A week aboard Four Seasons Yachts' new ship reveals gorgeous suites and hard product, but inconsistent food and service that don't yet match the price point.
A good read.
Did you make known your issues with service at the time and what kind of service recovery was there? At this level, if there are repeated mistakes then I would hope there would be some meaningful response to make up for it.
@ Nikojas -- We absolutely did provide feedback, and had several conversations with Mel, the general manager. She was great, in the sense that she was clearly alarmed by our feedback, and wanted to make things right. I did get the sense that she probably wasn't being empowered enough, though, to actually turn the experience around quickly.
In terms of service recovery, at the end of the cruise Mel offered us a discount on a future sailing (equal to 30% of the cost of our journey), within a couple of years. To be honest, that's not something we'll probably take advantage of, though, since I don't need to experience this again (nothing against Four Seasons Yachts, I just like to have new experiences).
While minor, what disappointed me most about the service recovery is that they didn't even adjust the cost of our spa treatments. We were charged an 18% service charge that was never disclosed, and which doesn't even go directly to the therapist. I of course don't want to screw over the employees, but you shouldn't be paying for a hidden cost. That rubbed me the wrong way. But even bigger picture -- how in the months since launch had no one noticed that the 18% fee wasn't disclosed anywhere?!
That would have annoyed me too about the spa billing. "We will give you a discount if you spend another 5 figures", isn't really what I would be enthusiastic about for service recovery either.
I hope at least they didn't make you pay for the pizza.
@ Nikojas -- Hah, they did comp the entire pizza meal (not that it was terribly expensive), so that was appreciated. 🙂
Given the price of admission, plus the minimal cost, the pizza should be perfect.
One way to compare spaciousness of ships is the Passenger Space Ratio (PSR). You determine PSR by dividing the Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of the vessel by the passenger capacity. The higher the PSR, the more spacious the ship is, in theory. GRT only takes into account ENCLOSED space, and accordingly, PSR is not a definitive representation of spaciousness.
Amangati: 245
Orient Express Corinthian: 203
Four Seasons I: 179
Ritz Ilma: 104
Ritz Luminara: 103
Ritz Evrima: 89
Explora III: 78.6
Explora I/II: 69
Icon of the Seas: 45
Woah! Incredibly thorough review. So, if you had to pick one or the other, FS or Ritz-Carlton? I'd assume, FS for the boat; RC for near-everything being included. Great to see the additional details after your initial thoughts posted in July. I think the rescheduling (from January in the Caribbean to July in the Mediterranean) worked in your favor. And, for $35K (with or without discounts), at least they start out with the caviar and Dom gratis, even if nearly everything else is chargeable and the spa folio is a little off-putting. (Wonder what Four Seasons II and III will be like...) I also am curious how this yacht compares to the FS 'Explorer' vessel that has started operating in Palau (just 11-ish rooms).
@ 1990_ -- Thanks! It's interesting, the next two Four Seasons vessels will be the same size, but will feature more multi-bedroom suites, so they're intended to be more of a "residential" concept. I'm curious about the year-round demand for three and four bedroom cruise suites. I imagine the Four Seasons Explorer concept is completely different, and is more about diving than luxury.
Regarding FSY vs. RCYC, that's a great question, and I plan to publish a post about that soon. FSY definitely feels more luxurious, and you do get more space per person. But at least based on how things currently stand, I do think RCYC does a better job delivering on their promises, and also represents a better overall value.
Hopefully FSY can figure out the service situation, because I think I would've had a different impression if service had actually reflected the fares being charged.
Great insights! (Unusual market for the multiple-bedroom, year-round folks. Perhaps, there's multi-generational families with deep-pockets, but not deep-enough for their own yachts? IDK.) Looking forward to your upcoming FSY vs. RCYC comparison—really appreciate you digging into the weeds on these! (As I'm into snorkeling, I've been eyeing that FS Explorer in Palau, so we'll see who gets to that one first! Could be an epic Reader Story... bah!)
Ben, I have to be honest with you: as much as this is a great review, this trend of you reviewing non-points hotels and cruises that cost $1,500+ a night is giving me the ick.
I've always loved this blog because it primarily focuses on what's possible with points. Or, if you pay for business class, it's at a reasonable rate. But lately you've been reviewing a lot of properties and cruises that many (most?) of your readers will never be able to afford, and can't even aspire to book because they're unavailable with loyalty points.
I've been a loyal reader and I will remain so, but to be honest, all of these reviews of unaffordable places turns my stomach a little. Maybe I'm alone in that, and that's fine. I just wanted to share my reaction.
@ FMBWI -- I appreciate you reading, and your constructive feedback. What you're saying is totally fair. I'll just make a couple of points...
