Rate the top luxury lines

How would fellow cc`s rate the top 5 luxury lines and in what order. I asume as is a Seabourn site they would be number 1:D

N° 1 Seabourn

N° 2 Silversea

N° 3 Crystal (this is a close call between 2 & 3, I would prefer Crystal over Silversea if there was open dining)

N° 4 Seadream

N° 5 Windstar (this is also a close call between 4 & 5)

N° ? Oceania (never tried it but I find myself always checking out their itineraries offered between the dates when we travel. My travel agent highly recommends the cuisine but warns us that there are quite a few lower budget category cabins on their ships and I might find some of the clientele to be less polished than on Seabourn etc.)

N° XXX Regent (I had such a bad experience on my first cruise with them that I wouldn't even consider a second)

Obviously all of the above is subjective. I feel priveleged to be able to sail on these lines and and happy that we have so many choices.

1 Seabourn

2 Regent

3 Cunard(Queens grill)

4 Oceania

5 Silversea

Never tried Crystal(Cabins too small) but heard good reports about the cuisine.

Please, stay on your top 5! We're about to go to our 20th cruise on Oceania and have enjoyed every one.You would be and will be much happier with a cruise where you definitely know that you are with people of your ilk.

LYNNE

N° 1 Seabourn

N° 2 Silversea

N° 3 Crystal (this is a close call between 2 & 3, I would prefer Crystal over Silversea if there was open dining)

N° 4 Seadream

N° 5 Windstar (this is also a close call between 4 & 5)

 

N° ? Oceania (never tried it but I find myself always checking out their itineraries offered between the dates when we travel. My travel agent highly recommends the cuisine but warns us that there are quite a few lower budget category cabins on their ships and I might find some of the clientele to be less polished than on Seabourn etc.)

 

N° XXX Regent (I had such a bad experience on my first cruise with them that I wouldn't even consider a second)

 

Obviously all of the above is subjective. I feel priveleged to be able to sail on these lines and and happy that we have so many choices.

Which lines, please, Dalliowner? I imagine Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea, but the 5th might be Seadream if we are talking all inclusive, or Hapag-Lloyd if not.

Please, stay on your top 5! We're about to go to our 20th cruise on Oceania and have enjoyed every one.You would be and will be much happier with a cruise where you definitely know that you are with people of your ilk.

 

 

LYNNE

If I am understanding your post correctly, you are indeed confirming my travel agents observations concerning the clientele on Oceania compared to that on the other 5 mentioned lines?

Just to sort this out - dalliowner did say 'the' 5 luxury lines, not 'your' 5 luxury lines, so I have a feeling they did not intend to include, say, Windstar or Oceania here.

Seabourn would definitely not be top of the list here judging by a very recent posting on this forum by a previously enthusiastic SB cruiser.

Just to sort this out - dalliowner did say 'the' 5 luxury lines, not 'your' 5 luxury lines, so I have a feeling they did not intend to include, say, Windstar or Oceania here.

 

Seabourn would definitely not be top of the list here judging by a very recent posting on this forum by a previously enthusiastic SB cruiser.

It was hard to take that posting seriously as the person had never posted before and was noting second hand information. Sounded like a troll. Do not know the ilk of trolls, though.

If I am understanding your post correctly, you are indeed confirming my travel agents observations concerning the clientele on Oceania compared to that on the other 5 mentioned lines?

I'll chime in here.

I've had the "mispleasure" of being a guest on Oceania for a few cruises (they were one right after the other so no chance to cancel after the first without losing everything).

On the first cruise there were a large number of passengers that brought 1.75s of Bacardi on deck and spent most of the day chugging and passing from them. After a few hours their behavior closely resembled what would stumble out of a night club at close. Dress code? Apparently if you add enough rhinestones the jeans you stole from a homeless person are acceptable. Thankfully after a few days the public consumption was cut off.

Trivia was a most unpleasant experience (that and the layout of Martinis was, to quote Spock "highly illogical") as one member on our team would take advantage of another members hearing loss to say some not nice things about that person. The rude behavior was stopped but, I've never experienced such behavior on any other line.

Queuing for tours/tenders: Pushy, pushy people that didn't care what group they were in, they were going to be first. Woe be to an unsteady walker that they run into or over. Staff did not control them, even after one of them put the cruise director on the ground. They also liked to run to handicapped seating on tour buses (I'm seeing this more and more so it's seemingly not line specific). On the tenders the most able bodied tended to take the seats nearest the exits making the unsteady walk down the narrow paths between benches.

Parents: Seating children at bar stools and letting them have water/juice/whatever they were drinking fights. Also seating soaking wet children at a bar stool, then when finished not wiping down the seat.

On a subsequent segment there was a group from some small town in California that liked to imbibe and then brag about how much they were going to pay to bribe staff for extra reservations and how they were going to try to get a staff member fired who refused the bribe and told them to go through proper channels.

And don't get me started on the food;)

I realize I seem to be the only one who has experienced this but if it happened before it can happen again.

And for the thread:

1. Seabourn

2.

3.

