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In 2019, I had booked my first cruise in over a decade, and was really excited. Due to a combination of the ship being delayed, plus this little thing called coronavirus, that never did end up happening. However, I’m now considering dipping my toe back in the water (no pun intended), and am considering booking one… though I’d love some thoughts from OMAAT readers?
In this post:
I used to be obsessed with cruise ships
Y’all know how obsessed I am with planes. Well, in my pre-teens, I was every bit as obsessed with cruise ships. Living in Florida, my parents would take me on a cruise once a year (typically Carnival), and it was the highlight of my year. The below ad was kind of my jam.
I was so obsessed with cruise ships that I remember when I went to dinner with my parents at a young age, I’d bring all the Carnival brochures that had all of their cruise itineraries in them, and then I’d fake “sell” my parents those cruises (they’d tell me where they wanted to go, and I had memorized all the cruises, ships, etc.).
Yeah, I was a weird kid (and am still weird, so not much has changed). I don’t know at exactly what age it happened, but eventually I lost interest in cruises overnight. I’m not sure there’s a good reason for it, or if it’s just that I moved on. I guess as I got more interested in frequent travel by planes and mileage running, I got less interested in ships.
There’s no denying that the cruise industry has evolved a lot over the years.
On the one end of the spectrum, ships are bigger than ever before, with some having a capacity of 6,000+ guests. Maybe that appeals to some, but it has little appeal to me. It’s essentially a floating city, and it sort of takes away the feeling of being in the water, and is instead more like the world’s biggest all-inclusive resort (which can still be a great vacation, especially for families, but it’s not for me).
On the other end of the spectrum, we’re seeing an ever increasing number of intimate, luxury cruise ships, some of which sail to cool destinations. Along those lines…
Should I take a Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise?
In late 2022, we saw the launch of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, a new cruise line. Now, this isn’t run directly by Ritz-Carlton, but rather the name is licensed, and the company does participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program.
When the company first announced plans to launch, I decided to book a cruise, since I was intrigued, as it was the first time we see a cruise line essentially marketed as being part of a major hotel group in this way. However, the sailing I was booked on got canceled because the ship wasn’t ready, so it didn’t work out.
I hadn’t put much thought into the cruise line again, until now. I guess I’m back on the Marriott hamster wheel, sort of, given that I’ve earned Bonvoy Ambassador status. I’m not trying to act totally irrationally, though this is making me consider booking one of these cruises sooner rather than later.
Here’s my thought process, I guess:
- I write about travel for a living, so perhaps in a way it’s my duty to revisit the cruising world, and see what the experience is like
- I like being on the water, so the idea of a cruise sounds like a fun and relaxing time
- Given how expensive many hotels have gotten nowadays, the pricing in many cases isn’t that unreasonable, if you ask me
- Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises include a lot, from basic alcoholic drinks, to food, to gratuities, to Wi-Fi
So I’m curious, have any OMAAT readers been on a Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise, and if so, what was your experience like? Will I enjoy it and find it to be a fun and relaxing time, or will I come off the ship thinking it’s not for me?
Here’s my other question. Right now, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has two ships. There’s Evrima, which can accommodate 298 guests, and Ilma, which can accommodate 448 guests. Obviously the latter is roughly 50% bigger than the former, though it’s also newer. Any thoughts as to whether the experience between the ships is materially different, because I’m finding better pricing on some cruises on Ilma (which… maybe that tells me what I need to know).
Where would I sail, and how much does it cost?
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ships sail around the world, including in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and beyond. You can find all the voyages here, and sort them by destination, dates, etc.