First, I've reviewed a total of two cruises, and the first was Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which does have a points angle. I was then curious to see how the Four Seasons Yachts experience compared, given that this is intended to compete with that. I totally get that these are really expensive experiences, but I do think many people at least find it to be interesting to see how the luxury cruising industry has evolved, and the hotel crossover.
Regarding hotels, I've talked a bit about my evolving approach there in this post:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/hotel-industry-evolved-preferences/
What it comes down to in part is that luxury hotel rates are through the roof, and even points properties have become absurdly expensive, to the point that a "pay with points" redemption at an independent property often costs as much as transferring points to a program like World of Hyatt or Marriott Bonvoy, and redeeming that way, all while offering a better experience.
I hope you'll agree, though, that I continue to review all kinds of airline products, booked almost entirely with points, and I do more of those kinds of thorough reviews than just about anyone.
I understand that not everything will appeal to everyone. I continue to review a good number of points properties, including one coming up shortly in this review series, so I hope you can at least find value with some of those reviews. And again, I appreciate you reading and interacting!
Ben, thanks for your thoughtful reply, and of course you're right: most of the reviews you do are of points bookings on airlines, which I love, continue to read, and inform my own choices.
And I am happy to read reviews of points properties. I will point out one thing: the cost of redeeming points at properties is, indeed, through the roof for high-demand properties in high-demand places. I would submit to you that many of your readers aren't necessarily interested in going to a high-season tourist destination. Of course, these aren't all of your hotel reviews, but my point is that there are lots of properties that can be had with good points or cash value in some fascinating parts of the world. My wife and I just got back from Argentina, for example, and got incredible value out of the trip. Food for thought!
@ FMBWI -- Hey, you're 100% right, and I agree with you, and appreciate your thoughts! I'll keep making an effort to check out those kinds of properties that still represent a decent value. For example, I had an amazing stay at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur recently, and I also plan to visit Jakarta soon, which has some very reasonably priced luxury hotels.
I think plenty of readers of this blog have also evolved in a similar way to Ben travel wise though.
For example, reading early on I was a huge points enthusiast and was interested in both points maximization and also aspirational properties and flights you could book on points.
Both because of the dilution of value in the points world (and Marriott diluting their program after acquiring SPG - which was my favored program), but also with natural career progression and getting older, my partner and I now skew far more heavily towards more expensive, non-points hotels and experiences. Having reviews of those places is hugely valuable from someone like Ben's vantage in the same way I've always appreciated the points hotel reviews. And many luxury reviews out there are either from explicit marketing channels for hotels, or from travel advisors with less thorough or more salesy perspectives (understanding Ben has his own inherent bias / context to be aware of with Ford's service), so having a different source is really helpful.
I agree that Ben spending his own money and points for just about everything that he reviews is what makes this blog generally great. I'm glad that yours and your partners lives and careers have evolved to the point that you feel comfortable spending that sort of money on a hotel room - truly, I am! However, I'm not so sure that most readers of this site are in the same position. I don't think we're looking for Comfort Inn reviews, but, as I stated above, there are plenty of aspirational hotels all around the world where you can get great value for points or cash - and they aren't in some high-price, high-demand, high-season destination.
I disagree, as I don't have much interest in points-only properties or experiences, but am more interested in luxury experiences like these, and even if it's something out of my range, I still love to learn about what's out there, and it's always a fun read. Just wanted to point out to you that contrary to your belief, there are people reading this blog that value reviews like these. It might not be for you, and that's okay, but if that's the case, instead of complaining, just skip the review that doesn't interest you, and move onto the one that does. I do that all the time, it's that simple. 🙂 Ben, keep doing what you do, I for one love these luxury reviews, keep them coming!
I heard a few themes from several reviews, including yours, as though reviewers are forcing themselves to say something to justify the cost of the cruise. But when each and every one includes "they consistently got my order wrong" (at a cafe!), in my opinion, that literally has to exclude them "trying their best." It's diametrically opposed and the two are completely incompatible!
Constant mistakes in the restaurant bringing the wrong dishes does not overlap - at all - with "eager to please and take care of passengers." This is the most basic, fundamental benchmark of service.
You got a pizza with a rock hard crust - twice?? How can they be "trying their best" when this type of issue has been ongoing since the launch of the ship?
@ Chris -- As I explained, I found service to be a huge issue. I think two things can both be true. The staff members can all be hardworking and want to do their best, while also not having the proper training, systems, and staffing levels in place, to be able to deliver on what's being promised. That's how I'd summarize the service situation.
