Culinary Latitudes is your once-in-a-lifetime experience filed with culture, history, and fun with a side of fine dining.
At Culinary Latitudes, we deliberately choose to focus on boutique, premium, and luxury voyages rather than mass-market cruises—and it all comes down to the kind of vacation we want you to have. While large, mainstream ships can be a lot of fun, their low initial price tags often don’t tell the whole story. By the time you add up the extra costs for drinks, gratuities, and specialty dining, the final bill can be a bit of a surprise. Plus, navigating mega-ships with thousands of other guests naturally means more lines and bigger crowds.
We love the relaxed, easygoing vibe of smaller ships because they treat you to an elegant, unhurried atmosphere where so much more is already bundled into your upfront fare. Most importantly, smaller vessels can dock in unique, intimate ports that larger ships simply can't reach. For us, it’s all about making sure your hard-earned vacation is filled with deep cultural connections, unforgettable local flavors, and a seamless, stress-free travel experience from start to finish.
Premium tier (the “mainstream” end)
Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, Cunard
Price: One comparison site puts Princess at about $147 per night on average, Holland America at $167 and Cunard at $179. Those are averages across all cabins. Celebrity tends to fall in the same range.
Pros: Lowest fares, the most sailings and ports, and plenty of onboard activity. Princess scored higher on guest ratings than Cunard in one comparison. Princess is rated 4.4 out of 5 versus Cunard’s 4.1.
Cons: Larger ships and more crowds. Drinks, specialty dining and gratuities are extra, and bundles add up. Princess Plus is about $65 per day and Premier about $100 per day, while Holland America’s Have It All is $55 per day but excludes gratuities unless you get a promotion.
Upper-premium / “affordable luxury”
Viking Ocean
Price: Roughly $400–$800 per person per night, with one shore excursion per port included. A 10-night voyage is estimated at $4,000–$10,000 per person.
Pros: The cheapest route into a luxury-feeling product. Its ships carry about 930 guests, larger than Silversea or Seabourn but much smaller than mass-market ships.
Cons: Gratuities are added separately. It is less all-inclusive than the true luxury lines.
Oceania
Price: About $500–$1,200 per person per night.
Pros: Known for its food, with ships of roughly 684–1,250 passengers. The atmosphere is relaxed but elegant.
Cons: Drinks and many extras cost more, so the final bill grows.
Ultra-luxury
Regent Seven Seas
Price: About $700–$1,500 per person per night, all-inclusive. One Greece sailing priced at $6,199 for seven nights, or $8,629 with economy air.
Pros: The only line that includes every standard shore tour. It also covers premium drinks, gratuities and, on many sailings, air and a pre-cruise hotel. That’s why its fares look higher than rivals.
Cons: The highest sticker price. It still charges extra for things like spa treatments and shopping.
Silversea
Price: About $800–$2,000 per person per night for entry suites.
Pros: Wi-Fi and gratuities are included. Butler service for every guest and a very high staff-to-guest ratio. It is also strong on expedition voyages.
Cons: More expensive than Seabourn for similar ships, and some inclusions are more limited than Regent’s.
Seabourn
Price: One June 2026 Greece sailing started at $3,869 for seven nights, about $645 per night, against $886 per night on a similar Regent sailing before air.
Pros: Intimate ships of about 458–600 guests with a private-yacht feel. It is often cheaper than Regent and Silversea.
Cons: Fewer inclusions than Regent. Shore excursions cost extra.
Which is the best value?
Cheapest overall: Princess or Holland America, but you will pay extra for drinks, tips and excursions.
Best entry into luxury: Viking, or Oceania if food matters most to you.
Best all-in value: Regent Seven Seas. Once you subtract the cost of excursions and other extras, its effective daily rate comes much closer to lower-tier lines. Regent has also advertised that its fares can beat premium lines on some itineraries. One 2020 comparison claimed it was cheaper than premium lines on a Mediterranean week, though that is a marketing claim.
Best price per night in true luxury: Seabourn, if you don’t need unlimited excursions.
Most of these figures come from third-party guides and travel blogs. Before booking, compare the same itinerary and cabin type on each line’s own site, and add up drinks, excursions, gratuities and airfare. If you tell me your destination, trip length and budget, I can narrow this to two or three specific sailings.
If you are ready to experience a sailing yourself, our services are free and we provide you with air, insurance, and hotel support with a booking through our agency. Bon Voyage!
Resources: Travelvient; cruise critic; cruiseline passenger; The Vacationer
