Ewing, NJ, September 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Cruise Critic®, the world’s leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community, has announced the winners of its first-ever Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards, naming the top cruise destinations in the world, based on consumer ratings submitted with reviews on the Cruise Critic website. The awards name award-winning destinations across 15 regions, worldwide.

According to a recent survey by Cruise Critic, selecting a cruise destination is the most important part of the planning process for both first-time cruisers (28%) and experienced cruisers (29%).

“Cruising offers the unique opportunity to sample a number of destinations at once,” explains Colleen McDaniel, Senior Executive Editor of Cruise Critic. “Because of that, it’s important to carefully select your itinerary so that you’re able to make the most of your time in port. With so many available options, this list of destinations personally recommended by cruisers themselves provides invaluable insight into the cruise destinations across the world to help cruisers choose the best options.”

St. Petersburg, Russia was named the top cruise destination in the world, with cruisers particularly enamored with the city’s art, history and architecture.

River cruise port cities were the top-rated category as a whole, with all of the top five destinations receiving the highest marks across the board. Paris was rated the best river cruise destination, with reviewers naming the city’s beauty, museums and gardens as particularly impressive.

Castaway Cay – owned by Disney Cruise Line – ranked highest among cruise line private islands, and topped all Caribbean categories combined. Cruisers praised the island’s clean, beautiful beaches and multitude of options for both kids and adults.