Premium Cruising
 

I just finished reading some interesting messages concerning cruising on some of the "premium" lines. Some suggested were Radisson, Seabourne, Silver Sea, and Crystal, though nobody voiced an opinion as to which one they thought was best. Any ideas?

IMO, these are all wonderful cruiselines. Which one you'd prefer is an individual choice. If you want smaller, fewer passengers you might like Seabourne, or Silver Sea. If you want larger, more formal and more passengers Crystal might be for you. Radisson seems to fall in the middle with more passengers that Seabourne or Silver Sea but more relaxed and fewer passengers than Crystal.
My favorite of the above luxury lines is Radisson. Silversea would be a close 2nd. Crystal would likely be my least favorite because I've given up on set dining seating times and only want ships with open seating. If entertainment and a larger casino is your highest priority, you'd probably like Crystal though it's normally pricier than the others mentioned. If food and cabin size with a balcony is a high priority, you'd probably like Radisson the best. If a balcony is not important and you want smallness and intimacy, Seabourne would probably be best for you. Since you haven't cruised on any of them yet, let the itinerary and pricing dictate your choice. I think you'd be happy with any of the above. The service and entire cruise experience on these lines is going to spoil you. You will never want to return to the mass marketed ships again. Good luck with your decision...they're all fine.

Thanks for your help. I made a copy of the post and kept it for future reference. I've been thinking of Seabourne in 2007. I find that RCCl, Celebrity, etc. have forgotten what cruising is all about. Food, entertainment, etc. has gone downhill! Thanks, again.

You will find detailed discussions on this topic in www.cruisecritic.com chat room. My personal favorite is Silversea. I know that Radisson has many devoted fans, but I wasn't impressed in my two cruises with them. I am finally going on Seabourn for the first time in 2006. I'll find out if their service is enough to compensate for the lack of balcony.

Crystal just made #1 cruise line in the T & L's Worlds Best Awards. Really want to try that cruise line:)

They have been #1 for ten years for good reason. Their service is the best; the food is wonderful; the ships are small enough (900-1000)to be intimate, but large enough to have top notch entertainment and casinos; and most rooms have balconies. They are a little more expensive, but we would rather go on one Crystal Cruise than two cheaper cruises.