World's best cruise lines revealed

Cruise Critic picked the best cruise lines for North American travelers in its 7th Annual Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards. The best new ship award goes to Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, one of the largest ships afloat, featuring robot bartenders, state of the art connectivity, bumper cars and skydiving.

Best ship refurbishment: Oceania Cruises spent $50 million this year to update its three R-class 694-passenger ships that were already shining bright. Cruise Critic editors love the redesigned suites, new mattresses, coffee bar and pool deck update.

Best for luxury: The French Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions has three small (264-passenger) yachts offering luxury on travels to exotic places, like the Arctic and Antarctic.

Best for families: Disney Cruise Line takes top honors for making cruising attractive for family members of all ages, ensuring enough grownup offerings so it's not just the children having a great time.

Best itineraries: Princess Cruises is taking cruisers where they want to go. Most notable are their Alaska, Panama Canal and Caribbean voyages, and around-the-world cruises lasting more than 100 days.

Best for adventure: International Expeditions mostly focuses on land tours, which is what makes their cruises to the Peruvian Amazon and the Galapagos Islands so special. Where you are going is a key part of the trip, and the regions are part of the onboard and port experience.

Best value for money: Carnival Cruise Lines didn't let a series of mechanical failures last year get in the way of its business. The company introduced Carnival's Great Vacation Guarantee and it continues to make sure cruisers have fun with a Seuss at Sea family program, different food offerings and waterslides.

Best dining: Oceania Cruises is a gourmet's dream. Its main dining rooms offer open seating but fans know to check out their alternative options: Jacques, named for the line's famous executive culinary director, Jacques Pepin, and Red Ginger.

Best entertainment: Norwegian Cruise Line offers Latin sounds, Legends in Concert and "Rock of Ages" on its cruises, entertaining travelers whatever their music (and comedy) preferences.

Best suites: Most Celebrity Cruises' suites feature butler service on every suite level, in-suite dining and one free dinner at an alternative restaurant.

Best inside cabins: Royal Caribbean International first placed virtual balconies in some inside cabins on Navigator of the Seas, and they can now be found on the new Quantum of the Seas. Real-time outside video is displayed on wall-sized digital screens in some inside cabins.

Best standard cabins: Holland America Line standard cabins offer more space and amenities than the industry average, including robes, shoeshine service and fruit.

Best shore excursions: The destination is a key part of the journey on Azamara Club Cruises, which gives guests more time than the typical cruise line for exploring in port. Guests get one free "AzAmazing" evening excursion on every sailing, featuring exclusive access to popular attractions.

Best cruise ship bar: Celebrity Cruises' Martini Bar may be the hottest spot on board ship, editors say. Shaker-wielding bartenders entertain and hydrate the pre-dinner crowd and cocktail connoisseurs.

Best North American home port: The historic port of New Orleans is a wonderful place to start or end your cruise vacation, with its amazing food, music and strolling. The Carnival Sunshine is shown docked in 2013.

Best new river ships: Emerald Waterways' Emerald Sky and Emerald Star are modern and bright, with features that Cruise Critic editors love, like the innovative pool with retractable roof.

Best river cruise line: River cruise veteran Viking Cruises stays ahead of the competition through exceptional excursions, Cruise Critic editors say, including cognac blending and truffle hunting.

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• Nearly 22 million travelers are expected to take cruises this year


• Royal Caribbean's newest ship wins Cruise Critic's "best new ship" award


• Disney Cruise Line wins Cruise Critic's best cruise line for families


• Royal Caribbean also wins U.S. News award for best cruise line for the money

(CNN) -- Wash your hands, slap on some hand sanitizer and put the latest norovirus outbreak on a cruise ship out of your mind.

Nearly 22 million travelers are expected to hop on board cruises this year to set sail for fun and exciting locations, enjoying the dining, entertainment and sun available on cruise ships all over the world. But if you're a novice, how do you choose a voyage on which to spend your hard-earned dollars?

Smartest ship on the sea?

How to feed 5,000 people a day

There are plenty of options in the 7th Annual Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards, which highlight the top cruise lines for North American travelers in 18 categories, including best new ship, best cruise line for families, best value for money and best river cruise line. The cruising website's choices were announced Tuesday.

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, was named best new ship just after its November launch. Disney Cruise Line was named "best for families" for the second consecutive year.

