Last week, we did a blog about Regent Seven Seas, a luxury cruise line that has new entertainment, and it got us thinking about how "luxury" compares to "standard" in the cruise world…and by "standard" we mean the big cruise lines with the biggest ships and biggest passenger loads.
So we decided to do as much of an apples-to-apples comparison as we could. One cruise. Same general destination (Caribbean). Same type of cabin (balcony). Same month (November).
For your perusal, then, here is Regent Seven Seas' Navigator vs Royal Caribbean's mighty Oasis of the Seas, the biggest of the mainstream big ships…
Regent Seven Seas is essentially an all-inclusive cruise line. One price covers all, or pretty much all. The cruise we researched is on the Navigator, it's seven nights and it's going to the Western Caribbean, where it will make four port stops.
Price: $4,000.
The Oasis — biggest cruise ship in the world — cruise is also seven nights to the Caribbean, with three ports. Both cruises are to the Western Caribbean, although they have only one port in common. The items priced below for the Oasis are all included on the Navigator:
Balcony stateroom: $1,517
Return airfare: $400
Shore excursions (3): $300
Specialty restaurants: $90
Beverage package: $385
Taxes: $150
Airport transfers: $60
Gratuities: $84
We hasten to point out that this is not an exact science. For one thing, we based airfare on flights from the middle of the continent, Chicago. Obviously, that could vary by where you live, but Chicago is the most central departure point. For another, beverage packages vary, so we chose one that's middle-of-the-road. For another, Regent Seven Seas has smaller ships and higher ratios of staff-per-passenger.
So how much more is it worth for luxury.
The total of the Oasis of the Seas prices above is $2,996.
The difference is $1,004, or 25 per cent more.
What do you think?
Today at Phil Reimer's portsandbows.com: The latest in cruise news
Carnival Splendor
7 nights
August 31, 2014
New York (return): Saint John (N.B.)
Inside: $549
Cost per day: $137
www.carnival.com