7 Luxury Cruises That Cater to Your Every Want and Need
4. Oceania Riviera
If you don’t feel the need to indulge in the all-inclusive aspect of high-end cruises, a la carte options on the Oceania Riviera are available for slightly cheaper fares. Some itineraries include airfare, shore excursions and beverage packages, but all are optional.
Luxury dining experiences in particular wow on this ship, like the French bistro menu created by Chef Jacques Pepin or the Italian restaurant that serves meals on custom Versace china. If you are looking to learn a new skill, artists in residence can teach you techniques, like watercolor or printmaking.
Equally impressive are the suite rooms, which are quite roomy on the Riviera, with some of the larger spaces maxing out around 2,000 square feet. They even have their own signature bed, the Prestige Tranquility, which is infused with chamomile.
5. Seabourn Sojourn
Although it is a smaller ship than some of the others on this list, the Sojourn ranks as a top luxury cruise for its impeccable service. CruiseCritic.com says their service is the best they have seen on a cruise ship, with a country club or five-star hotel atmosphere.
Seabourn keeps passengers’ preferences on file, so if you book multiple cruises with them, all your favorite things will be waiting for you upon arrival. At the pool, servers come by with sunscreen, sunglasses cleaner and cocktails for your enjoyment.
In order to compete with some of the larger cruise ships, Sojourn also has a partnership with Michelin-Star Chef, Thomas Keller. Guests can expect lobster, caviar and champagne at their fingertips constantly, as evidenced by their special event on warm weather cruises.
Caviar in the surf is exactly what it sounds like, but even better. The ship’s officers serve it up in the water while a decadent barbecue awaits on shore.
If you're looking to take in incredible views on the slopes and spend evenings dining in upscale restaurants these luxury ski resorts are just the thing.
6. Paul Gauguin Cruises
An all-inclusive cruise experience, Paul Gauguin cruises offer an intimate, luxury experience to French Polynesia. Voted best cruise ship for dining by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers Choice Awards and Cruiser’s Choice Best for Service by CruiseCritic.com, once you take a Paul Gauguin cruise, you will be coming back again and again.
Their fares offer round-trip airfare. Besides typical cruise ship entertainment, you can also expect Polynesian dancers and regional performers.
Be sure to take advantage of their secluded white-sand beach in Bora Bora or spend a day on the ship’s private inlet off the coast of the ritzy resort area of Taha’a. For excursions, try something adventurous, like an underwater safari, ATV tour or catamaran sailing.
They’re also the only cruise ship in French Polynesia with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certification classes for scuba diving.
7. Uniworld S.S. Antoinette
One of the most highly-rated river cruises in the world, not to mention river cruises in Europe, Uniworld’s S.S. Antoinette ship offers themed cruises with routes from Basel to Cologne or Basel to Amsterdam. Cruise down the Rhine River during December for the holiday markets cruise or their summer and fall cruise highlighting the medieval castles that line the river.
If you choose the former, festive food and drink is served both on board and amid the various towns docked at for shore excursions.
All cruises offer excursions featuring UNESCO World Heritage Sites with use of bicycles and walking sticks while on shore. Breweries, museums, cathedrals and all the other various cultural gems associated with Europe are found on these luxurious cruises.
Plus once you sail with them, you are automatically a part of the River Heritage Club, which offers exclusive, members-only cocktail parties and other on-board benefits.
