Travel Expert Touts ‘Mega Yacht’ Cruises as a Luxury Alternative to Crowded Ships

A cruise specialist says smaller vessels, overnight port stays, and five-star dining set European sailings apart from typical Caribbean or Alaska trips.

A travel expert has given a firsthand account of luxury cruising in the French Riviera, urging vacationers to consider boutique-style European voyages over traditional mega-ships.

ARC Salt Lake’s travel expert, Nickell Beach, spoke from a cruise in France aboard a brand-new vessel called the Vidanta Elegance, which she described as a “mega yacht.”

“If you’re like me and you don’t quite have your personal yacht, this is the closest thing,” Beach said. “It feels like a yacht. We are in the epicenter of yachting in France. The film festival has actually started, so it’s a really awesome time.”

Beach explained that the ship was originally built for 600 passengers but was redesigned to hold a maximum of 216 people. “We have so much space that it feels like your own private yacht,” she said. By comparison, “your typical contemporary cruises are thousands.”

The experience differs sharply from larger cruise lines. “Everyone thinks of cruising from 15 years ago — that you’re crowded with lots of people and less space,” Beach said. “This is when you think of yachting, when you think of the movies and having your own space and your own butler — this is that type of experience.”

The Vidanta Elegance features multiple five-star restaurants and a single buffet with made-to-order entrees. Entertainment is also available, which Beach noted is sometimes absent on smaller ships.

One key advantage, she said, is overnight port stays. “Typically on a cruise you’re kind of rushing — you get up, do your excursion, and have to be back at the ship by five at the latest,” she said. “Here, we’re staying overnight. After I talk with you, we’re going into town, maybe have dinner in town with the film festival. They’re actually doing a show on the beach. That’s something you could never do with a contemporary brand.”

The current sailing is only the fourth voyage for the ship, with roughly 190 people on board. The itinerary includes Tarragona (just south of Barcelona), Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, and Nice.

Beach also highlighted other unique routes the brand offers, including Portugal, the Azores, Gibraltar, and multiple Greek destinations. “It’s not your typical itineraries,” she said. “It feels like you’re on a boutique resort versus a rushed cruise.”