Disney Cruise Line has earned a prestigious new title: Best Large-Ship Ocean Cruise Line, according to Travel + Leisure's 2026 World's Best Awards. The honor is determined entirely by readers — this year more than 661,000 votes were cast across categories covering cities, islands, airlines, hotels, and cruise lines worldwide.
Now in its 31st year, the World's Best Awards recognize experiences that passionate travelers consistently return to, and some winners have held their rankings for more than two decades. Disney Cruise Line earned a reader score of 86.79, with Travel + Leisure noting the line's ability to impress families and multigenerational groups through entertainment variety and what it called top-tier food.
The cruise line has come a long way since Disney first dipped a toe into ocean travel. A licensed partnership with Premier Cruise Line began in 1985, allowing Disney characters aboard its ships, but that arrangement ended in 1993. Disney then moved forward with its own operation, commissioning ship designs by early 1995 and launching the Disney Magic on July 30, 1998. Today the fleet has grown to eight ships, including the recently added Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, with five more vessels on order and expected to enter service by 2031.
Among those future ships is the Disney Believe, the line's next addition. A teaser video was released this week, with full details promised during an October livestream.
This story was first reported by Daps Magic.
