Are these the world’s best luxury cruises?

These are not your typical all-inclusive cruises of yesteryear. Today’s luxury voyages are curated for discerning, adventure-seeking travellers who crave immersive experiences, refined elegance and the freedom to explore the world on their own terms. 

With beautiful accommodations, bespoke shore excursions and thoughtfully crafted itineraries, these exceptional cruises promise to elevate your journey into something truly extraordinary. Here’s our selection of the finest options to inspire your next nautical escape.  

Regent Seven Seas

With a portfolio of more than 550 destinations, Regent Seven Seas stands at the pinnacle of luxury cruising, redefining the meaning of “all-inclusive” with personalised service and a dedicated concierge team ready to anticipate your every desire. Dreaming of a Mediterranean sojourn ? Begin in Rome and disembark in Barcelona after 10 unforgettable days, with stops in Cinque Terre, Nice, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca along the way. For a more expansive journey, embark in Hong Kong and sail for 14 nights to Tokyo , discovering the cultural riches of Ishigaki, Shanghai, Busan, Osaka and Nagoya along the way.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

While ocean cruises whisk you across vast open waters, river cruises offer a more intimate and immersive way to travel, gliding through the heart of cities and countryside alike, where life unfolds along the riverbanks. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises delivers this experience with unmatched elegance, offering a fleet of design-forward ships that feel more like floating boutique hotels. Whether you’re sipping fine wines on the Brilliant Bordeaux itinerary , exploring the spiritual depths of India along the Ganges or discovering the technicolour sights of South East Asia on the Mekong, Uniworld curates each journey with impeccable hospitality, regional cuisine and enriching excursions. 

Ponant

Renowned for its French elegance and pioneering spirit, Ponant offers extraordinary itineraries across the globe, but its polar expeditions truly set the operator apart. Aboard the world’s first luxury hybrid-electric icebreaker, powered by liquefied natural gas, you’ll be transported to the untouched frontiers of Antarctica and the Arctic in unmatched comfort and sustainability. Prefer warmer climes? Embark on a voyage around the Cape of Good Hope , sailing from South Africa to Namibia with the chance to experience a big game safari en route. Or dive into the waters of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, on an 11-night expedition  where you can snorkel with sea turtles and explore one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on Earth.   

Crystal Cruises 

Ready for the voyage of a lifetime? Crystal Cruises offers Grand Journeys – epic itineraries starting at 40 nights that take you around the world in luxury, with land excursions, fine dining and entertainment galore. Next year, adventure-seekers can board the Crystal Serenity in Los Angeles for a marathon 89-night trip to Singapore via Hawaii, French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Melbourne, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand – an unforgettable journey to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. For those with less time but no less wanderlust, Crystal Cruises also offers shorter six- or seven-night itineraries from Barcelona or Vancouver, delivering the same elegance and attention to detail on a more compact scale.  

Emerald Cruises

An eight-day journey along the Rhine with Emerald Cruises is a luxurious and immersive way to explore the heart of Europe. Beginning in Amsterdam, you’ll enjoy a glass-top canal cruise through the city’s iconic waterways before sailing past the windmill-dotted Dutch countryside. In Germany, highlights include guided tours of Cologne’s Old Town, the historic charm of Koblenz and the romantic city of Heidelberg. The voyage continues through the storybook landscapes of the Black Forest, with a stop in the medieval town of Freiburg. As the cruise enters Switzerland, you’re treated to the alpine beauty of Basel before concluding in cosmopolitan Zurich. 

AdventureSmith Explorations

For an experience that looks more like an expedition, AdventureSmith Explorations partners with a curated selection of small-ship cruise operators to deliver journeys that go far beyond the ordinary, connecting you with each destination’s natural beauty and cultural richness. Whether you’re navigating the fjords and wildlife-rich coastlines of New Zealand, visiting remote Indigenous communities in British Columbia, Canada, or exploring the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean, every itinerary is crafted for discovery, on land and at sea. Expert-led excursions include hiking secluded trails, kayaking through pristine waters, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkelling and diving.