Grand Circle Cruise Lines has been named the #4 Small-Ship Ocean Cruise Line in the 2019 World’s Best Awards from Travel + Leisure magazine. Each year, Travel + Leisure asks its readers to rate cruise ship experiences based on cabins and facilities, food, service, itineraries and destinations, excursions and activities, and value. For the small-ship ocean cruise line category, readers selected their Top 10 vessels carrying up to 249 passengers.
Travel + Leisure described the winners by saying, “The best small-ship ocean cruises epitomize a different way to travel — one that allows for more access to remote destinations, more peace and quiet, and more engagement with the experience of being on the water.” These are the hallmarks of GCCL’s Small Ships from the Aegean Sea to the Panama Canal. As Travel + Leisure also noted, “Small ships really excel at expedition-type cruises — sailing to lesser-traveled locations without major cruise infrastructure and remote ports not accessible by larger vessels. Many of the winners this year specialize in adventure destinations” such as Antarctica, where Grand Circle has long been a leader in Small Ship cruising.
We’re extremely gratified that the readers of Travel + Leisure have recognized our distinction by giving us such high marks, with a score of 96.6. This honor is part of an award-winning tradition for Grand Circle Cruise lines, which has been named to the Top 10 World’s Best River Cruise Lines in Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for seven years in a row. Grand Circle Cruise Lines was also a Cruise Critic Editor’s Pick for Best Enrichment Activities and earned a spot on the USA Today Top 10 Best River Cruises list as voted by its readers. In a letter to associates, Chairman Alan E. Lewis praised their hard work and their ongoing commitment to Small Ships, which helps to fulfill our mission to be the leader in worldwide learning and discovery while bringing travel dreams to life.
