What makes 6 star cruise line

[paul1439]

What do you call Regent, Silversea and Seabourn cruise lines?

[calliopecruiser]

2 hours ago, English Voyager said:

Out of interest does a six star cruise ship/line actually exist?

 

As far as I am aware Berlitz's highest rating is 5+ stars.

 

Of course it does.......Since there's no official and standardized rating (and Berlitz isn't the be all and end all of ratings systems), anyone can have a 6-star rating system and label a cruise line as 6 stars. 

[Jacqueline]

It’s probably easier to identify what not a top level cruiseline! 

Its fair enough to say that there are certain minimum requirements for a luxury line and within that category, it is all personal preference.

Some people prefer AI’s others don’t. Some like included excursions, other don’t.

Certainly with food there is a level of quality of the product itself, but preparation and so forth leads to differences of opinion. 

And then there are the intangibles that create a feeling or vibe within a brand!

[English Voyager]

2 hours ago, calliopecruiser said:

 

Of course it does.......Since there's no official and standardized rating (and Berlitz isn't the be all and end all of ratings systems), anyone can have a 6-star rating system and label a cruise line as 6 stars. 

Berlitz may or may not be the be all and end all, but it does apply a standardised methodology when assessing cruise ships.

 

For some time in the UK Celebrity's tag line, which always made me smile, was 'Five Star Modern Luxury'.

 

 

[Travelcat2]

5 hours ago, English Voyager said:

Out of interest does a six star cruise ship/line actually exist?

 

As far as I am aware Berlitz's highest rating is 5+ stars.

 

While I do not agree with Berlitz a lot of the time, I do agree that most ratings go up to 5+ stars.  The only cruise line that I know of that thinks it is 6 stars is Crystal.  However, as has been mentioned, anyone can call anything 5 stars or 6 stars and it is fairly meaningless (especially when a cruise line is self-promoting such as Celebrity calling itself a luxury cruise line). 

[Texas Tillie]

21 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

While I do not agree with Berlitz a lot of the time, I do agree that most ratings go up to 5+ stars.  The only cruise line that I know of that thinks it is 6 stars is Crystal.  However, as has been mentioned, anyone can call anything 5 stars or 6 stars and it is fairly meaningless (especially when a cruise line is self-promoting such as Celebrity calling itself a luxury cruise line). 

 

Your promise to not be anti-Crystal didn't last long. Predictable for you.

[Jacqueline]

In fairness I did just go to the Crystal Cruises website and they do say that they have six star service. It’s a fact, not a bash.

[calliopecruiser]

2 hours ago, English Voyager said:

Berlitz may or may not be the be all and end all, but it does apply a standardised methodology when assessing cruise ships.

It's still a subjective rating.......yes, it is standardized in it's methodology, but not in how it decides on a rating.  It's not as if a 4 star rating requires X, Y, and not Z, whereas a 5 star rating requires X, Y, Q, R, and not Z, K, or B - the way hotels are rated in many European countries. 

[wripro]

The only six star cruise lines are those who award themselves those stars. Hello Regent!!!!

[vistaman]

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 7:36 PM, Jacqueline said:

In fairness I did just go to the Crystal Cruises website and they do say that they have six star service. It’s a fact, not a bash.

 

and in some brochures HAL is pretending 5 starred aspects  ….

[vistaman]

there is another author on cruises and he does grant 6 starred ratings 

[wripro]

On 4/18/2019 at 8:45 AM, vistaman said:

there is another author on cruises and he does grant 6 starred ratings 

A n author is not authorizes to grant stars. Stars that mean anything are awarded by accredited organizations whose so;e purpose it is to evaluate hotels, cruise lines etc. Anything else is merely an opinion.

[kent9xxx1]

I was on Crystal Mozart recently.  It is a 5* cruise line.  

There is no such thing as 6* or 7*.  

 

Royal Caribbean is at best 3* in my opinion.  

[calliopecruiser]

17 hours ago, wripro said:

A n author is not authorizes to grant stars.

Neither is anyone else.......it's all opinion, even from "accredited organizations".  (Accredited by whom?  How does one get such accreditation?)  

 

Some organizations have an established history of ratings and that gives people some experience to decide if their ratings have merit, but there's no authorized authority.

[wripro]

Mobil, Michelin, Triple a are all accredited organizations with professional examiners who visit and evaluate properties and whose ratings are universally accepted. 

 

Burj Al Arab calls itself a seven star hotel.What does that even mean unless you get stars for gold leaf?

[kent9xxx1]

1 hour ago, wripro said:

Mobil, Michelin, Triple a are all accredited organizations with professional examiners who visit and evaluate properties and whose ratings are universally accepted. 