If you ask me, one of the arguments in favor of cruising is that you can potentially visit some places that can’t necessarily easily be visited by land, and/or which don’t otherwise have nice accommodations (there are some cruises lines focused specifically on this, like PONANT). With that in mind, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has some pretty cool itineraries:
- In the summer of 2025, there are some Iceland and Northern Europe cruises, which probably interest me most
- In late 2025 and 2026, I see some awesome Asia itineraries as well, ranging from cruises that sail around Japan, to ones that go between Hong Kong and Singapore
- In 2026, I see cruises around Alaska, which is a cool destination that’s otherwise not necessarily easy to get around
Now, here’s the thing. I’m thinking of being super lame and just booking a cruise that has an itinerary that doesn’t necessarily interest me that much, around the Caribbean. Why? Well, a few reasons:
- On a per-night basis, these cruises are way cheaper than the ones in the places that I’d actually find really interesting
- I’d like to do this sooner rather than later, and these are available in the coming weeks, while there are no non-Caribbean sailings right now
- Just to be perfectly honest, I’m just not in a point in my life right now where I can plan major, non-refundable things far in advance, between family health issues, having a toddler, etc.; hopefully I’ll have those chances again in the future, but right now my travel planning is more last minute
For example, if the goal is to get the cheapest cruise per night, an upcoming itinerary in the Caribbean is about as good as it gets.
Meanwhile there are even some three-day itineraries that are the cheapest is absolute terms, but not per night. It would be a nice way to experience the cruise line without a huge time commitment.
Note that with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, there’s pricing parity regardless of which source you book through. The only thing to note is that if you book through a Marriott STARS travel advisor, you’ll receive a complimentary dinner for two at the ships specialty restaurant (this is the only restaurant onboard that costs extra, and ordinarily this retails for $250+ per person, so that’s quite a value-add). Ford and his team are happy to help, and can be reached at [email protected].
Bottom line
Cruises can be a pretty polarizing way to travel. I was obsessed with them as a kid, but haven’t taken a cruise in a very long time. I’ve been intrigued by Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection for some time, given the hotel angle. While I had intended to take a sailing when the cruise line first launched, that didn’t materialize, given the delay in launch. However, I’m once again considering this, so would love some feedback from OMAAT readers.
How do you feel about cruises in general? Anyone have firsthand experience with Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection? And would you find this more or less interesting than a review trip with a bunch of new premium cabin products?
We nearly did one but ended up cruising with Seabourn instead on their small luxury ships. It was fantastic. I’d love for you to do both to compare!
I love browsing the RCY site. You have to focus on the days at anchor and the locations. I'd go for the Med. For a round trip, the Rome to Rome with Siracusa as the highlight. Barcelona to Lisbon for a short trip (6 nights). Monte Carlo / Barcelona looks great as well, only anchor is the first night when the boat will be new.
Just a look at the itineraries shows that they are not really interested in offering an experience matching the price point. Also, licensing the RC name tells you that it is far more about branding than offering a luxury product. If you want to test a luxury cruise, try one of the lines that is proper luxury rather than this.
I assume Ritz cruises will be very formal and "scheduled", more akin to the traditional cruising experience? Personally I'd prefer something like Virgin Voyages, their ships and facilities are quite cool, and there's a lot more of freedom in what to do and when to do it.
From a guy who has been working in the cruise industry for more than 30 years (and still counting):
There shouldn't be much of a difference in service levels on Evrima or Ilma. In cruise terms both are small ships. Maybe Evrima is a bit more yacht-like and maybe Ilma has a few more different venues - but not so much that it would really make a difference. This is certainly not mass market...
From a guy who has been working in the cruise industry for more than 30 years (and still counting):
There shouldn't be much of a difference in service levels on Evrima or Ilma. In cruise terms both are small ships. Maybe Evrima is a bit more yacht-like and maybe Ilma has a few more different venues - but not so much that it would really make a difference. This is certainly not mass market cruising and it should be a nice experience. I know that they had some performance issues in the beginning with Evrima but operations have been stabilised and the guest experience is quite good now.
Just for trying it out I would recommend one of the shorter itineraries in the Caribbean. That way you don't invest a lot of money and can get a feel for the experience. Whether this product is suited for travelling with a toddler I would check before though.
From my perspective I would rather go on a small ship like the RCYC ships than on any other larger ship or even the floating resorts with more than 7,000 guests and 3,000 crew (although they may be better suited when travelling with kids).
Love you Ben, and can’t wait.
I humbly suggest you start at the low-end, Carnival, and work your way up in price point. Would love to see Ben sass deployed against Carnival.
I expect Ritz cruises to be chichi. If you want a high-end cruise done right, do one of the small, adventure oriented cruises to Galapagos or Antarctica
Thank you for eliciting several reviews of RC cruise quality from readers. If you do a cruise make it short because it doesn't sound noteworthy. A cruise is a way to sample a region and to decide whether you are interested in a land trip there.
