167. Midweek Mini: The 2026 Cruise Rankings with U.S. News Senior Travel Editor Nicola Wood

In this Midweek Mini, we sit down with U.S. News Senior Travel Editor Nicola Wood to unpack the brand-new 2026 Best Cruise Lines rankings and what they mean for families, value-seekers, and anyone curious about cruising. We talk through how the rankings are actually created, the surprising ways scores and traveler reviews factor in, and why Virgin Voyages continues to dominate the “Best for the Money” category. We share why Virgin’s inclusions make it such a standout for points users, how transfer partners can make a cruise nearly free, and the real math behind when it does or doesn’t make sense to book a cruise on points. Nicola walks us through the biggest surprises of the year, including a luxury newcomer that  ...