10 Best Luxury Cruise Ships

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).

I can compare SeaDream to Hebridean Princess. They have a few similarities in that they are older ships that are all inclusive with excellent (but very different) crews. I like SeaDream for the Carribean, although my third cruise with them was in Europe and was overall my favorite of the three. Frankly, though, I find that the vibe is different on SeaDream, especially if a large group is onboard. There's a lot more drinking. I certainly have nothing against drinking, but sometimes when alcohol and heat mixes, you end up with people who are less than considerate.

I generally haven't seen that behavior on Hebridean Princess, which is more formal and attracts an older crowd, most of whom are British. Hebridean has guides and is more likely to offer speakers and/or enrichment. On my last cruise, there was a guy who had authored many books about whisky and was there to serve as an expert. On SeaDream, we didn't have any enrichment aside from exhibitions by staff members. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the same thing.

SeaDream is less about enrichment and more about having fun and relaxing. They have water toys and let you swim off the boat. I loved that in the Caribbean (it was too cold for me in Europe). It's also much less formal than Hebridean is. I loved their Thai spa and piano bar, which Hebridean doesn't have.

I do think both SeaDream and Hebridean *are* luxury vessels. They just aren't the biggest or newest. I think it's crazy to call SeaDream, which has vessels from the mid 80s that have no private balconies, "luxury", but not Hebridean, which does have several beautiful staterooms with balconies. And for some people, a small vessel is luxurious. I much prefer small ships with personalized service to floating cities. But to each their own.

Thank you for the explanation. We have not had a desire to sail on SeaDream -- probably because of the size of the boat and the small cabins.

The luxury cruise ships that are popular in the U.S. and Canada (already named) do have enrichment programs and you rarely see a person who has had too much to drink. As I mentioned, the demographics skew older on luxury cruise lines.

I do believe that the age of a ship and the size of the suites are important for luxury cruise lines. Seabourn got rid of three older ships (passenger capacity about 210) and now have only newer ships with larger suites and passenger capacity around 450. (they sold them to Windstar). Silversea has built 2 new ships in the pasts few years while Regent has only built 1 with one due in 2020 (note: Regent's oldest ship was built in 1998 while the others were built in 2003 and 2004).

I don't think that SeaDream should be considered luxury either. We have spent over a year cruising on luxury ships and rarely hear anything about SeaDream. There are some people that do not consider Crystal as being luxury because of the size of their suites and the age of their ships.

Hapag Lloyd hasn't been discussed on this thread but most people that have sailed on Europa 1 and 2 definitely feel that they are luxury (and, from the look of them, they qualify in many areas). In the case of Hapag Lloyd, they encourage families (including children), are not all-inclusive and the majority of the passengers speak little if any English. For those reasons, while they are likely luxury, people in North America show little interest in them.

Debating these issues is not a bad thing - particularly when we can learn the differences between what passengers in other countries prefer vs. what passengers in North America prefer.

What I think you have is a quaint little boat that probably has excellent service and food that has a niche market - mostly in the U.K. There is nothing wrong with that!

Hapag Lloyd hasn't been discussed on this thread........................the majority of the passengers speak little if any English.

To put it mildly, rather misleading.

To put it mildly, rather misleading.

Why? Really curious. My opinions come from reviews of the ships. And, my decision not to consider the ships is due to my wanting to sail on a ship with as few children as possible (none would be fine) and prefer luxury all-inclusive. I think that the ships are beautiful - just not my cup of tea.

Why? Really curious. My opinions come from reviews of the ships.

One should not extrapolate one person's experience to be generally valid.

Catlover54 in her reviews stated that German passengers, presumably only those that she had met personally, spoke little or no English.

My experience, during my cruises on the Europa 2, has been the complete opposite.

I have only met two German passengers who have spoken no English.

The remainder have spoken excellent English including one in particular who had been educated at an English Public School.

With cruises on the Europa 2 it really is the luck of the draw.

Where I do agree with Catlover54 is that with Germans there is a certain formality and reserve when attempting to initiate a conversation with them.

One must not attempt to rush things.

I happen to live in Germany right now and I have found that many of them, particularly the younger ones, speak English as well or better than Americans do. :D But it is true that they tend to be very reserved and, on the whole, can take awhile to warm up. Case in point, I have lived in my current neighborhood for almost three years and my husband and I just now got invited to a neighborhood barbecue for the first time.

Germans seem to enjoy Hebridean Princess, too. Every single one that I've met on that ship spoke almost perfect English.

luxury is very personal ... and in general the companies mostly frequented by US passengers underwent quite a process of "economising " ranging from small items to bigger issues.

