Cruisers have spoken: Top cruise ships revealed

PENNINGTON, N.J. - The list of the winners of 2012 Cruisers' Choice Awards has been released today.

The Cruisers' Choice Awards highlight the best cruise ships in three ship classes according to passenger capacity -- small (1,199 passengers or fewer), mid-sized (1,200 to 1,999) and large (2,000+). Awards are presented to the top 10 ships in each class in the following categories: Overall, Cabins, Dining, Embarkation, Entertainment, Fitness, Public Rooms, Service, Shore Excursions, Value-for-Money and Family. This year, for the first time, awards are also given to the best ships by destination and by the regions from which they sail.

Select 2012 Winners

LARGE CRUISE SHIPS -- The 2,850-passenger Celebrity Equinox took the overall top spot in the largest class of cruise ships, beating Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, which claimed the number-one spot last year. Celebrity Equinox is also the highest-rated large ship in the Value-for-Money and Public Rooms categories, while Oasis of the Seas held on to its title as the Cruisers' Choice for Entertainment.

MID-SIZED CRUISE SHIPS -- The 1,506-passenger Thomson Dream, which is owned by the UK-based line Thomson Cruises, was awarded first place in the Best Overall Medium Ship category, also winning the Best Entertainment and Best Service awards. Oceania's Marina was also a favorite in this class and came first for Dining, Fitness and Public Rooms.

SMALL CRUISE SHIPS -- In the small-ship class, 694-passenger Azamara Journey won Best Overall Small Ship along with Best Fitness and Best Service. Crystal Symphony also achieved exceptional ratings from cruisers and came first for Dining, Embarkation and Public Rooms.

This year, Cruise Critic introduced awards in destination categories to highlight the highest-rated ships sailing to the most popular destinations, as well as those sailing from some of the busiest cruise regions. Winners include:

Best Alaska Cruise
Amsterdam
Holland America Line

Best Bahamas Cruise
Disney Dream
Disney Cruise Line

Best Caribbean Cruise
Celebrity Eclipse
Celebrity Cruises

Best Mediterranean Cruise
Azamara Quest
Azamara Club Cruises

Best Cruise from Florida
Celebrity Equinox
Celebrity Cruises

Best Cruise from the Northeast
Celebrity Summit
Celebrity Cruises

Best Cruise from the West Coast
Amsterdam
Holland America Line

"The most important opinions about cruises and cruise ships are those of the passengers who sail on them," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. "With these awards, we give cruisers center stage and highlight the reviews they've submitted on Cruise Critic. Overall, the cruise lines do a fantastic job of keeping their customers happy, and the reviews on Cruise Critic reflect a very satisfied group of travelers who continue to cruise year after year."