 

Burj Al Arab calls itself a seven star hotel.What does that even mean unless you get stars for gold leaf?

 

Burj Al Arab did not call itself seven star hotel.  

According to the wiki page

Rating[edit]

The Burj Al Arab is a five-star hotel, the highest official ranking. While the hotel is sometimes erroneously described as "the world's only seven-star hotel", the hotel management claims never to have done that themselves. In the words of a Jumeirah Group spokesperson: "There's not a lot we can do to stop it. We're not encouraging the use of the term. We've never used it in our advertising."^[26]

[Jacqueline]

I think Berlitz makes a good stab at it, with a methodology, Just like Michelin starred restaurants, there can be a difference of opinion. And for wine ratings, Robert Parker prefers a style of wine. It is impossible there to be a totally subjective ranking of these products, but it does give one an idea of a category.

 

Once in the boards I heard it said that Berlitz is a language company, how can they review ships. And I would answer,  Michelin is a tire company!

 

[calliopecruiser]

1 hour ago, wripro said:

Mobil, Michelin, Triple a are all accredited organizations with professional examiners who visit and evaluate properties and whose ratings are universally accepted.

Yes, their opinions are well respected by a lot of people........but they're still opinions and not some sort of guarantee.  Just like an Oscar or Grammy isn't a guarantee that you'll like something, let alone a guarantee of quality.  They're badges of appealing to people whose opinions are well regarded. 

 

The only time the number of stars means something concrete is in the national stars ratings that some countries in Europe give to their hotels, because they are awarded stars on factual, guaranteed items (eg air conditioning, an elevator, a restaurant).   Things that aren't opinions and can't be fluffed when it comes time for a review/exam.

[English Voyager]

3 hours ago, calliopecruiser said:

Yes, their opinions are well respected by a lot of people........but they're still opinions and not some sort of guarantee.  Just like an Oscar or Grammy isn't a guarantee that you'll like something, let alone a guarantee of quality.  They're badges of appealing to people whose opinions are well regarded. 

 

The only time the number of stars means something concrete is in the national stars ratings that some countries in Europe give to their hotels, because they are awarded stars on factual, guaranteed items (eg air conditioning, an elevator, a restaurant).   Things that aren't opinions and can't be fluffed when it comes time for a review/exam.

I would contend that they are not subjective opinions but objective assessments based on a set of criteria designed to rule out subjectivity.

 

Is Douglas Ward being untruthful when he states in the Berlitz Guide that the chosen criteria are designed to ensure total objectivity?

 

Out of interest, which European countries award star ratings based on your cited criteria?

 

Over, and above, it's existence, would the size, décor, quality of food, and service in a hotel's restaurant not require assessment?

 

 

[calliopecruiser]

25 minutes ago, English Voyager said:

Is Douglas Ward being untruthful when he states in the Berlitz Guide that the chosen criteria are designed to ensure total objectivity?

He may think they're designed that way, but I've see the criteria, and they are subjective. 

 

26 minutes ago, English Voyager said:

Out of interest, which European countries award star ratings based on your cited criteria?

I've seen it in Italy and Portugal, but in looking for a quote to demonstrate here, it appears it's for the entire EU:  From Travel and Leisure magazine in 2017

" If you’ve ever picked a French, Italian, or Spanish property for the number of stars it’s received, you may know that European classifications are based on the existence (or lack) of certain facilities and amenities such as elevators, bathtubs, and armchairs. Unlike the subjective evaluations by guidebooks (think "charming" and "lovely"), European hotel ratings are designed to be objective and quantifiable—based on, for instance, the number of languages the staff speaks, room size, and ventilation. This sometimes leads to surprising results. For example, the Parador de Granada, with its historic allure and stunning location in the Alhambra Gardens, is regularly ranked as one of the best hotels in Spain by T+L readers, but it receives only four stars, not five, under Spain’s rating system, because it lacks conveniences such as an elevator and a swimming pool. Basically, stars in Europe denote minimum standards for facilities and services provided; more stars = more amenities. "

Then each country also has their own, within the EU's system: in Italy, air conditioning, and daily linen and towel changes are required to be given 4 or 5 star rating, for example.  In Portugal, all hotel rooms must have a full 5 piece bathroom to qualify as a 4 or 5 star hotel, but a 3 star hotel can have that amenity in just some of their rooms. 

 

Please don't misunderstand - I read ratings and look at photos and consider my preferences, but I look at it subjectively and don't believe that any particular subjective source will tell me what I want to know to help me find the accommodation I'll want.

