The age of elegant cruising when women hopped on board beautiful ocean liners with ten steamer trunks stuffed with gowns and men never went to dinner without a tux are long gone. But fashion evolution is about the only thing that’s changed about cruising. Its popularity remains immense now that the cost to meander on the high seas fits just about any pocket book. Growing with every new season, there are enough niches in the industry to capture any interest. Fitness cruises, holiday cruises, singles cruises, entertainment cruises and cruises for the disabled tell you why the industry can thump its chest and croon about its 40 billion dollars in annual revenues. One segment that is making a not so surprising resurgence are lap of luxury cruises that push the boundaries of sophistication and service.
A no holds barred January vacation provided a glimpse into what that world is like. For those with the means to escape winter by dipping below the equator for a month may find this series illuminating. The complete itinerary includes a journey to Cape Town South Africa, an unforgettable wild life safari, a two week westward voyage across the Atlantic on with stops in Namibia and the remote island of St. Helena before ending in explosively vibrant Rio de Janerio. These observations will give you a sense of how adventure can be grafted onto a luxury sea cruise.
Billing it as“the most luxurious ship ever built”, initially critics thought Regent Seven Seas was taking a big gamble two and a half years ago when it launched Explorer. They doubted the market could sustain such pronounced opulence that includes sumptuous cabin appointments, quietly stunning common areas, multiple exceptional dining options and service that’s as discreet as it is impeccable.
Regent’s five ship fleet was already courting the upper reaches of the cruising market before Explorer joined the pack. Based out of Miami and owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines, Regent recently invested $125 million dollars in refurbishment costs to bring the rest of the fleet in line with the “all balcony, all suite” Explorer which went into service in July 2016.
The all-inclusive pricing structure of luxury cruising ranks as one of its most overwhelming draws. Couple never having to reach for your wallet with pervasively posh beauty and service so polished to approach elegance, it’s really no wonder why traveling of this style has a strong appeal.
The Plan
Every trip starts with a wish and a plan. If it’s on the planet and has a port, there’s a cruise that will get you there. Having spent years enjoying the pleasures of boarding a ship, unpacking and being chauffeured from one exotic location to the next without having to pack again and change hotel rooms, it was time to do it in style. A PBS program on the making of the Regent Explorer and an accidental upgrade a few years ago to a sumptuous boutique cruise line in Alaska propelled the craving.
Then the question became “where”. Settling on a photographic safari in Africa, the last piece in the puzzle became “how”.
For both convenience and ease of management, cruise lines specialize in packages. They can include everything from the cruise itself, the airline arrangements to get to the ship, excursions at the ports of call, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation. And, despite their being more expensive, most guests take advantage of them for sheer expedience.
Next: Rendezvousing with Explorer