For me the quality of the gastronomy is very important for me , i am not going on a cruise to collect a vast collection of Bulgari bathroom amenities or to listen to an " announced" as very famous lecturer or to see a so said world famous magician... or a performer doing the same act as 20 years ago

children : most of the time they behave very well on Hapag Lloyd , on one occasion i saw children cursing waiters on Crystal for not delivering giant ice cups

i do not know details of Seadream ( just one lunch as guest ) and probably very good but Hebridean is not for me ( i am not a whisky drinker neither )

maybe it is true that if you do speak German it is easier to get in contact with other passengers on board Hapag Lloyd - in general younger people do speak English in Germany .

all inclusive is not a synonym for luxury - certainly not on a bigger ship - i still remember the changes on the former Seabourn Sun and unfortunately also on Crystal.

In general i like to drink better wines as the complimentary ones on Crystal , SB and SS - so i am happy Hapag Lloyd does have a very good and very fairly priced wine list.

I really think all these discussion become repetitive and boring. Let's just be grateful that there are cruise line out there which suit different people and we can choose what we like best. No need to tear down one line just because we prefer a different one.

yes - about all the lines probably everybody can find something he dislikes ...

on hapag lloyd the drinks are not included and the embarkation is late , on SB the orange juice is not freshly made ..... etc etc

most important is that everybody can find a company that suits him the best

today i was on a ship of CMV as visitor in my hometown : that is in Berlitz between 2 and 3 stars and unfortunately his rather not so great comments are true. But those people on board seemed to be happy on her .

maybe we must be grateful we are able to cruise on Crystal or Hapag or SB or SS . :) or Regent or Oceania

luxury is very personal ... and in general the companies mostly frequented by US passengers underwent quite a process of "economising " ranging from small items to bigger issues.

For me the quality of the gastronomy is very important for me ........

.

I know that you said "in general" but I must add that Regent has done the opposite of economizing. It has spent a lot of money improving their menu - even their everyday selections (items such as Filet Mignon, New York Strip Steak, Rib eye Steak, New Zealand Lamb Chops, Veal Medallions, Half Roast Chicken, Smithfield Pork Chop, Maine Lobster tail, Jumbo Shrimp, King Sea Scallops, Norwegian Salmon Fillet, Whole Dover Sole, etc. prepared any way that you like it and you can pair it with about 14 various sauces.

For appetizers, there is a Traditional Shrimp Cocktail, Alaska Crab Salad, Norwegian Style Gravlax, Iberico Ham, Beef Carpaccio, Burgundy Escargots, Pan-Seared Foie Gras and Egg Tuffle with Soft Poached Egg with Black Truffle.

There is more but I have gone overboard with listing items from the everyday menu already because food is important to you.

Regent has also included Business Class international air for all passengers residing in the U.S. and Canada. So, at least in this case, there has been no economizing.

I understand that people in Germany, in general, can speak English but their preferred language is likely German and, as English Voyager indicated, there is a formality there that people in the U.S. and Canada are not used to. While we love immersing ourselves in the local culture (and did this for years before we began cruising), we now prefer the ambience, food and luxury of the newer cruise ships that provide an all-inclusive experience. All of us have our own preferences which is why it is great that we have so many cruising choices.

P.S. I would not want to be on an all British ship either - even though there is only a slight language barrier. No prejudiced here - my DH is British and feels the same way that I do (usually):halo:

I really think all these discussion become repetitive and boring. Let's just be grateful that there are cruise line out there which suit different people and we can choose what we like best. No need to tear down one line just because we prefer a different one.

I totally agree. I also agree with the statement that luxury is very personal. I am grateful that I've had the chance to try two lines that, at least for me, are very luxurious. I hope someday to be fortunate enough to try others.

I would love to try some of the other cruise options out there - all of the ships being discussed sound like they'd be a great vacation...but unfortunately, I'm still in the active workforce and don't have the time or money right now to experiment with other lines.

We found a cruise line we're comfortable with and as long as they don't price themselves out of the market and continue to provide interesting itineraries, we'll stick with what we know. I'd hate to blow my time and money on a vacation that doesn't meet my needs!

Maybe when I'm retired I'll have some leeway to try other options, but for now I'll have to settle for reading about all these great options. Keep postin', y'all!

I really think all these discussion become repetitive and boring. Let's just be grateful that there are cruise line out there which suit different people and we can choose what we like best. No need to tear down one line just because we prefer a different one.

Well as someone who is newly exploring options on luxury lines, I'm not finding it boring at all, however I am trying to find a cruise line that will suit DH and I. I'm not looking for tear downs, just honest comparisons by those who have done both. I'd rather do some research than spend a lot of money on a cruise that isn't going to suit us from the get go.

