Cruise Options
Looking for the best luxury cruise? Fortunately, for you, there are a number of options. Unfortunately for you, there are too many options. I’ve done the research on how to choose the right cruise. Using the term “best” would not be the best way because all of the options are “the best” and are excellent. A better way to help you choose the best luxury cruise option is to tell you what each is great at. Almost all of the luxury cruises have similar features such as butlers, suites with Ocean views, or true all inclusive. Cruise suppliers will tout passenger to space ratios, Michelin star chef restaurants, or cultural excursions. The real question you should ask yourself is what features suit you best. What cruise features match your lifestyle? How many people are you willing to co-exist with for 7 or more days? There are still a few unique things that may help you decide on one cruise versus the other and I’m here to guide you through it.
Common mistakes when choosing a cruise
I believe why most people have a negative experience on a cruise is its size. The larger the ships, the more cabins, the more people, the longer the lines, the less passenger to staff ratio, will lead to a less than expected experience. Unless you enjoy being in the middle of the ocean with 4000+ people, look for small or medium ship cruises , 300 to 1000 passengers. You will get more space, there will be less people, the lines will be shorter, you will get more attention, the more attention you get from staff, will lead to a better experience. The value of a small to medium luxury cruise may seem expensive, but do a comparison of what you get on a luxury small and medium cruise versus what you get with a larger cruise. What you will see on a larger cruise is there are add-ons on add-ons for excursions, upscale dining, and alcohol, the luxury cruise lines will have all these included.
Choosing the right type of cruises
There are four types of cruises: River, Ocean, Expedition, and Yacht. Each offers the same luxuries but on different types and sizes of ships. They are specifically built to cruise down a river, sail across the ocean, built to carry equipment for expeditions, and built for a more intimate experience. Some can even say there is a fifth type of cruise, the clipper, but we will not be covering that in this article.
River Cruises
River cruises emphasize shore excursions, are low-key, and spend less time sailing. You get to your next port or destination overnight. Plenty of time to explore the port you are docked at. These typically hold 130 to 300 passengers or less
Ocean Cruises
Ocean cruise ships are a little bit longer, you spend a little more time sailing, but that equals time to explore what the ship has to offer on board. Certain Ocean cruises also emphasize shore excursions. Some cruise ships offer casinos and Broadway type shows. It’s a mixture of onshore and offshore activities. Some ocean cruises can hold up to 7000 passengers. In my opinion, for true luxury, you should seek a cruise with less than 1000 passengers, the smaller the better.
Expedition Cruises
Expedition cruises are similar to Ocean cruises but they explore off-the-beaten places and paths. You’ll take a Zodiac watercraft and visit an exotic location accompanied by a wildlife lecture, hike the glaciers, take a plunge in Antarctica. Expeditions are more rugged off the ship but back on the ship, you will be in luxury again.
Super Yacht Cruises
In the past few years, companies have ventured into a new type of cruise, the luxury super yacht cruise. The yacht cruise offers the same comforts, luxuries, and amenities as the other types of cruises, along with a private charter yacht experience. In terms of capacity, yacht cruises will be in between a river cruise and an ocean cruise, with capacities of 100-300 passengers. Like river cruises they are destination focused for people who want cultural destination experiences. Because these are super yachts, these can dock in water for passengers to enjoy water sports.
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