Emma Taylor

As an ultra-luxury discovery yacht, you’d expect a high level of culinary quality and choice. What Scenic have done is out of this world!

I’ve been working within the cruise industry for over 20 years and in that time I’ve been lucky enough to visit some amazing destinations but the Galapagos is like no other.

Having travelled on an expedition cruise around South America before, I thought I had an idea of what to expect but how wrong was I?!

I have a real passion for luxury travel and I enjoy crafting memorable holiday experiences for other discerning travellers. One of my favourite cruise lines is Oceania Cruises, I've travelled with them many times throughout the years so I thought I would share some of my favourite hints and tips for travelling with them today.

At the end of September I was lucky enough to spend 10 amazing days with Windstar on board their Star Class ship, Star Legend, sailing from Lisbon to Barcelona. This was the first time I’d stepped on board a cruise ship of any kind since November 2019, so I was incredibly excited, but also curious as to how it would all look on board post-pandemic.

For many people, when they think of a luxury cruise, their mind immediately jumps to 'Caribbean'. They're certainly not wrong, as many luxury ocean cruises and super yachts visit the myriad of beautiful islands and sail the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. In fact, most seasoned cruisers have probably been on at least one Caribbean cruise throughout their time.

But where are the hidden gems in this well-known area?

From the hip jiggling salsa beats to the infectious sounds of reggae, the inimitable sprit of the Caribbean is defined by its distinctive music, mesmerising scenery and centuries-old culture. What better way to experience all of this than on a luxury Caribbean cruise? 

A few years ago I sailed from Athens to Dubrovnik on board the gorgeous Crystal Cruises yacht, Crystal Esprit, and at every step of the journey I was met with exceptional service, incredible food (which is a must for me) and a warm, relaxed atmosphere.

The check-in process was effortless as it’s done in your suite, where you get to meet your butler and I was very impressed to find I also had two dedicated cabin stewardesses too! Hosting just 62 guests on board, the crew are a huge part of the experience and by the end of the week, it felt almost like leaving friends behind.