The variety of cruise options available to people these days is staggering. Some are only a few days long whilst others can last months. Some will take you on a tour around the coast of Africa, whilst others all the way to Australia. The price of cruises are where the range has truly expanded however. Some cruises can now been booked on a shoestring, whilst others are lavish and luxury beyond all imagination. Lets examine exactly what makes luxury cruises
Service. Believe it or not there is nothing more important to a luxury cruise than the service. There is only so much material provisions that money can buy, but service can keep getting better. From the moment you step foot on the boat to the moment you hit dry land again at the end of the trip, you should be treated to first class service all the way on a luxury cruise. On certain 5 star cruises, you may even get your own butler.
Food. Being served high quality food and drink is something that made lots of people fall in love with cruising in the first place, but with some of the newer ‘no-frills’ cruises the food isn’t as good as it probably should be. On a luxury cruise you should have a wide range of food and drinks to experience, all produced by top chefs and bar staff. Further more, if you pay for luxury you often pay for the flexibility to order what you want and when you want it.
Facilities/Entertainment. The step up in standard of provisions between the lesser and luxury ships is often marked. The top end cruises are able to offer their customers the highest level of facilities including dining and leisure facilities, but additionally provide world class shows at the same time. The top performers often strive to work on the best ships such as Oceania Cruises, so it most often the case that the best professional performers and directors are snapped up by luxury cruise lines and provide real quality entertainment.
For couples who are looking for a modern, sophisticated atmosphere and excellent European itineraries, five- star luxury Amadeus Waterways cruise ships are hard to beat on the rivers of Europe.Accommodation is generous with large Junior Suites onboard, well equipped gyms and delicious food. The standards of the boats themselves are more than maintained by the quality of service on board, which is consistently excellent.
AMA Waterways Cruises has recently added brand-new river cruise ships – MS Amadante, Amacello, Amalegro and Amadagio – four of the most elegant ships on European rivers. Cruises on the great European rivers, including Danube river cruises and Rhine river cruises are popular because of the variety of landscapes and the stunning scenery that rolls by, but cruising on a luxury river cruise is also a perfect way to see the small towns and villages along the banks of those rivers. AMA’s ships have state-of-the-art amenities and, like all the ships of Amadeus Waterways, are tastefully decorated with comfortable cabins and excellent facilities.
In addition to cruising the traditional waterways of Europe, Amadeus Waterways Cruises also offer a new cruise from Provence to Spain on board the MS Swiss Pearl and a fascinating Russian Waterways cruise on board the MS Leo Tolstoy. The MS Swiss Pearl has been one of Europe’s most beautiful river cruise ships since her launch in 1993 and has recently started on the Rhône and Saône rivers in France. As you would expect, given the gastronomic traditions of the French, the food is sumptuous with breakfast buffets including a rich assortment of breads and pastries and regional specialties, homemade soups, gourmet entrees and desserts with unlimited wines from France’s great wine regions.
uLxury cruises that take in the impressive views and history of river routes between Moscow and St Petersburg come no better than the MS Leo Tolstoy, the most luxurious and comfortable cruise ship ever built for Russian rivers. The Tolstoy was originally designed for high ranking Kremlin officials to host foreign dignitaries. Today, she is still one of the top ships in Russia, with luxurious decor, large, well-appointed cabins and elegant public areas.
Originally founded by the Lefebvre family of Rome, Silversea cruises use specially designed ships as elegant as some of the finest European hotels and as warm and inviting as gracious stately homes. Intended to be a luxury home from home on the oceans of the world, Silversea’s ships are spacious in feel and appearance, but are small in comparison with mass-market vessels, making them agile and easily docked in less-visited, more exotic destinations.
Silversea Cruises are most definitely the pinnacle in the ultra-luxury cruise market. You don’t just cruise with Silversea!You experience a very special lifestyle that encompasses art and culture, exploring great wines and culinary styles and romantic destinations. With Silversea, cruising is genuinely an art form!
The fleet of Silversea Cruises five-star luxury vessels consist of the Silver Wind which can accommodate 296 guests, Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper that will house 382 in opulent comfort, and the Prince Albert II which can take 132 guests on authentic expedition experiences unlike any other thanks to an ice-strengthened hull while still offering unmatched levels of luxury.Largest vessel in the fleet, the Silver Spirit, can entertain and pamper up to 540 guests. This ship extends the meaning of luxury cruise with a choice of six dining venues, a resort-style pool, four whirlpools, and the largest private suites with private verandas in the Silversea fleet.
The elegant Silver Spirit also offers an on-board spa experience with the latest cutting-edge anti-ageing beauty therapies and personalised wellness treatments.At 8,300 square feet, it’s the largest in the Silversea fleet and is operated by Steiner Leisure Limited, a leading international provider of spa services. It features a beauty salon, fitness centre, nine spa treatment rooms, two sauna rooms and two steam rooms.A Thermal Suite with heated lounge chairs connects to a private Hammam (Turkish bath) Chamber while an outdoor relaxation area provides complimentary fruit smoothies, champagne or cocktails.
Cruises come in a variety of shapes, sizes and packages. From the mass market floating cities that pack them in and cruise the Med to the intimate, sail-powered Dahabiya cruise vessels that ply the Nile, there’s a cruise package and a range of destinations to suit almost anyone.
Despite the prevailing economic environment, the ultra luxury cruise market continues to prosper, catering to modern, more affluent travellers often in partnership with the world’s most respected luxury brands.
Success in the very high end luxury cruise sector requires a fleet of ships purpose-built for the ultra-luxury market. They tend to be smaller, more intimate vessels that can slip into more exotic ports off the beaten path. Small is of course a relative term as these ships can accommodate up to 300 – 400 guests in exquisite luxury.These elite vessels are designed for fewer guests, afford more cabin and suite space and deliver high levels of personal service with a typical crew to passenger ratio of 1:3. Despite their smaller overall size combined with larger and more luxurious dining space and accommodation, these vessels still incorporate the favourite amenities found on larger ships, such as a show lounge for nightly entertainment, casino, spa and state-of-the-art fitness facilities. Entertainment is low-key but very high-class, in keeping with the sort of clientele these ships attract.
Silversea cruises is one company specialising in the ultra luxury cruise market born out of generations of maritime and travel experience. Established by the Lefebvre family of Rome in the early 1990s, it operates some the highest quality ships in the ultra-luxury segment. The modern fleet of small, intimate ships have a very friendly onboard atmosphere and are ideal for the discriminating guest who wants all-inclusive 5-star quality in an intimate and friendly environment. One word of warning though – the atmosphere and ambience onboard these vessels can be addictive.After a day or two you get so seduced by the pampering and the warm hospitality that when you reach a port of call it may be hard to actually leave the ship!
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