5 reasons luxury cruises are worth the money

Luxury cruises can come with a relatively hefty price tag compared to some cheaper cruises. Yet they remain popular, often selling out several months before departure. So what is it that makes luxury cruises worth the extra expense?

1. All-Inclusive Cruising

When choosing a cruise, it’s important to consider not only what you pay to get on the ship, but also what you pay to get off.

With luxury cruises, so much is included, that it’s quite possible to leave with a zero balance on your on-board account. With most cruise lines charging extra for drinks, speciality dining, excursions and gratuities, having these already included in the total price before booking can make a huge difference. A luxury cruise which appears to cost double that of a premium cruise, may, in fact, be a similar price once everything is totted up.

In addition to this, there are often promotions and booking incentives offering on-board credit of anything up to $1,000. It can be a very nice feeling to know you have money to spend in the boutiques or casino without it costing you anything.

2. The Food

Luxury cruising isn’t all about the lobster and caviar, as some might expect, but the food is outstanding. The fine dining that you’ll enjoy on board, prepared by world-class chefs, would be pricey at a restaurant ashore. Yet on board it’s all included, so you can order the filet mignon and fine wine without considering the cost.

Can’t decide what to choose from the menu? Your waiter will probably offer to bring you two or three dishes to try. If you fancy a pizza delivered to your room at midnight, you can probably get it. Want something that’s not on the menu? If you let the staff know a day in advance, they’ll make it for you, provided that they have the ingredients on board.

3. The Service

Enjoying a drink on-board a luxury cruise is a bit like going to the ‘Cheers’ bar – everybody knows your name. Except that this bar could easily rank in a list of the world’s most stylish venues. Order a drink one day, and you’ll be asked if you’d like the same again the next. It’s the small number of guests and large number of staff on-board which makes this level of service possible. And means that you’ll never have to queue for anything or desperately wave to get a waiter’s attention as they pass.

4. The Number of Passengers

The latest ships from companies such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line may have some stunning facilities, but that comes at a cost. The cost, in this case, being queues at the elevators, delays when embarking and disembarking, waits for tables in restaurants and having to book in advance to enjoy almost all of the amenities on offer. This is, unfortunately, unavoidable when you’re sharing your ship with up to 6,000 other passengers.

In contrast, luxury cruise ships usually have around 500 passengers. If you’d prefer to be with a smaller group, have much more personal space and enjoy the friendliness of familiar faces, then a luxury cruise on a smaller ship could well be worth the cost. And of course, smaller ships also have an advantage in that they can visit places that the larger ships can’t.

5. Flexibility

The smaller size of luxury cruise ships means that you can turn up at any of the on-board restaurants without a reservation and enjoy a full pick of the menu. With all of the restaurants included in the cruise fare, you can dine somewhere different almost every night, so you’ll never get bored of the food. Sitting in the same chair every evening on a cruise can get tiresome – not something that’s a problem on a luxury cruise ship as you can sit wherever, and with whomever you choose.

Here at Six Star Cruises, we have a team of Cruise Concierge who are available to assist in every aspect of planning your cruise. If you’d like to speak to one of our experts, please give us a call on 0207 980 2848.