What Luxury Line do you Recommend?

My husband and I are looking into our future cruises and are thinking that a luxury line is what we are seeking. We are tired of children running amok, loud announcements, cheesy cruise directors, and "casual" dress codes. We want our cruise vacation experience to be luxurious, elegant, romantic, and peaceful.

Having never sailed a luxury line, we are just beginning to do our research. We are not big drinkers, but do enjoy a nice bottle of wine at dinner. We would probably drink more if it was included in our cost. We are in our mind 20's, but enjoy the company of those more seasoned and experienced than ourselves.

What lines do you recommend and for what reasons?

I look forward to hearing your suggestions!

I can only speak to Regent, which I chose after doing a lot of research on different lines. We started with the itinerary we wanted and then selected for other things that were important to us:

1) All-inclusive meant the tips were covered and you didn't have to figure them out.

2) All-inclusive also meant you weren't signing a bar bill or some other tab every time you turned around.

3) Open dining, so you can go when you want and meet new people every night. Fixed seating only comes in two times, as far as I'm concerned: Too Early, and Too Late.

4) We chose size of ship; 200 seemed too small for first-timers, and not as cost-effective as Regent, which carries 500-700 per ship and offers more dining venues and different entertainment options.

Regent can be dressy or informal; some itineraries don't have formal nights. People know how to dress appropriately, and you won't see baseball caps in the dining room.

Some lines and itineraries skew "older"; Regent seemed "older" on the Caribbean cruise we took than on the Baltic one, which was very active with many ports.

My husband and I are looking into our future cruises and are thinking that a luxury line is what we are seeking. We are tired of children running amok, loud announcements, cheesy cruise directors, and "casual" dress codes. We want our cruise vacation experience to be luxurious, elegant, romantic, and peaceful.

Having never sailed a luxury line, we are just beginning to do our research. We are not big drinkers, but do enjoy a nice bottle of wine at dinner. We would probably drink more if it was included in our cost. We are in our mind 20's, but enjoy the company of those more seasoned and experienced than ourselves.

What lines do you recommend and for what reasons?

 

I look forward to hearing your suggestions!

Great question!

Here's my opinion on the different luxury lines, and what they offer:

Seabourn- Intimate ships (208 pax) that can go to exotic places that many cruise ships can't go. First class food and service, with an emphasis on "getting to know the guest on a by name basis, and anticipating wants and needs." All beverages, including fine spirits, included. Tipping no required nor expected. Marina days with water skiing, kayaking etc right off the back of the ship. Down side, no "real" balonies. Certain suite have a sliding door to open and enjoy fresh sea air. The new ship Seabourn Odyssey (out in June) will hold 450 pax and will offer balcny suites. Average passenger 40's and up, well heeled and well traveled,

SeaDream Yacht Club- 2 ships, and true yachting. Very casual, fine dining, all beverages included, and a slightly younger crowd than Seabourn. You feel like you are a guest on a chartered yacht. Very addictive cruise line! Tips not expected nor required. Aft marina as well for playing with water "toys"! Small staterooms and no balconies. (Not surprising for the size of the ships)

SilverSea- Very much like Seabourn, with more of a "european flare". Interaction with officers is a bit more formal and "stand-offish", but that adds to the charm! All-inclusive, first class and "real" balconies. Averaging 294 pax to 385 pax depending on which of the 4 ships you cruise. Average passenger 40's and up, well heeled, well traveled, from many nations and very cosmopolitan.

Regent Cruise Line- Very much like SilverSea. Same type ship, yet a bit less formal than the latter. All-inclusive including sprits and tipping. Average passenger 40's and above with a very loyal passenger base. (Linda's post above really "sum's up" the Regent experience)

Cystal Cruise Line- Because of the size of the Crystal Ships, (Symphony 922 pax, Serenity 1070 pax), Crystal can offer a true medium sized cruise ship experience, without the long buffet lines, and pushy passengers. Almost always rated as the best mid-sized cruise line, Crystal offers fine food, (Especially asian), and impeccable service. The staff to passenger ratio is such that you are able to enjoy large spaces without ever feeling crowded. Although most beverages are included, Crystal does not offer complimentary spirits and tipping is expected. (Many TA's will prepay tips for you). Crystal, by far, offers the best in guest lecturers and enrichment programs. The average age is mid 50's and up, and is considered more of a "formal" cruise line with more stringent evening dress codes. Evening entertainment is of broadway caliber.

