Cruise Lines Bet Big on Luxury Suites Costing Up to $25,000 a Night

Cruise lines are pushing further into high-end travel, with luxury suites commanding steep prices. On Regent's all-luxury Seven Seas Splendor, cabins run from $1,800 to $15,000 per night for the top Regent Suite. That suite offers roughly 5,100 square feet, a Steinway piano, a private dining room, and a wraparound deck with a hot tub and a view comparable to the ship's bridge.

Regent told CNBC that multiple passengers sought the suite for Splendor's 151-night global cruise embarking in January, and it is almost always occupied. The line plans to debut Seven Seas Prestige in December, its first new ship class in a decade, with a top suite priced at $25,000 per night.

Smaller elite ships, some carrying fewer than a thousand passengers, are powering profits for companies like Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which owns Regent and Oceania. CEO John Chidsey has said he is focused on sharpening the luxury brands' positioning and guest experience, and that both lines are in good shape for 2027, though he did not break out metrics between them.

Competitors are investing too. Regent faces Royal Caribbean's Silversea, Carnival's Seabourn, and hotel brands such as Four Seasons, Aman and Orient Express bringing luxury hospitality to yacht-style vessels. The industry projects the luxury cruise fleet will grow from 104 ships in 2026 to at least 130 by 2036, and CLIA reports a 71% increase in luxury ships and an 84% increase in berths from 2020 through 2025.

Luxury doesn't guarantee success. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has struggled with occupancy and accumulated nearly $700 million in losses since 2017, according to the Financial Times. Las Vegas Sands also missed revenue and profit expectations, hurt by high-end segments in Macao and Singapore. CEO Patrick Dumont said he couldn't point to a single cause, suggesting "perhaps people are not feeling as good about the market," while calling the quarter an aberration.