Jump to content

Which line to choose?


islandchick
 Share

Recommended Posts

Lots of deck parties on SeaDream, and the chef goes out and buys local food. Sometimes passengers can join him in the local market.

Paul Gugin also does the same thing.

 

Love SeaDream...nothing better than dining al fresco in St. Barth's harbor for breakfast and dinner with lunch of champagne and lobster ashore :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I totally get this. I would also like to know which lines do the best room service and give examples if possible.

 

You are asking amateurs for answers that should be provided by a professional. I repeat all you will get here is opinions. Everyone touts their own personal favorite cruise line so be sure to be a huge salt shaker with you when you read these replies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are asking amateurs for answers that should be provided by a professional. I repeat all you will get here is opinions. Everyone touts their own personal favorite cruise line so be sure to be a huge salt shaker with you when you read these replies.

 

By professional, I assume you mean a travel agent. I'd like to know where you would find a travel agent that has enough experience on all of the luxury lines and not on compted or heavily discounted cruises where no one from the cruise line knew they were a travel agent and therefore weren't treated differently. Then I'll trust the "professional", but until then I'd just total the comments and if they are generally positive or negative, take them as valid until I can experience for myself.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are asking amateurs for answers that should be provided by a professional. I repeat all you will get here is opinions. Everyone touts their own personal favorite cruise line so be sure to be a huge salt shaker with you when you read these replies.

 

How can one be sure that a TA will give an unbiased opinion?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry but I would. never use a travel agent. They will have incentives to book certain lines, etc. Also, they will not have personal experience on all the lines if any. I think that opinions on cruise critic will probably give me a better view of the pros and cons of certain lines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry but I would. never use a travel agent. They will have incentives to book certain lines, etc. Also, they will not have personal experience on all the lines if any. I think that opinions on cruise critic will probably give me a better view of the pros and cons of certain lines.

 

Yes, I agree that CC offers you quite a bit of knowledge and you can weed thru the BS with the many cheerleaders on each board.

However, I do feel by doing your Own research (this is what I do) and then having a good TA book your cruise can save you a lot of headaches. I have only had one cruise in which I had an issue, but having that TA take care of the issues was very important.

 

I always use a TA and trust most of us on these Boards would suggest the same.

Hope you take our advice :) And... have a great time with whatever cruise you choose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have cruised mostly mass market lines, Celebrity being our go to. We are now wanting to try luxury lines but are having trouble deciding which line after lots of research. We are in our late 40's no children. Great food is really important as well as drinks (we are willing to pay for both). Would really love a cruise that has food based on location. Don't care about entertainment at all. Don't care if excursions are included. Don't want to have to dress up all the time. I would love all suggestions and photos would be fantastic because it seems to be difficult to find photos of food and drinks for the luxury lines on cruise critic.

 

We recently went through a similar research project, having both worked for and/or cruised with Princess for almost 40 years. For our next big cruise in 2020, we wanted something better, as Princess standards have reduced significantly.

 

I started looking at most of the luxury lines - Seabourn, Crystal, Regent & Silversea and what I consider ultra-premium - Oceania and Viking Ocean. We were looking for 750 to 1,000 pax, good quality meals in MDR and a couple of alternative dining options (preferable comp), no casino (waste of space in our opinion), extensive enrichment/lectures program, all-inclusive would be nice.

 

We eventually shortlisted it to Viking and Oceania World Cruises in 2020. Both were very similar, but Oceania heads East, so we opted for Viking. The primary reasons we selected this cruise line & specific cruise are:

- Max passengers 930, no kids under 16

- MDR meals are reported to be very good, although a little less than Oceania & the others. However, we are not interested in 5-star cuisine every night. We just want good quality meals and service.

- Chefs change in different regions and provide locally themed menus

- They have optional tours where you head ashore with the chef, purchasing local products. You then join him in the galley preparing the meal, which is then served with wine pairings.

- The Chef's Table has an ever expanding collection of regional menus which rotate every few days and are served with wine pairings.

- The 2 specialty restaurants, the other is Italian, are complimentary

- On regular cruises they have comp beer & wine at lunch and dinner, but on the WC, the AI drinks package is included

- Dress code states elegant casual every evening. No formal nights.

- Numerous other benefits or perks, but I believe these are the ones you requested.

