What's the price/pecking order on upscale/luxury lines?

[ducklite]

I'm wondering, for those of you who are ranking lines, and didn't say whether or not you've been on them, on how many of those lines have you actually cruised?

 

 

I don't think you have to cruise on all lines to know what is mass market versus premium and luxury. The cruise lines web site is often enough to tell. Look at the ratio of guests to crew, the ports they visit, the types of sheets they put on the beds. Check out the wine list, the extras such as guest lecturers and special events. Consider how long it takes to disembark at the ports--if you need to get a color or number to get off the ship, it is not a luxury cruise ship.

 

One term I think we are missing to describe ships is luxury lite. This might be a good option to use for Windstar. Their 180 Degrees From Ordinary keeps them from being a true luxury line, although the they are closer to it than many of the lines in the premium category.

 

I have been on a mass market--RCCL; a specialty mass market DCL (and as a suite guest both times on DCL and on RCCL as well, I can say with certainty that while DCL suite level is a premium product, RCCL suite level is just lipstick on a pig); a small premium ship--Paul Guaguin; and a small luxury-lite ship--Windstar.

 

We might venture to try Regent some day, maybe for Alaska or someplace else Windstar doesn't sail to, but doubt we will ever be bothered with any ship that has a full on formal night. We just don't see the point these days. That said, we do see the point of making some effort to clean up and look presentable, meaning slacks and a collared shirt for men, a a dress or slacks/skirt and cute top for women, and will continue to give our dollars to cruise lines which enforce a dress code that requires sophisticated evening casual attire after 6:00 pm.

 

We will also only sail small ships moving forward. The atmosphere is so much nicer. We don't need skating rinks and belly flop contests, in fact we don't want all of that. We would much rather have a lecturer with in depth knowledge of the area we are visiting than an annoying cruise director and endless announcements about Bingo and hairy chest contests interrupting our afternoon nap on a sea day.

[buggins0402]

I don't think you have to cruise on all lines to know what is mass market versus premium and luxury. The cruise lines web site is often enough to tell. Look at the ratio of guests to crew, the ports they visit, the types of sheets they put on the beds. Check out the wine list, the extras such as guest lecturers and special events. Consider how long it takes to disembark at the ports--if you need to get a color or number to get off the ship, it is not a luxury cruise ship.

 

One term I think we are missing to describe ships is luxury lite. This might be a good option to use for Windstar. Their 180 Degrees From Ordinary keeps them from being a true luxury line, although the they are closer to it than many of the lines in the premium category.

 

I have been on a mass market--RCCL; a specialty mass market DCL (and as a suite guest both times on DCL and on RCCL as well, I can say with certainty that while DCL suite level is a premium product, RCCL suite level is just lipstick on a pig); a small premium ship--Paul Guaguin; and a small luxury-lite ship--Windstar.

 

We might venture to try Regent some day, maybe for Alaska or someplace else Windstar doesn't sail to, but doubt we will ever be bothered with any ship that has a full on formal night. We just don't see the point these days. That said, we do see the point of making some effort to clean up and look presentable, meaning slacks and a collared shirt for men, a a dress or slacks/skirt and cute top for women, and will continue to give our dollars to cruise lines which enforce a dress code that requires sophisticated evening casual attire after 6:00 pm.

 

We will also only sail small ships moving forward. The atmosphere is so much nicer. We don't need skating rinks and belly flop contests, in fact we don't want all of that. We would much rather have a lecturer with in depth knowledge of the area we are visiting than an annoying cruise director and endless announcements about Bingo and hairy chest contests interrupting our afternoon nap on a sea day.

 

Agree with the luxe lite thought...it's a good description for Oceania, with which I am familiar. It also allows for a premium category to the Mass Markets....Celebrity, Cunard, and HAL?

[iancal]

We sail on Princess and on Celebrity. We really do not find Celebrity to be a step up. We view most of them HAL, Princess, Celebrity, RCI, Carnival, etc as mass market lines each with a slightly different focus. But we certainly do not view any of them as premium.

[Pudgesmom]

Agree with the luxe lite thought...it's a good description for Oceania, with which I am familiar. It also allows for a premium category to the Mass Markets....Celebrity, Cunard, and HAL?

 

I may misunderstand here, but having sailed both HAL and Windstar several times, I would say Windstar is a giant step above Hal in terms of cruise experience.

[buggins0402]

I may misunderstand here, but having sailed both HAL and Windstar several times, I would say Windstar is a giant step above Hal in terms of cruise experience.

 

Probably so, that's why I liked Ducklite's luxury lite categorization for Oceania and Azamara. Never sailed Windstar, so I really don't really have an opinion as to whether it's luxury lite or luxury. From what I know of it, it's definitely higher tier than a premium mass market.

 

It's also been a while since we've sailed Celebrity, but from what I've read there has been some product deterioration, so who knows maybe there is no longer a premium mass market...which would support iancal's statement.

Edited July 3, 2016 by buggins0402