4. Crystal

5. Regent/SilverSea

I have an upcoming cruise on Regent so that may change its placement (up or down) and further out one on Crystal.

Have got to admit to being very able bodied and yet sitting at the front in coaches and by the exits on tenders. Whilst my travel sickness is managed fairly well onboard the ship, on windy roads and bumpy tenders I am likely to turn green very quickly so it isn't always about bad manners or disregard for people with mobility issues :o

I don't think I've ever not enjoyed myself on a cruise (luxury or otherwise) with the notable exceptions of a "scheduling mistake" on Carnival (almost 1000 children on a 2400 pax ship) and a round-the-state trip on what was then NCL's Pride of Hawaii (the "Motel 6" version of a cruise ship).

Now, however, I'm concerned that either my standards or my ilk (or possibly both) may be too low for me to make informed judgments. I would appreciate any assistance in correcting (either or both of) these obvious character flaws from anyone with higher standards or of a superior ilk (or possibly both). Perhaps then my observations will be more accurate, my opinions more meaningful, and my judgments unassailable.

To explain my question.A friend who had never been cruising before I talked into going on a Seabourn cruise and they loved it. I was then asked what other luxury lines would be good and as I had only cruised with Seabourn since 2006 I asked who cc`s would rate as the best 5 lines.:D

OK - so it is any five lines you have cruised which you regard as 'luxury' lines, I suppose.

If I am understanding your post correctly, you are indeed confirming my travel agents observations concerning the clientele on Oceania compared to that on the other 5 mentioned lines?

Not really. I think her concern is that, with all that "polish," you just might slip and break your neck on Oceania's pristine decks.

1.Seabourn

2. Regent

3. Sea dream

4. Crystal

5.

I wouldnt include Silversea in the top 5 because i hated it.

I dont think we can include lines like Oceania etc as they are premium, NOT luxury lines.

Yes, when you ask this question on the Seabourn Board you will likely find that Seabourn is rated number 1. Ask it on each of the other boards and most who frequent those boards will rate number 1 consistent with the board you asked on.

Keep in mind you are asking people to rate all of these lines but based on what criteria and the question is has each person sailed on each line and if so when.

Keith

On the Seabourn board with a few exceptions you're also far more likely to get a broader view of the line, warts and all than some of the other boards where they tend to cover up the warts making it hard to make a truly informed decision.

Yes, when you ask this question on the Seabourn Board you will likely find that Seabourn is rated number 1. Ask it on each of the other boards and most who frequent those boards will rate number 1 consistent with the board you asked on.

 

Keep in mind you are asking people to rate all of these lines but based on what criteria and the question is has each person sailed on each line and if so when.

 

Keith

Completely agree - I hesitate to put in my opinion, as I know what is important to me is not going to be the same as for others, and although I have cruised what I consider 4 of the top 5 'luxury' lines, some of these not for several years.

The only thing I can think of that would make me hesitate about making Seabourn my number one is their smoking policy. Everything else is pretty well amazing 😁

1.Seabourn

2. Regent

3. Sea dream

4. Crystal

5.

 

I wouldnt include Silversea in the top 5 because i hated it.

I dont think we can include lines like Oceania etc as they are premium, NOT luxury lines.

Quick question for you. I noticed that you have sailed on The Ponant but you did not rate them. How would you compare the experience to the other lines mentioned above. Was it a luxury experience? Would you sail with them again for the right itinerary?

We began cruising on The Club Med 2 and really enjoyed it even though I wouldn't call it a luxury experience. The problem was the clientele was mostly french and 3 out of 4 sailings I found myself onboard with customers of mine (no ilk comments please) which forced me to be on my best behavior.:eek: Would you say that the majority of the other passengers were french or was it a balanced mix?

Crystal IMHO is far above Regent in quality and service. Would love to try Seabourn as an alternative. Did not like SS at all.

Les pics, I did not rate Ponant, as I class it as unrated. A stunning ship, le boreal, but our top suite was tiny and dark. No replenishments of toiletries in cabins, surly service all round and very,very patchy food quality. Entertainment non existent, and shockingly awful service.

A luxury line/experience it was not. And dont get me started on the included wines, one red and one white the same all week, mediorce at best. If you love SB you will probably hate it,i certainly did!

I've traveled Seabourn, Seadream, and Crystal. I enjoyed them all and to me these 3 are all different enough that I cannot compare them . They have different personalities and different strengths and different weaknesses.:)

We have not sailed with Seabourn yet - but will do in January on the new ship. In the meantime, we have about 10 cruises each on Regent, Silversea and Crystal. Our ranking (from top on down) - if forced to do so, since they all have different things to recommend them, are:

Regent

Silversea

Crystal

Les pics, I did not rate Ponant, as I class it as unrated. A stunning ship, le boreal, but our top suite was tiny and dark. No replenishments of toiletries in cabins, surly service all round and very,very patchy food quality. Entertainment non existent, and shockingly awful service.

A luxury line/experience it was not. And dont get me started on the included wines, one red and one white the same all week, mediorce at best. If you love SB you will probably hate it,i certainly did!

Thank you for this information, I will definately cross them off my list.