Our Favorite Ocean Cruise Brands
Our Favorite Ocean Cruise Brands
We are often asked about our favorite ocean cruise brands.
Before I share our favorites, I thought it necessary to first share with you ocean cruise brands that do not appear on our list.
Cruise Brands NOT on our List
- Large-ship Cruise Brands – As our business has grown over the years, we’ve learned that, as a rule, our baby boomer travelers do not enjoy sailing on a cruise ship with 3-6,000 people. Neither do we. Therefore, we decided a few years back not to book ocean cruise lines that have over 1,200 passengers.
- Financially Troubled Cruise Brands – The Covid-19 pandemic created severe financial difficulties for many cruise lines. And those who entered the pandemic with weak balance sheets have struggled to meet their financial obligations. Those cruise lines come off our recommended list when we see this happening. We suspend making new bookings until we are convinced that they can offer our clients a fabulous experience and have the financial wherewithal to back it up.
Best Ocean Cruise Brands
- 4.5-star: Viking Ocean Cruises. Carol and I have grown to become the #2 booking agents for Viking in the world. We’ve sailed on their ocean ships and know them very well. Further, Viking has the uncanny ability to create raving fans of their company. When Viking first introduced their ocean ships a few years back, their brilliant design made them instantly popular. They took massive market share from those brands with older, less desirable ocean-going vessels. Their entry-level staterooms are 270 sq. ft.; all have walkout balconies; the food is terrific, a shore excursion is complimentary in every port, and wine and beer are complimentary at lunch and dinner. When our clients come home from a Viking ocean cruise, they generally immediately book another.
- 5-star: Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Carol and I first sailed with Regent in Alaska a few years ago. We were immediately impressed. Their ships are beautiful, and as they cater to the 5-star traveler, everything is the best of the best. Further, we found their value-proposition to be remarkable. Absolutely everything is included, even business-class air on their overseas destinations. You will be hard-pressed to spend a dime on a Regent cruise. And when you compare all of the things included in their fare, you will find that your investment is very close to the same dollar spent on a significantly less desirable cruise line. And again, our clients come home happy and rebook. We’re big fans.
- 5-star: Silversea Cruises. Silversea also caters to the 5-star traveler. Their itineraries offer large entry-level staterooms and a complimentary shore excursion in every port (starting in 2022). Airfare is included (beginning in 2022), and wine and cocktails are on the house. We like that Silversea is aggressively putting new ships in the water. But unique to the luxury cruise market, Silversea has long been a standout in the expedition cruise market. Suppose you fall in love with Silversea, which you likely will. In that case, you can not only enjoy a luxury Mediterranean cruise, but they can bring that same level of luxury to an expedition cruise of Antarctica.
While these three cruise brands have earned our “go-to” status, there are certainly other ocean cruise brands in our collection that offer wonderful experiences, each with its own unique twist. These include:
Our Convenient Ocean Cruise Search Tool
While you are certainly welcome to click on any of the links above, our OCEAN CRUISE SEARCH TOOL will make your task to find the perfect ocean cruise much easier.
With the simple click of your mouse, you can search across all of these brands by date, price range, destination, and more. Try it out. We think that you will find it very convenient.
How to Book Ocean Cruises and Get Our Exclusive Perks
All of these cruise lines are part of our Virtuoso Voyages program.
This means that when you book any of these cruise lines through Roaming Boomers Travel Services, you will receive exclusive complimentary amenities on select sailings that you wouldn’t get by booking directly with the company.
Additionally, you will also enjoy our hands-on expert service and care for your booking. And, the price is exactly the same booking with us or booking with the company.
For more information, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here), and we’ll reach out to you.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
About Virtuoso
Virtuoso® is the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with over 20,000 advisors. We partner with over 1,800 of the world’s best companies such as hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and more. Our advisors use their personal connections and firsthand expertise to craft bespoke trips for clients, including unique experiences, special values, complimentary perks, VIP treatment, and rare access.
Thanks for letting us know your favorite cruise brands. This information really means a lot to me…