If you thought luxury cruises were an ultra-niche travel option exclusively for the wealthy, you might want to think again. Recent insights from Silversea Cruises indicate that the luxury cruise sector has seen rapid growth since 2021. Even as cruise costs go up to £430,000 per couple, industry experts still expect demand to outstrip supply.

Despite the high-end price tag, more and more cruise lines are launching all-inclusive pricing and adding onboard features and amenities to cater to consumer demands. This ranges from packaged flights to complimentary wifi and even laundry. For families with children, cruises are also a great way to travel. In our previous post on ‘UK-Based Family Winter Getaways’, we highlighted cruises on Loch Ness and Derwentwater. If you’re interested in levelling up from the UK cruise experience, consider a luxury cruise trip to newer destinations as a great way to broaden your horizons as a family. Below, we’ll look at four compelling reasons to go on a luxury cruise:

A tailored luxury travel experience

One of the key differences between a luxury cruise and a regular one is the level of service you can expect. Onboard service on a luxury cruise ship is a sought-after five-star experience many say goes above and beyond the best hotel services.

Luxury cruise line Explora offers all-inclusive journeys that help ensure an immersive, luxury travel experience. You can enjoy nine distinct culinary experiences — including in-suite dining — and five-star intuitive service from a team of hospitality experts. To add to your luxury cruise experience, you can also use amenities like a spa thermal area and well-being and fitness programs onboard for a thoroughly relaxing time on the ship.

Luxury global cuisine experience

Another draw of luxury cruises is the equally luxurious dining experience travellers can expect. Most cruise lines offer a host of onboard cuisine experiences that guests can choose from.

Some cruise lines match their cuisine offerings according to the destination of the luxury cruise, while others have different onboard restaurants serving various global dishes. Aboard the Royal Caribbean, guests can choose from a dining package to try all of the speciality restaurants or the complimentary dining options onboard. For the budget-conscious, a dining package may be a good choice; some speciality restaurants have recently implemented significant price increases. Aside from the luxury restaurants, guests can also find food anywhere on the cruise ship, from fresh fruit pool snacks to frozen yoghurt machines.

Unique onboard amenities

Because luxury cruise ships are typically large, it makes sense that they would fit in unique and once-in-a-lifetime experiences as onboard amenities.
A dip in a swimming pool while in the middle of the ocean is certainly a new feeling for most, but some cruise lines like to take it a step further. Depending on your preferred cruise company, you may find onboard casinos, water-based activities such as diving or waterslides and surfing simulators, and even an onboard planetarium. For families, there are almost always kid-friendly activities and amenities to enjoy and adults-only sections for the parents, such as bars and private lounges.

New destinations and routes

Finally, as mentioned in our introduction, luxury cruises can be a refreshing travel experience. Most cruise lines offer destinations worldwide, from the Mediterranean and Western Europe to the Red Sea and India. Recently, more luxury cruise lines have invested in offering world cruises — an around-the-world route aboard a luxury cruise ship. Some take nine months, while others take even longer, at three years. For digital nomads and those who don’t need to work out of an office, most cruise lines offer complimentary onboard wifi so they can work between ports worldwide. That way, life doesn’t have to be on pause while you enjoy your luxury cruise.