The 11 Best Luxury Cruise Lines, According to T+L's Experts

Table Of Content

• Adventures by Disney
• of the best wildlife cruises for 2024 and beyond
• $6,969 pp — 11nt Expedition Ship Suite to Greenland: exclusive $1,150 back, $300 OBC, free tips & drinks
• Royal Caribbean
• $1,569 pp — 7nt Alaska Balcony: exclusive free tips, no deposit, $75 OBC + 70% off 2nd, free drinks, more
• A Beginner’s Guide to Traveling on Points and Miles

Celebrity also offers more cruises of eight nights and up, allowing couples to cruise a little longer if desired. The atmosphere on board is similar to that at an all-inclusive couples’ resort. The ships are intimate with the largest one carrying barely over 3,000 passengers. Suite hosts are the key to fine tuning every aspect of a Seabourn cruise. Once onboard, guests can rely on their suite host for everything from dinner reservations in the ship’s restaurants to popcorn for a movie afternoon.

Adventures by Disney

15 Best Cruise Lines in the US - Yahoo Finance

15 Best Cruise Lines in the US.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:39:03 GMT [source]

Kauai is the place to admire the 50th State's lushest rainforests and to cruise past the scenic cliffs of the Napali Coast. And with two ports of call on the Island of Hawaii, you'll enjoy the waterfalls of Hilo (along with access to Volcanoes National Park) and the sunny Kona coast, where snorkel trips and coffee farm visits are popular. You'll also avoid all the inter-island flights required for hotel stays. When travelers dusted off their bucket list post-pandemic one of the places they most wanted to visit was Antarctica. The seventh continent, a place that belongs to no single nation but hosts research stations from almost 30, has fascinated adventurers for decades. But the swift expansion of luxury expedition cruising over the past five to seven years has made this frozen polar frontier the "It" destination of the 2020s.

of the best wildlife cruises for 2024 and beyond

Drinks and food beyond the complimentary options may be purchased a la carte onboard or as separate packages. Entertainment and most activities are included in the fare, but keep in mind that crew tips are not. Although recognized for its enormous mega-ships, Royal Caribbean’s fleet of 26 ships includes seven modest-sized ships for first-time cruisers who prefer to start small and work their way up. All their ships feature multiple dining options, some of which are included in the cruise fare while others require an additional charge. “For the most part, luxury cruises appeal to a segment of travelers looking for similar experiences on land – more luxurious offerings, fewer crowds, and phenomenal activities.

$6,969 pp — 11nt Expedition Ship Suite to Greenland: exclusive $1,150 back, $300 OBC, free tips & drinks

The butler service onboard, which is available in every suite, is provided by highly-skilled staff trained to help guests with every need, from dinner reservations to shoeshining. Keep in mind that while the butler can arrange for your laundry to be done, there is an extra charge for that. Silversea offers door-to-door inclusive fares featuring executive car transfers within 52 miles of your chosen airport, plus flights and hotels as needed. AmaWaterways leans heavily on its array of European river cruises, with itineraries on the Rhine, Danube, the Seine, the Rhone and the Douro in Portugal. Ama recently partnered with Ancestry to help guests trace their family history and heritage. During the summer cruise season, the line partners with Disney to make family river cruising magic.

Royal Caribbean

Just refurbished, the 165-cabin Paul Gauguin will be exploring the Pacific in 2023, with trips to the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Marquesas, and the Society Islands. The single-vessel brand was voted the very best small-ship cruise line in the World’s Best Awards 2022, as T+L readers gave particularly high marks to the Paul Gauguin’s on-board staff. Impact on your credit may vary, as credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations. They range in capacity from around 2,000 to just over 4,000 passengers on the four newest ships. The provided gear will include outerwear (a souvenir parka is yours to keep on polar expeditions) and the ships are equipped with complimentary launderettes. Viking’s Expedition ships currently devote June, July, August and September to cruising the Arctic and Great Lakes.

