Anonymous wrote:Unless you are 60+ and don’t have kids traveling with you…and have significant money to burn on a cruise…these luxury lines really aren’t for you.

I’ve cruised Disney, Royal, and Celebrity, and I’ve enjoyed all of them with my kids.

Disney doesn’t have a casino or late night activities (some, but not a lot if you like live music and dancing). Beds are great. Larger, split bathroom is nice.

Royal is fun, but not crazy like Carnival (which you should avoid).

Celebrity skews a touch older and more upscale.

Holland America supposedly has better food. Also skews older.

Princess is the most popular for Alaskan cruises.

Norwegian is just a step above Carnival.

MSC caters to non-Americans and prides itself on being cheap. Service and food aren’t good.

If you plan to cruise the Mediterranean, Greece, or elsewhere from the Caribbean, other countries have their own mainstream cruise lines. They’ll cater to a different crowd, so English won’t be the core language.

I think thar was the point. Upscale cruise lines don't have little kids or tacky casinos.

Anonymous wrote:Viking, yes.

Norwegian, lol.

+1000000!

Anonymous wrote:Would love to find one with great food and expert-led tours.

Get your own boat and crew.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While everyone's debating cruise lines, let me drop a truth bomb – private yachting is where it's at! Forget crowded decks and buffet lines, on a private yacht, it’s just you, the ocean, and the luxury of doing whatever you want, whenever you want.

This is my dream. Anyone know the cheapest yacht experience I could buy for 2 passengers?

My kind of woman.

Four Season and Ritz Carlon yachts.

Of the mainstream lines celebrity is the most upscale.

The smaller lines which skew older are the most luxurious - Oceania, Viking, silver seas etc

Anonymous wrote:I look at Cunard as upscale, to a greater or lesser extent depending on which fare class you're in, but not to the same extent as the 6-star lines like Regent. The Cunard experience is more dependent on the grade of accomodation than is the case on most other lines. For example, in one grade you may be limited in which restaurants you can access but on other lines all passengers can access any restaurant aboard, regardless of cabin type or accomodation class.

Cunard is generally less expensive than the 6-star lines, and their vessels are larger and less intimate. I'd think of them as roughly comparable to well-regarded lines like Oceania and Azamara, and potentially (depending on accomodation grade) superior to the mass-market but still solid lines like Princess and Holland America.

Interesting, thank you.

I look at Cunard as upscale, to a greater or lesser extent depending on which fare class you're in, but not to the same extent as the 6-star lines like Regent. The Cunard experience is more dependent on the grade of accomodation than is the case on most other lines. For example, in one grade you may be limited in which restaurants you can access but on other lines all passengers can access any restaurant aboard, regardless of cabin type or accomodation class.

Cunard is generally less expensive than the 6-star lines, and their vessels are larger and less intimate. I'd think of them as roughly comparable to well-regarded lines like Oceania and Azamara, and potentially (depending on accomodation grade) superior to the mass-market but still solid lines like Princess and Holland America.

Dare I ask why Cunard is on no one's list?

Anonymous wrote:While everyone's debating cruise lines, let me drop a truth bomb – private yachting is where it's at! Forget crowded decks and buffet lines, on a private yacht, it’s just you, the ocean, and the luxury of doing whatever you want, whenever you want.

Eh. It depends. We used to own a 50 foot yacht and still love sailing. For certain trips, chartering can be great, but you need to be very careful about who you use. Charter captains are not necessarily the most reliable bunch. I wouldn't go with the cheapest option. Maybe ignorance is bliss, but knowing what can go wrong would make it difficult for me to relax if I didn't have total faith in the captain. Ever see the move Captain Ron? Whoever wrote the script for that movie had spent a lot of time in the charter industry.

On a sadder note, I knew the couple from Alexandria who were murdered on their boat in Grenada. They did absolutely everything right, but you are pretty vulnerable in a small boat out on the water, and there are certain areas where a nice boat is a target.

If you can afford to charter a Mega Yacht, it's a different thing, but if you're talking about a large sailboat/yacht, it can be hit or miss. If I want a relaxing vacation and not have to worry about weather and security, I'd go for one of the nicer boutique lines like Sea Cloud (if you sort of want the sailing experience) or Four Seasons, etc.

Oceania is generally not considered ultra luxury like Silversea, Regent, Seaborn, Hapag-Lloyd and newcomer Explora Journeys. But it is excellent and an upgrade from NCL/Carnival/RC and priced accordingly.

The “ship within a ship” thing is a good choice for some because in theory you get the best of both worlds, a less crowded luxury retreat but you can still go to the go-kart track if you want to.

Some of us prefer not to have a go kart track at all. There are great choices for everyone, you just have to find, your line, your ship, your price, and your itinerary.

Chartering a yacht is an option available at various price points, but the experience will be quite different than traveling on a cruise ship. You have more control over your itinerary and can access small anchorages unavailable to larger vessels, can expect highly personalized service and no crowds, but you also have to arrange for your own excursions, there will typically (depending on the size of the vessel) be no entertainment, gym, pool, library, or spa, and the food options are limited to the skill of the single chef aboard and the provisions you chose to have loaded aboard. You'll also be much more affected by weather and will be expected to cough up a hefty gratuity on top of the cost of the charter, fuel, and food.

The OP made no reference to children, so while the demographic which can afford the most upscale lines like Regent usually does not sail with small children, that would not seem to be a limiting factor.

Recently newer lines have entered the market to offer a more yacht-like experience with many larger cruise line features. Scenic, Emerald, Four Seasons, and Ritz-Carlton have all launched cruise ships which look like oversized yachts and carry fewer passengers than the 6-star larger cruise lines whose vessels are in turn smaller than those of the mass market lines. Some of these smaller ships carry helicopters and submersibles for passenger use. They are all upscale, expensive, and more limited in options for entertainment and with regard to some other larger-ship amenities in return for a smaller passenger count and access to ports which cannot manage larger ships.

There are two choices depending on the travelers and what is important to you.

NCL Haven: If you have kids or a large group and want a lot of group activities. You have your own part of the ship that is upscale with its own pool/bar/restaurant/lounge and get perks/priority for onboard entertainment and onboarding/offboarding

SilverSeas/Oceania: If you are an older (40 plus) couple who does not need a bustling ship. These are upscale with great food and curated small excursions, included in the price on both I believe.