Which luxury cruise do you recommend?

Hi there,

To celebrate an anniversary, we’re dreaming of a truly amazing luxury cruise where we’d be pampered.

We’ve already traveled in the Yacht Club on MSC. It was fantastic, especially since it was in the fjords.

But do you have any other cruise lines to recommend?

Hello,

To celebrate an anniversary, we’re dreaming of a truly beautiful cruise on a luxury ship where we’d be pampered.

We’ve already traveled in the Yacht Club on MSC. It was amazing, especially since it was in the fjords.

But do you have any other cruise lines to recommend?

I don’t know much about it, but if there’s a ship where I’d happily set my bags down, it’s the Club Med 2. And maybe a Ponant cruise too…

Hi Personally, I’d advise against PONANT—it’s really poor value for money. If you can get by in English, OCEANIA is a solid cruise line. But if you’re after real luxury, you might want to check out REGENT or something similar.

Hi Fabienne,

You might also want to check out MSC’s "Explora Journey"—the reviews for luxury cruises are really good.

Personally, I like Ponant, but it’s not luxury for pampering—it’s more for discovering off-the-beaten-path stops when you want something different and new horizons.

I’ve done Oceania once, and it’s still the most high-end cruise I’ve ever taken

Hello,

To celebrate an anniversary, we dream of taking a wonderful luxury cruise where we’d be pampered.

We’ve already traveled in Yacht Club on MSC. It was amazing, especially since it was in the fjords.

But do you have any other cruise lines to recommend?

Hi Fabym,

As 4ryn already mentioned, I’d recommend trying the Explora cruise line.

We’re also former Yacht Club guests (for us, it’s YC or nothing with MSC...).

Last year, we tried Explora and came back thrilled. We rediscovered the service of our first cruises. The food is excellent—in my opinion, a step above Oceania. The cabins (we had the most basic one, which is a bit like those in the Yacht Club) are great. In my view, there’s no need to book anything more expensive. The vibe is chic and relaxed. No need to bring a lot of outfits (gala, tropical white, etc.). A few classy outfits are enough for the evening. Plus, there are 3 self-service laundries with dryers.

When we took our cruise, the ship was half full (450/900), so there was plenty of space everywhere, especially loungers.

We’re going back next month, and the ship will probably be fuller.

Since July, they’ve introduced a loyalty program and carried over our MSC status (Blu Diamond). We’ll be Diamond, the second-to-last tier with them.

The ships are new and beautiful. The downside is that as the company’s reputation grows, prices are rising.

If you’d like more details, don’t hesitate to ask.

Best regards, Claudine

Hi there, Oceania’s service may be declining, but the prices sure aren’t! 😉 I saw it for myself last April on a transatlantic crossing—even long-time loyal customers noticed cuts everywhere. Such a shame, it used to be such a great cruise line. Mich74

The quality on Oceania has dropped significantly. On the Marina, compared to the smaller Nautica (due to the difference in the number of cabins), the food isn’t up to luxury standards—or even high-end ones. The ship is starting to feel a bit dated and could use more comfortable furniture. The entertainment, only in English, is poor quality; the bars don’t open before noon, and only one is open in the evening. We’re in the middle of the ocean—what are we supposed to do? This company, part of the Norwegian Cruise Line group, no longer lives up to its claims. Since children are no longer allowed, you’ll have to look at other companies. Too bad for this company with its human-sized ships. Clopet 74

Regarding Oceania, the price drop is mainly for the Marina, which still hasn’t been refurbished—except maybe the suites... The three smaller ships like the Nautica were never classified as luxury. I took the Vista, which is recent, just like the Allura, even newer—no complaints, top-tier, and it was my 5th Oceania cruise. On the Vista, there’s no Jacques, but the dishes from that restaurant are served in the evening at the Grand Dining, which is even better than before. The service is still excellent. The Marina and the three smaller ships are cheaper, and there’s a reason for that. I haven’t tried Explora yet, but it looks really, really good, and on top of that, there’ll be more French travelers than on Oceania.