Inside world’s most expensive cruise ship with luxury suites bigger than houses, £164k mattresses and ‘pillow menus’
LOOKING to book your next cruise? This could fit the bill – if you have £130,000 to spare.
With £164,000 hand-crafted mattresses, suites bigger than the average family house and even personalised ‘pillow menus’, the Seven Seas Splendor has certainly earned its title as the world’s most expensive cruise ship.
Costing a staggering £360million to build, the ship has 10 floors and 66 suites designed with a single purpose – to be a floating paradise for its lucky guests.
The breath-taking vessel – currently making its way to the port of Roatan, Honduras – is the focus of a new Channel 5 series, Secrets of the World’s Most Expensive Cruise Ship, which follows the day-to-day life of its 567 staff.
£164,000 mattresses
Guests with seriously deep pockets can pay up to £130,000 to stay in its biggest and most lavish accommodation, the Veranda Suite.
At 4,443 sq ft, it completely dwarfs the average three-bedroom house in the UK, which comes in at 947 sq ft in comparison.
The spectacular suite packs in a living room, a remarkable dining space, an in-suite spa with a sauna, and a hot tub.
Despite its huge size, it only has two bedrooms but certainly makes up for that with its £164,000 Hastens Vividus custom handmade mattress.
The mattresses are exclusively made in Sweden and are loved by the Royal Family.
Staying in the suite will also give you an unobstructed 270-degree view of the outside – while the balcony comes with stylish sunbeds perfect for ogling spectacular sunsets.
It also comes with a dedicated butler, which means guests will not have to lift a finger during their stay.
The other suites on board are nothing to sneer at either – all featuring ocean views and a balcony.
Those in the regent suite can enjoy a first-class experience with their own butler and a personal car with a driver and guide at every port.
The Regent Suite also comes with a hot tub on the balcony and like several other bathrooms on the ship, guests can wash their face by turning on stunning gold taps.
They are also equipped with Dyson hairdryers and toiletries by French luxury brand, L’Occitane.
Guests staying in the 66 suites are greeted by fresh flowers in vases that cost an eye-watering £25,000.
Other incredible accommodations on board include the Splendor Suite and Penthouse Suite.
They all even have a pillow menu to cover the sleeping styles of their various guests.
Luxury dining
The eye-popping luxury is not only limited to the suites – it also extends to the world-class restaurants.
The ship’s Culinary Arts Kitchen gives guests the chance to get hands-on with gourmet cooking classes that are presented by world-class chefs and instructors.
One of the ship’s restaurants includes Compass Rose, the largest speciality restaurant at sea.
Others include Pacific Rim, which serves a range of Asian foods and is decorated with mythical dragon structures, and Prime 7, a steakhouse with an intimate atmosphere.
There’s also a French eatery called Chartreuse and an Italian restaurant which has an outstanding over-water seating space that brings guests even closer to the ocean.
£4m art collection & 500 crystal chandeliers
Regent Seven Seas, the luxury cruise line based in Miami, Florida, runs the cruise.
The company owns four other vessels, with Seven Seas Splendor, built in 2020, the newest.
Inside the boat, guests are greeted by a £4million curated art collection by the likes of Joan Miro, more than 500 crystal chandeliers hanging on high ceilings and 46,000 sq ft of high-end Italian marble.
The 55,254 gross tons ship – whose floor space is bigger than three football pitches – is able to welcome over 730 guests and has 567 members of staff.
On the top deck is the vessel’s main pool, which rivals that of most 5-star hotels.
For entertainment, there’s a two-deck-high Constellation Theatre that promises to thrill audiences with nightly performances.
For guests feeling lucky, there’s a casino with poker tables and a cocktail bar, while visitors can chill out in the swanky lounges where live music plays through the night.
The cruise says its “plush seating and pleasing sightlines free you to focus on our lavishly staged, high-energy shows produced by our own team of Broadway professionals”.