Luxury Cruises
 

I was wondering why non of the true luxury lines go to the Caribbean during the summer months. I'm talking about Silverrsea, Seabourn and SeaDream Yacht Club. Could someone recommend an itineracy on one of these line or equivalent that would roundtrip from the United States. Any input is greatly appreciated.

FCF

I have no idea what I'm talking about - as usual - but I would guess the luxury lines stay out of the Caribbean market because that market is so over saturated with cruise ships now that it isn't worth the hassle to them to come up with a cruise that is different enough and special enough to justify those hefty fares.

They only have a few ships compared to the RCCLs or Carnivals of the world. The demand in the summer months is for Med, Alaska and Baltic cruises.

Maybe look at the QM2 out of New York to London.

Flyingmama, my question is very clear. Perhaps you should read more closely next time. I was just wondering why many of the luxury lines do not have itineraries to the Caribbean in the summer months. Anyway, I'm not looking to go transatlantic on a ship, too rough. I will find something.

I'm wondering, did you misinterpret Flyingmama's reply? If not then an unnecessary reply to someone who was posting their opinion.

No, I think I'd be as perplexed as First_Class_Flyer if I'd had Flyingmama's reply, which doesn't (as I understand it) address the question.

I think that the answer is partly given by ABG - on top of the fact that summer demand is for those places, the summer is the low season for the Caribbean, for good reason. It's particularly hot and humid, and then you get into hurricane season.

Not for nothing are there enormous yacht carriers that take the small yachts of the rich and famous from the Caribbean to the Med every spring, and then take them back to the Caribbean in the autumn.

Wow, what an over reaction to what seems to me to be a simple opinion. I think he may have misread the post.

Surely anyone who takes the time to give an opinion should be given the respect that he / she deserves!

;0

My comment was not on the quality of Flyingmama's reply, but the curt reply that followed, which led me to think that FCF had misinterpreted the first words of his/her response.

Ouch!! Was that really necessary?

Pardon me for venturing an opinion on why the luxury lines don't go to the Caribbean in the summer.

Listen, my post was not intended to offend anyone or cause any controversy. I apologize if it did. it certainly wasn't my intention.

I think that ABG is correct. To expand on that point, many of the more desirable locations-Alaska, Northern Europe, etc.-are unavailable during the winter months. The cruise lines send their ships that cruise these destinations to the Caribbean during the winter. While there, the rates per cabin are lower. Then, during the summer, they can get higher rates by going to the more nothern destinations.

Because the "luxury" lines do not have as many ships as the bigger cruise lines, they totally vacate the Caribbean. I guess its just economics. JMHO.

As far as recommending an itinerary, I would suggest going to the websites of the cruise lines you mentioned in your posting and see what their schedules are. I realize that you may have done this already, but if those lines offer the destinations you want, you cannot replicate those types of cruises on the bigger ships.

Just about every cruise survey I've ever seen includes Crystal and Radisson in the list of "true luxury cruise lines", and they both offer Caribbean itineraries. The OP's requirement to "round-trip from the United States" is highly constraining--many Caribbean itineraries, for example, are round-trip San Juan simply to avoid the legal requirements associated with 50-state-only departure/arrival ports.

I was looking at Celebrity for a sailing to Bermuda. I checked out the ship on Cruise Critic and was not impressed. I like the idea of a cruise, but I'm really looking for something small and intimate. That is something that that a larger line cannot deliver.

I would think the closest you will come would be the Holland America ms Zuiderdam or the Princess Princess Cruises — Caribbean Princess which are both Premium class ships with 4*+ ratings. Both these lines have a broad enough fleet to be able to leave a premium ship in the Caribbean.

There is a great deal of tradition behind the itineraries of the luxury lines. Traditionally these lines follow a seasonal guideline that has informally existed since the upper classes began leisure travel. The mass marketing that came in the 1980s basically destroyed the true luxury market and discounting became the norm. You may notice that the airline industry is suffering the same dilution and inconsistency of service today.

Luxury travelers follow a circuit of destinations. Many of these destinations are only "in-season" for very short periods of the year. Many times these seasons were tied to specific events.

One of the benefits of this is that air is not a preventative factor in reaching a Scandinavian or Med sailing to the extent that it once was.

