13 Worst Cruises
The cruising industry was hit hard this year. Despite more cancellations in recent news, we're hoping for a comeback in 2021. 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 the worst cruise ships to take, referring to leading cruise-review website CruiseCritic.com as a guide. The following are the lowest-marked of the bunch, with ratings of 3 stars or fewer (out of 5). See which of the ships you should skip — and which to sail instead (whenever that's allowed again).
13. Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas
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.)
Ovation of the Seas Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "She ain't pretty, she just looks that way." (gmlaetta)
- "I know why I choose Princess cruises!" (Amanda71)
- "Huge ship that wastes its time with underwhelming features." (soro01)
12. Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas
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.
Quantum of the Seas Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Like most western passengers we too had a very disappointing cruise." (desr4t)
- "I felt no one knew what they were doing." (j53)
- "This is not a vacation for the faint hearted!" (BezzyB)
Better Royal Caribbean Ships
If you're going to catch a cruise with Royal Caribbean, you will find that there are many new ships with 4-star customer ratings on CruiseCritic.
The best of the best? CruiseCritic editors give a coveted 5-star rating to Allure of the Seas. This mega-ship, built in 2009, can hold 6,400 passengers and offers a Central Park in the middle of the ship, outstanding restaurants and entertainment, and so much to do you won't get bored during a day at sea.
Customers give it high marks, too: More than 1,500 of the roughly 2,800 reviews are excellent 5-star ratings.
CruiseCritic's Managing Editor Adam Coulter describes the ship as "breathtaking, both in scale and ambition."
11. Princess Cruises' Majestic
Princess Cruises earned fame when one of its ships starred as "the Love Boat" in the '70s. And its 19 ships mostly get high marks from the CruiseCritic team and passengers.
But there's one exception: The Majestic, which despite earning a respectable 4.5 in the editors' reviews, strikes out with cruisers.
The ship, which sails in Australia's waters, earns low marks for its poor design, crammed quarters, staff shortages and too-small theater.
"Majestic," it seems, is not an entirely apt descriptor.
Majestic Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "If you are between 70 - 90 yrs old, then this slow paced ship is designed for you. It was boring." (Wendyro)
- "Nice ship but not a lot of atmosphere." (c7009)
- "A lot of passengers on this cruise were very dissapointed and it was a shame." (vnibbs1)
Better Princess Ships
Five Princess ships have a superior rating of 3.5 stars, and two of those five also get 4.5-star marks from the editors at CruiseCritic: the Crown Princess and Emerald Princess.
Both ships can hold more than 3,000 passengers, with the Crown sailing in the Caribbean and the British Isles while the Emerald takes on Alaska and Hawaii.
mjfun78 called the Crown Princess a magical cruise that did not disappoint, while coloradolovestocruise loved the Emerald Princess and called it "another excellent Princess cruise."
10. MSC's Meraviglia
The largest ship in the MSC line, Meraviglia holds nearly 4,500 cruisers, and travels to coveted destinations in Europe and the Caribbean.
But recent reviews have not been kind.
The most commonly singled-out problems? Boring food, a lack of interesting on-board activities and unfriendly staff. One first-time MSC cruiser, rosyc, specifically compared the ship unfavorably to Carnival and Celebrity ships.
Meraviglia Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "First time on MSC... Not sure I'll do it again." (EllaDuChien)
- "Poor food, sad, unfriendly staff and no customer support." (Rjrja20)
- "Worst cruise ever!" (rosyc)
9. MSC's Lirica
CruiseCritic editors gave MSC Lirica just 3 of 5 stars, matching customers in their lackluster response.
Built in 2003, the Lirica is definitely on the older side of cruise ships, which never bodes well. And reviewers, many avid cruisers, routinely complain of horrible food and equally bad service — a losing combination.
Also lambasted: the amateurish entertainment offerings.
Lirica Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "We have done over 50 cruises. We usually go with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Cunard. A few with P&O. However, we had never tried MSC and so decided to do this. Biggest mistake I have made in my life." (gettinold)
- "Have travelled on other cruise lines, but this was the worst ever." (pdale)
- "Don't book this ship very poor." (Soreen)
8. MSC's Armonia
The oldest ship in a cruise line's fleet is bound to face complaints — who wants something old when there are so many new ships to try?
