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Honeymoon Hot Spots: Cruise By Style
FashionableBride.com’s picks for the best honeymoon cruises to suit your style
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If you’re a: Deal Hunter
Try: Carnival Dream
Think a seven-day honeymoon cruise is outside your budget? Think again. Carnival Cruise Lines offers some of the most affordable sails, and cruises on their newest ships are no different. The little-over-a-year-old Carnival Dream—and the just-launched Magic—will satisfy your cruising desires at a fraction of the cost. But just because the price is skimpy, doesn’t mean they skimp on services. The mega-sized Dream (the line’s largest ship) includes a bi-level Serenity retreat for adults, a 23,750-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa, a comedy club and Ocean Plaza, an indoor/outdoor café and live music and entertainment venue with a dance floor to get your groove on.
Seven-day cruises on the Carnival Dream to the Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral start at $559 per person (carnival.com).
If you’re an: Onboard Activities Seeker
Try: Allure of the Seas
For those prone to stir-craziness between ports, Royal Caribbean’s new Allure of the Seas is for you. The ship’s extensive entertainment ranges from a production of Chicago: The Musical to aquatic extravaganza OceanAria to the Monopoly-inspired ice show Ice Games. For the more active set, there are two rock-climbing walls, two FlowRider surf simulators, a nine-deck high (more than 82 feet up) zip line, afternoon water sports competitions at the Sports Pool, a dance lounge with pro instructors on hand for lessons, a nine-hole mini golf course…the list goes on but suffice to say there’s no chance of being bored while on board.
Seven-night itineraries on the Allure of the Seas to the Eastern and Western Caribbean typically start around $765 per person (royalcaribbean.com).
If you’re a: Romance Lover
Try: m/s Paul Gauguin
Watching the sun sink behind the mountains of Tahiti while enjoying a private dinner on your suite’s balcony is probably as romantic as it gets. Just ask any of the 12,000-plus honeymooners who have already sailed on the m/s Paul Gauguin, the South Pacific’s most luxurious year-round cruise ship. To take advantage of the ship’s myriad offerings (perhaps a relaxing couple’s treatment in the Deep Nature Spa?), sign up for the newly introduced Honeymoon Registry to create a wish list of excursions, dining options or spa treatments that friends and family can easily gift you prior to sailing.
Seven-night cruises to French Polynesia and the South Pacific start at $3,997 per couple, including airfare from Los Angeles (pgcruises.com).
If you’re a: Serious Foodie
Try: Seabourn Quest
More like a fleet of yachts than ships, Seabourn operates the smallest vessels of any major cruise line, and the brand new Quest only accommodates 450 passengers so you can spend your honeymoon in serious peace and quiet—that is when you aren’t hitting up one of the four onboard eateries. Seabourn enlisted award-winning celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer (the genius behind 11 acclaimed restaurants across the country) to devise each menu. This isn’t run-of-the-mill cruise food, unless you normally indulge in marinated tuna tartare, Tuscany braised veal with mascarpone mashed potatoes or pan roasted wild bass with white bean puree. After you’ve stuffed yourselves sufficiently, shake off your food coma in a spacious ocean-view suite with a private terrace.
Seven-day Mediterranean cruises from Athens to Venice start at $2,999 per person (seabourn.com).
If you’re a: Design-ista
Try: Crystal Serenity
Fresh from a $25 million overhaul, Crystal Serenity’s recent design upgrade included renovations to its 531staterooms and suites, retail centers, outdoor pool deck and other public spaces. The result? Classic elegance (think how cruise ships used to be) cut with a modern edge—meaning clean, contemporary lines mixed with luxe materials like silk, velvet, leather and linen in the guest rooms; custom carpeting, new artwork and mood lighting in the corridors; and a redesigned pool deck with circular pod beds just made for lounging in a palette of lime, mango and azure. The refurb is so brand new we don’t even have pics yet…so stay tuned.
Eleven-day cruises along the Mediterranean start at $5,230 per person, including airfare and $1,000 onboard spending credit (crystalcruises.com).