 

Good luck finding a new cruise line that meets your needs. Sorry, no photos, as our cruise is still many months away.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We recently went through a similar research project, having both worked for and/or cruised with Princess for almost 40 years. For our next big cruise in 2020, we wanted something better, as Princess standards have reduced significantly.

 

I started looking at most of the luxury lines - Seabourn, Crystal, Regent & Silversea and what I consider ultra-premium - Oceania and Viking Ocean. We were looking for 750 to 1,000 pax, good quality meals in MDR and a couple of alternative dining options (preferable comp), no casino (waste of space in our opinion), extensive enrichment/lectures program, all-inclusive would be nice.

 

We eventually shortlisted it to Viking and Oceania World Cruises in 2020. Both were very similar, but Oceania heads East, so we opted for Viking. The primary reasons we selected this cruise line & specific cruise are:

- Max passengers 930, no kids under 16

- MDR meals are reported to be very good, although a little less than Oceania & the others. However, we are not interested in 5-star cuisine every night. We just want good quality meals and service.

- Chefs change in different regions and provide locally themed menus

- They have optional tours where you head ashore with the chef, purchasing local products. You then join him in the galley preparing the meal, which is then served with wine pairings.

- The Chef's Table has an ever expanding collection of regional menus which rotate every few days and are served with wine pairings.

- The 2 specialty restaurants, the other is Italian, are complimentary

- On regular cruises they have comp beer & wine at lunch and dinner, but on the WC, the AI drinks package is included

- Dress code states elegant casual every evening. No formal nights.

- Numerous other benefits or perks, but I believe these are the ones you requested.

 

Good luck finding a new cruise line that meets your needs. Sorry, no photos, as our cruise is still many months away.

 

Wow it looks like from your blog you are going on the Viking world cruise. Congrats. I have dreamed of doing that as well. My hubby is still working so it will have to be sometime in the future. I will just have to live vicariously through your blog .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We recently went through a similar research project, having both worked for and/or cruised with Princess for almost 40 years. For our next big cruise in 2020, we wanted something better, as Princess standards have reduced significantly.

 

I started looking at most of the luxury lines - Seabourn, Crystal, Regent & Silversea and what I consider ultra-premium - Oceania and Viking Ocean. We were looking for 750 to 1,000 pax, good quality meals in MDR and a couple of alternative dining options (preferable comp), no casino (waste of space in our opinion), extensive enrichment/lectures program, all-inclusive would be nice.

 

We eventually shortlisted it to Viking and Oceania World Cruises in 2020. Both were very similar, but Oceania heads East, so we opted for Viking. The primary reasons we selected this cruise line & specific cruise are:

- Max passengers 930, no kids under 16

- MDR meals are reported to be very good, although a little less than Oceania & the others. However, we are not interested in 5-star cuisine every night. We just want good quality meals and service.

- Chefs change in different regions and provide locally themed menus

- They have optional tours where you head ashore with the chef, purchasing local products. You then join him in the galley preparing the meal, which is then served with wine pairings.

- The Chef's Table has an ever expanding collection of regional menus which rotate every few days and are served with wine pairings.

- The 2 specialty restaurants, the other is Italian, are complimentary

- On regular cruises they have comp beer & wine at lunch and dinner, but on the WC, the AI drinks package is included

- Dress code states elegant casual every evening. No formal nights.

- Numerous other benefits or perks, but I believe these are the ones you requested.

 

Good luck finding a new cruise line that meets your needs. Sorry, no photos, as our cruise is still many months away.

 

You are kind sharing the results of your extensive research.

 

I think CC is excellent for getting a variety of opinions.

 

In my experience, all TAs do not provide unbiased travel advice. When I was a frequent flyer with Air NZ, a superb economy airline, at that time, when I assisted an elderly friend with her flights, the TA did everything to convince my friend not to fly Air NZ. We went elsewhere to book her flights and she was very happy with Air NZ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are asking amateurs for answers that should be provided by a professional. I repeat all you will get here is opinions. Everyone touts their own personal favorite cruise line so be sure to be a huge salt shaker with you when you read these replies.

