There’s a new way for the crowd-averse to set sail—and it doesn’t require chartering your own yacht.

In an effort to woo 1 Percenters from smaller luxury lines, a wide range of mainstream cruise companies are investing in all-suite cruise enclaves, creating a semiprivate ship-within-a-ship experience for the pickiest of premium passengers.

These VIP areas currently make up a tiny proportion of the overall stateroom count. On MSC Cruises, the Yacht Club comprises just 3 percent of the brand’s total inventory. On Princess, the Club Class Suites and so-called Mini-Suites make up 4 percent of all cabins. And on Celebrity, Suite Class accommodations tally 7 percent on the current fleet.

But the number is growing steadily, thanks to strong (and climbing) demand and better margins. Just this month, Celebrity announced a $500 million, four-year investment that covers, among other things, a fleetwide expansion and renovation of Suite Class staterooms and common spaces. And even mass-market brands such as Norwegian and Carnival are getting in on the trend, with exclusive areas that can lure passengers from pricier—or even small-ship—competitors.

Demand for Onboard Oases
Traditionally, the way to a crowd-free cruise has been via a luxury small-ship company like Silversea or Ponant. On such trips, you might be surrounded by only 200 other passengers, making for less poolside jostling. The flip side: You might have access to only one restaurant for the entirety of your vacation.

Suite classes offer an intimate experience—think private pool decks and butler service—plus preferential access to a megaship-size lineup of restaurants and entertainment offerings. It’s like a hotel club floor, just at sea.

“Being on a small luxury cruise is a different experience,” explains Gianni Onorato, chief executive officer of MSC Cruises. In his ships’ Yacht Clubs, he says, “passengers still have privacy and exclusivity when they want it, but they can take advantage of amenities that smaller ships cannot afford.”

Booking into a cruise suite can cost two or three times as much as a standard stateroom on the same ship. Yet these accommodations tend to be the most popular product on the high seas. According to Onorato, “Our Yacht Club cabins are the first ones to be sold out no matter where the ship is positioned.”

Brian Abel, Celebrity Cruises’ senior vice president for hotel operations, echoes that. “We have found that in every instance, regardless of itinerary, our bookings occur top-down, meaning Suite Class accommodations often book fast and first,” he says.

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