The line has a strong presence of often four ships in the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter. Whether it’s a hairy chest contest at the pool or late-night club hopping, the party begins from the moment you step onboard. Maybe it should be ranked as one of the best cruise lines for fun, as well as for being budget friendly. First-time cruisers can sail on Royal Caribbean ships from 15 U.S. ports and 18 international ports.

Viking Cruises

My husband and I scouted out the best cruises for kids when our own children were young, and since becoming empty nesters, we’ve found the best adults-only cruises and couples cruises. Whether it's a river or an ocean you want to cruise, Scenic can take you there in style. On board, you'll find fine dining, expansive spas and fitness facilities, and butler service. Food on Ama ships is all included in the cruise fare, even the specialty dining Chef’s Table.

Almost everything you need while on board is included in the cruise fare, even Wi-Fi -- just don’t expect it to be lightning fast. The ship’s movement and hills that surround the rivers block towers and slow the land-based signal. In all other classes, beverage packages are available for purchase, as are Wi-Fi packages.

A Beginner’s Guide to Traveling on Points and Miles

Our agents are experts in cruising and are available 24/7 in case you prefer to book over the phone. As one of the largest cruise sellers Cruise.com is able to offer our clients exclusive discounts, onboard credits, upgrades and many other valuable amenities. Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports and destinations, so if you’re a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers.

On Mexico's Pacific Coast, ports might include Huatulco, offering access to an iguana sanctuary and ecological park, or Puerto Vallarta, where you can enjoy a snorkel trip to Los Arcos de Mismaloya. While itineraries range from seven to 14 nights and the ports visited vary by cruise line, most sailings call on Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn. The Danish capital is a fascinating blend of imperial palaces, photogenic landmarks (including the vibrant waterfront of Nyhavn and the Victorian-era Tivoli Gardens) and modern culinary and design innovations. The transatlantic cruise from Southampton to New York (a traveler’s must-do at any age) is a great option for older travelers because you never leave the ship.

Meena Thiruvengadam is a lifelong traveler and veteran journalist who has visited more than 50 countries across six continents. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Departures, TripSavvy, and other publications. The stateroom features a king-size bed, large closets and robes and slippers. Bathrooms include glass-enclosed showers, anti-fog mirrors and heated floors. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research.

The innovative vessel, which is similar in design to Scenic Eclipse, will have luxurious suites complete with butler service and all sorts of extras, including helicopters (plural) and a submarine. Seabourn Venture, the luxury line’s first 132-suite expedition ship, launched in late summer with itineraries in northern Europe; trips in Japan, the South Pacific, and Antarctica are on tap for 2023. Seabourn Pursuit, which will be a sibling ship to Venture, is scheduled to arrive in 2023, the second in Seabourn’s growing expedition fleet. Silversea gives Antarctica travelers the option to skip two days of sailing the often-rocky Drake Passage.

The line's not stopping there -- it's expanding the number of solo cabins across its entire fleet. Another ship that sails the Galápagos, the Celebrity Flora, has 50 suites, many with large verandas, plus a stargazing deck and a fleet of comfortable tenders. The line’s “outer loop” also includes plenty of wildlife watching, plus a stop at the less-frequented Daphne Island. Upstart cruise line Atlas Ocean Voyages offers all-inclusive fares on its two 98-suite vessels, and, in a departure from industry norms, the brand doesn’t charge solo travelers a single supplement.

Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra. Carnival cruises may be low priced, but they’re high on guest satisfaction.

Cruise lines have also imprinted their personalities on the port’s terminals, with Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival and Virgin Voyages serving as land-based extensions of the onboard experience. Plus, sailing in or out of PortMiami as the city unfolds or fades in the distance is one of the most magical moments in cruising. American Queen Voyages will offer the longest trips in the line’s history in 2023, with two 23-day river itineraries on the Mississippi and Ohio aboard the 123-stateroom American Countess. “The ship will sail more than 1,700 miles from Minnesota down the Ohio River and Upper Mississippi River, calling on more ports and offering more guided tours than ever before,” as T+L reported in August. In June, Quasar Expeditions is offering a Galápagos cruise on the 32-passenger Evolution for children with autism spectrum disorder, hosted by an expert in supporting families with special needs.