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10 Best Luxury Cruise Ships


LauraS
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Oceania and Viking are not luxury cruise ships and "boats" that cruise rivers, are not "ships". iMO, this is confusing to people new to cruising. I respect CC very much but cannot understand why the designations are so messed up.

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Surprised that Hebridean Princess got overlooked.

 

I had not heard of this ship so I looked it up. Perhaps she is not mentioned because she carries only 50 passengers and does to look like any 'luxury' cruise ship that I've ever seen (actually, she doesn't look much like a passenger ship). While all-inclusive, she doesn't have balconies, was built over 50 years ago (and looks it), has what appears to be tiny cabins (size not mentioned on website) with old looking furniture and it sounds as if there is one seating for dinner (again, lack of information on website).

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Hebridean Princess is indeed a small luxury vessel. The Queen chartered the ship for her birthday many years ago.

All suites are individually decorated. Predominantly itineraries are based around Scotland and islands.

Not bad for a cruise ship that started life as a ferry. Jean.

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I had not heard of this ship so I looked it up. Perhaps she is not mentioned because she carries only 50 passengers and does to look like any 'luxury' cruise ship that I've ever seen (actually, she doesn't look much like a passenger ship). While all-inclusive, she doesn't have balconies, was built over 50 years ago (and looks it), has what appears to be tiny cabins (size not mentioned on website) with old looking furniture and it sounds as if there is one seating for dinner (again, lack of information on website).

 

The reviews by CC members have been fulsome in their praise.

 

The latest is very comprehensive:

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=577998

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IMO, 144 sq. ft. is a good sized closet! I can see the Queen chartering the whole ship and, since her castle is quite old, maybe 340 sq. ft. is a decent size. For luxury cruisers, it is an entry level suite.

 

One must wonder where the reviews are coming from. Have the passengers sailed on Regent, Seabourn or Silversea? Even Oceania's (a premium plus cruise line) older ships are more luxurious and I would not sail on them either.

 

I learned one thing from that website........ 50+ year old ships are still sailing. Who knew?

 

P.S. If Berlitz rates this ship as luxury, it reinforces my opinion that Berlitz is not worth reading. For those not familiar with luxury cruise lines that North American's sail, their largest suites are over 1,000 sq. ft. with massive balconies. And, the upper suites, at least on Regent, are individually decorated by some of the world's top designers.

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IMO, 144 sq. ft. is a good sized closet! I can see the Queen chartering the whole ship and, since her castle is quite old, maybe 340 sq. ft. is a decent size. For luxury cruisers, it is an entry level suite.

 

One must wonder where the reviews are coming from. Have the passengers sailed on Regent, Seabourn or Silversea? Even Oceania's (a premium plus cruise line) older ships are more luxurious and I would not sail on them either.

 

I learned one thing from that website........ 50+ year old ships are still sailing. Who knew?

 

P.S. If Berlitz rates this ship as luxury, it reinforces my opinion that Berlitz is not worth reading. For those not familiar with luxury cruise lines that North American's sail, their largest suites are over 1,000 sq. ft. with massive balconies. And, the upper suites, at least on Regent, are individually decorated by some of the world's top designers.

 

Have you actually read the Berlitz review?

 

I can only assume you have not, otherwise you would have seen how the reviewer arrived at the luxury rating.

 

In the review it is stated that more than 50% of passengers are repeaters, and the ship appeals to solo travellers.

 

Given the very high fares that is a high recommendation.

 

Is luxury, defined as a state of great comfort or elegance, really dependant on the size of the accommodation?

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Well, as has been stated before, what constitutes "luxury" is different for everyone. But...if I'm going to spend a week or more in a cabin, I need to have room to stretch out a bit. And for me, 177 sq ft doesn't give me the stretch room I want. And honestly, from looking at the photos, the ship looks tired. I'm sure the itineraries are nice, and I'm sure the food is nice, but for the prices they're asking, I'd expect a bit more.

 

But that's just me.

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Hard to rate that as luxury especially with NO balconies.....

 

There are some cabins with balconies.

 

http://www.hebridean.co.uk/en/photo-gallery_49142/

 

 

Personally I very rarely use a balcony.

 

Some years ago on a Silversea cruise in the Middle East the humidity was so high the balcony was unusable due to everything dripping water.

