Known for their “British country manor” ambiance, Fred. Olsen cruises offer up classic British cruising, complete with formal afternoon tea, on intimate smaller ships. All Fred. Olsen cruises depart from British ports with a mostly British clientele. This Norwegian-owned fleet has four elegant ships, each with its own distinct personality. The Balmoral is their largest and newest ship, is still smaller than most cruise ships today, accommodating only 1,300 guests. Cruises sail all over the world and include Mini Cruises (3-5 nights) as well as World Cruises and Exotic Fly Cruises. Live entertainment includes cabaret shows, stand-up comedy, talent shows, as well as string trios, pianists, and other live music. To accommodate solo travelers who like to dance there are four dance hosts available on every ship. Onboard enrichment lectures include expert speakers on a range of topics, like wine, adventure and antiques. They won ‘Best Educational Cruise 2011’ from the cruise magazine, Cruise International, and Black Watch was named ‘Best Entertainment 2012’ by Cruise Critic (in the small ship category). Cruises are adult-oriented, and while children are welcome, there are no dedicated youth facilities or activities.
Cunard’s legendary fleet is known for it’s rich British history, transatlantic crossings, tradition and glamour. The Queen Mary 2 is Cunard’s flagship vessel and boasts an array of state of the art facilities including a 3D Cinema, a planetarium and a superb spa. The Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Victoria, equally luxurious, are known for their elegance and ambiance evocative of great liners past. On these luxury cruises, guests enjoy endless activities and amenities that include upscale boutiques, art galleries, bookshops, a Monte Carlo-style casinos, ballroom dancing and classes, fencing, wine tasting, movies, a spa, and a variety of live entertainment and cabaret shows. In addition to the main restaurants, there are many alternative specialty restaurants from Asian fusion to Italian to British pub classics. Cunard’s award-winning enrichment program features presentations by leaders in the fields of history, science, politics and the arts and includes well-known writers, actors, film-makers, politicians, explorers, scientists, and historians. Cunard offers an extensive range of shore excursions designed to suit all ages, interests and abilities which can be purchased in advance.
Founded in 1990 and owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha in Japan, Crystal Cruises are known for outstanding cuisine (especially Asian and sushi), spacious accommodations, and beautiful interior design! Sail to exotic ports of call on this award-winning cruise line which operates the two top-rated luxury ships in the world: the 922-guest Crystal Symphony and the 1,070-guest Crystal Serenity. These luxury cruises are also known for their innovative onboard enrichment programs, which regularly showcase some of the most celebrated names in art, history, journalism, entertainment, U.S. and foreign diplomacy, food and wine, and more. Theme cruises include Photography; Ancient Civilizations; Chance & Fortune; Mind, Body & Spirit; Jazz; Golf; Film & Theatre Festival; Cabaret at Sea; Big Band; Ballroom Dance and their popular Wine & Food Festival cruises. Activities include shops, tennis, golf, movies, casinos, an award-winning spa, yoga and pilates, Bridge, digital filmmaking, computer classes, a variety of live entertainment, and even a voluntourism event on every voyage. These cruises are more adult-oriented and guests must adhere to more formal dress codes in the evening.
One of the most innovative cruise lines, Princess offers sophisticated cruising with public rooms graced by million-dollar art collections, one of the highest percentages of balcony cabins in the industry, and even weddings at sea in their charming onboard chapels (or on deck) with the captain officiating! Their fleet of 18 stylish ships sail the globe and includes two small ships for a more intimate experience. Unique and innovative shore excursions are the result of their partnership with Discovery and Animal Planet! Onboard, relax in their popular Sanctuary — an adults-only outdoor spa-inspired oasis. For Broadway-quality entertainment, Stephen Schwartz, Award winning composer of Wicked, Godspell, and Pippen, is creating 4 new, original shows for Princess Cruises. Cultural immersion includes interesting guest lecturers, cooking classes, wine-tasting seminars, pottery workshops, and photography classes. Want to visit Alaska? Princess was voted the Best Cruise Line in Alaska 7 years running by the readers of Travel Weekly! Enhance your trip with the company’s cruisetour offerings, which combine cruises with a full land tour. For families, their Youth Centers and Teen Lounges are staffed by counselors who ensure your kids stay entertained with art projects, games, pizza parties, talent shows, and even enriching scientific activities.
