Our picks of the best suites you’ll find on a cruise ship aren’t necessarily the biggest at sea (though spacious digs on ships, where standard cabins typically rival a cheap London hotel for sheer meanness of size, are indeed a luxury).
All of these—and I’ve stayed in them—are superb for a variety of reasons, including an elegant ambience, fun tech toys, lavish bathrooms, walk-in closets, and extra services of butlers and other handlers. We also considered location. It’s an odd truism that on some ships the most elaborate suites back right up onto public deck pool areas and sports courts with no privacy at all.
Size matters. But it’s not everything.
**What works**: Spacious, yes, but the Queen Anne suite is also cozy, featuring a living room/dining room combo with a table that seats four, a separate bedroom, one and a half—all marble—bathrooms and the all-important walk-in closet. But what I loved most was the view; the suite stretches halfway across the ship’s bow and from its bay-like windows you can see forever. **Perks**: Your butler will unpack for you and serve meals in your suite. But the Queen Anne is part of the Queens Grill Suites, so guests here can also dine in the dedicated Queens Grill restaurant or in the Grill-passenger-only sun terrace and bar. **Caveat: **There’s no balcony. On my cruise I thought it would matter. It didn’t. _The Queen Anne Suite's starting price for a 2012 seven-day transatlantic crossing is $11,895 per person, plus government fees & taxes and fuel supplement, if applicable._
Perks: Your butler will unpack for you and serve meals in your suite. But the Queen Anne is part of the Queens Grill Suites, so guests here can also dine in the dedicated Queens Grill restaurant or in the Grill-passenger-only sun terrace and bar.
Caveat: There’s no balcony. On my cruise I thought it would matter. It didn’t.
The Queen Anne Suite's starting price for a 2012 seven-day transatlantic crossing is $11,895 per person, plus government fees & taxes and fuel supplement, if applicable.|||
**What works**: This is the best suite at sea for families, perfect for passengers who want small-ship pampering with big-ship entertainment and kids’ clubs. There are a variety of categories within the Haven on each ship, but some villas feature a living room/dining area, kids’ bedroom for two, with its own television and bathroom. There’s a separate master bedroom/bath combo with a fabulous whirlpool tub that’s tucked next to full windows. **Perks**: The exclusive Haven section of the ship comes with its own pool, sun deck, hot tub and fitness area. There’s 24-hour butler service and a dedicated only-for-Havenites restaurant for breakfast and lunch (Norwegian _Epic_ is the only vessel with a private restaurant for dinner). **Caveat**: Once you’ve left the luxurious Haven you’re on a mass-market cruise ship. _From $2,999 per person double occupancy._
Perks: The exclusive Haven section of the ship comes with its own pool, sun deck, hot tub and fitness area. There’s 24-hour butler service and a dedicated only-for-Havenites restaurant for breakfast and lunch (Norwegian Epic is the only vessel with a private restaurant for dinner).
Caveat: Once you’ve left the luxurious Haven you’re on a mass-market cruise ship.
From $2,999 per person double occupancy.
**What works**: The Wintergarden, the largest suite you’ll find on Seabourn’s new trio of Odyssey-class ships, is perfectly pleasant, offering a Scandinavian design scheme, dining table for six, huge flat-screen TVs in living room and bedroom. There’s even a charmingly outfitted balcony with a dining table for alfresco meals. But the spot that will make you swoon is its conservatory, utterly unique, which sports a glassed-in solarium. Soaking in the egg-shaped tub while the ship is cruising is a marvelous feeling (er, in port you’ll need to draw the Venetian blinds), and the adjacent day bed is a wonderful spot for an afternoon nap. **Perks**: Personal suite stewardess service, complimentary private transfers between airport and ship, free Internet. **Caveat**: The living room has an oddly uncomfortable curving couch. _From $10,200 per person based on double occupancy. Rates vary according to itinerary, and are subject to change and availability._
Perks: Personal suite stewardess service, complimentary private transfers between airport and ship, free Internet.
Caveat: The living room has an oddly uncomfortable curving couch.