I've mostly cruised on Carnival in the past because I usually cruised with my sister and that's what her budget allows. DH and I are now retired, and we are well enough situated financially that we can and want to upgrade. We recently did a Viking river cruise and were very happy with their product, so we booked an ocean cruise with them. Now I know many if not most in this section of the CC universe do not put Viking up with the likes of Seabourn, Crystal, Regent & SilverSea, but we liked them a lot. We are not particularly brand loyal and we're open to new options.

We are primarily looking for newer, but smaller ships. We do NOT want to cruise on the huge floating theme park, mega mall monstrosities. We want to cruise on a ship that's not pretending to be something other than a ship - preferably with a good space to passenger ration. We do not need to be entertained 24/7.

We would prefer to cruise without hoards of young children running around unsupervised by parents determined to use up all their included drink allowance in one sitting. We would rather cruise with well-traveled adults with a broad range of interests and a love of good conversation as well as traveling. We would rather not cruise with snobs who will look down their noses at us. As I said, we're well situated, we're not top 1% - probably not even top 20%. We worked hard, and we're not leaving any inheritances :)

I want some pampering and excellent service. We want good food and wine. We like good wine, but we're not wine snobs either - though we both worked for a wine importer and distributor. I want a nice room - doesn't have to be a suite, but it must have a balcony and a comfy bed. We don't have any specific itineraries in mind - we're open on that aspect.

We do like a more casual atmosphere - or I should say DH does. I don't mind dressing up, but country club or business casual is fine with me. DH on the other hand is done with suits, dress shirts and ties. He'll do a dress shirt and if pressed a jacket - never a tie - and only 1 or 2 nights. Mostly he likes polo shirts and dress pants for dinner.

This is last is mostly the reason I haven't explored some of the more upscale lines. I know he won't be happy. I'm kind of interested in Seabourn and I'm not ruling some of the others out. I just need information and personal accounts are great - I can weigh them against what I like and it makes it easier to judge

So no - this thread and others like it are not boring!

We would prefer to cruise without hoards of young children running around unsupervised by parents determined to use up all their included drink allowance in one sitting. We would rather cruise with well-traveled adults with a broad range of interests and a love of good conversation as well as traveling. We would rather not cruise with snobs who will look down their noses at us. As I said, we're well situated, we're not top 1% - probably not even top 20%. We worked hard, and we're not leaving any inheritances :)

 

We do like a more casual atmosphere - or I should say DH does. I don't mind dressing up, but country club or business casual is fine with me. DH on the other hand is done with suits, dress shirts and ties. He'll do a dress shirt and if pressed a jacket - never a tie - and only 1 or 2 nights. Mostly he likes polo shirts and dress pants for dinner.

 

This is last is mostly the reason I haven't explored some of the more upscale lines. I know he won't be happy. I'm kind of interested in Seabourn and I'm not ruling some of the others out. I just need information and personal accounts are great - I can weigh them against what I like and it makes it easier to judge

 

So no - this thread and others like it are not boring!

Cyber Kat - we're in a similar situation as far as not starving but not driving Bentleys either, and we sure as heck ain't leaving our cruising money to the kids!!

We decided to try cruising back in '09 and did a LOT of research, quite a bit of it here on Cruise Critic, and between the information here, talking to friends, and spending way too many hours on the web, we settled on Regent for many of the reasons you've mentioned - good food, good wine, good cabins, few to no kids, and a casual but elegant atmosphere. We've sailed almost exclusively on Regent, and we've come awful close to booking on Seabourn which is, for us, a close second to Regent, at least on paper. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the lines you're looking at - you just need to find the one that best fits you guys.

We're leaving this weekend for another cruise on Regent's Explorer and although I'm taking a sport coat, there's a 50/50 chance it'll spend the cruise hanging in the closet. ;p

Silversea and Crystal have some nice itineraries but everything I've read leads me to believe they're just a bit formal for our tastes (I believe Crystal is changing, though). But I'd sail on either one if the price/itinerary was right. Actually I'd sail on any of the 'luxury' lines if it met my needs, they're all that close.

Based on only having sailed Regent (and Cunard once - just once) and none of the other luxury lines, my preferences are:

1. Regent

2. Seabourn

3. Crystal

4. Silversea

And that list could change next week, or next month, or next year - it just depends on how the lines evolve - and they've all been evolving, at least during the last 8 years since I've been a customer.

Doing all the research sure is fun, isn't it? :D

Cyber Kat - we're in a similar situation as far as not starving but not driving Bentleys either, and we sure as heck ain't leaving our cruising money to the kids!!

 

We decided to try cruising back in '09 and did a LOT of research, quite a bit of it here on Cruise Critic, and between the information here, talking to friends, and spending way too many hours on the web, we settled on Regent for many of the reasons you've mentioned - good food, good wine, good cabins, few to no kids, and a casual but elegant atmosphere. We've sailed almost exclusively on Regent, and we've come awful close to booking on Seabourn which is, for us, a close second to Regent, at least on paper. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the lines you're looking at - you just need to find the one that best fits you guys.

