Luxury and Expedition Cruise Planning
TopFlight Travels is a Virtuoso-member luxury cruise agency specializing in small ship, expedition, and river cruises. We secure exclusive onboard credits, complimentary upgrades, and preferred partner access on leading lines like Silversea, Seabourn, Explora Journeys, and Lindblad Expeditions - with no booking fee.
Your ticket to the most extraordinary experiences at sea
As a Virtuoso Top Producer and Travel + Leisure A-List Advisor, Julie Jones brings firsthand expertise and deep cruise line relationships to every booking. We match each client to the right ship, itinerary, and suite - and secure exclusive amenities unavailable through direct booking. Our services are complimentary. The cruise line pays us directly, so you pay exactly the same price and receive more.
Expedition Cruising
Luxury ocean cruises feature intimate ships carrying 200 to 750 guests, spacious suite accommodations, gourmet specialty dining, complimentary premium beverages, and highly personalized service. Lines such as Silversea, Seabourn, and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection deliver a five-star resort experience at sea, with enrichment programs, expert-led shore excursions, and destination immersion that mainstream cruise lines cannot match.
Types of cruising
Luxury Cruising
Luxury ocean cruises feature intimate ships carrying 200 to 750 guests, spacious suite accommodations, gourmet specialty dining, complimentary premium beverages, and highly personalized service. Lines such as Silversea, Seabourn, and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection deliver a five-star resort experience at sea, with enrichment programs, expert-led shore excursions, and destination immersion that mainstream cruise lines cannot match.
River Cruising
River cruises travel the world's most storied waterways - the Danube, Rhine, Mekong, Amazon, and Nile - with itineraries that prioritize cultural immersion, overnight port stays, and intimate group sizes. Lines such as AmaWaterways and Belmond offer plush accommodations, locally inspired cuisine, and guided excursions that go far beyond what ocean ships can access.
luxury world cruises
Luxury world cruises range from 90 to 270 days and are now attracting a new generation of remote-working travelers alongside traditional retirees. TopFlight Travels curates customized world cruise itineraries by connecting sailings across multiple lines, destinations, and seasons - tailored entirely to each client's interests and schedule.
What Virtuoso Access Means for You
As a Virtuoso Top Producer, TopFlight Travels unlocks benefits unavailable when booking directly with the cruise line. Virtuoso Voyage guests receive a welcome cocktail reception, an exclusive hosted dinner with an onboard Virtuoso representative, and additional onboard credit or a private shore excursion - all included at no extra cost. These amenities are in addition to any promotions the cruise line is already offering.AS A VIRTUOSO MEMBER, we offer you coveted access to the Virtuoso Voyage welcome cocktail party, Virtuoso Voyage dinner party with your onboard host and an additional onboard credit or special shore excursion, exclusive to Virtuoso Voyage guests only.
Explore Luxury And
Expedition Cruise Partners
TopFlight Travels works with the world's leading cruise lines across ocean, expedition, river, and yacht categories - from ultra-luxury ocean voyages with Silversea and Crystal to polar expeditions with Quark and wildlife journeys with Aqua Expeditions.
Once everything is confirmed, you are set to sail! All you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy your time wherever you are headed.
Once you select a sailing, we handle stateroom selection, rate negotiation, payment coordination, shore excursion recommendations, and pre- and post-cruise logistics. TopFlight Travels does not charge a fee for luxury and expedition cruise bookings.
TopFlight Travels researches cruise lines, ships, and itineraries matched to your interests and presents curated options. Once you select a sailing, we handle stateroom selection, rate negotiation, payment coordination, shore excursion recommendations, and pre- and post-cruise logistics.
Complete the Take a Cruise inquiry form with your travel preferences, destinations, and travel dates.
How To Book Your Luxury or Expedition Cruise
As luxury and expedition cruise specialists, we are experts at customizing and managing luxury world cruises. Our clients spend up to 180 nights at sea with all the details and logistics handled by TopFlight Travels.
“Julie has been a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter agencies we've used in the past.”
- Melissa B.
TopFlight has assisted us with two completed trips. There are two more on the calendar and many more to come! Julie's ideas are refreshing, and she won't stop until she finds a solution for your family! She takes the time to understand the family's needs and wants, and is super responsive. I'm so glad we found her!
“Would be great if all professionals were nearly as attentive to clients.”
- Lee B.
Julie Jones is a great travel agent! She booked our cruise on Uniworld, fabulous!, and managed our flights.
She returns email immediately, calls you right back, fixes any problem, and just a joy to work with.
Although we live in LA and Julie lives in St. Louis, she's our forever agent.
“We were all so impressed and will definitely be using Julie to plan future trips!!"
- Susie M.
Julie helped some girlfriends and I plan a trip to Playa Del Carmen for our 45th birthdays. She was on top of every last detail and answered all of our questions right away. We LOVED the hotel where we stayed, and also had a few upgrades that Julie arranged for us that were really nice.
“My first experience with Top Flight could not have been better.”
- Carey S.
