The world of luxury cruise holidays is constantly evolving, with demand surging and discerning travellers seeking high-end experiences and unforgettable voyages steeped in luxury and exclusivity.
Condé Nast Traveller have unveiled their definitive 2026 Gold List, showcasing the very best cruises across the world. From tucking into ritzy spreads of complimentary caviar, champagne and canapés while sailing from Bangkok to Bali, to ultra-luxury ships charting a course across the myth-strewn waters of the Mediterranean - discover our top handpicked cruises featured in the Condé Nast Gold List.
The on-deck swimming pool aboard Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer
Upon its launch in 2016, the Regent Seven Seas Explorer was the most expensive cruise ship ever built, dripping with opulence from stern to bow. With its gleaming interior surfaces clad in marble and granite and high ceilings adorned with glistening chandeliers, the Seven Seas Explorer remains to this day one of the best vessels for a luxury cruise holiday.
Accommodating 746 passengers, this behemoth ship can be found traversing a number of coveted routes, including a voyage through the maritime heart of Asia from Bangkok to Bali. On board, a superb all-inclusive experience enables passengers to indulge in gourmet cuisine – be it a fine-dining feast of lobster or a butler-delivered platter of canapés and champagne as you unwind in your expansive suite. Other highlights of the cruise include an onboard spa facility where you can reap the benefits of an exfoliating seaweed wrap treatment or stress-relieving infrared sauna, plus on-deck swimming pools and even croquet and mini-golf courses.
The Regent Seven Seas Explorer sails the world's oceans, offering a supreme luxury cruise experience.
Our Asia Peaks & Pagodas cruise aboard the Regent Seven Seas Explorer begins with two nights amid the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, the frenetic Thai capital. A veritable sensory overload, you’ll be able to explore this dynamic metropolis’ alluring blend of old and new, visiting ornate temples and pagodas and navigating the throngs of locals and tourists alike as you meander through spice-scented street food stalls and local markets brimming with fresh produce.
From Bangkok, you’ll board the ship and embark on an incredible 11-night cruise that culminates on the Indonesian island of Bali, revered for its spirituality, history and wellness-focused culture. Along the way, you’ll make stops at a number of fascinating ports of call, including Koh Samui in Thailand; Port Klang, gateway to the innovative Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur; the sprawling Indonesian capital, Jakarta; and the Dutch colonial heritage city of Semarang.
The expansive yet intimate Silversea Silver Moon sails a vast array of coveted cruise passages across the globe.
Silversea Silver Moon
The first of the Silversea fleet to feature the Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.) programme – a combination of interactive cooking classes, enlightening shore excursions and gourmet onboard gastronomy that shines a light on authentic cultural cuisines – the Silver Moon accommodates 596 passengers and 411 attentive crew members, offering a fantastic selection of cruise routes across the globe.
Despite its size, the Silver Moon manages to maintain the sense of intimacy that has become synonymous with the Silversea cruise experience. Butlers clad in black-tie attire endeavour to make the smallest of requests a reality, whether it’s delivering a mixologist-crafted cocktail to your cabin or complimentary caviar to your elegantly dressed table. On deck, you can spend afternoons lingering in the ship’s expansive swimming pool, while inside you can retire to Silver Moon’s serene spa facility, break a sweat at the onboard fitness centre and sit down to sumptuous meals before enjoying nightly entertainment as the sun dips beyond the horizon.
Silversea Silver Moon features a luxurious onboard spa.
Our 14-night Silversea Silver Moon cruise through Australia and New Zealand begins with a three-night stay in Sydney. After embarking, the ship charts a course towards Auckland, stopping at stunning destinations along the way that include some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking fjords, the remote island of Tasmania, the French-inspired town of Akaroa and the wildlife-abundant shores of Stewart Island.
Seabourn Venture is an ultra-luxury expedition ship accommodating just 264 passengers.
Seabourn Venture
An ultra-luxury expedition ship 557 ft in length and with room for 264 passengers, Seabourn Venture can be boarded at various ports across the globe for an unforgettable cruise experience. Our Spanish Nights & Storied Coasts - Barcelona to Greenwich voyage aboard Seabourn Venture takes you from the Catalan capital to the maritime heritage of Greenwich in London.
En route, you’ll stop off to discover enchanting Spanish cities like Seville, Málaga and Gijón so you can immerse yourself in the cultural charm, flamenco-filled streets and storied history of Spain. The route also calls at French ports including the enchanting ramparts and historic walled city of Saint-Malo and the poignant modern history that permeates Dunkirk, as well as the British seaside town of Poole in Dorset, home to elegant Georgian architecture and sandy beaches.
