f you’re thinking about going on a cruise, you’ve probably already heard of a luxury cruise. But is a luxury cruise worth it, and what does the experience entail? From Seabourn to Regent, Silverea to SAGA, we’ve got all the information you need about luxury cruises in this article. So, first of all, what is a luxury cruise? Let’s take a look.
What is a luxury cruise?
A luxury cruise is an upmarket version of a regular cruise, with a focus on fine dining, personalised service, and exclusive events. In general, a luxury cruise can be identified by the following markers:
Going to exotic, expensive destinations
Sailing in high season (summer, holidays etc)
All suites instead of cabins (more spacious than a typical cruise room)
Highly personalised service
Free gifts and perks
More formal atmosphere
In general, luxury cruises only offer one package for their guests, with everything being all-inclusive and the package being offered at a fixed price. This means that all guests have access to the same amenities and facilities, and there’s no “tiered” system that you might find on regular cruise ships.
Luxury Cruise Liners
If the idea of a luxury cruise is appealing to you, here are some of the most popular luxury cruise liners operating within the UK:
Seabourn
Frequently heading to exotic destinations such as the Caribbean and Pacific Coast, Seabourn is the gold-standard when it comes to luxury cruises. A cruise with Seabourne includes a spacious living suite (equipped with an espresso machine, in-suite bar, walk-in wardrobe, and personal suite hoste), exclusive events, onboard pampering, and gourmet dining.
Regent
Regent is another popular luxury cruise company. Touted as the “world’s most luxurious cruise line”, a trip at sea with Regent – known as the “Regent experience” – includes specialty dining, unlimited beverages, free wifi, free clothes pressing, a luxury suite, unlimited excursions, and one night in a hotel pre-cruise. Regent ships travel all over the world, including voyages to the Mediterranean, Canada, the Pacific Coast, South America, and world cruises.
Silversea
Another all-inclusive luxury experience, the Silversea package includes private chauffeur services, butler service in your luxury suite, complimentary beverages, gourmet dining, personalised service, and exclusive shore excursions. Silversea is one of the biggest luxury cruise liners in the world, with 13 ships and hundreds of regular destinations all over the world.
SAGA (Over 50’s)
SAGA is a luxury cruise experience designed for the over-50’s. Visiting exotic destinations such as the Canary Islands and Mediterranean, the SAGA experience includes a luxury cabin with a balcony, 24 hour complimentary room service, free WiFi, all inclusive drinks, sightseeing excursions, and the choice between five gourmet restaurants onboard.
Affordable Luxury Cruises
While the classic luxury cruises may be out of budget for many, there are many cruise companies that offer luxury all-inclusive benefits, without the hefty price tag. These cruise liners effectively function by offering a mix between “regular” packages and upgraded packages; most guests will have basic packages, but luxury amenities will be available to those willing to fork out the cash.
In short, guests who buy upgraded packages have access to a range of amenities and benefits that most guests don’t. This differs from a luxury cruise, where all guests receive the same luxury treatment and enjoy the same access to VIP cruise amenities.
Celebrity
Celebrity Cruises often visit the Caribbean, Australia, the South Pacific, Europe and South America, and offer all-inclusive packages that include free wifi, unlimited drinks, and personalised service. The “Celebrity” experience might not match that of an expensive luxury cruise, but it’s a top choice for those looking for an upgraded experience. The Retreat is Celebrity’s suite class, which depending on the ship, may include a separate dining room, lounge and pool area dedicated to suite guests.
Azamara
Azamara is another affordable luxury cruise company that offers an all-inclusive package deal for its passengers. These package deals include gratuities, self-service laundry, drinks, and concierge services. You can upgrade your package deal to include a cabin with a veranda, as well as one night of complimentary gourmet dining and in-room drinks. Guests who upgrade to the highest possible inclusive package enjoy English butler service, afternoon tea in their suite, priority embarkation and disembarkation, and more.
Princess
Princess Cruises offer a Club Class package deal for guests who want to try out the VIP experience; this package includes a luxury suite with a balcony, priority embarkation and disembarkation, evening canapés and complimentary wine, 24 hour room service, and the Princess luxury bed.
How much does a luxury cruise cost?
If you were to plan on going on a cruise with a luxury cruise liner such as Seabourn or Regent, you could expect to pay around £5000-£20,000 for the total cost of your trip, depending on the length of the cruise and your chosen destination. Some luxury cruise ships begin at $1000 per night (around £850), all amenities included.
How much does a cruise around the world cost?
If you were thinking about a world cruise and wondering how much it might cost, prices tend to vary greatly. While the phrase ‘world cruise’ is used interchangeably, most ‘world cruises’ tend to differ on how long they go to sea, how many destinations they visit, and how many port stops they make during the length of their trip.
For example, the ‘Around the world in 80 Days’ with Fred Olsen cruise is priced at £13,661 for an outside cabin – while this might seem steep, it’s actually a rather decent price when you consider how many destinations you’ll be visiting during the trip, and all the amenities and food included within the price.
However, world cruises still remain out of budget for many people. To tackle this, some cruise companies now allow guests to go on ‘segments’ of world cruises, rather than doing it all in the one go. For example, a 50 night segment with P&O Cruises on the Arcadia is £6499 for an inside cabin. While this still isn’t by any means cheap, this method allows more people the possibility of being able to experience a world cruise.