Just regarding the constantly wrong cafe order - what lack of training, systems, or staffing level prevents someone who is trying their hardest from getting your coffee order correct? Were they overwhelmed with customers and without a notepad/ipad to write it down? It sounds like most of the venues were mostly empty during the day.
You're still my fave blogger (by far) 🙂 I just would be livid if this were to happen at my local corner coffee shop (which it doesn't), much less a cruise costing thousands per day. If they constantly got my order wrong, I would be hard-pressed to say they're trying their best.
@ Chris -- You're totally right, the coffee order thing was sort of infuriating. Ford and I both commented that it felt like the staff just weren't very good at actually listening carefully to what guests were saying, I think because they were already mentally distracted by the other tasks they were doing. A lot of it was a mystery to me...
To expand, on Explora staff was distracted by their own mobile phones that did not appear to be issued by the company for service needs. In contrast on Celebrity some crew have ship phones usually used to make customer service related things happen. No crew have personal phones in use during their working hours with guests from what we've observed. Suspect the Four Seasons crew was just bored.
@ Cruizer -- Wait, Explora staff were playing around on their own phones? That's kind of wild. I can definitely say that wasn't the case on Four Seasons Yachts, I saw no one with their own phone.
I have only done one sailing with Explora (shortly after its debut) and found the service to be phenomenal in all venues at all times. About to go on EIII next month and eager to see how the line is doing.
The thing about luxury and ultra luxury cruising, the food. The food needs to be amazing and memorable. This looks like something Carnival would be embarrassed to serve their guests.
Admittedly true, the food prices are not outrageous. But for 26 USD you get served two pizzas that are awful, whereas on Virgin (which is a premium line rather than luxury) you get honestly great pizzas included in the fare.
I have to say thank you for the detailed review, it shows that Four Seasons cruises are only great in name. And that is really worth knowing.
Thanks for this review. Very much enjoyed reading it. The shop looks beautiful. Spacious. Excellent design. That said, charging for everything beyond breakfast at this price point is awful. Really adds to friction in the experience. Just make it all inclusive and increase the prices imo. Really just feels nickel and dime-y and inappropriate at this price point.
Separately, there's nothing "sinful" or shameful about enjoying good food. Nothing is "sinfully" delicious. No need to feel bad about enjoying good food, and it's somewhat irritating that you always equate enjoyment of something good to sin. It's not.
Thanks for the great review. Keep up the good work.
@ Jason -- Thanks! Yeah, I have to say, I really wish they'd just increase the prices a bit and make it all-inclusive, because it would eliminate the friction. Our actual onboard spending wasn't that high, and was basically nothing after the $2,600 in credits. So you'd think increasing the price a bit but including things would leave many people with a better impression.
Just psychologically, if you're paying directly for something, you also have higher expectations of the quality, and the food quality just didn't impress, on balance.
This is an awesome review - you are the best in the business, Ben! Now you have to try Orient Express and then Aman 🙂 I've stayed at around 20 Four Seasons properties and am also "not a cruiser." I'd be willing to give this a try when they iron out the service kinks if the ports of call are interesting places I haven't been to.
@ Motion to Dismiss -- Thank you! "Now you have to try Orient Express and then Aman." I'll just say... stay tuned!
As much as this is a great review and a portal into the world of luxury cruising....i think given the changes to this site and the "need" to monetize the website more...saying you can burn tens of thousands of dollars on a single cruise plus other costs doesnt land with the audience mostly.
You say you need a $ but have no issues going out to spend upwards of 50k on a luxury cruise. Unless there are other financial relationships that are dropping the cost.
THis is where i think the relevancy of the content is important.
@ isaacC -- I hear you and see where you're coming from. Let me clarify a few points:
-- First, I didn't drop upwards of $50K on a cruise, but instead, the cost was closer to $20K, so let's at least try to keep the numbers accurate
-- Ultimately this blog is a business, and we need to keep up with the times when it comes to monetization; nowhere did I specifically say we "need" money, or anything along those lines, but every business has to evolve
-- I didn't actually pay for the cruise, but instead, Ford did, through his business
-- Ultimately this is a business investment for Ford, as his cruising volume has picked up massively in recent times; in the interest of transparency, the business concept here is simple -- I review the cruises, and the hope is that others book cruises through him, and that helps recoup the investment
There's really not much more to it. Ford saw a huge increase in Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection bookings after my review of the experience, and I view it as a win-win. Even if someone wouldn't necessarily pay for this experience, I think lots of people are curious to see what it's like, and I think I review the experience in a level of depth you'll find nowhere else.
I hope you can appreciate how honestly I try to approach this, though, in sharing my actual experience. If this were all just about making as much money as possible, and if I didn't care about being honest, I would've raved about the experience, because that would've definitely maximized the number of bookings.