All in all, you can't really go wrong with any of these lines. Write down what's truly important to you and pick which line fits the bill best!

Good luck!

Host Dan

Host Dan gave a good overview of the luxury lines. We are Regent loyalists -- very comfortable with casual elegance. In addition to what Linda has stated, we enjoy the large suites with balconies. Two of Regent's ships are all-balcony -- the third is about 80% balcony. There is something very special about being served breakfast on the balcony. If smoking is an issue for you, Regent's smoking policy is very restrictive. I believe Regent is the only luxury cruise line where you cannot smoke in your suite or on your balcony:)

Host Dan has provided a wonderful overview of the luxury cruise lines.

With each of these cruise lines, you will find very seasoned cruisers and not many children.

My suggestion is to read through each of the bruchures for the cruise lines. While they are clearly marketing brochures they do give you a feel for what makes each of the lines unique from one another. Go to each of the web sites and also read the informaton on line. Study the deck plans for each ship closely to get a feel for the layout and what public areas are available on the ship.

See if you can narrow down the list. This might be accomplished by size of the ship you will find that the ships range in size from very small (Sea Dream which carries 100 passngers) to small such as Seabourn whose current ships carry 200 passengers (new ship will carry 450 passengers), to medium size ships.

I would also pick up a copy of the Ocean Cruising Book written by Douglas Ward and published by Berlitz. It is less than $20.00 and provides a very nice overview on all of the ships. It's a nice reference book to have. It is updated annually.

For the cruise lines you are interested in, start looking at Itineraries and Pricing.

And, finally, IMHO find a Travel Specialist who specializes in Luxury Cruise lines rather than someone who mainly is familiar with Mass Market or Premium Cruise Lines. I would also find one who is affiliated with one of the major travel consortiums because many times on the luxury cruises they wll provide some nice amenties. For example, while gratuities on Crystal are not included in the cruise fare, the large travel consortiums all provide the pre-paid gratuities and for most cruise lines also provide some shipboard credit.

Good luck with your research and your decision.

Finally, I do have some favorites out of the luxury lines but I don't think that is relevant here. Why? Because in the end there are enough differences between the lines that each person need to find the cruise line(s) that work best for them. The only opinion that counts in the end is your own.

Keith

Keith,

You are a true diplomat not stating your favorite line.

Host Dan, for recapping these so easily. I am sitting here with brochures, and comparison lists - just confusing the h%ll out of myself! You made it so much more clear what the differences are. I had ended up just trying to decide on an itinerary that would work for us. It makes it a little easier since the dates for Caribbean cruises are limited.

Thank you all so much for your very helpful reviews and information.

I have a few follow-up questions:

1. Crystal and Regent claim to have children's programs. My question is; how many children and do they get in the way? I have only mass market lines (RCCL) to compare.

2. Which line do you think has the best food? PLEASE tell me your favorite, although I realize how subjective food tastes are.

3. Crystal seems to have the larger ships compared to other lines. I am assuming the entertainment is similar to that of the mass market lines. What kind of entertainment can I expect on other lines?

And finally: If I am leaning towards Regent and SilverSea, what are the main differences between these two lines? What are the perks of each? How do the room sizes compare? If I am willing to pay $5000 per person for a 7 night Caribbean cruise (not including airfare and excursions), what type of room can I expect?

You will find some children on board the Crystal ships in the summer (particularly the mediterranean cruises) and a few other times in the year such as the December Holiday crossing. Most other times you will find very few if any children.

I think the food on Crystal is outstanding. In addition to the main dining room they have two alternative restaurants; Silk Road which serves a Japanese Cuisine under the direction of Nobu and Prego which serves Italian Cuisine. Also on the Serenity they offer evening casual dining by the pool area on most evenings exccept for the formal nights and a few other nights. I don't want to get into who has better food because that really is all opinion.

The entertainment on Crystal is much more elaborate than on the Mass Market Lines.

