Monday, October 3, 2011
ANNOUNCING: EAGERLY-AWAITED RATINGS FROM 2012 COMPLETE GUIDE TO CRUISING & CRUISE SHIPS
6:03 PM | 
Posted by
LEADERHUNTRESS |
Renowned Expert Douglas Ward Scores Almost Every Cruise Ship on the High Seas in Several Categories
The 2012 Winners ….
NEW YORK, NY, October, 2011 – It is the cruise industry’s version of the Oscars, Emmys and Tonys all rolled into one - renowned cruise expert Douglas Ward’s much-anticipated ratings of 285 ships in 2012 Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships (release date: Oct 19, 2011)
For the 27th year, Ward—who, to date, has spent some 5,700 days at sea and taken more than 1,000 cruises--bases his meticulous ratings on criteria that includes each ship’s accommodations, food, service, entertainment, cleanliness, excursions and general value for the passenger. “Despite constant cruise-company claims that theirs has been named the ‘Best Cruise Line’ or ‘Best Cruise Ship’, there really is no such thing, Ward writes. “Only what’s right for you. My comprehensive ratings system, compiled totally independently and in no way subsidized by advertising or sponsorship, bases its Berlitz stars on points given in numerous categories. They all add up to what remains an unbiased and unvarnished appraisal of what’s best and worst in the world of cruising.”
Because ships change in quality, and new ships are launched and some are retired or rerouted, Ward has made it his life’s work to carefully follow these changes, and report on them. For families eager to take advantage of cruising’s outstanding value next summer, Ward advises them to look no further than the Mediterranean and Northern Europe where he forecasts areas of overcapacity, leading to still greater discounts than we’ve seen previously. With family cruising the biggest growth area, the large resort ships have responded by introducing more and better children’s facilities.
In the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2012, Ward names the top-rating ships for 2012, with the 10 most highly rated being officially ‘small’ or ‘boutique’, and explains why they scored as highly as they did. Europa, a ‘Small Ship’ of Hapag Lloyd Cruises, has earned top honors for the 12th consecutive year and is once again the only vessel to be placed in the exclusive 5-star Plus ‘club’. Seabourn’s ships scoop a remarkable 6 of the ten, while SeaDream grabs the top 2 slots in the Boutique Ships category.
The Rankings
Top 3 Ships in each category – Points out of 2,000
Large (Resort) Ships (over 1,600 passengers)
1st Place Queen Mary 2 (Grill Class) 1,702 points
2nd Place Queen Elizabeth (Grill Class) 1,690 points
3rd Place Queen Victoria (Grill Class) 1,671 points
Mid-Size Ships (600 – 1,600 passengers)
1st Place Crystal Serenity 1,717 points
Joint 2nd Place Crystal Symphony and Marina 1,701 points
Small Ships (200 – 600 passengers)
1st Place Europa 1,852 points
2nd Place Seabourn Quest 1,787 points
3rd Place Seabourn Odyssey 1,786 points
Boutique Ships (50 – 200 passengers)
1st Place SeaDream II 1,788 points
2nd Place SeaDream I 1,786 points
3rd Place Hanseatic 1,746 points
Commenting on Europa’s remarkable consistent highest ratings, Ward says, “Although Europa is now 12 years old, it continues to score the most points with 1,852 out of a possible 2,000 points. The only ship to have a 3-star Michelin chef on board for most of the year, Europa is a classic that has stood the test of time, and looks almost new, thanks to the dedication of its crew and owners. However, there are movers in the ranks too, with ships going both up and down in star rating, to reflect the changes in service or staff training.”
Fully updated and revised and now in its 27th year, the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2012, will be available October 19, 2011 (688 pages, $24.99) and can be purchased from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Powells.com, and wherever fine books are sold. The Berlitz Cruise Ships 2012 App can be purchased on the iTunes App Store for US ($9.99), and can be used with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It allows cruise-goers to quickly search through all 285 ships according to their needs, whether for family travel, cuisine, accommodation, size of ship and many other criteria.
The World’s Top Authority on Cruising and Cruise Ships
When it comes to life on the ocean waves, Ward is the world’s top authority on cruising and cruise ships, with more than 45 years of experience. He continues to spend up to 200 days a year aboard cruise ships, inspecting and evaluating their facilities. The cruise industry consists of more than 70 ocean going cruise ship operators carrying over 21 million passengers a year. Although the choice can be almost overwhelming, this new Guide will help readers identify the X-factor - that special quality that makes a ship stand out for them. What is that quality? According to Ward, “Details. Details. Details.”
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MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Lande, mlande@landepr.com