Alaska is worth seeing; Seattle is the best departure point.
Have a good trip.
My wife and I sailed the Evrima last year on a Mediterranean voyage.
Everything was top notch.
Please keep in mind this is a YACHT, quite different experience from CRUISING
Highly recommend a Ritz Cruise! My wife and I have taken 2 of them in the Caribbean--one on each ship--over the past 12 months. Both ships are world class. We just returned from the Ilma a few weeks ago. We spent the entire time comparing and contrasting the 2 ships and still cannot say which is better. Both were fantastic in terms of service, food and beverage, and the overall amenities aboard. The Marina Deck...
Highly recommend a Ritz Cruise! My wife and I have taken 2 of them in the Caribbean--one on each ship--over the past 12 months. Both ships are world class. We just returned from the Ilma a few weeks ago. We spent the entire time comparing and contrasting the 2 ships and still cannot say which is better. Both were fantastic in terms of service, food and beverage, and the overall amenities aboard. The Marina Deck is world-class and such a unique feature of Ritz. Can't recommend either ship enough. You won't be disappointed--worth every penny. Would recommend going without children, though there are a handful on each voyage. Definitely a more enjoyable experience for couples/adults vs. with young families.
First, from your post, I assume you would not be bringing your son. Frankly, I'd recommend PONANT, particularly to Antarctica, but they have many unique itineraries that are challenging to visit by land. I have cruised PONANT and it has become my favorite cruise line: small, modern ships, great service and superb food. Further, like Ritz Carlton, onboard amenities are all inclusive. I, myself, would tend to avoid Ritz Carlton among the luxury lines with...
First, from your post, I assume you would not be bringing your son. Frankly, I'd recommend PONANT, particularly to Antarctica, but they have many unique itineraries that are challenging to visit by land. I have cruised PONANT and it has become my favorite cruise line: small, modern ships, great service and superb food. Further, like Ritz Carlton, onboard amenities are all inclusive. I, myself, would tend to avoid Ritz Carlton among the luxury lines with small ships, as I think that Ritz Carlton hotels, while nice, are also rather cookie cutter and bland. (I also like the fact that PONANT vessels fly the French flag, with French officers who mingle with guests and a bridge that is accessible to guests as well).
Do it and then do an MSC Explora Journeys cruise to compare. It was super quiet and luxurious at the same time, almost a private yacht feeling.
If you are more interested in the ship, perhaps the itinerary is a minor issue. As for the Caribbean, if you want to go ashore, check cruisemapper website and see how many ships will be in each port. Then add up how many people those ships carry. (If it's a cheaper Caribbean cruise as some have mentioned, think 'Spirit airlines')
Once I was researching a Mediterranean cruise and there were going to be 7...
If you are more interested in the ship, perhaps the itinerary is a minor issue. As for the Caribbean, if you want to go ashore, check cruisemapper website and see how many ships will be in each port. Then add up how many people those ships carry. (If it's a cheaper Caribbean cruise as some have mentioned, think 'Spirit airlines')
Once I was researching a Mediterranean cruise and there were going to be 7 ships + 13k extra people on Santorini - no way would that make a nice experience (I had already been so a 'ship' day for me. If you are interested in the various ports, be sure to check how long the ship is actually there. I just got off a cruise where many stops were from 7 am to 1 pm. I was cruising this trip for relaxation + the Panama Canal + had been to some of the ports +Canal already so that didn't bother me, but it may have left some feeling shortchanged. In short, decide on your goal + work from there. My recent Holland ship had Solo + Pride get-togethers so people could get acquainted. Not a lot of children, but some. No water slides, or amusement park activities and smaller ships depending on itinerary.
Best cruise of 2024 was the Total eclipse off Mexican coast with the Sky + Telescope Society on board. The ship went wherever the skies were clear and no one cared that we bypassed a 4 hr port stop. I wasn't part of the astronomy group but they provided awesome pictures at the end and a chance to visit their restricted equipment area. Holland provided astronomy background lectures on what to watch for + commentary during the eclipse itself.
So, decide on your primary focus + then find a cruise line + itinerary.