 

you are probably right , however that is also the case with TA

commissions … not every line is giving the same commission to a TA and for a vast majority the level of the commission is also depending on the yearly amount of selling that partucular cruise company.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By professional, I assume you mean a travel agent. I'd like to know where you would find a travel agent that has enough experience on all of the luxury lines and not on compted or heavily discounted cruises where no one from the cruise line knew they were a travel agent and therefore weren't treated differently. Then I'll trust the "professional", but until then I'd just total the comments and if they are generally positive or negative, take them as valid until I can experience for myself.

There are plenty of them, believe me. You just need to do some research.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are plenty of them, believe me. You just need to do some research.

 

And once again we agree! And, our TA has never tried to sway us from one cruise line to another. So, for those of you that prefer not booking Oceania or luxury cruise lines with a TA, keep in mind that you are also missing a percentage back on your cruise as well as OBC's on many itineraries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How can one be sure that a TA will give an unbiased opinion?

You have to find a TA you trust. It may take some work and asking around but they are out there and know their products and only want to help match you with the best line for you. Everyone's needs and tastes are different so everyone on these boards will simply recommend their preferred cruise line. And God forbid you should denigrate it, it's like stab to the heart for some people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Balconies are overrated. I’ve had them on other ships and found them to be less than stellar, because you can always see the person next door.

On SeaDream the whole ship is your balcony. There are plenty of places to relax and be alone, whilst being waited on hand and foot by the crew.

 

It depends upon the ship that you are on. While we can hear people on adjoining balconies, we cannot see them (which is a good thing). Most of the time the balcony is peaceful and a great place to sip a glass of wine and watch for flying fish (my DH sees them all the time). We would not sail on a ship without a balcony.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow it looks like from your blog you are going on the Viking world cruise. Congrats. I have dreamed of doing that as well. My hubby is still working so it will have to be sometime in the future. I will just have to live vicariously through your blog .

 

Affirmative, we booked the 2020 World Cruise, which really is only a segment from LA to London (119 days). The entire World Cruise R/T London was 245 days, so hopefully in a few years we will have saved enough to complete the first half.

 

I will re-start the blog on arrival LA on Jan 3rd and complete a daily post on life aboard the Viking Sun. You can subscribe to the blog and you will receive an email every time I publish a new post. Enjoy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

we have not been on most of the lines mentioned here, but have been on Oceania, Viking (both ocean and river cruises) and Windstar. Concerning food, the Viking Sun ocean cruise had THE best food I have had on any cruise, ocean or river. And surprisingly better than Oceania. We were very disappointed in Jacques on Oceania. My only food gripe with Viking was that it was hard to get into the specialty restaurants, but the food in the main dining room was excellent. And yes, they served lobster at least one night. The ship is beautiful and no casino, which is a plus for me. The included shore excursions were also good by and large. We mixed pay and free excursions on our cruise.

 

Windstar has not been mentioned here and I would like to put in a good word for them. I would put them on a par with Oceania and Viking and the line is very informal, which is a biggie for us. Both of our cruises were on Wind Surf, which is their oldest ship. Negatives - the food was not as good on our 2nd cruise as our first and there are no balconies. And make no mistake, Wind Surf is a yacht. We enjoy Windstar and will cruise with them again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Regarding which line to choose, I too prefer the luxury lines, largely because by time you pay for the extras on others, you might as well pay up front and be done with it; and maybe have a better experience to boot. Have done Holland ship back in the day, SS Spirit twice (pre-stretch), SS Muse last year, and booked on Seabourn Odyssey next year. Looking seriously at booking a Regent cruise in next year, just to round out my experience with the hoity-toity lines.

 

However, important as the ship and the line is, maybe more important is to decide on what itinerary you want. Most people I've talked to on board knew what they wanted to see, then set about seeing how that matched up with a handful of acceptable lines' itineraries. Cruise companies exist to make money, and don't exist to give you exactly the experience you want, so there is always some compromise. However, between Cruise Critic and the various line's websites and other major travel review sites, invest 40 hours in reading and research and you will know enough to make an informed decision.

 

I have a bucket list, and my wife and I are ticking things off. All the cruises we have done, and plan to do, will involve seeing various places we want to see before we kick the bucket. If we can have nice creature comforts and a hot shower and good food and wine, more's the better. But if you just want what onboard are known as the hotel and food service functions, stay on land at a nice hotel, go to good restaurants, and save a pile of dough! The UNESCO world heritage site list is a great starting place for a bucket list, by the way.