Considered one of the premium cruise lines, Celebrity is renowned for sophisticated cruising with beautiful modern décor, dining experiences elevated to an art form, state-of-the-art spas, spacious and luxurious staterooms, personalized service with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1, and trendsetting onboard activities! Their stylish Solstice Class of ships exemplify Celebrity’s emphasis on designing stunning ships and inviting onboard experiences for guests who appreciate the finer things. Celebrity Xpeditions offer once-in-a-lifetime adventures to exotic destinations, like the Galapagos Islands, on their luxurious mega yacht. From the Cannes Film Festival to Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Celebrity’s Signature Event Sailings include unique shore excursions by either putting you in the middle of the action and providing VIP access to special events and festivals. Celebrity Exclusives offer an array of unique onshore experiences such as driving a Ferrari along the French Riviera to floating in a hot air balloon above the Tuscan countryside! Onboard entertainment includes stage shows rivaling Broadway productions, award-winning Cirque du Soleil-style circus shows, live music and much more. This family friendly cruise line also has activities and designated area for kids of all ages, including the X Club for teens.
With a fleet of 14 modern ships, Norwegian has become an industry leader with Freestyle Cruising, no dress codes, adjoining suites and staterooms, name-brand entertainment, award-winning Studios for solo travelers, and The Haven by Norwegian, an exclusive enclave of their most luxurious and spacious accommodations. Ship highlights include their Svedka & Inniskillin Ice Bar, inspired by the ice hotels in Scandinavia, it’s a 17° arctic chamber where the bar, walls, seats and glasses are all made from ice! Other highlights include The Waterfront, a quarter-mile oceanfront promenade, basketball courts, Aqua Parks, deck parties, and dazzling fireworks displays. Guests enjoy open seating dining and a large selection of specialty restaurants, including a French-Mediterranean Le Bistro, a pan-Asian restaurant complete with a sushi bar, Spanish tapas, an Italian trattoria, a steak house and many more. Known for top entertainment, NCL boasts Broadway shows like Rock of Ages and Legally Blonde, Cirque du Soleil style circus performances, The Second City comedy shows, live music, as well as a ballroom and Latin dance theater company. They also cater to kids with Nickelodeon™ entertainment at sea, complimentary supervised youth programs, and Family cruises.
For over 140 years, this award-winning cruise line has been sailing to exotic destinations around the world. With a fleet of 15 elegant mid-size ships, their itineraries cover all seven continents and include unique voyages to the Amazon and Antarctica as well as extended Grand Voyages. One of the highest-rated premium cruise lines, Holland America is one of the more traditional cruise lines, with afternoon tea, dress codes after 6:00 and two formal attire evenings per cruise. Holland America is known for its extensive art collections onboard each ship. Art lovers can enjoy the self-guided walking tour for each ship which highlights the eclectic collection, valued at tens of millions of dollars. Their interactive Culinary Arts Center offers cooking demonstrations and wine-tasting. In addition to their many dining options, guests can experience the illustrious Le Cirque restaurant for at least one night per voyage. Master Chef Rudi Sodamin worked with Le Cirque’s Executive Chef Craig Hopson to re-create the legendary eatery’s whimsical ambiance and award-winning cruise dining experience. On land, their award-winning shore excursions offer a wide range of activities with something for everyone. For unique one-of-a-kind experiences, The Collections of Holland America Line represent a small subset of shore excursions, with each collection offering its own particular focus. This is also a family-friendly cruise line with professionally staffed activities for kids and teens as well as designated areas just for kids, like their teen lounge.
Viking boasts an award-winning river cruise line with the largest fleet in the world, and now offers both river cruises and ocean cruises. Established in 1997 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Viking currently offers cruises along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. Viking guests enjoy enrichment through shore excursions by local guides, regional foods, and Privileged Access for in-depth exploration of destinations. Cruises also include onboard lectures; language classes; hands-on cooking demonstrations and other classes. Daily shore excursions allow travelers to experience local life including home-hosted visits or trips to local markets, visit with local artisans, and the option to enjoy Privileged Access to museums, private collections and after-hours curated events.
