From poolside mini-massages to Picasso artworks, personal butlers, private access to historic sites and grand 4,443 square-foot suites, here are five of the world’s best luxury cruise lines shortlisted in the 2024 Globe Travel Awards.
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1. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Often dubbed the world’s most luxurious fleet, Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers stylish, ultra-luxury cruising, with complimentary shore excursions in over 550 destinations from Arabia to the South Pacific, carrying fewer than 750 guests on its six sumptuous ships, adorned with Picasso artworks, 40-foot tapestries, and bronze Bonsai Cherry Trees.
Onboard its newest ship, Regent Seven Seas Grandeur, you’ll find a $6 million art collection (including the first Fabergé egg at sea), 503 crystal chandeliers, unlimited high-speed WiFi, gourmet dining from modern French to Pan-Asian (serving more than 130 new dishes), specialist lectures from war history to winemaking and ancestry; a state-of-the-art cooking school, the Culinary Arts Kitchen; and a high-tech spa boasting a zero-gravity wellness massage on quartz crystal bed.
Its palatial $11,000-a-night Regent Suite is set across 4,443 square feet, overlooking the bow of the ship, with two lavish bedrooms (one with a four-poster bed), a marble-wrapped bathroom, a full-size dining room and living room with a personalized bar, three walk-in wardrobes, and a sweeping wraparound balcony with a heated whirlpool.
You’ll also receive daily canapés, access to The Study, a private dining room for up to 12 guests; a personal butler, and a personal car and guide to explore ashore.
2. Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn is a leader in small-ship ultra-luxury cruising, boasting an elegant fleet of six ships designed for suave travelers who demand the very best–bearing a private yacht-like atmosphere onboard with all ocean-front suites.
Service is at the heart of Seabourn with complimentary fine wines and premium spirits, mini-massages at the poolside, wine tastings, and fine dining from lobster to quail. While its shore excursions often include private access to historic sites when they’re closed to the general public, as well as sailings into secluded coves and champagne and caviar beach picnics.
The newest of Seabourn’s two purpose-built expedition ships–Seabourn Pursuit, was designed to reach some of the most coveted, remote destinations in the world, carrying just 264 guests with two custom-built submarines, 24 zodiacs, kayaks, and a 24-person expedition team.
Onboard, you can whiz up and down its ten passenger decks boasting an Expedition Lounge, eight dining venues, an infinity pool, and a Discovery Center hosting enthralling lectures–or retire to your Owner’s Suite, set across 1,023 square feet, with a private veranda, sweeping walk-in wardrobe, and a lavish bathroom with a deep soaking tub and plush robes.
At sunset, sip a glass of Montaudon or order gourmet in-room dining, served course by course.
3. Silversea Cruises
A pioneer in ultra-luxury cruising since 1994, Silversea Cruises offers exceptional service standards across its 12 all-suite ships, with 24-hour butler service, a Venetian Society loyalty program (earning complimentary 14-day sailings), and some of the highest space-to-guest ratios at sea.
Launched in 2024, its newest ship–Silver Ray–sails with 728 passengers, swanning across its 11 decks with a two-story Venetian Lounge hosting musical performances, film screenings, and guest lectures; a cozy 32-guest cocktail bar, The Shelter; a sexy cigar lounge, The Connoisseur’s Corner, with floor-to-ceiling windows and Chesterfield armchairs; a panoramic 270-degree observation lounge, The Panorama Lounge; a culinary test kitchen S.A.L.T. Lab, and the Otium Spa inspired by Ancient Roman baths.
Guests staying in the one-bedroom Otium Suite will have 1,324 square feet of space to spread out across with a commodious living room, dining area, a decadent bathroom with its own whirlpool bath, walk-in wardrobes, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening onto a vast veranda with a private hot tub.
4. Explora Journeys
A passion project by the Aponte family, Explora Journeys launched its first cruise, EXPLORA I, in August 2023, offering 461 ‘Homes at Sea.’ At the top of the tree, its Owner’s Residence is set across 3,000 square feet, bearing a private steam room and panoramic ocean-front terrace with a swirling whirlpool where your butler will service you a chilled glass of Dom Pérignon.
Onboard restaurants range from Mediterranean to Pan-Asian, plus a fine-dining restaurant, Anthology, curated by Franck Garanger, serving fine Italian regional dishes like Mediterranean seabass with Arabica coffee and scallop cannelloni with black truffle.
You’ll also find four heated swimming pools, a spacious thermal area, 64 private cabanas, two VIP double spa suites, a Technogym fitness area, Luminaries–hosting expert-led talks, and the first Rolex at Sea boutique.
Sustainability is a focus area for Explora Journeys, and from EXPLORA III onwards, it will use LNG fuel, allowing engines to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25%.
5. Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours
With a focus on exclusive experiences from private concerts to gourmet feasts and after-hours access to historical sites, Scenic offers six-star cruising using ground-breaking technology to access some of the most remote environments in the world, from Vanuatu to Snow Hill Island–while protecting the wildlife’s natural habitat and sensitive underwater ecosystems
While cruising with Scenic, you can make use of state-of-the-art helicopters, next-generation submersibles for eight passengers (diving up to 200 meters below sea level), and 20-member expedition teams made up of naturalists, marine biologists, and glaciologists.
Its ultra-luxury yacht Scenic Eclipse II launched in 2023 with a maximum of just 228 guests–bearing 114 luxury suites, a Senses Spa, and a Sky Deck boasting a Vitality pool, private cabanas, and a Sky Bar.
Stay in its Owner’s Penthouse Suite stretching across 1,990 square feet with a sweeping 110 square foot terrace, adorned with sun loungers and a private Jacuzzi; a therapeutic spa bath, dual steam showers, a personalised mini-bar, and a Spa Day Bed transforming for in-suite spa treatments where you can indulge in hot stone massages and eye lift facials as you sail by Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
This article was originally published on forbes.com.