Crystal's strengths are service, food, entertainment including a strong lecture program during the day with many other daytime activities incuding many different classes.

As I mentioned earlier I would go to each web site and get a brochure for each cruise line.

Also, read some of the posts on the respective cruise line boards to get a sense as to what people say about each of the cruise lines.

In terms of the price for a room, if you go to their respective web sites you can easily see what type of room you will get on each cruise line for the price you are willing to spend.

Keith

I can only speak for Crystal and I have only traveled on this line during holidays and summer vacations. They do get a lot of VERY WELL BEHAVED kids. To quote an overused line by one of their comics, they do have gang wars on board between the Guccis and the Pradas. The Jr. ACtivities Staff is first rate and you only see children by the pool. On the Thanksgiving cruise there were over 100 kids, but you did not see them. During non holiday or summer cruises it appears there are few or no children on board. By the way my son loves to cruise on Crystal as they treat him like an 'adult.'

You mention you didn't want the casual dress codes and from my experience on cruising all the luxury lines, I fell Seabourn and Crystal are the most formal in terms of passengers following the codes. On Crystal, you'll find a vast majority of the male passengers in tuxes or white dinner jackets. The women are dressed elegantly, and as a gentleman friend of mine has said, there's not a sequin or piece of lace left in Neiman's. I personally found Regent to be a line that does not have formal nights on some of their itineraries.

As for entertainment, if that's what you're looking for, then the smaller ships of Seabourn, Silversea and Regent might not offer what you want. On those lines you'll find very low key entertainment at night with a soloist musician, comedian or vocalist. No real production shows and usually a piano player or small combo in the lounge. Crystal has full blown production shows and they also have two groups that play in their larger lounges, and a piano/vocalist in their small lounge.

The food and service on both Seabourn and Crystal is fantastic. I would highly recommend either.

You mention you didn't want the casual dress codes and from my experience on cruising all the luxury lines, I fell Seabourn and Crystal are the most formal in terms of passengers following the codes. On Crystal, you'll find a vast majority of the male passengers in tuxes or white dinner jackets. The women are dressed elegantly, and as a gentleman friend of mine has said, there's not a sequin or piece of lace left in Neiman's. I personally found Regent to be a line that does not have formal nights on some of their itineraries.

 

As for entertainment, if that's what you're looking for, then the smaller ships of Seabourn, Silversea and Regent might not offer what you want. On those lines you'll find very low key entertainment at night with a soloist musician, comedian or vocalist. No real production shows and usually a piano player or small combo in the lounge. Crystal has full blown production shows and they also have two groups that play in their larger lounges, and a piano/vocalist in their small lounge.

 

The food and service on both Seabourn and Crystal is fantastic. I would highly recommend either.

Thanks for the information. We are not really into the big production shows. If we want to see good live entertainment, we will go to Vegas for a weekend. That is why it is last on the priority list. We are more into just some nice lounge music and a bit of ballroom dancing. Hearing a decent comedian every once in a while would be a good thing.

Crystal isn't all about the production shows. On every cruise they bring in individual guest entertainers. They try and have at least one vocalist, musician (pianist, violinist) and a comedian. They also have ballroom dancing every evening in two venues and a pianist/singer in the Avenue Saloon. And on every cruise they have a professional dance couple who give lessons in every kind of ballroom dance.

Thank you all so much for your very helpful reviews and information.

 

I have a few follow-up questions:

 

1. Crystal and Regent claim to have children's programs. My question is; how many children and do they get in the way? I have only mass market lines (RCCL) to compare.

2. Which line do you think has the best food? PLEASE tell me your favorite, although I realize how subjective food tastes are.

3. Crystal seems to have the larger ships compared to other lines. I am assuming the entertainment is similar to that of the mass market lines. What kind of entertainment can I expect on other lines?

 

And finally: If I am leaning towards Regent and SilverSea, what are the main differences between these two lines? What are the perks of each? How do the room sizes compare? If I am willing to pay $5000 per person for a 7 night Caribbean cruise (not including airfare and excursions), what type of room can I expect?

I just noticed that you did not get much feedback on your Regent and Silversea question. Silversea and Regent are quite close in terms of service and food. On Silversea's smaller ships, the staff is able to remember passenger's name a bit easier. Regent is less formal that Silversea. Silversea has a higher percentage of European passengers.