Ben probably thinks he is going to be upgraded because of his Marriott status, and what would Ben do if the suites don’t have doors?
Consider Oceania. Great food and specialty restaurants aren't an upcharge. Resort casual is standard and they are not hung up on formal wear or formal nights. They have newer ships and there older ones are 10 or 12 years old, but refurbished regularly.
I was hoping to read some actual prices in the segment about the prices ;)
Another recommendation for Explora Journeys. They're relatively new but really nailed the small ship/all-suite luxury segment. Food is incredible with way more options than Ritz Carlton. With the slightly larger ship, there's way more to do onboard but it still feels very uncrowded. And as others said, it's MUCH cheaper.
Check out Cruise with Ben and David's review on youtube (and as to the commenter warning you about cruising as a gay couple, Ben and...
Another recommendation for Explora Journeys. They're relatively new but really nailed the small ship/all-suite luxury segment. Food is incredible with way more options than Ritz Carlton. With the slightly larger ship, there's way more to do onboard but it still feels very uncrowded. And as others said, it's MUCH cheaper.
Check out Cruise with Ben and David's review on youtube (and as to the commenter warning you about cruising as a gay couple, Ben and David have taken hundreds with little to no issue. You should be fine!)
I agree Explora And SilverSea Nova Class look to be much better values
My husband, daughter (4 years old at time) and i sailed on Evrima in July 2023 through Greek islands. All had a great experience - food, accommodation, service - all top notch. Easy to stay to yourself if you want to be private and just as easy to socialise should that be your jam as well. We did a bit of both and worked well. Ritz Kids program was excellent and helped allow adults to...
My husband, daughter (4 years old at time) and i sailed on Evrima in July 2023 through Greek islands. All had a great experience - food, accommodation, service - all top notch. Easy to stay to yourself if you want to be private and just as easy to socialise should that be your jam as well. We did a bit of both and worked well. Ritz Kids program was excellent and helped allow adults to have some fun time and gave our daughter some fun experiences as well. In my opinion, Ritz is the Anti-cruise for those who do not want the "tango lessons on the lido deck" experience as often found on the larger ships. We are NOT cruisers - never were - but the new generation of smaller luxury boats really stand out and appeal to us (particularly with a child and now aging parents). We also sailed with Ponant to Antarctica on Le Commandant Charcot (just husband and I) and had an equally excellent experience and highly recommend that ship as well (for many of the same reasons - minus the children's facilities obviously - minimum 6 year old age I believe for those voyages). Back on Ritz - we just booked Alaska on Luminara in summer 2026 for the same reasons. Checks all the boxes for someone who wants a true 5 star hotel on the water experience - without the downsides of a typical cruise. We will also be trying the Four Seasons Yacht in 2026 - and the Orient Express sailing yacht Corinthia when it opens up for reservations... That said, I do think you should only choose a voyage where the itinerary speaks to you and your interests - and takes you to places you really want to experience...
The Ritz cruises seem much more expensive than some other Caribbean sailings??It would be great to be able to pay for part of the cruise with Marriott Points!
Our very first cruise was RC Evrima Dec 2023 New Years Eve itinerary. 7 days. Never saw ourselves as cruise people, but the idea of a much smaller ship and the "hotel on the sea" vibe was intriguing, so we went for it. We splurged on the Signature Mid Suite.
Positives: Great room, just felt a bit cramped, but we chalked that up to it being a cruise ship cabin and not an actual...
Our very first cruise was RC Evrima Dec 2023 New Years Eve itinerary. 7 days. Never saw ourselves as cruise people, but the idea of a much smaller ship and the "hotel on the sea" vibe was intriguing, so we went for it. We splurged on the Signature Mid Suite.
Positives: Great room, just felt a bit cramped, but we chalked that up to it being a cruise ship cabin and not an actual hotel. Nice balcony with a chaise lounge for some quality naps. Crazy bathroom with a big tub and dual vanity, but the shower was a bit small. The food was really good, and they *never* said no whenever I tried to improvise something at the different restaurants. Very attentive service overall. Ship itself was beautiful and smelled exquisite.