 

I live for these cruises, I start every day before sun up walking miles on the jogging track, bring fresh coffee back to my wife in the room, we strike up conversations with wonderful people from all over the world, we enjoy the food and drink, and we have a healthy dollop of knowing that no one offers the perfect cruise, and they are all staffed by imperfect human beings. However, if you live in the moment and seize every chance to enjoy staring out to sea, seeing whales and dolphins and sea birds, and treat guests and staff with kindness and respect, they will reciprocate, and any of the top 6 "luxury" or "super premium" lines will be more than adequate, if you have realistic expectations.

 

Hope this helps. Most importantly, just do it! Pick a good line at random, or a good itinerary, schedule a cruise, and have at it. After your first, you'll be a much more informed consumer, and can refine your efforts from there. Also, talking with other cruisers on board is a great way to get fairly reliable input about experiences good and bad on the various lines.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I won't start a new topic, but I will ask for the same advice:

 

My husband and I are only adequately dressed: we spend little on clothing. I don't wear much make-up, although I will occasionally touch my lips with make-up. We are both retired university professors and both politically liberal, although we keep our politics out of cruising. We have not cruised for 4 years because we have spent about 6 weeks each year staying in large European cities.

 

Now we want to cruise, although we don't want to spend more than about 21 or 25 days on a cruise.

 

We like Oceania and would stick with it but wonder if another line might be worth a try.

 

We like:

fairly quiet atmospheres

trivia competitions

afternoon tea with English scones

classical music (and a bit of Broadway and the Great American Songbook)

a decent wine list

a spot or two of bridge

access to the Internet (if only briefly)

good coffee/tea

 

We do not need a casino. We do not want a butler. We are more likely to plan our own excursions than to use ship ones. We are unlikely to use a spa or a pool.

 

We would like to try at least two of the following lines in the next year: can anyone play matchmaker?

In no order, the candidates are:

 

Seabourn

Viking

Crystal

Azamara

Regent

Oceania, again

Windstar

 

Any others we should be considering? We are adequately dressed but are likely to avoid formal dress.

Thank you very much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I won't start a new topic, but I will ask for the same advice:

 

My husband and I are only adequately dressed: we spend little on clothing. I don't wear much make-up, although I will occasionally touch my lips with make-up. We are both retired university professors and both politically liberal, although we keep our politics out of cruising. We have not cruised for 4 years because we have spent about 6 weeks each year staying in large European cities.

 

Now we want to cruise, although we don't want to spend more than about 21 or 25 days on a cruise.

 

We like Oceania and would stick with it but wonder if another line might be worth a try.

 

We like:

fairly quiet atmospheres

trivia competitions

afternoon tea with English scones

classical music (and a bit of Broadway and the Great American Songbook)

a decent wine list

a spot or two of bridge

access to the Internet (if only briefly)

good coffee/tea

 

We do not need a casino. We do not want a butler. We are more likely to plan our own excursions than to use ship ones. We are unlikely to use a spa or a pool.

 

We would like to try at least two of the following lines in the next year: can anyone play matchmaker?

In no order, the candidates are:

 

Seabourn

Viking

Crystal

Azamara

Regent

Oceania, again

Windstar

 

Any others we should be considering? We are adequately dressed but are likely to avoid formal dress.

Thank you very much!

 

Any one of the lines you mentioned would be worth a try. But PLEASE do not let attire be your determining factor. Think about itineraries, ship size, crew to passenger ratio etc. The problem with your list is that you will probably get a different opinion from everyone who posts in reply as to which is the better line. My advice is to find a good travel agent who specializes in luxury cruising, tell him/her your preferences and let that agent guide you. Here on CC you will only get opinions. Professional guidance imo is always preferable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When searching for a new cruise line in the premium/luxury sector, we short listed the choices to Viking & Oceania, which we found were fairly similar. We opted for Viking Ocean.

 

While most premium/luxury lines provide a long list of inclusions, the big difference for us is that Viking doesn't include casinos on their ships. Since we never use them anyway, in our opinion they are such a waste of space. They also provide - comp unlimited wi-fi, beer/wine at lunch & dinner, comp self-service laundry machines, included excursion in every port, no photographers, afternoon tea served in the spacious upper lounge, daily trivia at sea, focus on culture, free specialty tea/coffee/water, no butlers, no formal nights (attire is smart/elegant casual dress in evening)

 

Depending on the voyage you will receive additional perks included in the base fare. Our 2020 world cruise is all-inclusive, with business class airfare.

