best summer cruise

Best Cruises to Take During the Summer

The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise

Luxist readers have nominated their favorite cruises to take around the world during the summer months. From Istanbul to Hong Kong and Egypt, what these cruises have in common are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see the world while enjoying luxurious accommodations and other incredible amenities. What's best, is you will be able to explore the beauty and culture of faraway places without having to spend half of your time in confusing and crowded airports.

The top five cruises to take during the summer, according to our readers, are:

The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise

The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise (seen in photo above) offers a 24-day itinerary that begins in Bangkok, Thailand and ends in Kobe, Japan, with stops in five cities along the Pacific coastline. The first week includes stops in Vietnam's sprawling Ho Chih Minh City and bustling port of Da Nang before chugging over to Hong Kong, where shore excursions include a helicopter ride and high tea at the Peninsula Hotel.

Week two starts with a journey to mainland China's seaside city of Xiamen; the trip continues with two days in Shanghai, the "Paris of China," and wraps up with a day on the Yellow Sea. The third week takes visitors to South Korea, first to the mountain-backed city of Mokpo, then to Jeju, a volcanic island formed from eruptions nearly 2 million years ago. The trip ends with stops at Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Kobe, Japan.

The Fabled Far East cruise takes place on the Seabourn Pride, a boat that boasts both a restaurant and spa. Best Available Fares per person, based on double occupancy, start at $11,400 for wait list spot, while the brochure fare is $22,800. Fares go all the way up to $32,800 for a wait list spot in a deluxe owner's suite (the stated brochure fare is $65,600), not including airfare.

Gallery: The Yachts of Seabourn

The Yachts of Seabourn (The Fabled Far East Cruise)

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The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Want to explore the bustle and beauty of Asia without spending half your time in confusing and crowded foreign airports? Then take a long look at The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise, a Luxist nominee in the best summer cruise category.

The 24-day itinerary begins in Bangkok, Thailand and ends in Kobe, Japan, with stops in five cities along the Pacific coastline. The first week includes stops in Vietnam's sprawling Ho Chih Minh City and bustling port of Da Nang before chugging over to Hong Kong, where shore excursions include a helicopter ride and high tea at the Peninsula Hotel.

Gallery: The Yachts of Seabourn

Week two starts with a journey to mainland China's seaside city of Xiamen; the trip continues with two days in Shanghai, the "Paris of China," and wraps up with a day on the Yellow Sea. The third week takes visitors to South Korea, first to the mountain-backed city of Mokpo, then to Jeju, a volcanic island formed from eruptions nearly 2 million years ago. The trip ends with stops at Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Kobe, Japan.

The Fabled Far East cruise takes place on the Seabourn Pride, a boat that boasts both a restaurant and spa. Best Available Fares per person, based on double occupancy, start at $11,400 for wait list spot, while the brochure fare is $22,800. Fares go all the way up to $32,800 for a wait list spot in a deluxe owner's suite (the stated brochure fare is $65,600), not including airfare.

Vote for the Summer Cruise that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: awards-main, best cruise, best summer cruise, China Construction Bank, China cruise, Cruise, Far East Cruise, Hong Kong, luxist-awards, The Yachts of Seabourn

Cruise the Greek Isles and Turkey on the Sea Cloud

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Sea Cloud's luxury cruise to Turkey and Greece

Some 2,500 years ago, the warm waters between Greece and what is now Turkey were filled with the warring fleets of Persia's King Xerxes and his Greek foes. These days, the ships sailing through the Aegean are of a much more peaceful variety-none more majestic than the vessels of Sea Cloud, a nominee for a Luxist award in the best summer cruises category.

One of Sea Cloud's most popular itineraries takes guests from Athens through the Greek Isles to Turkey and back again. The eight-day trip includes stops at Delos, an entire island designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site; Rhodes, where the Palace of the Grand Master still stands; and Bodrum, the Turkish town that was once home to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the original seven wonders of the world.

Gallery: Sea Cloud Cruises

Cruising the Greek Isles and Turkey with Sea Cloud

For those wishing to venture farther East, Sea Cloud's Athens-Cyprus trip includes stops at Knossos, island home of the fabled Minotaur; Latakia and Aleppo, one of the world's oldest continually-inhabited cities; and Tartarus, home to the Krak de Chevaliers, a Christian castle from the time of the first crusade. The trip terminates in the Cypriot city of Lanarca.

Both itineraries (which start at $3,995 per person and go all the way up to $7,995 person, not counting an early booking discount of $500) feature one of two ships: the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II. The latter bristles with teak and brass, holds 94 people and is sure to instill envy in any observer-perhaps even King Xerxes himself.

Vote for the Summer Cruise that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: Athens, Best summer cruise, Cruise, Cyprus, Delos, Greece, Luxist-Awards, mediterranean, Mediterranean cruise, Sea Cloud, Turkey

Oberoi Zahra Luxury Nile Cruiser: Cruise the Nile in Style

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

In the play Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare likens Cleopatra's barge to a burnished throne burning on the water. For modern travelers with an eye for Egyptian opulence, there's no need to look farther than the Oberoi Zahra Luxury Nile Cruiser---a Luxist Awards' nominee in the Best Summer Cruises category.

The eight-day voyages depart from Luxor and terminate in Aswan, or vice versa, giving passengers a taste of 5,000 years of history along the way. English-speaking Egyptologists are always available on board, and one accompanies each group of guests in the small luxury coaches that transport them to sightseeing stops onshore.

Gallery: The Oberoi Zahra, Luxury Nile Cruiser

Highlights of the trip include stops at the twin temple of Komombo, where one side is dedicated to the falcon god Haroeis, the other to the crocodile god Sobek, creator of the world; the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs from Ramses to Tut are buried; and the West Bank of ancient Thebes.

Perhaps the best part of the trip is the ship itself. The Oberoi Zahra boasts elegant cabins with wide windows, a gourmet restaurant and the only in-boat spa on the Nile. The spa includes four therapy rooms, each with a private shower and steam room-clearly facilities that Cleopatra would have demanded on a modern-day take on her barge.

Reservations can be made online, by email at reservations@oberoigroup.com, or by calling its toll-free line at (800) 562-3764.

Vote for the Summer Cruise that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: Awards-Main, Best Summer Cruise, Cruise, Luxist-Awards, Luxury Nile Cruiser, Nile River, Oberoi, The Oberoi Zahra

The Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Summer Travel

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Is there an adventure getaway that you think offers an unforgettable experience? Is there a beachside hotel that you believe is superior to all others? Which international summer destination provides the best in luxury, landscape and culture? Can you tell us about a luxury family summer destination that offers an incredible experience for both young and old? Which cruise do you think is the best one to take during the summer months?

If you can recommend what you believe are the best in summer travel, we want to hear from you! The Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Summer Travel will be awarded based on your nominations and voting.

We're currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:

Best Adventure Getaway
Best Beachside Hotel
Best International Summer Destination
Best Family Summer Destination
Best Summer Cruise

One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until August 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on September 1, 2010.

Tags: awards-main, beach, beach hotel, best adventure getaway, best beachside hotel, best international summer destination, best luxury family summer destination, best summer cruise, cruise, luxist-awards