Negatives: An elevator was out of order, along with the public restrooms on a couple of the floors. They said it was due to an extremely rough sail during the previous voyage, so, understandable, but still a bit janky, especially for the price point.
We disembarked feeling not-quite convinced that RC was the pinnacle. Explored the Four Seasons cruise line, even got so far as putting down a deposit, but they were taking forever to release itineraries, so we got our deposit back and starting looking at some of the other lines.
We just returned from Emerald Azzura. Jan 3-10 itinerary. Much cheaper, 25% of what we paid for Ritz, though it wasn't the NYE itinerary. Similarly gorgeous ship, service was nearly as good as the RC, but the room was way better. Deluxe Balcony Suite felt less narrow and had better amenities like fully adjustable bed, heated floors in the bathroom, more spacious shower, though no tub.
Negatives: The jankiness strikes again. Fitness equipment out of order, heated floors in our bathroom were out of order. *Now* we kinda understand, stuff is gonna go wrong on a cruise ship. Expect that. They have no way of gettings things fixed in a timely manner. But the food? Yikes. I mean, we were ready to run back to Ritz just for the food alone! Aside from breakfast, which is incredibly hard to mess up despite their efforts, each meal just rips you out of vacation mode and makes you feel like you're in a slightly below average college dorm dining hall. We cannot abide. If they announce a new director of food operations or something, we'd probably come running back, but for now, never again.
We were strongly considering booking again on RC, maybe doing the Ilma this time (larger capacity but we hear it's usually nowhere near full), but we decided to reserve on Explora I for Jan 2026. Heard some really good things about the food, and the Serenity Residence looks amaaaazing. Way more expensive than Emerald but still quite a bit less than the Ritz. This might be the sweet spot for us, but I still think a Ritz cruise is very much worth it.
In my opinion, lazy people or those who want to travel but don’t want to experience the local culture cruise. There’s only 1 cruise worth doing, Antarctica.
About Alaska “ that’s otherwise not necessarily easy to get around”. Seems you haven’t been to Alaska. In fact, it is one destination that MUST be done by road. The natural beauty of Alaska is unmatched in US. And it is absolutely doable via land (with few ferries).
Cruising is a way to experience multiple cities, countries and cultures in doses that are unfortunately too small. A traveller uses the port visits to learn where they want to return to in the future.
I’d love to see some cruise reviews! I saw one of the Ritz ships in Dubrovnik this past summer and it looked beautiful.
That’s what The Points Guy is for. I’d rather not see that “follow the money” approach here.
@Jack How is reviewing a cruise any more follow the money than reviewing a flight? I would bet that a lot of regular readers, to the extent they might have any interest in cruises, would like to see cruise reviews in Ben's style rather than the Points Guy.
Ben, if you go on a cruise, will you be doing it as a couple or with family and/or friends? Will your fellow passengers be mostly Americans? Are you a socializer, or will you stick to your own small group?
I ask these questions because, as a gay couple, my husband and I have done many cruises with mixed results. The best are small to medium cruises (less than 2500 passengers) with a large contingent...
Ben, if you go on a cruise, will you be doing it as a couple or with family and/or friends? Will your fellow passengers be mostly Americans? Are you a socializer, or will you stick to your own small group?
I ask these questions because, as a gay couple, my husband and I have done many cruises with mixed results. The best are small to medium cruises (less than 2500 passengers) with a large contingent of non-Americans. The worst are cruises with mostly Americans. Stay away from those Viking River Cruises that are targeted to wealthy conservative Americans.
While almost every cruise company warmly welcomes LGBTQ customers, fellow passengers—especially Americans—may not be as friendly. We've had a few cringe-worthy experiences where it was obvious that we were not welcome, whether sitting at a dining table or doing a shore tour. No one was outright rude, just dismissive or ignoring. And we are as vanilla as any couple could be.
I don't want to dispel you from what may be a wonderful experience. I just want to prepare you for a potential situation I never expected.
IMHO
I would absolutely agree with you. I am a 65 year old gay man and my partner of 13 years is 31. So you can imagine some of the crap we have heard and overheard on cruises. We cruise about every couple of years and are quite selective about our cruise company and the itinerary. Been quite happy with Celebrity.
