Would you consider a cruise for $14,000? This is the rationale behind their indulgence
For Walter Morgenstern, the finer details of a luxury cruise are what make the high price tag worthwhile.
The 75-year-old recalled that on his most recent voyage with Regent Seven Seas Cruises from Barbados to Miami, he didn't have to compete for a lounge chair. On the comparatively small Seven Seas Mariner, where Morgenstern was traveling, the laundry service performed his laundry many times throughout the approximately two-week journey at no additional cost. He and his wife Karen made an upfront payment of about $14,000. No more costs arose during the trip.
“They don't nickel and dime me for anything,” remarked Morgenstern, a resident of Melville, New York.
About 40 cruises have been taken by Morgenstern. However, after their children had graduated from college and they were searching for a more relaxed vacation, the couple started sailing with upmarket lines like Regent and Seabourn.
“We've saved up a little bit, and the two or so cruises we take every year are our main form of recreation,” he said.
Although cruises can frequently be an inexpensive form of transportation, there are many more expensive options available for travelers wanting to splurge that offer a different range of inclusions.
“Excellent everything,”
Michelle Brown eventually went on a vacation with Viking last May after watching the company's television advertisements for years with longing. For their 25th wedding anniversary, she and her husband Gary traveled to Europe and sailed down the Rhine River.
The pair generally travels on a tight budget, but the trip, which cost approximately $13,000 and included stops in Cologne, Germany, Strasbourg, France, and other places, was, in the words of the 53-year-old content engagement manager, “worth every single cent.”
The cost includes a veranda suite on the Viking Hervor cruise, food, entertainment, transportation to and from the airport, round-trip tickets in economy class, and more.
“If I had done a European trip to all these different cities, it would have probably been close to that (price),” said Brown, a resident of Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Additionally, she claimed that by not having to arrange an itinerary, she saved time.
Brown thought the crew members got to know them over the course of the eight-day trip because there were only 190 guests allowed on board, and he said the queue provided ‘top of the queue everything'. Even before they left Amsterdam on their first day, Gary had lamb chops for lunch on the ship, a more opulent midday meal than he usually enjoyed.
It was just something different from what we are used to in our daily lives, Brown remarked. “This was a really special treat.”
What can tourists anticipate from a luxury cruise?
Instead of rock climbing walls or ice skating rinks, customers may expect to discover immersion into locations on upmarket lines, according to Michelle Fee, CEO of the travel agency franchise network Cruise Planners, in an interview in October.
According to her, that group of companies includes Regent, Seabourn, Viking, Silversea, and Oceania Cruises.
Even some popular cruise lines like Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International cover many expenses in the fare, there are extras like specialty restaurant surcharges and beverage packages that can add up.
According to Tina Robinson-Quirke, owner and travel consultant at TRQ Travel, luxury lines, in comparison, often include all meals, and drinks, including alcohol, and Wi-Fi.
Since Brown doesn't drink much, they decided against getting a beverage package and instead paid “maybe $15 (per)”) for the alcoholic beverages that weren't included in the Viking price, according to Brown.
“The number of drinks (Gary) had, one a day maybe, it was fine, and they just put it right on your tab,” she claimed.
According to Robinson-Quirke, the luxury lines also have smaller ships that enable them to reach locations where mainstream lines may not.
However, long voyages on traditional lines can be shockingly expensive.
She recently secured reservations for clients on a 116-night MSC Cruises World Cruise, with fares for two people totaling around $47,000, including some shore excursions. Because passengers “are going to be at sea for a great deal of time,” she noted, these sailings frequently offer discounts on extras like laundry packages.
The MSC Yacht Club, which offers benefits like 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge, is an example of a luxurious ship-within-a-ship concept that can provide a luxurious experience on a ship that may appeal to a wider range of passengers.
According to Robinson-Quirke, a Yacht Club trip for a week in the Caribbean can cost, on average, between $5,000 and $6,000 based on double occupancy. It really is a terrific deal for the number of days you're receiving, she remarked, if you look at it in that light.
There are various approaches that travelers might take when settling in.
While the Browns paid in installments after making the initial deposit, which Michelle Brown said made the expense feel more bearable, Morgenstern said he and his wife paid a deposit before paying the balance of the cruise cost on the final payment due date.
Morgenstern said he has discovered that luxury cruises can still be “considerably more expensive” than standard sailings, even with all the inclusions, yet he keeps booking them. It's kind of like the saying, “Once you try it, it's hard to go back,” he added.
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