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Photo by Annie Liebovitz, courtesy of Celebrity.
If you agree with Sartre that hell is other people, avoid the Mediterranean Sea in August. And consider these options:
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Cross the Atlantic
Think wide skies, empty horizons and you’re sitting on a chaise longue on deck. The ultimate booking? The Sandringham and Balmoral duplexes continue Cunard‘s flagship, the queen mary 2. Each has a deluxe apartment vibe and a private, rear-facing balcony. Or book all four interconnecting Royal Suites, named after Queens Elizabeth, Mary, Anne and Victoria to accommodate up to 16 people. (This has happened. The crew is still talking about a Middle Eastern party that rarely left their quarters except to shop at the ship’s jeweler.)
Opt for charter
AquaExpeditions‘Boutique aqua blue, Aqua Nera, Aqua Mekongand aqua mare are excellent for charter and range from seven to 20 cabins. Belmond Riverboats in France (the Hirondel, which sails on the ridiculously scenic Marne, for example, has only four cabins) can also transport bikes on board for even more alone time. The two just renovated Sea Dream Yacht Club Ships are perfect for up to 112 of your loved ones.
Get a balcony
Even on less intimate vessels, time on deck goes a long way. viking Ocean-going ships have all-balcony suites (you can’t go wrong). That Regent Seven Seas splendor has 10 categories of balcony staterooms, with even the most modest measuring 307 square feet. The Penthouse Spa Suites continue Seabourn Ovation and encore are located on one of the highest decks with a fantastic view of the ship’s wake. The two bedroom Royal Suites up Silversea’s Silvermoon come with 194-square-foot porches. And the owners’ residence further exploration trips (launch May 2023) has a private pool on its balcony.
Score a ship within a ship
Even larger ships are increasingly accommodating family and friend groups with private “enclaves” of cabins and shore excursions just for you and yours. On celebrity‘s The Retreat, multiple cabins share a private deck, restaurant and sometimes pool. The two Iconic Suites continue celebrity edgeeach with two bedrooms, sits over the bridge – you’ll have better views than the captain and a 689-square-foot terrace with a hot tub, double daybed, and a butler to arrange in-room dining and cocktails.
Go big on expeditions
Anonymity is not easy on small ships sailing to remote corners of the world (unless you charter them). You spend the whole day with other passengers on land, then exchange ideas at the bar and over dinner – usually in the one restaurant. Solutions? The mega yacht-like Scenic solar eclipse, which explores both polar regions and much in between, has nine dining areas. Silversea’s 100-passenger Galápagos Ship, silver originhas two plus in suite dining, as does the new one SeabournVenture. The 378 passenger Viking Octantis has five dining rooms (its aquavit terrace overlooks a series of pools).
GTC TIP:
Do you want the benefits of European river cruising (sightseeing and easy shore leave) without the downside (limited movement)? AmaWaterways’ Danube cruise ship AmaMagna is twice as wide as traditional river boats, with 98 cabins measuring up to 710 square feet, four restaurants and a spa.
This story will appear in the Summer 2022 issue of City Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW
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