Hot
I would agree as well. Traveling as a gay couple (with child) on something like the Ritz cruise - you were be totally ignored and looked at. At best you would need to be traveling with a group of several gay couples to do such a cruise - although you aren't that gay social. You need to be traveling with others on any cruise - either family or straight/gay friends.
For the price difference look at Explora Journeys. New suites only ships. High service levels. We did Barbados to Miami 8 nights. Good variety of islands and you only fly one way
As a fellow Floridian I would definitely suggest not doing a Caribbean cruise. Instead, I would probably go for something in Europe (maybe a river cruise) an Alaska cruise or maybe something in Asia that you can tack on to a trip to that part of the world.
My wife and I did a southern Caribbean cruise on Celebrity right during the time that Milton was hitting Florida. I know, bad timing, right?
Your issue with carribbean can be resolved by avoiding august-nov period. On the contrary for first time cruiser can be a good way to get a sample experience of short 3 or 4 day cruise before committing to a longer one
I have done both. Definitely go with Ilma much nicer on everything
I can't believe it calls at Bequia. It's a fun island if you're a CARICOM fan, but if your idea of the Caribbean is St. Barts, PH St. Kitts, and Anguilla you'd be pretty disappointed. I can't think of one thing on Bequia that would interest someone spending this much for a cruise.
Have you considered Virgin Voyages? They can be booked using VS FlyingClub miles at a good rate. :)
Honestly, I think they're resting on the Ritz name and not meeting any level of service.
There was kind of an air of "you're with Ritz so it's nice" but the attentiveness to passengers and detail were very lacking. The ship itself is nice, and the smaller feeling was good too. But the pricing and delivery did not match up to the major luxury cruiselines who have been doing this better for longer.
For...
Honestly, I think they're resting on the Ritz name and not meeting any level of service.
There was kind of an air of "you're with Ritz so it's nice" but the attentiveness to passengers and detail were very lacking. The ship itself is nice, and the smaller feeling was good too. But the pricing and delivery did not match up to the major luxury cruiselines who have been doing this better for longer.
For me the cruise felt like a nothingburger. Nothing stood out, nothing was all that great, but nothing was wrong. I'd put it in the world of BA F flights. The product is nice enough, the people just good enough, the experience to leave you wondering "what did I just pay for?"
I love the idea of a Japan cruise, but then I consider that if I were in Japan I'd rather eat all my meals in Japan and not on the ship, so the value proposition isn't as great. But a Scandinavian cruise? Heck yeah.
Lucky before deciding to drop your cash (or points on this) I’d search and watch some of the YouTube videos of others experiences. It all looked pretty underwhelming to me…
I went on the Ilma end of last year, first cruise. Love loved it. Never left the ship.
Rooms were beautiful and luxurious.
But if you are someone that needs activities, it’s not for you. There is no zoo, bowling alley, football field, etc. Only restaurants, lounge bar areas, fitness and spa. Very chill vibe.
I personally loved it but if you have young kids, I’d give it a miss or if...
I went on the Ilma end of last year, first cruise. Love loved it. Never left the ship.
Rooms were beautiful and luxurious.
But if you are someone that needs activities, it’s not for you. There is no zoo, bowling alley, football field, etc. Only restaurants, lounge bar areas, fitness and spa. Very chill vibe.
I personally loved it but if you have young kids, I’d give it a miss or if you need to constantly be entertained.
I can’t imagine being on a giant cruise ship. That would be too crazy for me.
Great to hear that you are interested in doing a cruise.
I personally have not sailed on Ritz Carlton yet, but have done around 20 cruises on other cruise lines in the last 5 years.
I would suggest cruising on Ilma instead of Evrima. Evrima had some serious issues during the construction because it was done by an inexperienced yard in Spain. Ilma was built by one of the big yards in France,...
Great to hear that you are interested in doing a cruise.
I personally have not sailed on Ritz Carlton yet, but have done around 20 cruises on other cruise lines in the last 5 years.
I would suggest cruising on Ilma instead of Evrima. Evrima had some serious issues during the construction because it was done by an inexperienced yard in Spain. Ilma was built by one of the big yards in France, which are much more experienced and probably have better ship planning and execution.
