The cruising industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite more cancellations in recent news, we're hoping for a comeback in the near future. After all, more than 26 million passengers set sail in 2018 - a 3 percent year-over-year increase from previous years - so who's to say those numbers can't eventually return?
Carrying thousands of passengers on ships that are five times bigger than the Titanic, cruise lines have amped up the bells and whistles to convince travelers to ride the seas with them. From Broadway-worthy shows, to celebrity-inspired menus, to gigantic water parks and thrill rides, cruises can be an amazing vacation. However, with more than 300 cruise ships, not all of them can be winners.
Here, we take a look at some of the worst cruise ships to take. See which of the ships you should skip - and which to sail instead.
Royal Caribbean is actually a fabulous cruise line with many top-rate amenities, cabins and excursions. If you pick the right ship.
With 27 ships, there are bound to be a few that slip through the cracks, and for RCCL, one of those is Ovation of the Seas.
Reviewers are not impressed with the ship's cramped dining spaces and pool, average-at-best food and, as one reviewer puts it, "SO MANY GIMMICKS" - including robot bartenders that don't add much to the experience.
The one bright spot? The ship's size, which several reviewers note is, at the least, impressive. (Its maximum occupancy is nearly 5,000 passengers.)
*Note: Reviews and ratings come from leading cruise-review website CruiseCritic.com.
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
Royal Caribbean's other stinker is also part of its Quantum Class. When the ship was built in 2014, it was Royal Caribbean's largest ship. And at the time it launched, CruiseCritic loved it, giving it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
As the years have passed, though, the aging ship has been surpassed by even larger ships by Royal Caribbean, which means it was sent to China and no longer services the Caribbean market. And passengers have noticed.
Reviewers repeatedly express that the ship is intended for a Chinese audience, "with little or no consideration for the nearly 40 percent non-Chinese."
Other complaints? Cold food and long wait times to board.
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say: