The Ocean has a mystical effect that changes all your surroundings. On a cruise the sun shines brighter, the sky looks bluer, the moon is bigger, and the stars glow whiter. And if all this doesn't make your smile grow wider, the people that you meet and the friends that you make will!

Deluxe category cruise ships are generally rated and compared based on their service and spaciousness. Reliable measurements of luxury cruise service levels include crew-to-passenger (C/P) ratio (a rating close to 1.0 indicates a high level of service) and space ratio (GRT divided by the number of passengers; the higher the ratio, the more space per passenger).

More subjective standards of luxury include onboard amenities. Most luxury ships feature superior staterooms of at least 180 square feet or all-suite accommodations, plus TV/VCR and audio systems, butler and/or valet service, refrigerators and wet bars. Private verandas have become a significant luxury market amenity. Single seating dining is a more established standard, although Crystal Cruises larger ships have challenged that tradition by offering two dinner seating, supplemented by two alternative restaurants. Exotic itineraries are another hallmark, with most calling at less visited ports in Africa, South America, the South Pacific, the Far East, northern Europe and the Middle East.