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SeaDream doesn't have balconies, while Princess does have some gorgeous staterooms with balconies. I have been on SeaDream and Hebridean and love them both for different reasons. I actually think Hebridean is, in many ways, much more luxurious than SeaDream is. However, the Princess does lack a spa and a hot tub/pool.

 

The food is outstanding and the beverages are included (and they will go out of their way to cater to what you want). If you have any problems, the staff bends over backward to accommodate you. Last year, I took a cruise entirely dedicated to whisky and we stopped at many distilleries. At the Glengoyne Distillery, we had a special opportunity to blend our own whisky. That was included in the fare, as all excursions are. I actually learned something about Scotland, too.

 

I love Hebridean for the truly all inclusive nature of the ship. Yes, you pay a high fare; but once you've paid, you are covered for almost everything. I have never had a bill at the end of a voyage, even on my first cruise, which was a back to back voyage. They did our laundry for free and even paid for a cab to take the three of us who were sailing back to back to Glasgow. They also paid for lunch. And the service is absolutely impeccable. Two more months til I'm piped aboard again!

 

Those who would prefer a larger, more modern ship should probably steer clear. As for me, I will stick with Hebridean Princess for showing me parts of Scotland I never would have seen otherwise.

Edited by knotheadusc
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Have you actually read the Berlitz review?

 

I can only assume you have not, otherwise you would have seen how the reviewer arrived at the luxury rating.

 

In the review it is stated that more than 50% of passengers are repeaters, and the ship appeals to solo travellers.

 

Given the very high fares that is a high recommendation.

 

Is luxury, defined as a state of great comfort or elegance, really dependant on the size of the accommodation?

 

I no longer read Berlitz as I disagree with most of what he writes. His perspective is simply very different than. mine. In terms of repeat customers, Regent often has 80% repeat customers (and their ships are more than 10 times the size).

 

Just checked their website again and found their prices quite reasonable when compared to luxury cruise ships. What was very telling is the fact that there are only two cruises "Sold Out" between now and the end of 2017. Why can't they sell out when they have only 25 cabins?

 

Agree that this cruise line is good for passengers traveling single and for people in the U.K./Europe that want a close up view of some unique ports. However, I can't see this ship being included in the luxury cruise ship category.

 

I'm sure that I won't change anyone's view nor will mine be changed. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

P.S. While Sea Dream is marginally considered luxury by some, they also are not really competition to Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea. They have a specialized segment of the luxury market which is quite small.

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knotheadusc,

 

So Berlitz was correct in it's review of the Hebridean Princess.

 

According to it's latest Press Release, Hebridean Island Cruises has been nominated for several major awards.

 

http://www.hebridean.co.uk/news-detail.php?context=news&show=detail&rss=http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1998030739806095111/posts/default/2664987352817708860

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I think it's hard to judge if you haven't actually been on the ship. I have been on three SeaDream cruises and, at this writing, three Hebridean cruises. I was blown away by the SeaDream experience the first couple of times. By the third time, it was less impressive to me. My husband and I don't have a lot of time or money to spend on trying different ships, yet we're about to take our fourth Hebridean cruise. We've been wanting to try Seabourn for years, but Hebridean keeps luring us back.

 

Some people judge luxury by how new the ship is, the toiletries, and thread count in the sheets. Personally, I don't spend a lot of time in the stateroom and am more interested in other aspects of the cruise. But even without windows in the cheapest cabins, I have always found Hebridean's staterooms very comfortable, even if they aren't as huge as what you'll find on the newer ships.

 

To me, what makes Hebridean luxurious is the incredible crew and the fact that nothing is too much trouble for them. Tipping is forbidden, so that attitude of service is genuine. Yes, Princess is an old vessel, but she's very beautiful, well-kept, and unique. Moreover, some people think of smaller ships as more luxurious because of the places they can go. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

 

Anyway, after September's cruise, it may be awhile until our next Scottish cruise. We are wanting to try a French barge cruise next. I imagine that will make Hebridean Princess seem huge.

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Just checked their website again and found their prices quite reasonable when compared to luxury cruise ships. What was very telling is the fact that there are only two cruises "Sold Out" between now and the end of 2017. Why can't they sell out when they have only 25 cabins?

 

Two cruises being 'Sold Out' only tells part of the story

 

The starting price of an available cruise is far more informative eg a 10 day Norwegian cruise priced from £9170 is indicative of limited availability.

