When it comes to opinions about travel services and suppliers, we have our own, based on our limited experience; travel agents have their opinions, based on their experience, plus feedback from thousands of their customers.
Related:
Travel Weekly, a trade publication for travel agents, has just published results of its 2017 Readers Choice Awards, with the top vote-getters in 77 categories, including best airline, best hotel, best cruise line, best travel insurance, and so forth.
Here are some of the more consumer-relevant picks:
- Best domestic airline: Delta
- Best international airline: Virgin Atlantic
- Best first/business class: Emirates
- Best global network: United
- Best airline overall: Delta
- Best car rental: Hertz (both domestic and international)
- Best domestic hotel chain: Marriott
- Best luxury chain: Ritz-Carlton
- Best upscale chain: Hilton
- Best mid-priced chain: Hampton Inn
- Best boutique chain: W Hotels
- Best hotel chain overall: Marriott
- Best domestic cruise line: Carnival
- Best Caribbean line: Royal Caribbean
- Best Europe line: Celebrity
- Best luxury line: Crystal
- Best cruise cuisine: Oceania
- Best cruise line overall: Royal Caribbean
No doubt you have opinions on some of the above “best of” categories, as do I. Always room for a second opinion, right?
Reader Reality Check
Any strong disagreements with the travel agents’ opinions?
After 20 years working in the travel industry, and almost that long writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.
This article first appeared on SmarterTravel.com, where Tim is Editor-at-Large.