Another interesting fact about the luxury market. In periods when the dollar is weak the quality of service on board the luxury lines can fall as it is much more difficult for them to compete to get the best staff. This especially effects the lines with a high percentage of European staff and crew. You could say that the dollar salaries have fallen over 50% the past four years when they convert it to their European currency.

Holland America has a high percentage of Filipino staff a dollar tied country so the effect is not as great.

I brought this up as the weak dollar may be a factor in many peoples cruise plans this year. Cruises are extremely inexpensive for Europeans now though.

double post

If you are looking at luxury lines, then Celebrity Horizon or Zenith will disappoint, I think. They are both older ships and whilst having a loyal following, they could never compete with Silversea, Seabourn and the like. Horizon is off to pastures new soon to be changed and refitted for Island Cruises. Rumours are Zenith will follow, although nothing has been confirmed.

As far as HAL and Princess, these are still not luxury. They are mainstream and Zuiderdam is definitely not small and intimate. If you want smaller and intimate then sticking to the lines mentioned in the first post would be the way to go, I feel.

Trouble is the cruise market is full of ships in the Caribbean in summer and the issue with hurricanes last year has, as an example, encouraged another of Celebrity's to go to Europe in the summer, where filling them is easier and revenues are stronger. This is probably in the minds of those luxury lines who have less ships to play with.

The point is that those are the 2 highest rated vessels in the Caribbean in the summer months when the poster for some reason wishes to visit the Caribbean. The 5*+ ships are almost exclusively in Europe for the summer months.

Even the luxury ships can become "mainstream" if booked at a discount out of season as the lines often base their product offering based on the average per diam per passenger on board upgrading on full fare sailings and downgrading on heavily discounted sailings. Holiday cruises and World cruises usually being those with the highest level of luxury. The old adage "you get what you pay for" still holds somewhat true in this instance.

Thanks all for the information. The past few days have been very stressful. I have really been racking my brain looking for a vacation destination. I have decided to not go with a cruise. Instead, I have chosen the island of Anguilla. I will be staying at Cap Juluca. I think I will take a cruise but it will not be until the fall. Seabourn has cruises to New England that looked appealing.

Despite not being a cruise, I hope your trip to Anguilla is a good one. New England in the fall sounds great! :cool: One of these years........

Phil

I was very unimpressed with Princess. IMHO, worse than Royal Carribean and almost as bad as Norwegain. In addition, my impression of Hollard American isn't very high. I would not consider either of those luxury cruise lines.

I was talked into a Norwegian Cruise to Alaska. It was my first cruise. It certainly wasn't the best, but it was tolerable. The food was mediocre best. The waiter that I had one night even kidded about how bad it was. The impression that I got from the ship itself was outdated and cheap. The few things that made up for it though, included the scenery, Alaska is a gorgeous place to visit, and the service was friendly at the very least. I was on the Wind that went from Vancouver to Vancouver. While I was at the airport, I talked with someone who was on a Princess cruise and she said that it wasn't that nice at all. As much as I would like to take a cruise on a large ship, I really don't know. If your on a boat with 1,500+ people, how can there be a certain level of service or food presentation? In my opinion, it is worth it to spend some extra money for something small.

Holland America is making a noticable effort to bump themselves up a notch above Princess, Norweigian, Celebrity, and the other "mid-premium" lines. I don't think they'll be up to Crystal or Radisson standards, but the market niche they are going for is definitely the discriminating traveler who wants more than simply a clean ship and nice port calls.

I don't either but the point is and the subject of the query was that she intended on a cruise to the Caribbean during the summer months and these 2 vessels are the only with higher ratings in the region during that time. She has very wisely chosen a resort holiday and a Seaborne New England/Canada Fall cruise instead.

MADflyer, I don't mean to be rude, but all your "she's" should be edited and replaced with he's. I'm not a woman.

Thank you for the clarification ;)

Just had to make that one clear.

Sorry about that... reply should have been unecessary but kept having to clarify a very clear point that could not seem to be understood. Enjoy your trips.

The Seabourn Pride is a wonderful ship and their Atlantic coast cruises are wonderful and the autumn is a terrific time to enjoy these locations. You might consider starting with their little '3 Day Cruise to Nowhere ` aka 'Gilligan's Island Cruise' for three days from NY up the Hudson and back in mid-September and then say on for the next leg.

Jane in PHL-devoted to Seabourn Line and joining The Legend Sunday to do the western Mediterranean (done the Carribean, on to new sites)