[vistaman]

and years ago  a hotel in Belgium must have a shop ,store or boutique  - or several - to obtain a 5 starred rating ...

and michelin starred restaurants must have ample choice of half bottles of wine and champagne and cristal glasses

 

 

[wripro]

22 hours ago, kent9xxx1 said:

 

Burj Al Arab did not call itself seven star hotel.  

According to the wiki page

Rating[edit]

The Burj Al Arab is a five-star hotel, the highest official ranking. While the hotel is sometimes erroneously described as "the world's only seven-star hotel", the hotel management claims never to have done that themselves. In the words of a Jumeirah Group spokesperson: "There's not a lot we can do to stop it. We're not encouraging the use of the term. We've never used it in our advertising."^[26]

Burj La Arab most certainly did call itself a seven star hotel. Perhaps they've stopped this deception now but for a long time it was the lead line in their marketing plan.

[kent9xxx1]

2 hours ago, wripro said:

Burj La Arab most certainly did call itself a seven star hotel. Perhaps they've stopped this deception now but for a long time it was the lead line in their marketing plan.

 

If they did, they certainly showed a great deal of restraint there.  Could have gone with 10 stars.  

It is cringe-worthy to see these cruise lines and hotels self-claim 6 stars, 7 stars.  

[Travelcat2]

On 4/18/2019 at 3:24 AM, wripro said:

The only six star cruise lines are those who award themselves those stars. Hello Regent!!!!

 

Picking on Regent again are we?  It seems that all cruise lines “award themselves those stars”.  in my opinion, Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea are all in the same class (no matter what some writers have to say).  it amazes me that writers in various countries seem to know what everyone around the world would like.  

 

Beauty is said to be in the eyes of the beholder and, in my opinion, it is the same with cruise lines or hotels.  We do a heck of a lot of research before we travel.  What one person likes, another may not.  

 

As of this coming September, we will have sailed on three of the four major luxury cruise lines (“major” in the U.S.).  While we are basically Regent customers and have 450 nights onboard their ships, we were able to cruise Silversea three times and enjoyed it very much (and expect to enjoy our September cruise).  

 

While we prefer Regent and appreciate their included Business Class flights, pre-cruise hotels and transfers to and from the ship, we certainly can appreciate other cruise lines.  We do find Silversea a bit too formal and have not sailed Crystal due to their small suites but both cruise lines have an excellent reputation.  

 

The “wanna be” luxury cruise lines (Oceania, Azamara and Viking Ocean) are also likely very good (have only cruised on Oceania) but is a step down from “luxury”.  On the other hand, if you are used to Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, HAL, etc., these premium plus cruise lines might feel like luxury.  Again, it is in the eyes of the beholder and is based on cruising experience.

 

This can be argued forever but there will never be a consensus.  The only thing that is annoying is when someone belittles or puts down a cruise line.  Simply stating that “xxxxx’ is not our preference, would suffice quite well (or state a concrete reason for your feelings about a specific cruise line).  Badmouthing a cruise line is really not cool or right.

 

 

 

 

[TrulyBlonde]

13 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Picking on Regent again are we?  It seems that all cruise lines “award themselves those stars”.  in my opinion, Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea are all in the same class (no matter what some writers have to say).  it amazes me that writers in various countries seem to know what everyone around the world would like.  

 

Beauty is said to be in the eyes of the beholder and, in my opinion, it is the same with cruise lines or hotels.  We do a heck of a lot of research before we travel.  What one person likes, another may not.  

 

As of this coming September, we will have sailed on three of the four major luxury cruise lines (“major” in the U.S.).  While we are basically Regent customers and have 450 nights onboard their ships, we were able to cruise Silversea three times and enjoyed it very much (and expect to enjoy our September cruise).  

 

While we prefer Regent and appreciate their included Business Class flights, pre-cruise hotels and transfers to and from the ship, we certainly can appreciate other cruise lines.  We do find Silversea a bit too formal and have not sailed Crystal due to their small suites but both cruise lines have an excellent reputation.  

 

The “wanna be” luxury cruise lines (Oceania, Azamara and Viking Ocean) are also likely very good (have only cruised on Oceania) but is a step down from “luxury”.  On the other hand, if you are used to Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, HAL, etc., these premium plus cruise lines might feel like luxury.  Again, it is in the eyes of the beholder and is based on cruising experience.

 

This can be argued forever but there will never be a consensus.  The only thing that is annoying is when someone belittles or puts down a cruise line.  Simply stating that “xxxxx’ is not our preference, would suffice quite well (or state a concrete reason for your feelings about a specific cruise line).  Badmouthing a cruise line is really not cool or right.

 

13 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

"Wanna Be" luxury cruise lines? You just ruined your whole argument. You could have simply stated that these cruise lines are not your preference.