 

We're leaving this weekend for another cruise on Regent's Explorer and although I'm taking a sport coat, there's a 50/50 chance it'll spend the cruise hanging in the closet. ;p

 

Silversea and Crystal have some nice itineraries but everything I've read leads me to believe they're just a bit formal for our tastes (I believe Crystal is changing, though). But I'd sail on either one if the price/itinerary was right. Actually I'd sail on any of the 'luxury' lines if it met my needs, they're all that close.

 

Based on only having sailed Regent (and Cunard once - just once) and none of the other luxury lines, my preferences are:

 

1. Regent

2. Seabourn

3. Crystal

4. Silversea

 

And that list could change next week, or next month, or next year - it just depends on how the lines evolve - and they've all been evolving, at least during the last 8 years since I've been a customer.

 

Doing all the research sure is fun, isn't it? :D

Thanks - not starving, not driving a Bentley here too :) Still dreaming of my own private yacht - where is that lottery jackpot when you need it ;p

Thanks for the list - that's the way I've been leaning. We saw Regent Voyager in Amsterdam and it looked huge, but I think I read it travels with only 700 passengers. That wouldn't be bad - looked like a lot of ship for only that many passengers.

The research would be more fun if we could just spend the next year trying them all out in person!

Thanks - not starving, not driving a Bentley here too :) Still dreaming of my own private yacht - where is that lottery jackpot when you need it ;p

 

Thanks for the list - that's the way I've been leaning. We saw Regent Voyager in Amsterdam and it looked huge, but I think I read it travels with only 700 passengers. That wouldn't be bad - looked like a lot of ship for only that many passengers.

 

The research would be more fun if we could just spend the next year trying them all out in person!

You are right - the Voyager only has 700 passengers so you won't see crowds or long lines on the ship. The ship is all suites with balconies and the suites have nice walk-in closets. The Voyager was my favorite ship until Regent built the new Explorer which is over the top gorgeous (and holds 750 passengers).

Although we have only sailed Regent and Silversea from Bill's list, I have studied the other luxury cruise lines extensively. I would rate Regent #1, then Silversea (despite the dress code), Seabourn and Crystal. Crystal rates the lowest because of it's size (around 1,000 passengers), small suite size and the fact that it does not have true open seating. Once they refurbish one of their two ocean going ships, they will have a few larger suites and real open seating (one ship being refurbished this year and one net year).

Have fun doing your research!

TC2,

I'm asking tis question not out of judgement, strictly from curiosity. How much time per day do you spend on CC?

TC2,

 

I'm asking tis question not out of judgement, strictly from curiosity. How much time per day do you spend on CC?

About an hour in the morning. Check in again while eating lunch and early in the evening. Total may be two hours. I read fast (too fast sometimes) and type 100 wpm so it seems that I'm on longer than I am.

About an hour in the morning. Check in again while eating lunch and early in the evening. Total may be two hours. I read fast (too fast sometimes) and type 100 wpm so it seems that I'm on longer than I am.

Thanks, Just seems that you reply to so many others' posts in real time.

Thanks, Just seems that you reply to so many others' posts in real time.

Yes - I do a lot of research on the computer and many times while I'm waiting for something to print I get distracted and end up checking in on CC. When a poster and I are posting in real time, I tend to stick with the thread. At the moment, I'm eating lunch which is my typical time to be online.

Admittedly, having Cruise Critic as a hobby is a bit strange but I don't knit, garden or cook so I find CC interesting, challenging, frustrating, and, most of the time a lot of fun!

I came across a very fascinating and in depth article today covering a talk or speech that took place recently by f. del rio.. I found a lot of his thoughts pleasantly surprising. He said "the term luxury is quite possibly the most overused and abused word"....(next to the word love)His quote is food for thought as the debate goes on and on.

I came across a very fascinating and in depth article today covering a talk or speech that took place recently by f. del rio.. I found a lot of his thoughts pleasantly surprising. He said "the term luxury is quite possibly the most overused and abused word"....(next to the word love)His quote is food for thought as the debate goes on and on.

As usual, I agree with Frank but also think that it is is important to note, especially on this board, that he does not consider Oceania to be a luxury cruise line but does designate Regent as luxury. Mr. Del Rio has been in the cruising business for years and I have the utmost respect for him. He is down to earth - has his priorities straight (family first) and cares about each and every one of the crew members on the ship ..... whether it be on Regent, Oceania or NCL!

Please reread his quote. He went on to say that his Haven products are absolutely luxury. There is that word again.

Luxury is like ***********. You know it when you see it.

There are certain threads that recall to mind the film 'Groundhog Day'.