The stunning Veranda Suite on Seabourn Venture features a private veranda for panoramic ocean vistas.
While you cruise, you can relish luxurious onboard facilities and experiences that range from eight diverse dining venues serving everything from fresh sashimi and expertly crafted cocktails to complimentary caviar and champagne; an onboard spa that blends traditional remedies from across the world; an on-deck infinity pool that gazes over the wake of the ship; an outdoor sky bar flanked by two whirlpool spas; and a Discovery Centre where fascinating lectures on natural history and culture are held.
In addition, each luxuriously fitted suite onboard the Seabourn Venture features a large picture window, a private veranda, a comfortable sitting area and plush queen-size bed, ensuring your journey is one of supreme comfort and embellished with all the hallmarks of a modern luxury cruise.
A culinary tour de force, Crystal Serenity features nine exceptional dining venues.
Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity
Built in 2003 and beautifully refurbished in 2023, the Crystal Serenity by Crystal Cruises is an award-winning luxury cruise ship that can accommodate 740 travellers. On board, guests can relish 24-hour butler service and the cutting-edge Aurora Spa, complete with sauna, steam room, aromatherapy and a selection of soothing treatments and remedies. Other onboard facilities include a more than 3,000-square-foot fitness centre with a full wellness programme, an observation deck peering across the azure ocean, a glass roof which prompts magical stargazing at night, and full-sized paddle tennis and pickleball courts.
Each expansive suite onboard the Crystal Serenity comes with a host of luxurious benefits, from afternoon canapés and modern coffee machines to comfortable living rooms and mini bars stocked with premium spirits, fine wines and soft drinks. The Crystal Serenity experience revolves, for the large part, around its exceptional gastronomy offerings. Explore the ship’s accoladed cuisine across its nine onboard restaurants and bars, serving everything from Japanese-Peruvian delights to authentic Italian cuisine, succulent American grills and Parisian-style bistro dishes.
Guests travelling aboard Crystal Serenity can enjoy fine cigars and cognacs at the Connoisseur Club.
Cutting through the storied Mediterranean waters, our incredible Venice to Athens cruise aboard Crystal Serenity allows you to embark on the odyssey of a lifetime over seven nights. Commencing with two enchanting nights amongst Venice’s labyrinthine passages and waterways, you’ll embark at the nearby port in Fusina and begin your cruise to the ethereal city of Athens. En route, the ship will dock at a number of charming, historic ports including Trieste, Dubrovnik, Kefalonia, Corfu and the impressive citadel of Monemvasia, showcasing the Mediterranean region’s incredible maritime heritage.
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is the world's only ocean liner still in operation.
Cunard Queen Mary 2
With its sturdy hull of reinforced steel designed to resist the choppiest of North Atlantic crossings, Cunard’s flagship vessel, Queen Mary 2, is the world’s last purpose-built ocean liner still in service. Like the British liners of old, the Queen Mary 2 still traverses the Atlantic Ocean between its headquarters in Southampton and the fabled cityscape of New York, and its interior character celebrates the elegance and nostalgia of a bygone era in oceangoing cruises. With room for 2,691 passengers attended to by 1,173 endeavouring crew members, the vastness and scale of life onboard is impressive, and wandering its richly carpeted corridors and grand, chandelier-lit staircases transports you to another time.
So too does Queen Mary 2 hark back to the past with its onboard experiences, be it with a classic British heritage meal of perfectly crusted beef wellington, an evening spent swinging and swaying in the ballroom, or the high glamour of afternoon tea in the Queen’s Room. Other highlights include an onboard planetarium; gripping lectures held by Royal Navy submarine captains; nightly entertainment shows; a comprehensive spa with saunas, steam rooms, daily yoga classes and a hydrotherapy pool; a state-of-the-art fitness centre; and the largest library at sea, replete with maritime literature. The ship’s sprawling, teak-wrapped deck provides further delight, with an outdoor pool and whirlpools plus a Sports Centre complete with a five-a-side football pitch, basketball court and golf nets.
The Grand Lobby aboard Queen Mary 2.
You can step aboard the vintage elegance of Queen Mary 2 with our sensational Singapore to Cape Town cruise, which begins with a luxurious three-night stay in the ultramodern metropolis of Singapore. From here, the ship travels to ports such as Kuala Lumpur, Port Louis in Mauritius, Durban and finally Cape Town, spanning a total of 16 unforgettable nights onboard with a further night’s stay in Cape Town.