowed by the on-board facilities, either.
Which? said that middle-of-the-ground ratings for several key areas meant there might be better options available.
WORST RATED 
Norwegian Cruise Line, average price £175 per night, customer satisfaction 60 per cent
Coming in at the bottom of the table is Norwegian Cruise Line, pictured, which scores badly on passenger-to-space ratio

Coming in at the bottom of the table is Norwegian Cruise Line, pictured, which scores badly on passenger-to-space ratio
Coming in at the bottom of the table is Norwegian Cruise Line, which is described as a 'giant among cruise lines', with three of its 16 ships carrying more than 4,000 passengers.
Although Which? says its overall score of 60 per cent is by no means a disaster, it scores badly on passenger-to-space ratio, meaning there are often 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.'