Advice? Crystal vs. Regent SS vs. Seabourn vs ???

[milokama]

I'm sure there are advocates for each of these lines.

But I'm interested in hearing from anyone who may have cruised all three and can tell me the advantages of one over the other.

 

Its more about the Luxury cruise experience for me than the itinerary.

I'm looking for a roomy balcony with scrumptious linens, comfortable seating area, wonderful cuisine, lots of interesting stuff to do on board.

 

Thanks!

[Essiesmom]

If it's all about the luxury, I understand NCL does their suite class well, and you might consider Cunard in Queen's Grill. EM

[eh2zed]

Sorry but NCL and Cunard are no Crystal, Regent or Seabourn.

[kitty9]

Sorry but NCL and Cunard are no Crystal, Regent or Seabourn.

 

I could not agree more. Putting NCL in the same sentence with Crystal or Seabourn is like putting a Maybach together with a Subaru. They both get you to the same place, but the difference in getting there is incredible. No way on earth is NCL luxury with their crowds and sub par food and service. You might get a great suite on NCL, but when you walk out, you're still on a mass market with cheaper food and ordinary everything else.

 

I've been on all three line's you mention, more than once each, and would say that if the ship is the destination and you want a lot of activities on board, Crystal is the way to go. They are unsurpassed in terms of their guest lecture program, their Creative Learning Institute and their evening entertainment. In the CLI, they have programs in investments, health and wellness, cooking, foreign language, computer science, ballroom dancing, wine appreciation, arts and crafts and bridge. Their lectures usually are on current events and on the area in which you're cruising. They also do a lot with people in the performing arts and have theme cruises such as Wine and Food or Big Band.

 

Seabourn is also a lovely line, but they don't have nearly the on board activities. In terms of food and service, Seabourn and Crystal are pretty much equal. Regent is a nice line, but again, they don't offer nearly what Crystal foes in terms of on board activities. My personal opinion is that Regent's food isn't on par with the other two line's.