"We originally launched our Editors' Picks Awards in 2008, to highlight lines that we felt were doing a great job," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, in a statement.

Cruise Critic, which launched in 1995, hosts an online cruising community with more than 100,000 vetted consumer reviews of cruises. Cruise Critic is owned by the Independent Traveler, a subsidiary of TripAdvisor.

"Just six years later, the industry has grown tremendously; cruise lines continue to up the ante, and there are more options than ever before for travelers looking to hit the seas," said Brown. "With our team of editors covering hundreds of cruise ships each year, these awards allow us to both highlight lines that truly lead the way and also help guide consumers to a purchase that's right for them."

You can also check out the Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines wins in U.S. News & World Report's 2015 Best Cruise Lines rankings, which named 15 cruise lines in five categories, also released Tuesday.

U.S. News' rankings are based on a data analysis of expert evaluations of cruise ships' quality, reputation among travelers and results from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health evaluations.

"The cruise industry is booming -- their efforts to revamp their image and win over new types of travelers by launching new ships and innovative entertainment experiences is paying off," said Liz Weiss, travel editor for U.S. News, in a statement. "We aim to help travelers sort through their options and identify cruise lines and ships that best suit their needs."

Cruise Critic's full list of winners:

Best new ship: Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas

Best ship refurbishment: Oceania Cruises (R-Class)

Best for luxury: Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions

Best for families: Disney Cruise Line

Best itineraries: Princess Cruises

Best for adventure: International Expeditions

Best value for money: Carnival Cruise Lines

Best dining: Oceania Cruises

Best entertainment: Norwegian Cruise Line

Best suites: Celebrity Cruises

Best inside cabins: Royal Caribbean International

Best standard cabins: Holland America Line

Best shore excursions: Azamara Club Cruises

Best for romance: Windstar Cruises

Best cruise ship bar: Celebrity Cruises' Martini Bar

Best North American home port: New Orleans

Best new river ships: Emerald Waterways' Emerald Sky and Emerald Star

Best river cruise line: Viking Cruises

Top three U.S. News winners in each category:

Best luxury cruise lines

1. Crystal Cruises

2. Silversea Cruises

3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best cruise lines for the money

1. Royal Caribbean

2. Disney Cruise Line

3. Carnival Cruise Lines

Best cruise lines for romance

1. Silversea Cruises

2. Crystal Cruises

3. Azamara Club Cruises

Best cruise lines in the Caribbean

1. Disney Cruise Line

2. Royal Caribbean

3. Carnival Cruise Lines

Best cruise lines for families

1. Disney Cruise Line

2. Royal Caribbean

3. Celebrity Cruises

Ascending Sri Lanka's holy mountain

A hike up Sri Lanka's Adam's Peak is a deeply spiritual experience for many of the island's Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims.

The 2,243-meter peak is one of Sri Lanka's highest mountains. It lies among the southern Central Highlands of the Ratnapura district, 150 kilometers east of Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo.

Many of the thousands of pilgrims who daily flock to Adam's Peak tackle the route barefoot.

Today, a stone staircase helps most Sri Lankans tackle the peak several times during their lives. Pilgrimage season runs from December to May.

Buddhists believes the "sacred footprint" at the summit belongs to the Buddha. Hindus say it's that of Shiva. To Christians and Muslims, it's a sign of Adam's passage.

There are direct buses from Colombo to Dalhousie at the foot of the mountain, but the scenic train route across Sri Lanka's Hill Country is recommended.

The mountain is surrounded by a carpet of dense forest that's home to wildlife including elephants, leopards and monkeys.

Most pilgrims try to arrive at the peak just before sunrise, which can be a spectacular experience with views over central Sri Lanka.

It can be a chilly wait in the dark. These young monks wear wool hats to protect from low temperatures.

At the base of the peak, Dalhousie offers basic facilities like chai stalls, home stays and simple restaurants.

• The 2,243-meter (7,359 feet) Adam's Peak lies amid Sri Lanka's southern Central Highlands


• Hiking up Adam's Peak to see the sacred footprint near the summit at sunrise is a popular pilgrimage


• The journey to get there is an ordeal that requires devotion

(CNN) -- Ahead of me, a trail of lights snakes up toward the sky, moving relentlessly, step-by-step, in the darkness.

I've tackled quite a few mountains in my life, but never have I hiked with as many solemn spirits as on Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka.

