what makes a cruise line luxurious?

[Squirtreena]

just wondering..when people write that Royal and NCL arent luxury cruise lines..i am wondering why...what are they lacking??

[cwc]

Price :p

Average luxury cruiselines for lowest cat. room runs about 350-500$ per day.

Just name a few...

All of them inclused some/all drinks (soft or hard).

Lower passager to crew ratio.

Higher passager to ship space.

[caribsun]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruisestyles/luxury.cfm

[ryansmemom]

For me it is the attention to detail that goes along with the price.

 

When I read some of the boards I understand the difference. On a luxury line there is a higher crew/passenger ratio. This means the level of service is much better. For example:

 

You never have to stand in line for anything at all.

Everything you request is given to you.

When you order room service, the table is set with a table cloth

You don't put your tray out in the hall when your finished

The quality of the linens and towels is very high

Alcohol or tips may be included

The ships are small and everyone knows who you are

You are waited on and pampered beyond your wildest dreams

 

There are some lines that give this level of service to their Suite passengers also.

 

Lindaa

[bibb]

I agree with what is said above but there is another slant on this. If you are rich and have had a luxurious life, then only the highest would be considered luxury. If, on the other hand, you are from the other side of the tracks, any cruise would be luxury. I simply love cruising and, in 19 cruises, I can't complain about service and/or staff courtesy. Waiting in lines is another subject. It would be nice to experience not having to ever wait in line.

 

There are no bad cruises; some are just better than others. :)

[Thanksforyourinfo]

If, on the other hand, you are from the other side of the tracks, any cruise would be luxury.

 

 

I agree. I don't have a maid at home cleaning my bedroom, bathroom, I don't have a butler. So even Carnival or Royal Caribbean seems to spoil me. It is wonderful to have service like they give you. It's all what you make of it. I have always refered to my meals as "gourmet" because they were delicious (okay, some were ordinary, but I don't focus on that). Even us poor folks get a waiter, an assistant waiter, a wine-steward, and a cabin person who makes the beds, changes the towels and cups twice a day, prepares the bed for sleep. Waiting in line isn't so bad

[momofmeg]

I agree. I don't have a maid at home cleaning my bedroom, bathroom, I don't have a butler. So even Carnival or Royal Caribbean seems to spoil me. It is wonderful to have service like they give you. It's all what you make of it. I have always refered to my meals as "gourmet" because they were delicious (okay, some were ordinary, but I don't focus on that). Even us poor folks get a waiter, an assistant waiter, a wine-steward, and a cabin person who makes the beds, changes the towels and cups twice a day, prepares the bed for sleep. Waiting in line isn't so bad

 

 

That is how I feel too-no cooking, no making beds, no vacuuming, cleaning etc. I have friends that have motorhomes and boats and love to go deepsea fishing. They call that a vacation. We went with them last year and rented a cabin where they park their RV's.

 

Let me tell you- in my opinion THAT was no fun. You are out on the boat all day sweating like a pig and then in the evening us gals cooked a meal-now the guys did clean the fish and grilled them- but us gals did everything else.(including the clean up)

 

I told those gals that to me it is no vacation when you work as hard as if you were home.

 

We talked several of the couples on cruising with us this past Feb.-most of the gals loved it and agreed with I was right-that the cruise was much nicer then what we had done last summer. Ofcourse some of the guys still prefer to spend a week fishing-I can see why though-they did little work-it was their wives who did all the work.

 

I do believe if it was up to these wives-they would ditch the motorhomes and the boats to cruise more often-as it is though-all their money is going into this stuff so that has to be their vacation.

 

I guess I am fortunate! because hubby is not as crazy about the fishing as those other guys-he says he prefers to cruise and go scuba diving and look at fish-then to catch fish. Thank goodness!

 

Now the waiting in line part-I am not so crazy about that-but at least on a cruise I am more relaxed -as it is vacation and I am not on a time frame-much differant then when at home and I am waiting in line everywhere trying to get the errands run and be home by a certain time to take care of other things that need to be taken care of-I don't mind the waiting in line on a cruise! (Only when it is terribly congested-but that only happens on the mega ships.)