Julie took my original ideas, and made recommendations that brought us to a place I would NEVER have found on my own. It wasn't a vacation, it was an experience. From the moment we landed until we left, there was awesomeness at every turn. I'm usually a scrooge about travelling but now I can't wait for our next trip.....planned, or course, by Julie Jones or not at all.
Cruising FAQs
Luxury cruising is all about the details that transform a vacation into an experience. When you book a luxury cruise, you're choosing smaller, intimate ships — typically 200 to 750 guests — where the staff actually knows your name. You'll enjoy spacious suites with verandas, gourmet dining at multiple specialty restaurants (no buffet lines required!), complimentary premium beverages, and incredibly personalized service.
But here's what really sets luxury apart: it's the destination immersion, the enrichment programs with expert speakers, and those exclusive shore excursions that take you beyond the typical tourist stops. You're not dealing with crowds, Vegas-style entertainment, or nickel-and-diming for every little extra. Instead, you're experiencing refined elegance, genuine relaxation, and the kind of attention to detail that makes every moment feel special.
Most luxury cruises include all specialty restaurant dining, premium spirits and wines, gratuities, shipboard Wi-Fi, and specialty coffees and teas. Many ultra-luxury lines also include shore excursions in every port, pre- or post-cruise hotel stays, roundtrip airfare, and spa credits. Lines such as Silversea, Seabourn, and Regent Seven Seas are known for the most comprehensive all-inclusive pricing in the industry. The exact inclusions vary by cruise line, suite category, and sailing date.
Luxury cruises typically start at $500 or more per person per night. Ultra-luxury suite categories and world cruises can exceed $2,000 per person per night. However, because most luxury cruise fares include fine dining, premium beverages, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and often shore excursions, the all-inclusive value is significantly higher than the nightly rate suggests. When compared to a five-star hotel plus separate dining and activity costs, luxury cruising is often more cost-effective than it appears.
Booking 12 to 18 months in advance is recommended for the best suite selection, itinerary availability, and early booking perks such as reduced deposits, complimentary upgrades, and onboard credits. This is especially important for high-demand sailings to Antarctica, the Mediterranean, Alaska, and the Galapagos, where top suite categories sell out quickly. Last-minute opportunities occasionally appear 60 to 90 days before departure, but suite choice and cabin location will be significantly limited.
No. Cruise lines pay travel advisors a commission directly, so the fare is identical whether you book with an advisor or directly with the cruise line. When booking through TopFlight Travels as a Virtuoso member agency, clients receive exclusive amenities that are unavailable through direct booking - typically $100 to $600 in onboard credits, complimentary cabin upgrades when available, private shore excursions, welcome amenities, and a hosted Virtuoso Voyage dinner. These benefits are in addition to any promotions the cruise line is already offering.
Luxury cruises prioritize refined onboard experiences - spacious suites, gourmet dining at multiple specialty restaurants, premium beverages, and highly personalized service - on itineraries to well-established destinations such as the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Northern Europe. Expedition cruises are purpose-built for remote, wildlife-rich destinations including Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galapagos, and Patagonia, with ice-strengthened ships, onboard naturalists and scientists, and Zodiac or kayak shore landings. Many leading lines, including Silversea and Lindblad Expeditions, now combine both by offering expedition itineraries with luxury-level accommodations and service.
The best luxury cruise line depends on your travel style, preferred destinations, and priorities for the onboard experience. TopFlight Travels specializes in Silversea, Crystal, Explora Journeys, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yachts, Aman at Sea, Orient Express Sailing Yachts, Sea Cloud, Lindblad Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, Aqua Expeditions, Heritage Cruises, Uniworld, Riverside, AmaWaterways, Tauck, Abercrombie & Kent Expedition Cruises, and Belmond European Barges. Silversea and Crystal are known for ultra-luxury ocean itineraries; Explora Journeys, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Four Seasons Yachts represent the newest generation of luxury ocean cruising. Aman at Sea, Orient Express Sailing Yachts, and Sea Cloud offer intimate, yacht-style experiences for travelers who prefer smaller ships. Lindblad, Quark, Aqua Expeditions, and Abercrombie & Kent lead in expedition and wildlife-focused itineraries. Uniworld, Riverside, AmaWaterways, Tauck, and Belmond European Barges are among the top-rated river cruise lines in Europe, Southeast Asia, and beyond. A luxury travel advisor can match you to the line that fits your specific travel priorities rather than defaulting to the most marketed option.
Luxury cruising can be fantastic for solo travelers! Here's what to know:
Single supplements: Most cruise lines charge a single supplement (often 150-200% of the per-person double occupancy rate) for solo travelers. However, some lines and sailings waive or reduce this supplement on select categories.
Solo-friendly atmosphere: Luxury ships create warm, welcoming environments. You'll meet fascinating people at dinner, on excursions, and in the lounges.
Some lines offer:
- Dedicated singles events and meetups
- Solo traveler get-togethers
- Reduced single supplements on select sailings
Crystal and Silversea are particularly welcoming to solo travelers.
As a solo traveler myself on occasion, I understand the unique considerations. I'll help you find sailings with reduced single supplements and connect you with the solo traveler community on your ship.
