A holiday on board a luxury cruise ship is probably one of the most exclusive ways to treat yourself to a break. On board a luxury cruise ship, you are navigating the world’s oceans and rivers and still feel “at home”.
Activities and extras are offered on the mostly smaller but all the finer ships, which can hardly be surpassed in terms of exclusivity and individuality. But if you now think that you are on a cramped holiday on a rather small ship, you are far from it.
A luxury cruise ship usually consists exclusively of suites, some of which are even significantly larger than those in the most expensive luxury hotels on land. From your own veranda, your own pool, 24-hour butler service and activities such as a tour in the on-board submarine or helicopter, everything is included.
Acquired a taste? We present you the best luxury cruise ships of 2022/2023.
Our popular list of luxury ships in 2022/2023
Ritz Carlton yacht
The Ritz Carlton name is world famous for its luxury hotels. But few know that there is a yacht collection that is no less luxurious. The Ritz Carlton Yacht, looks like a billionaire’s super yacht from the outside, but can accommodate up to 298 guests. Compared to conventional cruise ships, the yacht is rather small at 190 meters, but this is intentional.
The Ritz Carlton Yacht features 149 suites with private terraces in a relaxed, casually elegant atmosphere. As with The Ritz-Carlton on land, each yacht offers exclusive amenities such as personalized service, fine dining and world-class entertainment. Popular are the in-house classical and jazz musicians, who offer highly personal performances at the various venues during each trip. Due to the excellent space-to-guest ratio, it feels as if you have the yacht almost all to yourself and can enjoy luxury that is in no way inferior to that of a Ritz-Carlton hotel while touring different parts of the world.
Scenic Eclipse
One of our personal highlights for luxury cruise ships is the Scenic Eclipse. The luxury yacht is almost 170 meters long and offers plenty of space to relax on more than seven decks and 114 very spacious suites in four categories. As is usual in the luxury segment, the Scenic Eclipse, at 170 meters, is one of the smaller expedition ships, making it all the better for a particularly exclusive setting for up to 228 passengers.
The Eclipse rightly bears the name “Discovery Yacht”. The Eclipse has a large number of kayaks, which enable excursions to locations that are particularly close by. The fleet of 14 onboard E-Zodiacs will take you to the most remote and extraordinary places. For expedition gear, an air-conditioned locker room is available for gear storage and the Mariner allows for comfortable and easy donning. The highlight and unique selling point to date, however, are two very special activities for guests of the Scenic Eclipse.
In addition to two helicopters on board, a mini submarine is also available and underlines the particularly exclusive expedition character. With the helicopter you can observe and experience natural wonders from a lofty height and with the submarine the underwater world with a maximum of 7 people. This gives you a completely different angle of the place you are visiting and creates experiences that can hardly be unique.
The success proves the shipping company Scenic right – in 2023 guests can look forward to a brand new sister ship, the Scenic Eclipse 2. The structure and concept will be similar, but you can be sure that Scenic will also come up with something very special for the new sister.
MS Europa 2
The MS Europa 2 offers the highest level of luxury in a relaxed atmosphere. Gone are the days of having to show up to dinner in a tuxedo and costume. The probably most popular ship from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, which is a so-called suites-only ship, awaits you without philistinism, but with all sorts of amenities. You will not find inside or normal outside cabins here, which already gives an idea of a certain standard.
The six-star ship offers plenty of space for up to 500 passengers in breathtakingly beautiful suites and is an absolute place of relaxation for every sea traveller. From the ship’s beautiful spa area, which makes every seafarer’s heart beat faster with massages, treatments and saunas, to the well-equipped fitness area and other facilities such as the jogging course or the swimming pools on deck, everything is included.
A special highlight is the breathtaking theater where you can admire shows and performances of all kinds. In the evening you can try and enjoy everything from grilled dishes to sushi in one of the beautifully decorated restaurants.
The shore leave and excursions complete the concept of the MS Europa 2 and always offer something special. Whether tours with a kayak or special activities on shore leave – unforgettable experiences are always created on board the MS Europa 2.
Hanseatic fleet
The Hanseatic fleet, consisting of the Hanseatic nature, Hanseatic inspiration and Hanseatic spirit, are also from Hapag Lloyd Cruises. In addition to luxury, this special fleet focuses on the expedition factor. State-of-the-art ice-class ships enable expeditions to polar waters. Lectures on board, research stations or an excursion with on-board Zodiacs bring adventurers up close to nature and wildlife and let them see the world from new angles – in this way you experience an expedition trip that promises adventure and experiences, coupled with all kinds of luxury reflected in the equipment, gastronomy on board and maximum service.
Le Commandant Charcot
The Ponant flagship also offers a hybrid of luxury and expedition. The Le Commandant Charcot is a luxury icebreaker in a class of its own. Ponant’s newest addition to the fleet takes guests in the footsteps of the great polar explorers while enjoying a unique onboard luxury experience unrivaled in the extreme regions of the North and South Poles.
During voyages to the most extreme regions of our planet, in the heart of the polar regions, life on board is characterized by a warm and elegant atmosphere and the highest level of comfort. Guests can expect discreet service, excellent gourmet cuisine and luxurious services, including a spa and wellness area.
With only 135 cabins, including 68 suites with private terraces, the expedition ship fits perfectly into the Ponant philosophy. The ratio of guests to space on board is also excellent – due to the small size, there is a personal, relaxed atmosphere on board, so that guests quickly feel as if they are on board a private yacht. Another important aspect, especially today: the latest research results, high-quality materials and state-of-the-art technology were used to build this ship in order to keep the environmental impact of our cruises as low as possible.
What distinguishes a luxury cruise ship from a conventional cruise ship?
A luxury product is always something special and stands out with special features. This is no different in the cruise sector.
Luxury cruise ships, regardless of whether they are mega yachts or luxury expedition ships, are characterized by different concepts compared to conventional cruise ships. The focus here is not on serving the widest possible spectrum, but on the complete and individual satisfaction of each guest.
As already mentioned, luxury cruise ships are also a lot smaller and designed for fewer guests on board. Supplemented by more crew members per guest, not only is excellent service and very personal guest care possible. Likewise, the smaller size of the ship means that smaller ports off the beaten track can also be approached in order to be able to approach even more exclusive travel destinations.
Furthermore, every luxury cruise ship offers something extra. This takes the form of special gastronomy such as star chefs on board, special activity options such as on-board helicopters or submarines, special space such as the suites-only concept or a combination of all of these forms. In addition, there is the combination of luxury cruise and expedition, as is the case with the Hanseatic fleet or the Le Commandant Charcot. Here, two very special and yet excellently combinable segments are combined to form an ultimate experience that is becoming increasingly popular and is very different from conventional cruises to mass-market holiday destinations.