Apart from that I would suggest to also consider different lines. Ritz Carlton is a newcomer, that has both pros and cons. The other players in the luxury sector probably offer a more well rounded service experience, but Ritz Carlton has cutting edge hardware. Both of their ships are extremely new by cruise ship standards.
You could try one of the luxurious international lines (Seabourn, Silversea and Regent) or even a luxury german speaking line like Sea Cloud or hapag lyod, whose Europa 2 is generally regarded as the best cruise ship in the world by the press. Crystal cruises is also known for their great service. And Oceania for their food.
Try msc explora instead. Don’t just go off ritz name
Totally agree, I can't imagine that the Ritz Carlton ships are that much nicer than Explora and their pricing is way better.
Agree 100%. I have been on Explora 3 times and have 2 more booked next year. First class across the board and much better than Ritz and others.
Inasmuch as these ships are only "Ritz Carlton" in name, I would do some serious research into the company actually operating the ships before I laid out a large sum for a cruise on one of them.
Yes. 100% you should do one and review it. That said you should also review a Belmond Train soon. They keep adding more and they look really interesting from a hospitality perspective.
Ben, I say go for it and don't worry about which particular ship you end up on. They're both so small that differences in service should be marginal. I recently did an Oceania cruise in the Med, going from Rome to Sicily and Malta, then back to the French riviera and ending in Barcelona. It was a 1250~ passenger ship, and I enjoyed everything onboard. In terms of itinerary type, it was similar to the...
Ben, I say go for it and don't worry about which particular ship you end up on. They're both so small that differences in service should be marginal. I recently did an Oceania cruise in the Med, going from Rome to Sicily and Malta, then back to the French riviera and ending in Barcelona. It was a 1250~ passenger ship, and I enjoyed everything onboard. In terms of itinerary type, it was similar to the Japan itinerary you posted. We stopped at mostly major cities where it was easy to get out of the port area and experience the city like a local, or visit some kind of heritage site nearby.
I personally like both city cruises like your Japan itinerary (and you'll get some awesome balcony views of the inland sea too!), and "nature" cruises like the Iceland itinerary where it's more about seeing dramatic coastlines. I did an Alaska cruise in 2019 and loved it, never been to Iceland but I'd recommend Alaska if they offer it. Ketchikan and Juneau are both really cool places, while Skagway feels more like the sanitized cruise experience, but the main point of Alaska is the glaciers and fjords.
One other thing to note, if you get seasick maybe skip Iceland. You're much more likely to have big seas, even if it isn't stormy or choppy, going around Iceland than you would in Alaska or around Japan.
You should check out Explora Cruises. Agents should be able to match whatever you'd get with your Bonvoy status
My husband and I did Evrima Dec. 2023 in the Caribbean and loved the experience! It was also our first cruise ever, so we definitely got spoiled. Our friends who also had never cruised joined us and had a great time. The destinations in the Caribbean weren't our cup of tea, but life on board was amazing. It also helps that the ship is so small so it makes it easy to get off and...
My husband and I did Evrima Dec. 2023 in the Caribbean and loved the experience! It was also our first cruise ever, so we definitely got spoiled. Our friends who also had never cruised joined us and had a great time. The destinations in the Caribbean weren't our cup of tea, but life on board was amazing. It also helps that the ship is so small so it makes it easy to get off and on, never a line like the giant ships. We are booked on the Amsterdam to Copenhagen cruise this summer on Ilma and then Rome to Monte Carlo in October on Evrima...yes we loved the experience that much. Things could always have changed since Dec 2023, but it was an awesome experience for us and our friends. The food was great and endless champagne (Moet) sure made it fun. Up until the 6 months when final payment is due, you can easily change cruises. I totally recommend it!
The people demmand you and the flip flop traveler compare margaritaville at sea experiences between Miami and Tampa!
Any cruise seems about as attractive to me as a tour through the nine Circles of Hell. Pass.
Lucky I am very excited to see your upcoming Margaritaville at Sea review
I would like to see reviews on boutique cruises. Small ships that go to off-the-beaten path locations and are generally adult only.
Hi Ben: I haven't done a Ritz cruise, but a friend allowed me to spend two weeks on The World (google it), which is probably the most high-end cruise ship out there. Of course it was lovely--1400 sq foot apartment and exemplary service and amazing experiences that would be very difficult to do on my own. But at the end of the day, I really prefer exploring and traveling on my own, even (and perhaps...