Hope that makes sense... 🙂
It totally makes sense to me. And while I will most likely never book ultra high-end hotels or cruise lines like this, if I was in a position to do so, I would definitely be more inclined to trust and book through travel agents who spent their own money to try something and are then honest about how much value they feel they really got for the price. I would likewise be inclined to refer others to the same travel agents, which is good for their long-term business viability!
@ dx -- Well thank you, that's the idea! 🙂 Ultimately I value honest reviews above all else. I don't just want to rave about everything, and then have people be disappointed, just to make a quick buck.
Are those price lists in USD or EUR?
Ben - Please please please take another luxury cruise (or two) from a non-hotel-affiliated cruise line for comparison. And/or charter a sailboat for a week for the same (or less) than you paid for this cruise.
I get that your newer content here likely needs to be monetized via Ford's business, but this cruise and review seemed like a huge miss.
The whole premise of the marketing and pricing here depends on the ignorance of customers around the enormous cruise options available at every price point.
And Ben - you admittedly haven't cruised in two decades, but your review is filled with assumptions based on your cruise expertise - "that’s pretty standard for cruise ships", "compared to your typical cruise ship" etc. Maybe you have done extensive research on the cruise industry, but why not just take a cruise from another luxury cruise line (that is not a hotel-affiliated start-up)?
It baffles me how you can both say "All-in-all, I think this is a solid product for those who are fans of the Four Seasons brand" but also "When I think of the Four Seasons brand, consistently excellent service is the first thing that comes to mind. Unfortunately that’s also what was most missing from this cruise. It’s the same feedback I had heard from so many others on our voyage, and also from others who had taken a Four Seasons cruise before."
So you're saying that people who would like this cruise are people are like Four Seasons, but also the main selling point of Four Seasons is missing here?
And if you are someone who is considering a ship-based vacation, does it make more sense to consider various ship-based vacation options or just go with the one branded for the hotel I like?
This was just all really baffling to me.
@ LP -- The short answer is that I absolutely plan to take some cruises with non-hotel affiliated cruise lines. As you can imagine (especially with a family), I can't go on one cruise per month, but I'm planning at least three more over the next year, so stay tuned.
Regarding the assumptions that I make in the review, I don't think you have to be a super frequent cruiser to make those assumptions. Do you disagree that the bathroom looks particularly nice on the Four Seasons Yachts ship, or that spa treatments on ships typically aren't inexpensive? I believe those are the points you were referencing?
I didn't board the Four Seasons Yachts experience expecting it would be the world's best value cruise. Instead, my thought process was more along the lines of "here's what a hotel brand is promising, let's see what it's really like." And then over time I can have different experiences, and see how they compare.
Great news on 3 more over the next year - sounds like a great opportunity for comparison.
You're probably right that the Four Seasons Yachts bathrooms are particularly nice for a cruise ship - but neither you nor I have been on other ships costing $21k for a week to compare, right? That's my point. And yes, spa treatments are expensive anywhere you have a captive audience. But again, some luxury cruise lines might include spa treatments, at least if you are paying $21k for your room for the week, so I look forward to your upcoming cruises to compare!
To illustrate my overall concern that Four Seasons Yachts Cruises relies on passengers’ ignorance of other ship-based vacations:
Let’s say I love driving a Lexus, primarily because I love reliability and not having to worry about them, but I appreciate the luxury too. “We’re not usually private flyers”, but Lexus starts building private jets costing $20 million, and I’m open to trying it and I take a flight. I like the luxury of my first experience, but the reliability factor turns out poorly – I had to wait several hours for a part to be fixed, etc. And all the other Lexus jet customers I talk to share a similar experience of poor reliability.
Since I like the idea of flying private, wouldn’t it be wise to explore other jet makers, especially since the main reason I like Lexus the brand – reliability – wasn’t demonstrated on my first experience (and the consistent experience of others)? Shouldn’t I explore other private jets in the $20 million range plus fractional ownership, leasing, jet cards, chartering, etc at lower price-points? Even though “I don’t usually fly private”, if I am deciding that I would like to explore flying private, shouldn’t I consider all “flying private” options?
From the outside, it seems that Lexus jets (in my made-up example) is relying on customers not comparing their private-flying product with existing private-flying products (which have been in business decades longer than Lexus). Lexus jets might build a decent business among the "I don't usually fly private" customers who are super brand-loyal, but the customers are doing themselves a disservice by only comparing their Lexus jet experience to their Lexus car experience or their assumptions about other private jet experiences.
