Service. Above all else, it is the service that makes a cruise luxury. There is only so much material provisions that money can buy, but service can keep getting better. From the welcome introduction to the farewell send off, you should expect the conduct and attentiveness of all the staff to be of the highest quality. On certain 5 star cruises, you may even get your own butler.

Food. Being served high quality food and drink is something that made lots of people fall in love with cruising in the first place, but with some of the newer ‘no-frills’ cruises the food isn’t as good as it probably should be. You’ll find that some of the finest chefs in the world work on the luxury cruise ships and produce some simply exquisite food and drink for your pleasure. Additionally, for the cost of luxury you should also be granted more flexibility in terms of the foods you can order and the times of day you can order it.

Entertainment/Facilities. Good quality shows and provisions make a real difference, especially on longer cruises. Luxury cruises can afford to provide the best quality facilities such as gyms and pools, and also put on the most amazing shows. The top performers often strive to work on the best ships such as Oceania Cruises, so it most often the case that the best professional performers and directors are snapped up by luxury cruise lines and provide real quality entertainment.