Step into the world of the wealthy as you explore the extraordinary offerings available on some luxury cruise lines, where each moment is designed to make your holiday dreams come true.

Summon your butler

Ever questioned the need for a personal butler? A luxury cruise is the perfect stage to unveil the answer. On some cruises you’ll need to book one of the top suites but Silversea offers 24/7 butler service across all accommodation categories. Not sure what to do with a butler?  They can help unpack your suitcase, arrange restaurant reservations, serve afternoon tea in your suite and fulfill special requests like arranging a wedding anniversary breakfast in bed in your suite.

Indulge in a lavish room service feast

Speaking of room service, it’s a staple on luxury lines and takes on a new dimension with breakfast in bed in one of the picturesque locations you’ll find on your luxury cruise itinerary. On Cunard, guests in all cabin categories can pre-order their breakfast which is delivered by elegantly attired waitstaff. Some cruise lines allow you to order from the onboard restaurant menus too, making it possible to enjoy a three-course meal delivered by your butler.

Listen to an underwater symphony

If you don’t want to go under the water in a submarine, Ponant’s Explorer class yachts have the ‘Blue Eye,’ an immersive underwater lounge. It’s free to come in here and relax, surrounded by subtle underwater illumination, or recline on a sofa that resonates with music from built-in speakers. The ship’s hydrophones can also feed in the melodies of nearby whales, dolphins, and marine life.

Explore the ocean in a semi-submersible

Cruisers who love lavishness and adventure in equal measure will appreciate Viking Cruises’ expedition ships, which come with their very own yellow submarines, named after the band members in The Beatles. On Viking Polaris, you’ll find George and Ringo, while Viking Octantis has John and Paul. This experience costs extra and you need to be able to squat low enough and have enough mobility to get in and out of the submarine before and after your ride.

Eat caviar in the ocean

Immerse yourself in luxury and in the ocean with Seabourn’s signature beach event, Caviar in the Surf. This exclusive experience, available on Caribbean or tropical voyages, sees the ship’s officers wading into the water with surfboards transformed into floating Champagne caviar bars. Other highlights of this experience include a barbecue lunch, complimentary water sports and more.

Take your spa day to the next level

Luxury cruise ship spas have unique treatments and expanded facilities designed to make your spa days especially memorable. Try an Around the World massage combining Swedish techniques, Asian coconut poultices, and Egyptian coriander on Regent Seven Seas or get pampered for free in one of the Viking Ocean ships’ Nordic-inspired spa facility which comes with heated lounges, a snow grotto, resistance pool, sauna, steam room, and a bucket-style ice shower.

Book a sweet luxury cruise suite

Nothing compares to the bliss of residing in a suite, with added perks exclusive to suite guests or choose a cruise line like Silversea or Seabourn that offers all-suite accommodation, so every passenger can savour the suite life. For those with a penchant for elegance on a budget, there are economical options like the one and two-bedroom suites on P&O Cruises’ Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure, which include access to the Byron Beach Club, upgraded bathroom products, a personalised welcome note, turndown treats, complimentary laundry, and more.

Soar above the landscape in your ship’s helicopter

Whether it’s whale spotting in Antarctica, zooming over the Golden Gate Bridge, or embarking on a heli-skiing adventure for pristine powder, your options are constrained only by your itinerary and, unfortunately, the weather when you’re luxury cruise ship has its own helicopter.

Want more great cruise advice? Check out our tips for choosing the perfect cruise, cruising with grandchildren, cruising with tweens and cruising with kids of all ages, solo cruising, the best activities on Ovation of the Seas, doing a Transatlantic cruise with kids, cruising in Australia or Papua New Guinea, Iceland cruise tips, cruising on a megaship, scoring a bargain cruise fare, cruising the Mediterranean, making the most of a cruise ship kids club, luxury cruising with kids, and the Byron Beach Club on Carnival Cruises. We have also reviewed Disney Wonder, Carnival Encounter, Celebrity Edge, Carnival Adventure, Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, Carnival Splendor, Voyager of the Seas, Pacific Adventure, Nieuw Statendam, Viking Helgrim, Pride of America, Coral Expeditions in Tasmania and the Great Barrier Reef, Celebrity Solstice, and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.