Again, I’m stoked to read your future cruise reviews. I’ll put in one more plug for chartering a sailboat – surely a different experience than a FS or larger ship, but a great, family-friendly way to explore the Med. And surely $21k can get you a pretty luxurious experience, even if it’s a different level of luxury.
Thanks!
Hey Ben,
The Hurtigruten Coastal Express on the entire Norwegian coastline, including fjiords is a fantastic experience for families. And you can come face to face with reindeer as we did. P.S. no tipping expected.
Thanks for the great review! I won’t be going on FS Yachts anytime soon, but really appreciate getting your take. I have sailed on many cruise lines, the most upscale one being Silversea, a luxury line with ships designed for about 600 pax. Everything was included, unlimited caviar, French champagne, Maine lobster, etc., and service was impeccable. Suite was spacious with living/dining area, bathtub and separate walk-in shower, dressing room, etc. I forget exactly what we paid, but it was close to 1/10 the cost of FS. Was it as “exclusive” as FS? Absolutely not. But was it an outstanding experience and value for someone who wants top flight service, food and spirits? Absolutely yes. I have to believe FS (and Ritz Carlton) are attracting a clientele that simply doesn’t know or care what alternatives exist in the cruising world and is willing to pay whatever price FS demands for the cachet of sailing with that brand. Ben, I wish you would check out some other luxury cruise lines, or even ship-within-a-ship products like MSC Yacht Club, Celebrity’s Retreat, etc. and give us your take as to how they compare in terms of service and value.
This definitely makes me wonder if there is some gamification to booking high end crusies/resort stays right around their start/open date. Definitely generous on FS's part to give a 30% discount and a 2k credit because it was their fault they didn't meet their operation date. Obviously it's a high price to book and pay over 20k but still. I have to think that most people on these level of cruises are flying business with tickets that are flexible over a month before departure with minimal financial impact on changing dates.
Makes me wonder
I was also affected by the early cancellations. Without the 30% discount and $2k credit, I am not sure I would have been motivated enough to rebook.
Aesthetically, this ship is the closest thing to a superyacht, compared to the Ritz Carlton ships, which simply look like (beautiful) cruise ships. The pool on deck 11, which you didn't particularly like, is truly reminiscent of those on superyachts—it's a shame there's no jacuzzi. The main pool, truly stunning, is reminiscent of those on Italian ocean liners from the golden age (Andrea Doria, Rex, etc.). I don't particularly like the marina's aesthetics, however. It reminds me of a military ship's hangar, and its location on the ship's imposing flank doesn't help. For the price, I'd probably prefer to join six or eight friends and charter a 30- or 40-meter yacht.
@ Alonzo -- I think this is true for both hotels and cruises, there's a huge risk to them not opening or launching on time. I remember when Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection was delayed, they were also quite generous with rebooking at a discount.
The thing to keep in mind with cruises is that you typically have to make a deposit and pay months in advance, so it's much riskier than booking a flexible hotel stay. In fairness, that's also why cruise lines are typically more generous than hotels when they are delayed.
35k before most meals, drinks, and excursions? What is this, Trek Trendy?
How about comparing the cost of this to the cost of an equivalent stay at a Four Seasons on land? E.g. Mykonos. With drivers for sightseeing and taxis to restaurants and back, beach club fees etc.
Is the premium for sleeping afloat 30%, 50%, 100%?
Guest rooms are smaller on board, and food ingredients less fresh.
What extra does one get for the premium?
Possibly the biggest element is the interaction between guests that you mention at the end here?
So if you are vegetarian, you’re expected to eat cauliflower every night? Hard pass.
The ship itself looks lovely and I understand that I am not the target clientele. That being said…$35,000 and being nickel and dimed for food, drink, 18% service charge, etc. seems utterly ridiculous!
I agree.
Four Seasons' hotels are excellent but I do not see the value proposition on their cruises.
I’ll be surprised if the a la carte pricing on meals survives. I can’t imagine they can fill the ship year round with “Four Seasons fanboys who’ve never cruised before.” They’re going to need to attract the same customers as Seabourn and Silverseas, and those customers aren’t going to accept 2x the daily rate and a la carte pricing on top.
@ ExWesternAirlines -- I think that's the million dollar question for the overall expansion we've seen in the cruise industry among hotel brands. They're all targeted at non-cruisers, but how much appetite is there for that, both in the short and long term? We can see the interest from a novelty perspective, but getting people to rebook is probably a different story.
I guess to look at it differently, though, do you think the typical Seabourn or Silverseas customer would actually cruise on Four Seasons Yachts, though? I feel like those cruise lines have a pretty loyal customer base, and getting people to pay significantly more, even if meals and drinks are included, seems like a stretch.