Luxury Cruise Line with > 1000 pax?

Does that exist? I have noticed what most people consider luxury top cruise lines have limited number of passengers. I love the formality and sophistication of the luxury lines (I prefer country club wear vs. t-shirt and jeans or gowns vs. cocktail dresses, etc.), but I do not care to be around, let's say for example, just 200 passengers for 10 or 14 days. I prefer not to encounter the same person several times a day (I guess that is why I live in a big city!). I think I am looking for the equivalent of a Broadway Theater crowd on a larger vessel.

Anyway, does a luxury (not premium) liner that holds a decent amount of passengers exist?

You might want to try Crystal. The Symphony has a capacity of 950 and the Serenity has a capacity of 1050. I've only been on the Symphony and the service is outstanding, the food great, and the people are generally well traveled. Plus, because of it's size it has all the full activities of a large ship, minus the hairy chest and beer guzzling contests.

I'm going to second what martinsfo said. Crystal is wonderful - just what you're looking for. Like martinsfo, I've just been on the Symphony (and I'll be on the Symphony again on Nov. 23rd with martinsfo - and will meet him at a Cruise Critic party on the 24th!).

Regent ships carry about 700 pax (except for the Navigator, which is 500); you have all the large ship amenities without the crowds, but you certainly don't see the same people all the time.

I agree with the above posters. If you want a true luxury experience on a larger ship, you can't go wrong with either Crystal Cruise line or Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Host Dan

You could book the Balmoral Suite on board Cunard or you could book a Queen's Grill Suite on the new Queen Victoria.

Try Celebrity, NCL and Princess. Just get the biggest suite room you can afford and you will be surprise that they are better than any suite room experience in luxury cruise lines like Crystal. If you get suite room in these 3 cruise lines, they will also treat you as if you are the King or Queen of the ship. And the bottom line is, the ships from these cruise lines are newer. Its just like taking a 8 hour plane ride using a Airbus A380 or a Boeing 787 than taking a old DC-9. Remember, bigger is better.

Celebrity, Princess and especially NCL are not a luxury experience. I've cruised in the PH, the largest suite on Celebrity, at least 6 times, and while they are great suites, once you step out your cabin door, it's still a mass market line. You don't get better food nor do you get better service. I've done 18 cruises on Crystal and the difference is amazing. You can book the least expensive cabin on Crystal, or Seabourn for that matter, and you're still going to get the same sublime food and flawless service that you'd get if you were in the Crystal Penthouse or the Owner's Suite on Seabourn.

And, in cruising, bigger is NOT better. How can you have great food when everything is mass prepared hours in advance? On the smaller ships, food is made to order and not sitting in a warming oven or under lights for hours on end.

Based on all you have said, I also agree that Crystal and Regent would be your best choices.

There ships will largely range from around 700-1000 passengers and offer a nice luxury cruising experience.

The other luxury cruise lines have ships that are smaller from Sea Dream carrying 100 passengers, to Seabourn carrying 200 passengers (eventually up to 450 with the new fleet of ships) and Silversea carrying passengers from around 275-around 350.

You wil find a nice diverse set of itineraries on both cruise lines.

Yes, you can book a suite on some other ships such as Celebrity or Cunard and the amenities would be nice but if you care for great food that is comparable to a luxury line you would need to dine in Celebrity's specialty restaurant every night. While the food in that restaurant is great the menu would be limiting after a few nights. And the reality is that the rest of the ship is not a true luxury experience and the same goes for Cunard once you are out of the suite and out of their restaurant. And, both lines ships on average carry signfiicantly more passengers.

Keith

I'm not a Crystal person, I'm a Regent person. I've heard that Crystal is a lot more formal than Regent, so perhaps you would prefer that. Cocktail dresses certainly predominate over gowns on formal nights on the Regent cruises I've been on.

I'm not a Crystal person, I'm a Regent person. I've heard that Crystal is a lot more formal than Regent, so perhaps you would prefer that. Cocktail dresses certainly predominate over gowns on formal nights on the Regent cruises I've been on.

I've only been on 2 Crystal cruises with a 3rd in less than 3 weeks, but I found Crystal was not all gowns on formal night. Altho about 2/3 of the men did wear tuxes, I'd say that not more than 1/3 of the women had on long dresses. The majority wore cocktail dresses and suits or fancy slacks and tops.

Wendy, I echo what Texas Tillie just posted. I've been on several Crystal Cruises and the women don't all wear gowns and long dresses on formal night. I suspect the dress on Formal nights is very similar to what you've seen on Regent!

Nancy

Well then I guess the OP will be disappointed with either line! Good to know that about Crystal--I guess all the lines are getting more casual. For me, that's a good thing.

I and my son both wore a tux on our Crystal Cruise. My wife has a cocktail dress. For the longer trips she brings a very elegant pants suit to wear on the additional formal nights.

What I wanted to point out is that the attire you find on Crystal will sometimes vary based on the length of the cruise, the itinerary and even the time of the year and as others have said it varies by person.

Regardless of the specific formal type clothing that people wear on formal nights (whether for the women it's a long gown, a cocktail dress and nice formal pants-suit or for the men it's a tuxedo, or dinner jacket and tuxedo pants, or a dark suit), in general you will find that the passengers dress up in this attire and look wonderful and it adds to a very special evening on board the Crystal Ships. Add to this the beauty of the main dining room and the wonderful cuisine served on these nights along with the entertainment the proceeds and follows the evening dinners and you will have a very special evening on board the ships during the formal nights. The ambience is wonderful.

Keith

I find the comment about 'seeing the same people every day' amusing. I sail predominately on Seabourn (200 passengers). Invariably when disembarking, I see cruisers I have not seen the entire time. Seeing the same people doesn't mean you have to talk or sit with them all the time, either.