Regent has an excellent loyalty program. After 21 days on board a Regent ship, you receive free internet, an hour of phone time, some pressing on formal nights, etc. The suites are quite similiar on both ships.

In terms of children, as long as you do not sail on school breaks or during the summer, there are few, if any children on either cruise line.

As a Regent loyalist, if I was not sailing on Regent, I would be on Silversea.

I disagree slightly on the fact that service and food are similar on Silversea and Regent, having sailed on both a number of times. I agree more with Dan's comments, except for when discussing Regent to be more casual, I need to clarify that from my point of view. I agree that service on Silversea is more formal (almost never stuffy to me with one or two exceptions), which I like. The service on Regent is more casual, but I feel the dress at night is more formal than Silversea overall. You do get a more world-wide approach on Silversea, and I like that.

Both Silversea and Regent have lovely base cabins. Two of the Regent ships are all balcony, as was stated. Silversea doesn't have an all balcony ship, and even the new ship will have about a dozen ships that are not balcony. That being said, they have large picture windows and beautiful cabins.

The age on a Silversea and Regent cruise will skew based on cost, length and itinerary. On either ship, you will see a few teens no matter where you go, and you may see a handful of smaller children. Regent only has the children's programs on holiday and summer type sailings. It makes a difference. On our Christmas sailing, there were about 60 children, but then that counts certain teens. Nobody has ever impacted our good time at all.

Announcements are restricted to the boat drill call and a couple of daily announcements - arrival in port, noon weather, etc. There is no screaming games on deck or call to drag you into anything. You are free to relax and enjoy yourself.

People are interesting on both lines, and if the goal is to engage with those with a lot of life experiences, you will find it. People are willing to chat and share, and it is not a bragging or one-upmanship. Everyone is equal, and people just assume that and feel it.

I like Silversea better slightly on sea days. They always have a food or wine event on every sea day. Regent does not always, and this can be disappointing to me. Regent has more hall games and such, and we enjoy that. Evening entertainment is similar on both. There are the production shows on most sailings, and they are worth attending. I wouldn't rule them out. You can still fit in ballroom dancing before dinner or after. There are lounge acts, too. Sometimes there will be magicians or comedians. We have even seen circus type acts.

I agree with Travelcat2 that Regent has a better loyalty program, especially the free internet at 21 nights.

I like the variety of dining offered on Regent, and all the restaurants are included with no extra upcharge. I had hoped Silversea would move to this with the new ship, but it is not going to happen. The food is wonderful on both lines.

Regent Navigator is more like the bigger Silversea ships since it is smaller, and you can actually forget what ship you are on. There is a lot of charm on that ship.

It seems you would like any of these ships, and though I have not yet made it on Seabourn, I have spent more hours researching it than anyone could ever imagine, and I would get on one of these ships in a heartbeat in the right circumstance. They still have some very attractive pricing in the Caribbean, as does Silversea.

Excellent post, Host Dan!

I've been on 'em all and I just have to say -- based on what the original poster said about her travel style (and the fact that she's in her 20s), I'd without hesitation suggest SeaDream. It's great service, intimate ambience, excellent food (at least on my last cruise) but casual.

Carolyn

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

Great question!

 

Here's my opinion on the different luxury lines, and what they offer:

 

Seabourn- Intimate ships (208 pax) that can go to exotic places that many cruise ships can't go. First class food and service, with an emphasis on "getting to know the guest on a by name basis, and anticipating wants and needs." All beverages, including fine spirits, included. Tipping no required nor expected. Marina days with water skiing, kayaking etc right off the back of the ship. Down side, no "real" balonies. Certain suite have a sliding door to open and enjoy fresh sea air. The new ship Seabourn Odyssey (out in June) will hold 450 pax and will offer balcny suites. Average passenger 40's and up, well heeled and well traveled,

 

SeaDream Yacht Club- 2 ships, and true yachting. Very casual, fine dining, all beverages included, and a slightly younger crowd than Seabourn. You feel like you are a guest on a chartered yacht. Very addictive cruise line! Tips not expected nor required. Aft marina as well for playing with water "toys"! Small staterooms and no balconies. (Not surprising for the size of the ships)

 

SilverSea- Very much like Seabourn, with more of a "european flare". Interaction with officers is a bit more formal and "stand-offish", but that adds to the charm! All-inclusive, first class and "real" balconies. Averaging 294 pax to 385 pax depending on which of the 4 ships you cruise. Average passenger 40's and up, well heeled, well traveled, from many nations and very cosmopolitan.