Hi Ben: I haven't done a Ritz cruise, but a friend allowed me to spend two weeks on The World (google it), which is probably the most high-end cruise ship out there. Of course it was lovely--1400 sq foot apartment and exemplary service and amazing experiences that would be very difficult to do on my own. But at the end of the day, I really prefer exploring and traveling on my own, even (and perhaps because of) the hardships. I'm probably just not a cruise person. I would absolutely encourage you to take the Ritz cruise it because it would be great content for your blog and, given your interest, it may really resonate with you. Of course I would do The World again, but I will be fine if it never happens.
In general, I dont think that Ritz Carltons are really good hotels, so i dont think a cruise would be that great either?
If you’re curious what the onboard experience is like, check out Trek Trendy’s 20 min YouTube video on the Ritz Carlton cruise. Seems like a mixed bag, but that was also a year ago. It’s possible they’ve addressed some of the issues since then, but can’t speak to it firsthand.
Only a person with more money than brains would even indulge a ridiculous waste of time like this.
I'm a Seabourn loyalist with almost 500 days sailed and my decision to not try out RC is due to the fact that I would start at the very bottom of the loyalty scale and no goodies. And I am glad I haven't since I do have friends that have tried it out and the common take away is that they charge RC prices but offer a Marriott experience. The other issue is that with...
I'm a Seabourn loyalist with almost 500 days sailed and my decision to not try out RC is due to the fact that I would start at the very bottom of the loyalty scale and no goodies. And I am glad I haven't since I do have friends that have tried it out and the common take away is that they charge RC prices but offer a Marriott experience. The other issue is that with just 2 ships, they offer very generic, run-of-the-mill itineraries and I am really having a hard time finding places to cruise that are new.
Dont do Japan on a cruise. You'd miss out on experiencing anything really Japanese.
Given everything you've written here, i'd say just do one of those caribbean cruises you can jump on. You seem in this post most intersted in the cruise experience itself, rather than the destinations. The Caribbean is perfect for that, and given the availability, I say do that!
Ouch! As someone who lives in the Caribbean, that's a bit harsh to suggest there is no culture here - let alone the hundreds of micro-cultures.
While I agree the Caribbean has a lot of culture, my experience with Caribbean cruises is that you tend to end up in ports where most everything is specifically sanitized for the convenience of the middle-class American demographic and the most accessible shops are the same overpriced crap you'll see on every other island. You're not going to pick up much of the cultural experience from a 6 hour cruise visit.
As a gay couple, Ben and Ford do need to take into account the rampant Caribbean homophobia.
Your comment comes from a place of privilege, but I understand why you'd feel slighted. Maybe count your blessings instead?
Some gay couples can go 'unnoticed', and some, well, definitely cannot. But that's not a Ben and Ford problem, that's a Caribbean problem and it's why gay couples may be reluctant to go.
Just providing some context...
As a gay couple, Ben and Ford do need to take into account the rampant Caribbean homophobia.
Your comment comes from a place of privilege, but I understand why you'd feel slighted. Maybe count your blessings instead?
Some gay couples can go 'unnoticed', and some, well, definitely cannot. But that's not a Ben and Ford problem, that's a Caribbean problem and it's why gay couples may be reluctant to go.
Just providing some context as Ben is too nice to actually say this. I am blunt, as you know.
I took one - it was extraordinary and you’d love it. I did Caribbean, heard Med is even better.
@ Alex Stevens -- May I ask which ship? And are you a cruiser otherwise, or was it a first time experience for you?
If I could pitch in, I have sailed so much across most lines and if I can recommend the absolute best and most luxurious experience for the money I suggest you take a cruise on the Europa 2. If you want to see what's possible with a blank check this is it. Douglas Ward the witter of the Berlitz cruise bible ranked it as the best ship he'd ever sailed on and after 2 cruises with them I agree.
Pardon the interruption
Do Alaska if you're interested in the ship. Several of the sights and ports in southern Alaska are only accessible by ship and RC should be an incredible way to access them
I am sorry to hear about your family health issues.