When it comes to luxury travel, the world is your oyster. From the hotel to the destination, there are countless options to choose from – not to mention how you’re going to get there. But there’s one option that can pull all of your dreams together into just one trip – taking all of the planning and finer considerations off your hands, and leaving you free to luxuriate in the most opulent of surroundings at every step of the way.
Travelling on one of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships is an incomparable experience, taking you to myriad destinations in just one trip – and all whilst you relax over a newspaper on deck, take a dip in the pool, or sip champagne over a gourmet dinner. Gone are the days when cruises were considered to be a holiday style best suited to the elderly; today, the cruise is one of the most sought-after ways to travel, and one step aboard the likes of, say, The Seven Seas Explorer or The Seabourne Encore, is enough to understand why.
Greeted by a hostess with a glass of bubbles the moment you set foot on the ship, you can expect to immediately be whisked away to your room by an attentive steward, taking in the show-stopping decor and ultra-luxe interiors along the way. And once you’re settled into your home away from home, you can begin to relax into that holiday vibe. From here on out, it’s all plain sailing!
Want to know a bit more about what you can expect from a luxury cruise? Here’s just what you can expect from some of the world’s finest liners.
The Seven Seas Explorer
The Seven Seas Explorer is unmatched in luxury – so much so, that it was recognised as the most luxurious cruise ship ever designed when it was first introduced just last year. The seven seas Explorer doesn’t cut any corners, with passengers’ every need taken into consideration, right down to the finest details. In fact, the top suite even boasts a bespoke £112,000 bed – it doesn’t get much more comfortable than that.
Outside the bedroom, the opulence continues, with travellers treated to a range of glamorous and inventive restaurants serving up the best cuisine that money can buy. Adorned with an incredible 5,000 chandeliers and 2200 pieces of art, you’ll be hard pressed to find a single corner of the liner that doesn’t ooze sheer decadence; the door to the 3875 ft.² reagent suite – which boasts a balcony which loops around the front of the ship – bears a Chagall and a couple of Picassos on its grand double door entrance.
Frome luxe suites to decadent cuisine, it’s fair to to say that this is one liner that ticks all the boxes – with plenty of entertainment to keep you occupied throughout your stay, including even the opportunity to play Mecca bingo online.
The Viking Star
A great year for luxury cruise liners, 2016 also saw the grand unveiling of the Viking Star – one of several state-of-the-art ships belonging to the Viking River Cruises. The first ocean cruise liner to be launched by the company in nearly a decade, it has been designed with a Scandinavian approach, giving it the unique look and feel of a Nordic ski lodge in the water. The sleek, yacht-style bow gives a hint of what can be found on board the ship, featuring clear lines and lightwoods that include pine, birch, white ash and juniper.
The spectacular Wintergarden is covered by a magrodome roof that extends as a cover for the adjacent main pool, making it perfect for use even in bad weather, and features blond wood tree branches, forming a delicate ceiling. The ship also boasts a dramatic skylight canopy that is ideal for those wanting to kick back and read a book, or relax over some afternoon tea.
Such is the success of the Viking Star that Viking River cruises intend to deliver two further ships – the Viking Sky and the Viking Sun – by the end of this year, with another two liners hot on their heels and expected to launch by 2020.
The Seabourn Encore
The newest luxury cruise ship to take to the seas, the Seabourn Encore was named in Singapore by British soprano and West End star, Sarah Brightman. The ship can accommodate a whopping 600 passengers, and has the looks and the feel of a luxury yacht, with the cruise liner’s signature lounge area taking centre stage.
The Seabourn Encore is the fourth of the company’s ships, and also the largest.
A cruising holiday offers everything you could want from a holiday – and best of all, all the coordinating is done for you. All that’s left for you to do is choose your destinations!
