December 12, 2025, 9:44 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Since 2008, the World Travel Awards have included a category for “Europe’s Leading Cruise Line,” awarding a title for the best cruise line in Europe. Since the award’s inception, one name has consistently dominated: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), one of the world’s most renowned cruise companies. It’s a significant honor, though not everyone fully understands the reasoning behind it.
Norwegian Cruise Line Again Named Best Cruise Line in Europe
The World Travel Awards (WTA), founded in 1993 and sometimes referred to as the “Oscars of the travel industry,” are among the most prestigious accolades in the tourism sector. They honor exceptional achievements in various areas, from beach vacation destinations to resorts and cruise lines. In the category “Europe’s Leading Cruise Line,” there are traditionally few surprises.
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Since the introduction of the category Europe’s Leading Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has frequently appeared at the top of the publicly accessible winner lists of the World Travel Awards. In the early years, the cruise line won the title five times in a row, as noted in a press release from 2012. Later, NCL received the award for at least twelve consecutive years. In 2025, it once again prevailed against its notable competitors, including AIDA Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and more.
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As the name suggests, Norwegian Cruise Line was originally founded by two Norwegian shipping companies in 1966. Initially, the company operated ships under the Norwegian flag and used its Nordic image as a selling point for modern cruises. In the following decades, the cruise line expanded internationally, moved its headquarters to Miami, and became part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. The name was retained as it had become established worldwide. The World Travel Awards named Norwegian Cruise Line the best cruise line in “Europe” because the company operates in Europe–its origin is irrelevant.
The NCL fleet currently consists of 20 ships. Among them is the Norwegian Encore, added in 2024, featuring a 350-meter-long go-kart track as one of its highlights. In April of this year, the Norwegian Aqua, the first ship of the Prima Plus class, began operations. The Norwegian Luna is already announced as the next fleet member for 2026. The ships of the cruise line are characterized by their colorful hull designs.
Travelers Report Mixed Experiences
NCL promotes its “Freestyle Cruising” concept, which offers flexible dining times and a relaxed dress code. Reviews on platforms such as Reddit show that guests appreciate these diverse dining options. However, they also lead to criticism. For instance, the lack of reservations in the main restaurants can result in long wait times. There are also reports of general organizational weaknesses, unclear additional costs for excursions, and occasional deficiencies in the condition of the ships. On the positive side, the onboard entertainment offerings, including Broadway shows, and family-friendly activities like high ropes courses, water slides, and racetracks, are well-received.
The mixed reviews are noteworthy, as Norwegian Cruise Line is regularly awarded as “Europe’s Leading Cruise Line” despite some critical feedback. This further highlights the somewhat incomprehensible selection process of the World Travel Awards. Apparently, environmental and climate protection aspects have little influence on this. In this year’s NABU ranking of the best and worst cruise lines, Norwegian Cruise Line ranked only 11th out of 14.