Reader's Choice Top Ten Cruise Lines, Andrew Harper

[OctoberKat]

Just about every media outlet issues an annual list of best cruise lines. This one, however, from Andrew Harper is unusually interesting.

 

https://www.andrewharper.com/articles/view/top-cruise-lines-2015/

[Travelcat2]

IMO, it is particularly interesting because Silversea is usually at the bottom of lists. As you no doubt know, "polls" are heavily skewed. This poll seems to be skewed to expedition cruises (nothing wrong with that - just something to consider). I'm also surprised to see this thread on the "general" thread. I'm used to seeing questions about mainstream cruise lines here.

[GUT2407]

But what is the use of these polls, we are all different that's why we have so many different lines all servicing different demographics.

[Keith1010]

My favorite ranking are the scores that are applied to each cruise ship by writer David Ward who write a book annually that is published by Berlitz. It has a wealth of information on each cruise ship.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Knowing that polls are skewed I take them with a grain of salt.

[OctoberKat]

Agreed, polls are skewed in the sense that respondents often are self-selected. Nevertheless it's my experience folk like to read the results whether negative or positive because we want to see how the lines we prefer stack up.

 

What's interesting about the Andrew Harper survey is it sources responses from its membership which pay a significant annual fee so we might assume a more committed respondent crowd than usual thereby giving perhaps more weight to the results.

[OctoberKat]

My favorite ranking are the scores that are applied to each cruise ship by writer David Ward who write a book annually that is published by Berlitz. It has a wealth of information on each cruise ship.

 

Keith

 

Good point, Keith, I've got his 2014 edition on kindle (http://www.amazon.com/Berlitz-Cruising-Cruise-Ships-Guide-ebook/dp/B00PJ48EJ6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441936956&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=David+ward+cruising). His 2015 edition will be available on November 1st.

[Travelcat2]

Good point, Keith, I've got his 2014 edition on kindle (http://www.amazon.com/Berlitz-Cruising-Cruise-Ships-Guide-ebook/dp/B00PJ48EJ6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441936956&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=David+ward+cruising). His 2015 edition will be available on November 1st.

 

Think you may mean that the 2016 edition will be available on November 1st. The link you provided to Amazon is for the 2015 edition which is currently available.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Whenever there's some "readers" type of poll, I would wonder who are the "readers." Are these people with deep pockets that spend $$$$$ on a single vacation? Are these frequent cruisers? You get the picture. To me, a poll without specifics is basically meaningless.

 

Even the Best of lists that come out on Cruise Critic usually seems skewed toward one or two cruiselines so I have to think that perhaps those who are voting are fans of those lines. Not people who have a wide range of experience.

[OctoberKat]

Keith1010, i just finished perusing David Ward's recent edition and it is indeed informative, comprehensive, remarkably even-handed and well written. Thanks for the rec.