 

and heck as far as the food-if I am not cooking it I am happy and we do usually splurge a couple of times and go to the specialty restuarants on board.

 

Now I would love to go on one of these luxury lines-one day-but even if I never get to do that-just let me take a cruise!

[Nliedel]

It's subjective to some extent. To me anyone catering to me on any level is a luxury on some level.

 

There is the luxury of just going out to eat at all. Decent restaurant, not too fancy etc. I would equate RCI, Princess and Carnival with that. The service is good, not stellar. The food is very good, not award winning. Rooms nice, nothing super luxurious, but a darn wonderful vacation.

 

Then there is a very nice steakhouse or seafood place. Celebrity, Hal etc. Food and service much better. Rooms have better fabrics etc.

 

A birthday place. For me that is a place in town called the Chophouse. Very upscale. Excellent service, bill never less than $150.00 without booze. Worth every penny. Crystal, Seabourn, Regent (maybe), Silversea. Service personalized. The food is award winning, tasting more like it was created for you alone. Staff may remember your name, even if you are not working with then directly.

 

Then there is, for the lucky few, a private plane to the Napa Valley for a once in a lifetime meal at The French Laundry. Complete with Thomas Keller serving you personally, making dishes for you and yours alone. This would be renting or owning a luxury yacht.

[momofmeg]

It's subjective to some extent. To me anyone catering to me on any level is a luxury on some level.

 

There is the luxury of just going out to eat at all. Decent restaurant, not too fancy etc. I would equate RCI, Princess and Carnival with that. The service is good, not stellar. The food is very good, not award winning. Rooms nice, nothing super luxurious, but a darn wonderful vacation.

 

Then there is a very nice steakhouse or seafood place. Celebrity, Hal etc. Food and service much better. Rooms have better fabrics etc.

 

A birthday place. For me that is a place in town called the Chophouse. Very upscale. Excellent service, bill never less than $150.00 without booze. Worth every penny. Crystal, Seabourn, Regent (maybe), Silversea. Service personalized. The food is award winning, tasting more like it was created for you alone. Staff may remember your name, even if you are not working with then directly.

 

Then there is, for the lucky few, a private plane to the Napa Valley for a once in a lifetime meal at The French Laundry. Complete with Thomas Keller serving you personally, making dishes for you and yours alone. This would be renting or owning a luxury yacht.

 

I can see the comparison but what kind of restuarant would you compare to a person who does not cruise luxury lines but owns a yacht? I guess that would be having your own french or italian chef to prepare all your meals huh?

[Nliedel]

I can see the comparison but what kind of restuarant would you compare to a person who does not cruise luxury lines but owns a yacht? I guess that would be having your own french or italian chef to prepare all your meals huh?

 

See number 4. :)

[cwc]

French Laundry was good (we liked it), but our friend hated it (not the price). She said all her food was too salty.

 

So... food is really each to his/her own.:)

 

We loved every meal on QE2, most but not all meal on RSSC was good and it was just OK on RCCL.

 

But I think luxury cruiseline is not just for food. The service was always great and no line ever any where on RSSC.

 

For a couple of times, I had to clean off tables before I can sit down to eat in the buffet area on RCCL.

 

It is the whole package which make luxury cruiseline what it is.

[Nliedel]

French Laundry was good (we liked it), but our friend hated it (not the price). She said all her food was too salty.

 

So... food is really each to his/her own.:)

 

We loved every meal on QE2, most but not all meal on RSSC was good and it was just OK on RCCL.

 

But I think luxury cruiseline is not just for food. The service was always great and no line ever any where on RSSC.

 

For a couple of times, I had to clean off tables before I can sit down to eat in the buffet area on RCCL.

 

It is the whole package which make luxury cruiseline what it is.

 

It's not just the food. I was making a comparision, between different dining experiences and the various cruiselines. I could just have easily used hotels.

 

RCI; Princess; Carnival: Hilton Hotels

 

HAL; Celebrity: Wyndam

 

Seabourn; Regent; Silversea: Relais and Chateaux

 

Private Villa with a maid and chef: Private Yacht

 

It was just a mechanism. I used the French Laundry because more people would be able to use that as a means of comparison than a five star restaurant in Paris.

