CRUISE PLANNER RATINGS: Moderate; CRYSTAL CRUISES
At the forefront of deluxe Boutique-style cruising, which borders on Resort with the modern feel of their ships, these outstanding mid-sized ships strike all the right notes and boast some of the best entertainment and cruise enhancement at sea. Spacious and well appointed, nearly all cabins and suites have full baths (as opposed to showers), and 66% have balconies. Serenity is a slightly more spacious version of the first design, but both feature excellent alternative dining, with a gourmet-quality Italian restaurant and a signature Asian diner by Japanese celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa. A choice of worldwide itineraries, most from 7 to 10 nights (but some up to 21 days), with winter favourites including The Panama Canal, Caribbean, Mexico and Asia, plus Africa, South America, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, and extended summer seasons in Europe and (for the first time in a few years) Alaska. Longer journeys include world cruises (on Serenity) and transatlantic voyages. UK fly-cruises include tax and gratuities which are otherwise shown as extras.
www.crystalcruises.com
Ship
Crystal Symphony Crystal Serenity
Rating Type SR Dining Tonnage P / C
6-Star Boutique 53.10 Two 51,000 940/545 6-Star Boutique 62.96 Two 68,000 1080/655
CUNARD LINE
Restoring the grand tradition of British luxury cruising, QM2 picked up the torch from illustrious predecessor QE2 with imaginative first class cuisine, a huge range of facilities and dining choice in the classic Cunard style, not to mention a hefty measure of Resort-style glitz. Queen Victoria is a true ultra-smart Resort vessel but still with the gracious Cunard hallmark, plus excellent dining and entertainment choice and the new Queen Elizabeth added another helping of classic maritime style in late 2010. Sailing much of the globe, with grand world cruises, transatlantic voyages and a full summer season to and from Southampton, from 4 to 24 days. Gratuities not included.
www.cunard.co.uk/cunardline.com
Ship
Queen Mary 2 Queen Victoria Queen Elizabeth
Rating Type 5-Star Resort
5-Star Resort 5-Star Resort
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Though heavy on the Disney style, these ships are well equipped for ALL the family. All American, though quite sophisticated menus, served in three different dining rooms, plus a chic adults-only Italian restaurant. Excellent service and entertainment, especially in the main theatre. Kids amenities, naturally, are superb, but so are the Spa facilities and private areas for the grown-ups! The new (in January 2011) Disney Dream should bring a whole new layer of amenities and sophistication to the Disney cruise operation, with high-tech additions like their ‘water-coaster’ flume ride; enhanced theatre facilities; a small, exclusive dining alternative; inside cabins with a ‘view’ (via real-time external video); and amazing new kids areas. At 40% bigger than the first duo, the Dream promises to be another step up in terms of the modern-resort-at-sea concept. Their core voyages are 3, 4, 5 and 7-night cruises from Port Canaveral (Florida) to the Bahamas and Caribbean, but they also now operate further afield seasonally, with a full Mediterranean summer series, plus Alaska (for the first time in 2011), the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal and transatlantic voyages. Disney’s feature and amenity- packed private island of castaway Cay (on all Caribbean cruises) is a real bonus. Gratuities not included.
www.disneycruise.com
Ship Rating Type
Disney Magic, Wonder 5-Star Resort Disney Dream
5-Star Resort 88 WORLD OF CRUISING I Winter 2010 / 2011 SR Dining Tonnage P / C
33.60 Two 84,000 2500/945 32.00 Two 128,000 4000/1458
Ship Hebridean Princess Rating Type SR Dining Tonnage P / C 5-Star Boutique 44.00 Open 2,200 50/38 SR Dining Tonnage P / C
57.25 Two 148,528 2592/1253 44.68 Two 90,000 2014/1140 43.21 Two 90,400 2092/1160
Standard; Superior
FRED.OLSEN CRUISE LINE
When Fred. Olsen bought Black Watch (originally Royal Viking Star) in 1998, it took their operations to a new dimension, with more modern hardware, facilities and style. They have since added the ex-Norwegian Dynasty (Braemar), Star’s former sister Royal Viking Sky (Boudicca) and the Norwegian Crown (Balmoral). They all give the Olsen fleet a touch of modern style as well as much expanded fly-cruise options. All cruises feature good British-orientated entertainment and bridge instructors, and many include gentlemen hosts. The quality and choice of cuisine is above average, although alternative dining is not as varied. Ex-UK cruises utilise various ports like Liverpool, Greenock, Newcastle and Rosyth as well as Dover and Southampton, while fly-cruises take in much of Europe and much further afield, including Canada and New England, South America, West Africa and world voyages, when packages include charter flights and tax. Gratuities not included.
www.fredolsencruises.co.uk
Ship
Black Watch Boudicca Balmoral Braemar
Rating Type
4-Star Classic 4-Star Classic 4-Star Resort 4-Star Resort
HAPAG LLOYD CRUISES
The most complete fleet of deluxe discovery cruises, with selected dates on all four ships being dual language (German and English). Europa is one of the most sophisticated and technologically-advanced ships ever built – and the most highly- rated for creature comforts, service and cuisine. Columbus is a more basic but still stylish offering, cruising to northern Europe in the summer and Mediterranean and Far East at other times of the year. Hanseatic and Bremen visit the likes of Antarctica, S America, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Passage. Superior menus for discerning palates. Single sitting dining with assigned tables on Columbus, Hanseatic and Bremen. Sold as fly-cruises, virtully world-wide accompanied throughout by expert guest naturalists and local guides. Zodiac excursions included. Gratuities included.
www.hl-cruises.com
Ship Bremen
Hanseatic Columbus Europa
Rating Type SR Dining
4-Star Adventure 41.10 One 6-Star Adventure 45.50 One 4-Star Adventure 36.30 One 6-Star Boutique
HEBRIDEAN ISLAND CRUISES
This old-fashioned but ultra-stylish little adventurer takes just a handful of passengers in supreme comfort around the islands and Highlands of Scotland (notably the Hebrides), plus Northern Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Skye and trips to France and the Channel Islands. First class cuisine draws on fresh local ingredients, while their country house ambience is both relaxed and relaxing – as befitting their occasional royal customers (Her Majesty, The Queen, chartered the Princess in summer 2010). Gratuities included.
www.hebridean.co.uk
Tonnage P / C 6,750
8,400 70.09 Open
14,903 28,600
170/94
184/122 410/170 408/264
SR Dining Tonnage P / C
35.45 Two 28,613 807/320 33.83 Two 28,388 839/320 32.49 Two 43,537 1340/471 26.25 Two 19,089 727/310
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104