Consumer Reports: Worst Cruise Line Named

Above, the Norwegian Sky docked at Nassau. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My experience with cruises is limited.

I have been on only three cruises in my life. The first was in 2001 to Alaska with Celebrity Cruises. The second was in 2019 to Cuba with Royal Caribbean. My third, and last, was to the Bahamas with Norwegian Cruise Line in 2024. 

I may not be the best source for reviews as I enjoyed each one (well, except for getting sick during the Alaska cruise). The food on each was good. No complaints here. The facilities on each ship was fine.

Consumer Reports has named the worst cruise line for 2026. Surprisingly (for me at least), they named Norwegian the worst in customer satisfaction. 

Above, the lobster dinner I paid $25 aboard the Norwegian Sky. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One thing stands out in my mind with Norwegian. It was buying a lobster tail (two of them) dinner for $25. I thought that was quite reasonable (like 1980s prices).

According to an article posted by AOL:

In an age of limitless vacation choices, picking a cruise to go on is tough. From the outside, so many of them seem to offer the exact same experience: great food, parties, entertainment, visits to some of the coolest ports, and amenities galore. But in January of 2026, Consumer Reports conducted a survey to find out which of the top cruises were the best ... and the worst. Surprisingly, the well-known Norwegian Cruise Line was at the very bottom in terms of customer satisfaction.

The survey had a sample size that makes these ratings hard to ignore. Based on experiences over the last three years, 18,850 respondents were asked to rate 19 cruise lines based on a variety of factors. Some of these factors were price-based, like value per dollar and price transparency; others were about experiences, such as excursions, meals, and entertainment. The ratings also factored in amenities and basic expectations, like cleanliness, cabin quality, and accessibility. According to this report, Norwegian Cruise Line has fallen behind the pack in almost every category. 

 To read the full article, go here.