From Champagne and caviar on the beach to behind-the-scenes access, when it comes to ultra-luxury cruises, guests really can have it all. These are the creme de la creme of holidays. The ships are six-star, where nothing is too much trouble. The food isn’t just gourmet, it’s often backed by the expertise of a world-renowned Michelin-star chef like Thomas Keller (Seabourn) or Nobu Matsuhisa (Crystal Cruises). The ships are intimate but, more importantly, large enough to mean that no ship ever feels overcrowded. The decor rivals that of a five-star hotel with suites that offer everything you could possibly imagine, from whirlpools on balconies to a private car and driver in every port. 

Then there are the itineraries. Typically, the ultra-luxury lines stay away from the mega-ships and dock in ports that the larger vessels simply can’t get into. That means they stay exclusive and aren’t overrun. And, when the six-star ships do dock, the shore excursions on offer are on another level. Guests are always free to explore under their own steam but often the companies have special access to world-famous sites, either after hours or without having the need to join the queues. The ultra-luxury expedition ships give guests a new way of seeing nature with many having helicopters and even submarines onboard. Imagine soaring high above the ice in Antarctica or seeing what lies beneath in a submarine. 

It’s the same for the rivers, too. From exotic rivers like the Ganges in India or the Magdalena in Colombia, to the hero rivers of Europe, joining an ultra-luxury r