What's worse? This ship wasn't originally an MSC ship at all; it was built for Festival Cruises in 2001.
Traveling between Miami and Cuba, the ship's woes include poor-quality food, limited culinary options, unfriendly service and substandard cleanliness.
Even the CruiseCritic pros give it only a 3.5 out of 5, and they are often very generous.
Armonia Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Old, Tired, and Poor Service." (midwest60)
- "Ironically, MSC never sent me a post cruise survey, and I am truthfully not surprised." (TexasCruiseBella)
- "This ship needs to be retired or sent to another port where the standards are not as high." (guscave)
7. MSC's Preziosa
Debuting in 2013, MSC's Preziosa originally received rave reviews, having launched with a more modern cruising style to compete with larger lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.
Unfortunately, the cruise industry is a fast-moving and fickle one, and in the years since, the ship's reviews have deteriorated. Cruisers don't complain much about the ship in terms of cleanliness or beauty. Instead, they find the food is cold — and old — service is sub-par, and the entertainment leaves something to be desired.
Preziosa Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "There is not much to do on board. Just some dance lessons, stretch exercise and a trivia that is done in 5 languages. It's a pain to sit through that." (Tinkerbell8)
- "It was our first time cruising and it has certainly NOT given us the 'bug'!!" (LesC29)
- "We were excited to try a new cruise line and had high hopes of a great experience. We were disappointed. The ship is very glitzy but has very little comfort." (JennyPan)
Better MSC Ships
While MSC dominates this list with its four three-star ships, this doesn't mean it's a disappointment across the board; the rest of its 19 ships fare better.
While its low-rated trips cater to an international crowd, two of its North American ships in particular are nailing it: the MSC Divinia and MSC Seaside, the latter of which gets a nearly flawless score by the editors.
"MSC Seaside is lively and fun, incorporating jaw-dropping entertainment, lots of outdoor spaces (it's a sun worshipper's paradise!) and family-friendly activities that include a 4D cinema, bowling, ziplines and a large water park," writes CruiseCritic editor Ashley Kosciolek.
Cruisers agree, citing its excellent shows and beautiful design as reasons to set sail. J-Chalmski even described a recent itinerary on the ship as "the best cruise we have ever been on!"
6. Previously Cruise & Maritime's Magellan
Cruise & Maritime's Magellan began its run as a Carnival Cruise Line ship in 1985. Nearly 25 years and two owners later, the ship was still sailing before the pandemic hit, and not racking up awards for awesomeness.
Customers lament low-quality cuisine, amateurish entertainment, overpriced excursions and (yes) persistent bad smells. This despite the fact that the ship was completely refurbished in 2015 by Cruise & Maritime, and that it's considered the cruise line's flagship. (What does that say about the line's additional boats?)
When Cruise & Maritime collapsed in July 2020, it put the Magellan up for sale. The Magellan should set sail again under its new ownership, Seajets, but only time will tell if it will earn better marks.
Magellan Reviews
Customer rating: 3 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Dreaded from start to finish." (BarryandU)
- "Cruise from Hell." (ChilledSun)
- "The food on this ship was shocking. Typically, it was to a standard I wouldn’t accept if I was cooking at home. On the plus side, nobody I knew gained weight from eating on the cruise." (SLydon)
5. Carnival Sunrise
Carnival Corporation has 30 ships sailing the seven seas, and most of them have excellent reviews.
Carnival is notorious for being "the fun ship" and budget-friendly. But alas, one ship made it onto the worst-of list: the Sunrise.
A CruiseCritic editor ranked it 4 out of 5 stars, which sounds like they were being kind to a heavy advertiser, as the reviews by passengers were much worse.
Even the friendly editor admitted that the lines and crowds were impossible to escape, and said the ship is not at all a quiet one.