 

Regent Cruise Line- Very much like SilverSea. Same type ship, yet a bit less formal than the latter. All-inclusive including sprits and tipping. Average passenger 40's and above with a very loyal passenger base. (Linda's post above really "sum's up" the Regent experience)

 

Cystal Cruise Line- Because of the size of the Crystal Ships, (Symphony 922 pax, Serenity 1070 pax), Crystal can offer a true medium sized cruise ship experience, without the long buffet lines, and pushy passengers. Almost always rated as the best mid-sized cruise line, Crystal offers fine food, (Especially asian), and impeccable service. The staff to passenger ratio is such that you are able to enjoy large spaces without ever feeling crowded. Although most beverages are included, Crystal does not offer complimentary spirits and tipping is expected. (Many TA's will prepay tips for you). Crystal, by far, offers the best in guest lecturers and enrichment programs. The average age is mid 50's and up, and is considered more of a "formal" cruise line with more stringent evening dress codes. Evening entertainment is of broadway caliber.

 

All in all, you can't really go wrong with any of these lines. Write down what's truly important to you and pick which line fits the bill best!

 

Good luck!

 

Host Dan

Excellent post, Host Dan!

 

I've been on 'em all and I just have to say -- based on what the original poster said about her travel style (and the fact that she's in her 20s), I'd without hesitation suggest SeaDream. It's great service, intimate ambience, excellent food (at least on my last cruise) but casual.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

Thanks, I try! :D

Host Dan

I wish I had been able to keep up with this post a bit more. Thank you to everyone who has posted recent comments. I think I need to add a bit of clarification based on some of the responses. Even though my husband and I are in our 20's, we are in NO WAY looking for a causal line. In fact, we are looking to avoid the causal lines as much as possible. We are looking into both SilverSea and Regent for our future cruise needs, and which one we choose will most likely come down to itinerary.

I wish I had been able to keep up with this post a bit more. Thank you to everyone who has posted recent comments. I think I need to add a bit of clarification based on some of the responses. Even though my husband and I are in our 20's, we are in NO WAY looking for a causal line. In fact, we are looking to avoid the causal lines as much as possible. We are looking into both SilverSea and Regent for our future cruise needs, and which one we choose will most likely come down to itinerary.

Hi Mokaheena!

How are you?!? Still recovering from Cosol I'm sure. :mad: Yeah, me too. We laugh about it now. Anyway, looks like we are both venturing out!:D I should have read this first...I think SeaDream is going to be for us (me). But, I will be interested in what people suggest on my thread. Let me know when you decide. I think we are looking for slightly different experiences but I always love a good opinion or how one came to a conclusion. So many luxury lines! Take care!

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Hi Mokaheena!

 

How are you?!? Still recovering from Cosol I'm sure. :mad: Yeah, me too. We laugh about it now. Anyway, looks like we are both venturing out!:D I should have read this first...I think SeaDream is going to be for us (me). But, I will be interested in what people suggest on my thread. Let me know when you decide. I think we are looking for slightly different experiences but I always love a good opinion or how one came to a conclusion. So many luxury lines! Take care!

Hey there! I think I am over the whole Cosol let-down. We are definitely venturing out (especially since DH landed a GREAT new job, and there is a whole lot more money to spend on luxury cruising). A lot will depend on the itinerary and scheduling (I am working on my Ph.D.), but we are excited to move up and beyond the mass market lines.

Let me start by qualifying a few things so you understand where we are coming from. We started cruising on Celebrity and took two cruises when them. They were in the Caribbean and to us the ships were beautiful, the entertainment was great and everything was fine, except; too many kids, pushy people and the pretty looking food had no taste. However, IMHO the food taste is directly proportional to the number of passengers.

