Aside from white gloved butlers, top shelf liquor and luxurious surroundings, high-end cruising comes with more than just that.
Lines like Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Crystal Cruises and Ponant go above and beyond to create unique experiences for their guests.
Eric Tan, who has 165 cruises under his belt, was travelling with Seabourn when the ship was docked in Cozumel, Mexico.
He and his friends found out that the legendary Elton John was giving a concert among the Mayan ruins at Chichén Itzá, which was roughly a four-hour drive away from the port.
“We started joking that we should go,” Mr Tan told the Los Angeles Times. “Incredibly, the cruise line made it happen.”
The ship’s concierge got the party of eight, 12th row seats, chartered a plane, limos and got them to the concert on time. Mr Tan and his wife, Penny spent US$2,000 each for the special night out, but said it was worth it.
The event, which happened a couple of years ago, was a turning point, and Mr Tan has made the permanent switch to luxury cruising.
This is not the only case where the cruise lines have gone above and beyond. Austin, Texas resident, Keith Steiner also told the Los Angeles Times, he and his wife swear by Crystal Cruises.
Since 2002, the couple are regular cruisers aboard the luxury fleet and said his favourite experience the line created for the couple was for his wife’s birthday.
“For my wife’s birthday, we went on a special tour in Honolulu that included lunch at the Natsunoya Japanese Tea House, where a spy viewed Pearl Harbor troop movements prior to the start of the Pacific war,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
“The restaurant was opened just for my wife, Anne Marie, and me.”
