Last Updated on February 25, 2025 by Mrunal & Jiten
More than a dozen cruise ships earned Forbes Travel Guide 2025 Star Awards, the independent rating system announced on Wednesday.
This year’s winners range from large ships accommodating thousands of guests to smaller, yacht-style vessels. Cruise ship restaurants also made the list for the first time.
Five-Star, Four-Star or Recommended ratings are issued following rigorous evaluations by anonymous inspectors. The list also includes hotels, restaurants and spas.
“Forbes Travel Guide’s Star Award winners exemplify excellence in hospitality,” Amanda Frasier, the rating system’s President of Standards & Ratings, said in a news release. “This year’s list reflects the changing landscape of luxury with properties setting the standard for authentic experiences, unparalleled amenities, enhanced well-being and the delivery of unforgettable moments.”
Five-Star ratings go to properties that “deliver an outstanding experience and consistently offer a highly customized level of service,” according to the Forbes Travel Guide website.
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Four-Star winners are “exceptional,” with equally high levels of service and facilities, while Recommended denotes “excellent properties with consistently good service and facilities.”
Vessels from Celebrity Cruises; Seabourn; Silversea Cruises; Oceania Cruises; Regent Seven Seas Cruises; the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection; SeaDream Yacht Club; Windstar Cruises and Viking all made the list. The following cruise ships earned Four-Star ratings:
The other entrants were listed as Recommended:
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Among the ratings system’s inaugural cruise ship restaurant ratings, these onboard eateries received Four-Star awards:
The other three earned Recommended status:
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
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