Then we took a couple Princess cruises in the Caribbean and they were as great in every way, but with better food.

Reflecting back these were Christmas cruises and there were always too many rude kids and since they departed FL there were to many from the NYC area that have to be pushy to survive, but don't know how to leave it home. BTW, we're from NY and NJ and understand survival in that jungle, but know it's all upbringing and manors.

Next we went on a Norwegian in Hawaii and that was the best at the time for us since they have freestyle dining. It showed us that shipboard food can taste good, but still big ships with too many kids, however the Western cruisers are more polite.

Next was a 10 day on the Mexican Rivera on Crystal and we thought we had died and gone to heaven, until we landed at the port where the most rude people I have ever observed arrived from Mexico City and turned heaven into hell. We will go on Crystal again but we learned a strong object lesson - people or location can make or break a cruise, not the price. Food is very good and the ships offered all we wanted for entertainment and activities.

Then we took a Princess in the Med. and that was the best large ship cruise we have experienced. Good food considering, nice people, not many kids, fine entertainment and wonderful ports that we will always treasure.

Next we went back to NCL again around the H.I. with in-laws and when we were aboard it was announced that NCL had sold some of the H.I. routes and the crew showed it. Hawaii is nearly paradise, but a good/bad crew attitude can spoil even the best of things.

We just returned from our first Regent cruise in April and it was in Tahiti. No kids, the BEST food, for us weak entertainment (but that didn't spoil anything), best crew, wife liked the itinerary (I was less than impressed) - remember - location, location, location.

To us the long and short is there is no perfect cruise, cruise line, food or entertainment, but with careful planning, proper time of year (kids can be in school), research on sites like this and time you can have the best available on many lines.

Our favorites from our experiences - currently Regent, Crystal second and Princess third!

Hey there! I think I am over the whole Cosol let-down. We are definitely venturing out (especially since DH landed a GREAT new job, and there is a whole lot more money to spend on luxury cruising). A lot will depend on the itinerary and scheduling (I am working on my Ph.D.), but we are excited to move up and beyond the mass market lines.

While it is very nice that you will be on a Celebrity cruise -- hopefully you realize that this is not a luxury cruise -- no matter what suite you are in (check out thread on attempting to "luxe up" mainstream cruises.) Celebrity is a mass market line.

With all the money you have to spend on luxury cruising, look at Silversea and Regent for Alaska.

While it is very nice that you will be on a Celebrity cruise -- hopefully you realize that this is not a luxury cruise -- no matter what suite you are in (check out thread on attempting to "luxe up" mainstream cruises.) Celebrity is a mass market line.

 

With all the money you have to spend on luxury cruising, look at Silversea and Regent for Alaska.

We are very aware that Celebrity is NOT a luxury line, but DH wants to give it a try. It will probably be our last mass market cruise. We are thinking Regent or SilverSea from that cruise on. We like to do research way in advance, and are already planning our first luxury cruise, although it will probably be another 2 years away (depending on how we can work schedules).

We are very aware that Celebrity is NOT a luxury line, but DH wants to give it a try. It will probably be our last mass market cruise. We are thinking Regent or SilverSea from that cruise on. We like to do research way in advance, and are already planning our first luxury cruise, although it will probably be another 2 years away (depending on how we can work schedules).

My four cents because it is worth twice as much as the usual two cents. :D

We have sailed several Celebrity cruises. All but the last were good. The last, a Summit TA, was disappointing for us. To be fair, others thought differently. We do not eat large portions, but thought the food less than the quality we experienced on prior Celebrity cruises. But children have never been a problem on Celebrity.

My conclusion for cruises these days is that each mass market cruise is a "crap shoot." So we are now looking at a Regent from Seward to Osaka.

You young people appear to be very successful financially. Good for you.

I lived for a year in Ann Arbor and the weather seemed cold and wet each and every day. One of my most vivid and best memories was watching Mizzou beat Michigan in the huge Michigan stadium. :D

I know that I am old and wise, but I often cannot understand why young people don't visit Europe and other places own their own. :rolleyes:

In our younger days we lived in and traveled in Europe extensively. This is by far the best way to experience foreign places.

OK, I have just driven down the price of our RCL stock. :D

Bob :cool: