Wednesday, April 17, 2024

The 9 best luxury cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity

best luxury cruise ships

Those booked in penthouses and higher-category suites receive service from a tuxedo-clad butler who will do everything from unpacking your luggage to helping you set up a private cocktail party. The six 490- to 750-passenger ships in the Regent fleet get fancier as they get larger. On the three newest, Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Grandeur everyone stays in a roomy suite with an oversized balcony and marble bathroom. Exquisite cuisine is prepared a la minute and accompanied by pours of fine wines. When you rest your head, it's on a luxury mattress topped with the finest linens.

Paul Gauguin Cruises

The line even offers “Wellness Excursions by Aquamar” that seek to enrich and enlighten in various ports around the world, and special small-group tours that will never have more than 16 passengers participating. Options include Norwegian Cruise Line's The Haven, Royal Caribbean's Royal Suite Class and MSC Cruises' Yacht Club. Caribbean cruises might be the bread and butter of mass-market cruise lines, but they don't have the same prominence among the itineraries of the luxury lines. Tropical cruises on luxury lines tend to be shorter sailings, taking place in the fall and winter (rather than year-round) and often targeting younger professionals who might not have the time to take two-week vacations. While classic cruise lines have a capacity in the thousands, often edging upward of 4,000, the Ritz-Carlton superyachts offer a more curated experience to 500 passengers or less.

Seven Seas Splendor, Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The more you sail with us, the more points you earn towards exclusive benefits and privileges you can enjoy before and during your next luxury cruise with Royal Caribbean®. The Crown & Anchor® Society is our way of recognizing and rewarding our most loyal guests. The more you sail with us, the more points you earn toward exclusive benefits and privileges you can enjoy before and during your next luxury cruise with Royal Caribbean®. Roman poets and philosophers felt most connected to their surroundings (and to their own souls) during a time of reflective repose, which they called otium. For early Romans, that might have meant a fruitful retirement spent following one’s bliss, whether soaking in thermal baths, gobbling grapes by the bunch, creating great works or napping in the sun.

Emerald Cruises

The line's ships are sleek and modern, and sail to some of the world's most interesting ports of call. A focus on the destination at hand means that Viking Ocean Cruises stay longer in port -- often overnight -- so passengers can get a true taste of the destination. As a tip of the hat to its river cruise roots, the line offers a choice of included tours in every port (though there are for-fee options available as well). On the flip side, onboard daytime and evening entertainment options are limited. “For the most part, luxury cruises appeal to a segment of travelers looking for similar experiences on land – more luxurious offerings, fewer crowds, and phenomenal activities. Luxury cruises tend to be longer than other cruises, so they appeal to guests who have ample time for vacation,” she adds.

Consider these luxury cruise lines for your next trip

Seabourn's newest ship, Seabourn Ovation, is the second in the line's Encore Class, the next generation of Seabourn's popular Odyssey-class ships. Regent Seven Seas Cruises once again aimed for “Luxury Perfected” with the 2020 launch of Seven Seas Splendor. Splendor features the exquisite cuisine and generous all-inclusive rates for which Regent is known, with some of the most luxe rooms at sea.

For More Than Just A Luxury Cruise, Travel With The Experts - Forbes

For More Than Just A Luxury Cruise, Travel With The Experts.

Posted: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The best luxury cruise lines

With its fleet of state-of-the-art ships, Viking Ocean Cruises offers spacious accommodations, refined amenities, and several fun onboard activities. The company’s fleet is one of the youngest luxury fleets in service, with gorgeous 930-passenger ships that cater to adults 55 and older. Setting itself apart from other cruise lines with its intimate and elegant ships, Oceania Cruises captivates passengers with a blend of impeccable service and exquisite culinary offerings. The cruise line offers personalized service, promising to treat all of their guests like family. If you’re a solo traveler looking for a luxury cruise, you can’t beat a sailing with Crystal.

best luxury cruise ships

The ship is small enough to access private ports at remote beaches and take travelers well off the beaten path. Named the best small-ship ocean cruise line in T+L's 2022 World's Best Awards, Golden said the line is known for Tahitian-inspired massage techniques in the onboard spa and noted that cruisers particularly love the wonderful staff. If you've ever dreamed of having your own butler, Silversea is the luxury cruise line for you. In fact, Silversea's butlers take white-glove service to a whole new level — they'll handle your laundry with more care than you do, scour port towns to find your favorite tastes of home, and even help you pack and unpack your suitcase. Further, Silversea's new culinary program, nicknamed S.A.L.T. (for Sea and Land Taste), brings the taste of destinations on board through cooking classes.