 

Enjoy your cruise, regardless of which Line you select.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I won't start a new topic, but I will ask for the same advice:

 

My husband and I are only adequately dressed: we spend little on clothing. I don't wear much make-up, although I will occasionally touch my lips with make-up. We are both retired university professors and both politically liberal, although we keep our politics out of cruising. We have not cruised for 4 years because we have spent about 6 weeks each year staying in large European cities.

 

Now we want to cruise, although we don't want to spend more than about 21 or 25 days on a cruise.

 

We like Oceania and would stick with it but wonder if another line might be worth a try.

 

We like:

fairly quiet atmospheres

trivia competitions

afternoon tea with English scones

classical music (and a bit of Broadway and the Great American Songbook)

a decent wine list

a spot or two of bridge

access to the Internet (if only briefly)

good coffee/tea

 

We do not need a casino. We do not want a butler. We are more likely to plan our own excursions than to use ship ones. We are unlikely to use a spa or a pool.

 

We would like to try at least two of the following lines in the next year: can anyone play matchmaker?

In no order, the candidates are:

 

Seabourn

Viking

Crystal

Azamara

Regent

Oceania, again

Windstar

 

Any others we should be considering? We are adequately dressed but are likely to avoid formal dress.

Thank you very much!

Don't let your appearance or attire get in the way......although some people think Crystal is a more formal line with respect to dress code, the reality is that they are not. Their only sure rules for all are no shorts or ball caps after 6 pm, but I regularly would go to dinner in khakis, sandals, a plain t-shirt and no makeup on "Crystal Casual" nights, and wear a cotton summer dress and a bit of jewelry on "Black Tie Optional" nights. I don't think anyone looked twice at what I was wearing or, if they did, I never noticed. I believe men have the requirement of a collared shirt and jacket on Black Tie Optional nights, but certainly not formal.

 

 

What you've described sounds exactly like Crystal to me; they do have a small casino, and a small pool and spa, but both are usually neither crowded nor noisy. There is a lovely calm that seems to pervade the ship, and I enjoy sitting in their "coffee bar" bistro, listening to the classical or cocktail music played from the lounge below.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, everyone. I need to find a new TA. Our previous one, who guided us towards Oceania (which made us so much happier than Celebrity) has retired and furthermore her group, an excellent one, was sold out to a corporation who only does "business travel" for large groups. So we are feeling a bit lost about the plethora of choices. I know that you cannot make a specific recommendation, here.

 

I really appreciate the input and am moving Crystal and Viking up on the list of contenders. I always loved the sound of "Symphony" for a ship.

 

The fact is, that we have always been happy on our cruises and have no complaints. It's just that as we've made our way to the mid-size ships, we have felt happier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For those of you that enjoy Oceania and want to step up to luxury while keeping it in the same "family", Regent is a good choice. The service is pretty much the same on Regent and Oceania but the food is generally better (food is so subjective that what one person likes another may not like ........ for instance, we love Jacques and dislike the Terrace Cafe on Oceania).

 

Unlike any of the other luxury cruise lines (Crystal, Seabourn and Silversea) Regent is the only one that includes international business class air for international trips and coach air for domestic. Regent also includes most excursions which is a plus for some and not to others.

 

In terms of dress code, it is very similar to Oceania except that shorts and jeans are not permitted anywhere on the ship after 6:00 p.m. (unlike Oceania where almost anything can be worn in the evening in the Terrace Cafe).

 

All of the luxury cruise lines have great reputations - the difference is in the details. For instance, Silversea has the most formal dress code and Crystal has the smallest cabins/suites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the things you might want to consider is going through some of the photo sharing sites on the internet, and see if anyone's posted photos of their trip on any of the ships/lines that you're interested in. Not the glossed-up advertising images of what the company wants you to think they're like, but what the cabins, lounges, pool side, and clothing choices are really like. I did that before my first Crystal cruise because I was worried it would be too upscale for my comfort, but when I saw photos of some people walking around in baggy shorts, sandals, and an occasional ill-fitting windbreaker, I knew I'd be fine.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...