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If you find big ship cruising just a little impersonal there are some operators that provide a smaller, more intimate service that may suite your needs.SeaDream Yacht Club Cruises are the perfect antidote to the faceless approach of the mass market cruise.The vessels operated by this company are not really cruise ships, rather they are superbly equipped mega-yachts and a true taste of marine luxury.

SeaDream operates only two vessels: SeaDream I and II which originally entered service in 1984 and 1985 respectively. They were bought by SeaDream Yacht Club in 2001 and were extensively refitted to make them contemporary, chic, all-inclusive boutique yachts. They both carry just 108 passengers, serviced by 89 crew, sailing the Mediterranean in the summer months and Caribbean in the winter.

This entire ethos of these vessels is to provide a luxury cruise experience for a younger, more informal and fun crowd around 40+ who seek relaxed and casual entertainment but still insist on high standards of service, food and accommodation. SeaDream I and II are therefore ideal for people who want an ultra-luxury cruising experience but in a casual style, so you’ll find no tuxedos or ball gowns on board these ships.Partially as a consequence of that luxurious informality, the average age of passengers is lower than you would normally expect on a cruise and tends to attract younger couples and honeymooners.

Guests tend to be a bit more active too. The vessels have swimming platforms that can be lowered as required and guests have use of the onboard jet skis and small dinghies.Because they are relatively small ships, they can also visit ports that other bigger ships could not even consider and although more akin to large yachts, they still have room for the facilities and amenities that you’d expect of any five-star establishment, afloat or on shore.A fully equipped spa is available on both ships as well as a well stocked library with full Internet access.Guests can even watch a movie in the Main Salon.

Popularity: 10%

Many cruises claim to offer the newest service or have biggest accommodation areas on their boats, and it is true that the standards of cruise ships are improving all the time. So what is it that differentiates a great cruise from a luxury cruise?

Service. A luxury cruise relies on offering excellent service to keep its clientele happy. Sometimes a cruise ship might not have the best facilities in the world, or might not go to the best locations, but can still be classed as luxury due to the exemplary service they offer. Staff should be looking at their best the whole time, be courteous, helpful and never rude to guests. It is vital that guests on the boat have an easy path of communication and can have their queries answered quickly.

Facilities. Although cruise ships are rather large these days, they are still limited in the range of facilities they can provide, and therefore it’s important that what they do offer is top notch. Facilities can mean anything from the dining room to the swimming pool and most luxury cruises keep their facilities up-to-date and well maintained. Silversea Cruises are among the industry leaders in getting the latest cruise facilities.

Food. This is one of the most important elements for any ship. If people experienced good food on their trip it can mean they have the best time ever, but alternatively, if the food is bad, it can ruin the cruise even if everything else was great. It is not uncommon for a luxury cruise to have a world-class chef on board preparing the food, or at least controlling a team of chefs underneath them, who are available to cook something up at any time of the day. Cruise companies such as Oceania cruises pride themselves on the food and drink they offer to guests and actively encourage their guests to ask for tailored dishes.

Popularity: 11%