From $10,200 per person based on double occupancy. Rates vary according to itinerary, and are subject to change and availability.|||
**What works**: Whether you’re talking about its lavish public rooms, its airy spa, its cinema, or its staterooms, _S.S. Antoinette_ is not only the most gorgeous riverboat afloat, it’s also quite possibly the most beautiful ship anywhere. Its suites, like this one, which I’ve dubbed the mint chocolate box, are magnificent. All have different themes but share in common Savoir beds, original artwork, silk-lined walls, and, particularly unusual, a walk-out balcony that can be converted, in inclement weather, to an indoor conservatory with the flick of a switch. **Perks**: A butler to unpack and pack, deliver breakfast in bed, DVD player, free laundry, and a special dinner in L’Orangerie sky lounge. **Caveat**: The flat-screen television on the balcony is unnecessary. And the bigger caveat: The suites are so comfortable you’ll be hard-pressed to go ashore. _Suite 406 (pictured): From $1,925 per person above the base cruise price ($2,249–$3,499 per person). _
Perks: A butler to unpack and pack, deliver breakfast in bed, DVD player, free laundry, and a special dinner in L’Orangerie sky lounge.
Caveat: The flat-screen television on the balcony is unnecessary. And the bigger caveat: The suites are so comfortable you’ll be hard-pressed to go ashore.
Suite 406 (pictured): From $1,925 per person above the base cruise price ($2,249–$3,499 per person). |||
Royal Suite (pictured): From $3,725 per person above the base cruise price ($2,249–$3,499 per person).
**What works:** M_arina_’s trio of Owner’s Suites are a cross between a private yacht and a glamorous New York apartment in a 1940s flick. At 2,000 square feet apiece, they’re huge, but it’s the décor that wows, with touches like an ebony baby grand piano in the foyer and wraparound teak-covered verandas tricked out with a hot tub (with its own flat-screen television), dining table, and comfy chaises. Furnishings and bedding come from the Ralph Lauren Home Collection. The _Riviera,_ launching in April, will have similar suites. **Perks**: 24-hour butler service, the best restaurants you’ll find at sea (and the option to order from any menu for course-by-course in-suite service). **Caveat**: You’ll be seriously tempted to stay put—and you’d miss out on one of the most delightful cruise ships at sea. _Prices vary based on the length of the cruise and the itinerary. Some sample prices: $6,999 per guest (basis two) for a seven-day Caribbean cruise; $14,999 per guest (basis two) for a 12-day Mediterranean cruise._
Perks: 24-hour butler service, the best restaurants you’ll find at sea (and the option to order from any menu for course-by-course in-suite service).
Caveat: You’ll be seriously tempted to stay put—and you’d miss out on one of the most delightful cruise ships at sea.
Prices vary based on the length of the cruise and the itinerary. Some sample prices: $6,999 per guest (basis two) for a seven-day Caribbean cruise; $14,999 per guest (basis two) for a 12-day Mediterranean cruise.|||
Consistently rated among the best ships, the luxurious 535-stateroom Crystal Serenity is like a floating Beverly Hills, with fine boutiques, restaurants, a spa, a theater, pools, lounges, and a great deal more.
**What works**: If you want to experience exotic itineraries—and at the same time maintain, if not improve, your wellness regimen, the four spa suites on Hapag-Lloyd’s _Europa_ offer balance in the word’s best sense. They don’t just offer a pseudo-organic ambience as do most cruise lines with a trendy spa suite concept. Passengers booked here get lots of spa extras, from nutritional sessions to customized massage treatment plans. **Perks**: Rainforest shower and separate soaking tub, mini-fridges stocked with complimentary wellness beverages, as well as wine. **Caveat**: Stylistically, the ship is more European-oriented in food, enrichment, recreation, and ambience than any other luxury vessel, and the passengers pretty much speak only German. I loved it but not everyone will. _From $12,450 per person, based on double occupancy for a 12-day cruise_
Perks: Rainforest shower and separate soaking tub, mini-fridges stocked with complimentary wellness beverages, as well as wine.
Caveat: Stylistically, the ship is more European-oriented in food, enrichment, recreation, and ambience than any other luxury vessel, and the passengers pretty much speak only German. I loved it but not everyone will.
From $12,450 per person, based on double occupancy for a 12-day cruise|||
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