Barefoot pilgrims are all around me.

There are women, whose bangles can be heard rattling against tired ankles, and monks, pulling their maroon robes over their left shoulders to shield from the mountain chill.

We're all going up silently toward the summit of what is a holy mountain for Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians in Sri Lanka.

The 2,243-meter (7,359 feet) Adam's Peak lies among the island nation's southern Central Highlands, 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of the capital Colombo.

It's one of Sri Lanka's highest mountains, rising like a green fang from a carpet of dense forest reserve where wild elephants and leopards still dwell.

It isn't the scenery or wildlife that daily pulls in thousands of pilgrims though.

All of them are here to see a 1.8-meter-long rock formation that juts out from the summit.

MORE: Sri Lankan foods visitors should try

Tough going

To Buddhists, Sri Pada, or the sacred footprint, is an imprint left by the Buddha himself.

Hindus say it belonged to Shiva while Christians and Muslims consider it a sign of Adam's passage.

Local legend has it that Sri Lanka's King Valagambahu was the first to stumble upon Sri Pada during a reign that ended in about 76 BC.

The peak gets another historic name check from none other than Marco Polo, who visited in the 14th century, reporting that his ascent was tough going.

Spiritual dawn: Sunrise on Adam's Peak.

Today, a stone staircase helps almost every Sri Lankan tackle the peak several times during their lives.

From December to May, the mountain glows nightly as torchlit pilgrims follow the trail to the top.

Some climb in the afternoon to reach the shrine at sundown but the most popular and spiritual time to ascend is the middle of the night, summiting just in time to catch the first rays of dawn.

Just getting to Adam's Peak is an act of devotion.

MORE: 5 ways to experience the best of Sri Lanka

Pure pilgrimage

After traveling from the central city town of Kandy to Hatton on a slow train through the relentless greenery of the area's Ceylonese tea estates, I catch a rickety bus to continue my journey.

My destination is Dalhousie, a cluster of chai stalls, home stays and informal restaurants that marks the starting point of the five-kilometer Nallathanni climbing route, the shortest way to the summit.

The basic facilities on offer are attuned to the reasons for the climb. This isn't a leisure pursuit, but a pure pilgrimage.

My ascent begins at a chilly 3 a.m.

The climb can take between two and a half and four hours -- I'm aiming to summit at the break of dawn at 6.30 a.m.

Groups of pilgrims dressed in white lead me through the dark and to the beginning of the incline.

"Each time feels like the first," says Saman, a slender man from a village near Bentota on Sri Lanka's southern coast.

He and his wife are tackling their fifth climb, accompanying their six-year-old son for his first ascent.

Before the path starts rising, a monk from the nearby Japanese temple comes forward and in exchange for an offering, ties a white string around my waist as a form of blessing.

And so, with the eyes of one of Sri Pada's benevolent gods hopefully on me, I proceed upward as the incline slowly turns into a stone staircase.

MORE: Sri Lanka's top tea experiences

Spiritual awakening?

Along the way, vendors cook pans of soothing chai over portable gas stoves.

Prices, like the sacred mountain, are steep.

Religious summit: Adam's Peak is holy to Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Hindus.

The peak comes into view a couple hours into the climb.

Many hikers greet it with determined expressions, their only goal to arrive at Sri Pada before sunrise.

As we get nearer, the darkness disperses in tones of blue.

Just before dawn throws shards of burning red across the sky, we sail into a sea of pilgrims surrounding the shrine's platform.

It's quite a sight.

Pilgrims walk in circles reciting mantras, queuing up to pray before the sacred footprint.

On the edge of the slope, young monks in wool hats hold their robes tight under their chins with chilled fingers, waiting for the sun's rays to bring the new day.

With the sound of tolling bells at my back, I join the line and watch first light over central Sri Lanka.

The spectacle is enough to stop my legs from aching and make me forget that I must, at some point, return to Earth.

Getting there

Two daily trains leave from Kandy to Hatton. Number 1005 departs at 8:47 a.m. and arrives at 11:12 a.m. while number 1015 leaves at 11:10 a.m. and arrives at 13:26 p.m.

Buses run to Dalhousie from Hatton's train station until early afternoon.

During pilgrimage season (December to May), there are direct buses to Dalhousie from Colombo, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. However, the scenic train route across the Hill Country is highly recommended.