With an elegant design that reads yacht-like, Venture includes fine dining options and formal supper nights, as well as complimentary caviar and champagne on-demand, for a true luxury cruise experience. The crowd is well-traveled and skews older; you won’t find many late-night revelers here, in part because the ship doesn’t offer any onboard youth programming (although children are still welcome). That said, the ship does include entertainment that’s worth experiencing—singers, pianists and more. For instance, SeaDream's intimate yachts can stealthily visit ports that large ships can't manage. Regent Seven Seas packs all-inclusive gourmet dining and suites into their luxury offerings.

Viking Venus, Viking Ocean Cruises

No matter which ship you choose to sail on, this is a fleet filled with incredible feats. Another of our top luxury cruise lines, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is proudly opulent. Floating palaces are its calling card, along with the most inclusive fares of all the luxury lines. Business-class airfare, pre-cruise luxury hotel stays and shore excursions in every port are on the long list of perks. Spaces inside are contemporary, and the ship is easily one of the best expedition options for adventurous luxury travelers. Every suite has its own balcony and separate lounge area, and you can expect fine-dining quality meals at spots like the Chef's Table.

Costs cover dining, most drinks, a stocked minibar, wi-fi, crew gratuities and — on expedition cruises — most activities. Cunard is known for its iconic black funnels, yes, but more so for its unparalleled large-scale onboard experiences. Although each of the cruise line’s ships carries upwards of 1,500 passengers, the four-ship fleet is adored for its luxury itineraries, stylish design, tranquil spa offerings, delectable cuisine, and unmatched comfort at sea.

Dining is over the top at the restaurants, such as the retro-chic steakhouses with menus created by famed chef Thomas Keller (of French Laundry fame). When you tire of prime beef, order lobster thermidor or sink into the delicious comfort of Keller's roast chicken. Owned by Carnival Corporation, Seabourn's top-of-the-line, 264- to 600-passenger ships deliver comfortable, modern luxury that can be as fancy or casual as you like. The top Regent Suites on these new ships are mansions at sea and come with solariums, private spas with saunas and steam rooms and Steinway pianos in their living rooms. Instead, in-room amenities -- think Belgian linens, down duvets, wool blankets and Bvlgari bath products -- are the focus. Passengers always get a kick out of the monogrammed pajamas that are laid out in their stateroom upon arrival.

And, rather than reinventing the wheel, Oceania focuses instead on service and quality - the two most essential ingredients in any shipboard culinary experience. Couple that with an array of specialty dining venues that are completely free of charge, and you've got the recipe for a world-class dining experience at sea. Its 10 traditional cruise ships are nearly identical, each carrying 930 guests, while two expedition vessels carry 378 guests and combine elegant design with the latest technology in polar exploration. Scenic's all-inclusive fares include dining and drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, airport transfers and shore excursions led by the line's knowledgeable expedition leaders. Overall, Atlas has found a way to seamlessly meld swank and leisure, making it one of our favorite luxury cruise lines. Complimentary choices on Silver Moon include Asian-fusion Indochine, Italian La Terrazza, seafood grill Atlantide, tapas restaurant and bar Silver Note, pizza place Spaccanapoli, and The Grill, a grill-your-own meat venue.

From extravagant amenities and world-class cuisine to personalized service and gorgeous destinations, the best luxury cruise lines redefine the notion of a vacation at sea. Whether you seek relaxation, adventure, or a blend of both, these are the finest offerings of the high seas. On luxury ships, you can do your great adventure while enjoying suite accommodations with butler service, fine dining and imbibing experiences and relaxation time at the spa. Select lines will even outfit you for the trip, providing complimentary take-home jackets.

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