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In this article we look at Cunard business travel services uk Cruise business travel services uk Lines, Oceania Cruises , and Windstar Cruises as part 3 of this three-part series. We referred to this last section of our series as the part for the lines that do not fit our exact definition of a luxury cruise line, but qualify for very honorable mention because they appeal to much the same audience.
These honorable-mention luxury cruise lines are as diverse as the entire span of luxury cruising. One of them, Oceania Cruise Lines , is the name I mention when someone asks me which cruise line is my personal favorite - not because I think it is the best, but because it has the combination of elements that fits my personal style, including value (what you get for what you pay). Another line, Windstar, is my second favorite for the same reasons. Cunard is different because its vessels have many elements of the larger luxury ships -- especially the new Queen Mary 2 -- but they are very large, and almost run a "two class" system; so the luxury business travel services uk aspects of Cunard business travel services uk refer to the more expensive cabins.
Different people have different definitions of luxury. We used certain criteria such as inclusive tips and spirits, generally small passenger loads compared to the number of crew, etc. Cunard is a little different, especially since it still retains elements of a two-class business travel services uk system, a holdover from its glory days on the transatlantic run. There is a marked difference in the way the upper crust (i.e., the higher-paying passengers) is treated on Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2: they have a separate dining business travel services uk room and much more posh accommodations (the very word "posh" came from Cunard, referring to the better stateroom locations as "port out, starboard home" for traveling business travel services uk from Britain to the "Colonies" and back).
The upper crust eats in the open, single-seating Queen's Grill on both ships, where caviar, jumbo shrimp and smoked salmon are yours for the asking. Occupants of the lesser category staterooms are relegated to the two-seating Britannia Restaurant, where the selections are fewer. Suffice it to say, with Cunard "luxury" is reserved for the elite.
It isn't the same sort of luxury as on Silversea, Seabourn or SeaDream, or even Regent Seven Seas or Crystal. The difference is the space per passenger ratio. Cunard's ships are much bigger than our luxury ships. QM2 is one of the largest liners ever built, but she does carries one-third fewer passengers than Royal Caribbean's big ships, the only other ones of equal size. QE2, although about the same size as Crystal Serenity, carries over 30 percent more passengers, business travel services uk and Serenity is the largest "luxury" ship in our collection.
So, Cunard's luxury is that of tasteful surroundings, palatial suites, and an aura of old-world elegance associated with formal dress, high tea, and long dinners with convivial conversation. This crowd is knowledgeable about West End Theater and the Royal Family.
If you book one of the high-end cabins, you are on a ship with a large number of people not paying the same as you -- like being in a suite on a premium cruise line. Tips are charged to your onboard account, the wine selection is respectable (but not included in the fare), and the service personnel are not all European as on most true luxury ships.
Oceania Cruises is a small, independent cruise line started in 2003 by two experienced cruise line executives -- Frank del Rio, formerly of Renaissance Cruises, and Joe Watters, from Crystal. The first passengers wondered which of those two lines Oceania would be most like, but it took a year before it was evident the Renaissance side had won out.
Today, with three of the smallish (30,000-ton, 684 passengers) former Renaissance R-ships, Oceania's vessels are more like floating hotels providing a new destination every day, and great food and comfortable beds at night. Thus it appeals to travelers rather than "cruisers" -- i.e., to people who are less concerned with spa appointments than the city they are in and the tours available. There is relatively little to do onboard in terms of classes or "enrichment," yet it doesn't matter because these ships are highly focused on itineraries and are in port almost every day -- often overnight -- and spend up to three days in port in cities like St. Petersburg.
Oceania business travel services uk does not pretend to be a true luxury line, but it does have many luxury characteristics. Each ship offers true gourmet cuisine in a main restaurant and three alternative dining venues business travel services uk -- none with a service charge. Two of the restaurants have open seating, while the other two (the gourmet "Polo Grill" and the Italian "Toscana") business travel services uk require reservations.
The onboard dress code is always informal. The casino is tiny, the nightclub shows consist of folkloric shows, a dance band or the cruise director doing his Maurice Chevalier impressions. The regular cabins are somewhat spartan; although the beds are sublime, the couches are hard and the TV sets are tiny. The suites are roomier and come with butler business travel services uk service. The public business travel services uk rooms are furnished in "All-American" decor, like the decorator ordered in bulk from Ethan Allen.
How has cruising with Oceania changed recently? We asked Tim Rubacky, a former CruiseMates contributing editor business travel services uk who is now an Oceania executive. "The line is bucking the trend some of the smaller yacht-like ships are bragging business travel services uk about - that of 'younger, hipper (passengers) and shorter (itineraries).' We are seeing an increasing demand for longer and longer voyages, and we are planning deployments so that guests can combine several voyages at a time."
Regatta sailed a 25-day Caribbean voyage in November, 2005 and Nautica's maiden voyage was 24 days. And Nautica's 20-24 day Asia sailings sold out in rapid succession while her 35-day voyage from Hong Kong to Athens was one of our fastest selling voyages.
The longer voyages have proven to be the fastest sellers and are extremely popular among repeat guests. In fact, many guests will sail a total of 62 days on Nautica - 15-day Beijing to Hong Kong, 35 day Hong Kong to Athens and then her first European cruise; 12 days from Athens Istanbul.
Tim said that because the itineraries tend to be so port-intensive, it is easy for them to visit the major ports most cruises offer, but that the 30,000-ton ships can also reach much smaller destinations. "In Europe, we combine marquee ports such as Barcelona, Rome, Venice and Athens with boutique ports such as Kotor, Portoferraio, La Spezia business travel services uk and Monemvasia. In the Caribbean, our calling card has always been boutique ports such as St. Barts, Rouseau (Dominica), Virgin Gorda and Samana