Virgin Voyages Named No. 1 Large Cruise Line by Condé Nast Traveler
Virgin Voyages has been named the No. 1 Large Cruise Line in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Virgin Voyages has been named the No. 1 Large Cruise Line in the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. It marks the third time the adults-only cruise line has taken the top spot in the US awards.
The annual Readers’ Choice Awards are decided by travelers, with readers voting for their favorite travel experiences around the world. Almost 800,000 votes were cast across the 2026 awards.
Virgin Voyages Takes the Top Spot Again
Virgin Voyages finished first in Condé Nast Traveler’s Large Ships category for 2026. The category covers cruise lines operating ships carrying between 2,500 and 4,000 passengers.
The result gives Virgin Voyages its third No. 1 finish in the US Readers’ Choice Awards and adds to a growing list of awards received by the cruise line.
You can find more of Virgin Voyages’ previous awards and accolades in our coverage here.
How the 2026 Cruise Lines Ranked
Condé Nast Traveler divided cruise lines into several categories based on ship size. Virgin Voyages competed in the Large Ships category.
Other cruise lines appearing in the category included Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises, Cunard and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Readers’ Choice Awards are based on votes from travelers rather than an industry judging panel. This means the results reflect the experiences and opinions of people who have traveled with the nominated brands.
Brilliant Lady and Valiant Lady Also Recognized
The Readers’ Choice Award was not Virgin Voyages’ only recognition from Condé Nast Traveler in 2026.
Brilliant Lady was included on Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List. The annual list highlights notable new hotels, cruises and other travel experiences from around the world.
Valiant Lady also received recognition on the publication’s Gold List.
This means Virgin Voyages received recognition across three of Condé Nast Traveler’s major awards and editorial lists during 2026.
Another Award for Virgin Voyages in 2026
The Condé Nast Traveler result follows another major award earlier this year. In July, Virgin Voyages was named the No. 1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for the fourth consecutive year.
The latest Condé Nast Traveler result continues a run of reader-voted recognition for the cruise line as its fleet and range of itineraries continue to expand.
