Living the high life on the high seas is what vacationers should expect when their ship comes in, but booking the bougiest real estate onboard certainly increases the odds of having a bon voyage. Lavishing in ultimate luxury doesn’t come cheap, of course. The million-dollar question of “to splurge or not to splurge?” can add thousands of dollars to an already pricey purchase.
For those who can afford a stately stateroom, however, they are often afforded a boatload of benefits beyond the deluxe digs. But like pretty much everything in life, you don’t always get what you pay for. While the majority of passenger ships put the biggest spenders in cruise control with such privileges as exclusive dining options, private lounges and reserved theater seats, some have guests looking at their travel budget with a sinking feeling.
Playing the dual role of travel agent and real estate agent, we’ve checked out some prime properties that, under normal conditions, promise an elevated experience when paying a suntanned arm and leg. Even without getting into upgrades, cruise fares are all over the nautical map due to such factors as the number of nights, itinerary, season, availability, the cruise line and even the ship itself. For sanity’s sake, we’ll do like a bad kayaking shore excursion and only scratch the surface here.
Focusing on the value-based mainstream cruise market (because, let’s face it, those who can afford the best don’t even blink at upgrading), the big four.