 

I appreciate that the experience of a luxury line is not only about the food.

[caviargal]

For me a luxury cruise would include the following:

 

- No lines for anything, ever

- Open dining, all special requests met with a smile and an "absolutely, madam."

- Luxurious bedding, towels (and tons of them) and mattresses

- Bathtubs and marble bathrooms

- High end amenities (Aveeda, Elemis)

- the services of a concierge

- longer days in port, interesting itineraries, no same old, same old

- Cold towels by the pool, along with sparking water and fresh fruit or sorbet

- Excellent service

 

Radisson was like this and I loved it! Dinner on the balcony was served course by course. Fabulous!

[cwc]

RSSC= Radisson Seven Seas Cruiseline = Regent Seven Seas Cruiseline;)

[kitty9]

Luxury means different things to different people. Some feel that not having to cook, clean and do laundry is luxury, but in the true sense of the word, luxury means something different. I've had the good fortune to cruise almost every cruise line out there, including NCL, Carnival, RCCI and all of the big four luxury lines, and there's no comparison when talking luxury. For example on Crystal, where I just returned on Saturday from a 16 day cruise from Buenos Aires, luxury abounds. Fine linens and tablewear in the restaurant, high end products in the bathrooms, thick bathtowels, high threadcount linens on the beds with a selection of 5 different pillows, high end boxes of chocolates on the pillow at night (not just one small chocolate, but a small box of chocolates), food made to order and not mass prepared hours before it's served, no standing in line for anything---not tender tickets or lunch lines, shore excursions that are small groups and not herds of 60 or more per group, asking for special meals at dinner like tableside prepared chateaubriand or steak Diane or pears flambed in expensive liquor. The luxury lines also go to more exotic places and don't just cruise the Caribbean, Mexico, the Med and Alaska. You see places like Namibia, the Maldives, Bali, Vietnam, the Seychelles and Madagascar. The luxury lines do it all and don't skimp on anything. The word "NO" isn't in their dictionary.

[agabbymama]

Kitty 9

 

At what cost for your cruise? From what your describing, I'd say it would have to be double or triple what most people pay for a vacation.

Sounds wonderful, if I ever win the lottery. Until then I have to be content with the masses saving for a cruise on what to some of us is a luxury cruise. Concierge Class on Celebrity :p is definitely a luxury to this working gal.

[cwc]

To agabbymama... not Kitty9 here, but... If you can afford the concierge Class or sky suite on Celebrity, you can afford to travel on the luxury lines, too. Yes, you might be "stuck" in the lowest cat. room (inside or just port hole). But with the level of service around the ship and space per passager. I think it is more worth it to cruise every 2-3 years to exotic location than every year to the same old carribean. Well, I need at least 2 years to save up enough vacation time from work to go for long holiday any way, working girl here too;) .

[agabbymama]

CWC,

 

I don't cruise that often. I did do HAL to Alaska in 2000, RCCL to the Caribbean in 2004, and now Constellation to New England/Canada for 11 nights. While I have paid for the Concierge Class Cabin, it sure hurt to put out that much money. And I wouldn't consider cruising without an outside balcony (claustrophobia and smoker). But I agree with you that I would rather cruise every couple of years to someplace really interesting, rather

than just going back to the Caribbean every year. But I do like to take a vacation every year. We did 10 days in Hungary last year. I don't necessarily have to take a cruise. :p

[kitty9]

agabbymama, you would be absolutely shocked by the prices I've paid on Crystal compared with what Celebrity charges. I have done 45 cruises now, and can do a fair comparison among them all. For example: for a 12 day Med cruise on Celebrity, the Sky Suite would have cost me a whopping $9,560. For the same cruise on Crystal, in a larger cabin and for two days longer, the cost is less than $5200. That's a huge savings. Celebrity has no provisions to give a price break to single passengers, of which I am one, so I pay double the price. On Crystal, the single supplement varies between 125%to 135%, which is a huge difference from the 200% Celebrity and the other mass market lines charge. When I was researching a South America cruise on Celebrity vs Crystal, the fare I was quoted for Celebrity was $10,000 more than the price of Crystal. So, if you know your prices, and see what's included with luxury lines, you might be quite surprised by the fact that you can sail on a luxury line for less than a mass market line.