Sunrise Reviews
Customer rating: 2.5 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Book another cruise, it’s not a vacation, this experience only consists of many many lines." (Kikican)
- "Swimming was impossible — pools were so crowded you only had room to stand." (kbcm341)
- "We love cruising but this cruise is not good." (Dntmcgee7)
Better Carnival Ships
Carnival ships are beloved by reviewers, with thousands of reviews for practically all ships but Sunrise. With the majority of these ships nabbing 3.5 to 4 stars, the leader of the pack is Carnival Vista, which received a 5.0 from CruiseCritic editors and 4.5 stars from fellow passengers.
There is so much to do on this action-packed ship — including a water park! — that the editor spending 10 days aboard couldn't sample everything. Now that is a good time.
4. Costa's Deliziosa
Costa Cruises earned negative headlines when its Concordia ship sank in Italy nearly a decade ago, killing 32 people. Despite the disaster, the Italian-based cruise company still welcomes cruisers who love its ships.
But there are a few ships they don't.
One faring not so well on the list is the Deliziosa. You know you're in trouble when headlines warn "think again," "never again" and "beware."
The most common complaints are related to the ship's poor food, described at turns as "bland" and "cold;" subpar dining service (a few complained about getting sick from the cuisine); and hospitality desk staffed by employees with limited knowledge.
Oh, and it doesn't help that in 2017, a crew member went overboard on the ship.
Deliziosa Reviews
Customer rating: 2.5 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Buckle up kiddos, because you're in for quite a ride with this one." (snguyenx96)
- "Don't even know where to start." (JandBtravelers)
- "Will not meet expectations if you have cruised anywhere else." (andbolton)
3. Costa's Fascinosa
When CruiseCritic editors don't even provide a review of a ship, does that say something about the Fascinosa?
This dismally rated ship is knocked for its repetitive, less-than-savory food — one reviewer noticed its dinner desserts recycled as breakfast the next morning, while another slammed even its OJ as watery. The service doesn't fare much better, with many calling the staff rude and unenthused.
Fascinosa Reviews
Customer rating: 2.5 stars
Reviewers say:
- "If you have self-respect, don't even book." (Maninu91)
- "I have cruised before, but this was the worst." (Anne346)
- "Dreadful avoid at all costs." (Patricia Pace)
2. Costa's Favolosa
Not to pick on Costa, but another ship that doesn't hit the mark, nabbing only a 2.5-star average review from cruise-goers, is the cruise line's Favolosa, which ironically means "fabulous" in Italian.
Like the Fascinosa, CruiseCritic's editors never bothered checking out the ship, which is probably for their own good; customer reviews knock the ship's subpar cleanliness, lack of food and beverages, and poor service. And, as many complained, water to drink isn't included in the price of the cruise!
Favolosa Reviews
Customer rating: 2.5 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Bad service overall, worst attitude I've ever seen on a cruise ship." (Sgonzalez100)
- "Every port we came to we could not wait to get OFF the ship." (sugarb204)
- "Do not throw away your money on this company and its ships." (bomag43)
1. Costa Venezia
More bad news for Costa. Launching this new ship in March 2019, the reviews have not been favorable.
Its maiden voyage sailed from Trieste to Dubai to Singapore to Yokohama to remain based in Shanghai. Passengers wanted to enjoy luxurious cruising in China, but it appears Costa hasn't nailed this market quite yet.
Maybe it's just early sailing kinks?
Venezia Reviews
Customer rating: 1.5 stars
Reviewers say:
- "Worst cruise ever, bad food, long queue, terrible service, bad singer, snobbish crew." (cruise freek)
- "This cruise offered an amazing itinerary but it was terrible." (Lorrie200)
- "I first chose this cruise for the ports it was stopping at, what a mistake, the embarkation at Singapore should have told me what was to come ... how can it take 4 hours to board a ship." (Maggiee123)
Better Costa Ships
With no ship earning more than three stars, Costa is clearly not the best line to sail with. But not all Costa passengers have had horrible experiences.
CruiseCritic ranks Costa Mediterranea and Costa Magica as the top two ships by the Italian cruise company, owned by Carnival. Sail one of these, and you could have an experience that defies Costa's poor industry reputation.
Wrote Sandystruis after sailing the Mediterranea: "Having read so many negative reviews, we were very skeptical and even contemplated canceling before sailing. Thank goodness we didn't. We have been on 13 cruises with different companies and this cruise was by far the best."