 

Single cabins priced up to £14320 having sold out

 

 

http://www.hebridean.co.uk/itinerary-example.php?id=89

 

 

.

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knotheadusc,

 

So Berlitz was correct in it's review of the Hebridean Princess.

 

According to it's latest Press Release, Hebridean Island Cruises has been nominated for several major awards.

 

http://www.hebridean.co.uk/news-detail.php?context=news&show=detail&rss=http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1998030739806095111/posts/default/2664987352817708860

 

I will admit that I am not yet a luxury cruise aficionado, but I am being honest when I write that the Hebridean experience is very special. It's not for everyone, obviously. People who like to stay up and party may not enjoy it because the cruisers tend to be older Britons and they aren't necessarily a partying crowd. It's definitely not a kid friendly cruise (which I like). But I can't imagine a normal person taking this cruise and not coming away with the idea that it's a luxury brand. No, it's not like Crystal, Silversea, or Seabourn, but it's still awesome and unique.

 

Twice, I've gotten to take walks on Sanda Island, which is a privately owned, uninhabited island. I've gotten to see baby seals and other amazing wildlife. Afterward, the hilarious purser was waiting with a picnic basket full of delightful snacks and beverages to warm us up while we waited to get back to the ship. I remember standing there with a cup of coffee laced with Bailey's while my husband enjoyed a dram of scotch. Again... all included in the fare.

 

Oh... and a couple of years ago, I emailed the office and asked them to send my mother information about their river cruises. I was addressed personally and they took excellent care of my mom, who booked back to back river cruises and traveled solo. Any time I need anything, I can email them and they know who I am and handle everything with a personal touch.

 

In my mind, the awards are well-deserved. Sorry... I'll stop gushing now. :D

Edited by knotheadusc
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Anyway, after September's cruise, it may be awhile until our next Scottish cruise. We are wanting to try a French barge cruise next. I imagine that will make Hebridean Princess seem huge.

 

One of my best holidays was a river cruise

 

The size of the cabin's bathroom was such that it made me think that I had been in bigger telephone kiosks.

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One of my best holidays was a river cruise

 

The size of the cabin's bathroom was such that it made me think that I had been in bigger telephone kiosks.

 

 

:D It's always kind of a crap shoot on the smaller cruises. One thing that worries me is that a barge cruise will only have a handful of people onboard and you don't always mesh with other people. But I love the idea of going to unique places that aren't overrun with tourists. Also, my husband (who used to make fun of the French) has become a legitimate Francophile. We are fortunate to be living in Germany right now, so it's easy to visit France, but I am dying to see my husband's face when he tastes some really good artisan cheeses while I down some excellent wines. I really enjoy having interesting experiences in unique places and you can get that on a smaller vessel.

 

Someday, I hope to try one of the bigger luxury lines... and get back on a SeaDream cruise, too.

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Two cruises being 'Sold Out' only tells part of the story

 

The starting price of an available cruise is far more informative eg a 10 day Norwegian cruise priced from £9170 is indicative of limited availability.

 

Single cabins priced up to £14320 having sold out

 

 

http://www.hebridean.co.uk/itinerary-example.php?id=89

 

.

 

 

Norwegian crises are typically amongst the highest priced cruises that any cruise line does (the cruises I was looking at on the website are considerably less money). Please tell me what I'm missing. When a 50 passenger cruise line only has 2 sold out cruises over the next 5 1/2 months, I would worry about it staying in business.

 

knotheadusc - I appreciate what you posted. Since you have not sailed on a luxury cruise ship vs. a 50 passenger boat, there is little to compare. I'm curious how you would compare SeaDream to Hebridean Princess.

 

 

Also, FYI, Silversea has a few expedition ships that visit very unique ports. Their smallest ship carries 128 guests and the 7 night cruises start at around 9,000 GBP per person while their larger ship carries 296 guests and have cruises starting at 12,883 GBP per person. These cruises sell out quickly and are based in many parts of the world.

 

P.S. The luxury cruise lines I've listed are not party cruises. The guests are approximately 20% from the U.K., and 75% from the U.S, and Canada with another 5% from various other countries. The demographic is also older (generally 50+ except for summer cruises when the age is lower). No luxury ship particularly wants children but they are allowed. When school is in session, longer cruises tend to have no children while shorter cruises have a couple of them. There are no activities for children which tends to keep them away (again, except during mid-June to mid-August and during Christmas holidays).

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