Cruise ships have been upping the ante regarding luxury vacations at sea. The best cruise ships these days make The Love Boat from the 1970-1980s's television show look like a floating barge. Frommer's cruise experts have released their choices for the best cruise ships of 2011, and the list is loaded with cruise liners that provide over the top, pampering, luxurious cruise travel experiences. Some are better intended for romantic vacations, some are fun and youth-oriented, but they all provide the best of what luxury cruise travel has to offer.
The best cruise ships of the year, according to Frommers's compilation, are as follows:
- Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas – The Allure of the Seas is hands down the most innovative new ship on the list. Its design allows for a feeling of openness, with light and air throughout the cruise liner. The Frommer's cruise experts also single out Allure of the Seas for "the best entertainment ship at sea, with truly exceptional programming for both adults and kids."
- Celebrity's Solstice Class: Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Eclipse, and Celebrity Equinox – The Solstice class builds on the elegance of Celebrity's older cruise liners, without sacrificing class for modernity and a wide array of entertainment options. Get this: The top deck has a real lawn, with growing grass. That's pretty original!
- Seabourn's Odyssey Class: Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn – Smaller than the megaships, but larger than pure small ship cruises, the 450-passenger Odyssey and Sojourn are a great compromise. All the luxury of the larger ships, with a somewhat higher level of privacy and intimacy onboard, Seabourn makes the list for its adult tastes and sophistication.
- Silversea's Silver Shadow, Silver Spirit, and Silver Whisper – Even smaller than the Seabourn's ranked cruise ships, Silverseas 388-passenger Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper are also meant more for romantic travel than family vacations. The Silver Spirit is somewhat larger, albeit still maxing out at fewer than 550 passengers.
- Norwegian Cruise Line's Jewel Class: Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Jewel, and Norwegian Pearl – Now, Norwegian's jewel class qualifies as megaships, holding up to 2,390 passengers and weighing in at 93,000 tons. That being said, it's hard to find a more fun cruise line than the Jewels: The young-adult oriented Jewels are fun, hip, and friendly.
- Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria – Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria are the grand dames, as it were, of the high seas. The Queen Mary 2 in particular lends itself to an old-timey feel of classic elegance, whereas the Queen Victoria (being somewhat newer) is still luxurious albeit with a more casual ambiance.
- Celebrity's Millennium Class: Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium, and Celebrity Summit – Elegant to the core, Celebrity's Millennium Class ships make the list along with the Solstice Class. There is distinct modernity onboard these ships, and each renovation adds to the Millenniums' contemporary feel via restaurants and entertainment. The decor intentionally remains classic.
These best cruise ships are all luxury liners. While cruise passengers may not get the intimate travel experience of a smaller ship that can explore remote inlets, the pampering, restaurant quality, and entertainment onboard far surpass those of any more rustic, low-key cruise travel experience.
Jennifer W. Miner - Jennifer has years of travel writing experience, spoken at several national conferences, and more. See Jendeavor.com for more details.