[agabbymama]

Kitt9

 

Thanks so much for the info. I would never have thought Crystal would be comparable to Celebrity. I just paid $5100 for two to go to Canada/New England on Constellation for 11 days. We are thinking of a

cruise in the Med to see Italy. I'll have to check out Crystal. :p

[agabbymama]

Kitty9

 

What I'm finding on the websites sure isn't what you stated in your post:

Crystal Symphony

October 9, 2006

Departs From Montreal, Quebec visiting Quebec City, Quebec; Cruise Saguenay River; Cruise Gulf Of St. Lawrence; Halifax, Nova Scotia; St. John's, Newfoundland; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; New York, New York

Outside $3,785 Balcony $4,820

When I said I paid $5100, that was for two people in a CC Cabin on Deck 6 with Taxes and Insurance. This says its $4820 each for a balcony cabin. That's quite a difference in my book. Don't think I'll be cruising Crystal anytime soon. It may be worth it for you with the differences in the single supplement, but I never travel alone, so the price I see isn't worth it to me. This is almost the same cruise Celebrity is offering at half the cost.

[kitty9]

When you're talking a couple, then it might not be worth the cost, but for a single, the charges for Celebrity don't add up. Plus, there's the included things on Crystal which aren't included on Celebrity. My TA belongs to Ensemble, where they pay your tips and include a shore excursion. They only do this with the high end lines and not mass markets. Also, AmEx gives a $200 per cabin room credit and $100 credit you can use towards an excursion. Again, those things aren't available on the mass market ships. When you add those things up, plus the fact that Crystal doesn't charge for soda, bottled water or specialty coffees, and their alternate restaurant doesn't charge $30 like they do on the M-Class Celebrity ships, it all adds up to savings. But in the end, you have to do what's best for your pocketbook. After all, it's great to have such wonderful choices for cruising.

[agabbymama]

Kitty9

 

Yes indeed it is wonderful to have so many choices. My first cruise was on Carnival a number of years ago. I thought it was Carnivale, but it may have been Tropicale. I vowed, I would never cruise again. But I tried HAL and loved it. Then my friend talked me into a 5 day Pacific Coast on NCL.

Then I took her to the Caribbean on RCL Empress of the Seas. And now we are taking the big 11 nighter on Celebrity. There are lot of folks out there that like Carnival (I just don't happen to be one of them) and if I could ever win the lotto, I would love to try Crystal.

 

Happy Sailing!

[CRU1SEMAN]

We just returned from the Constellation 12 day (St thomas, PR, Coco cay, Charleston, and St Martin) and even though the brochure price was something like 3900 per person for our balcony room our TA got us a deal of $2950.00 for two total taxes and all. We can never get that kind of discount with Crystal or one of those guys. We would end up in the bilge or a life boat if we spent the same $$$$ on Crystal.

[Jimsgirl]

I live in a condo complex, most tenants are 75/90, most spend 3/4 days a week "at the doctors", for me cruising keeps me sane (well almost sane)

 

I agree Crystal is luxury, (have done 10 on that line) however even with the break on single supplement, the day came when I realised that I could cruise 3 times a year in an inside cabin on Celebrity or Princess for maybe 2 times on Crystal. (now with Harmony gone the prices on Symphony/Serenity are way more than I wish to pay)

 

This year (by Dec ) I will have cruised 30 days on HAL to Sth Pacific, 10 days on Princess to Caribbean and 25 days on Celebrity to Alaska/Panama Canal. Next year I have a 28 days booked on Celebrity to Hawaii/Panama Canal, and 31 days on Princess LA to Australia/New Zealand. Of course I do not receive caviar for an appetizer, or unlimited wine with my meals. but I do get good service, and all the good things cruising is really about. On Crystal I would most likely only have been able to do 2x10 days cruises. and I would never have been able to eat in the Vintage roomwith its $$$ price tag per person per dinner.

 

I suppose it is like driving a car, it is after all a "box with wheels" you can use a a mass produced one that does the job or one that cost and arm and a leg just to open the door.