Any cruise can be a couples cruise\u2014if you\u2019re going as a couple. But there\u2019s often a significant difference in the onboard experience from one\u00a0cruise\u00a0to another, and some cruises are just built for romance. These cruises typically also offer a variety of dining options\u2014from decadent meals in specialty restaurants to intimate repasts set up on stateroom balconies. Other enclaves like a dedicated adults-only pool or relaxation spaces (often available for a nominal fee) and expansive spas with a broad range of treatments are also staple amenities on romance-minded cruises, as are pampering indulgences like butler service or otherwise high staff-to-guest ratios.<\/p>\n
As far as romantic destinations on a cruise itinerary, couples might spend their days exploring winding historic streets in a European capital, relaxing on a white-sand beach on a tropical island, or perusing the ship’s library for deck chair reading materials on a transatlantic crossing\u2014it\u2019s all a matter of individual taste. Here are some of the most romantic couples cruises to book for 2023.<\/p>\n
Itinerary:<\/strong>\u00a07-Night Mexican Riviera<\/p>\n Departure:<\/strong>\u00a0January to March; October to December 2023<\/p>\n Experience:<\/strong>\u00a0The Mexican Riviera onboard Princess was the backdrop for multiple seasons of the original\u00a0Love Boat<\/em>\u00a0television series. Nowadays, the sailings are on board the brand-new\u00a0Discovery Princess,<\/em>\u00a0which can sound the\u00a0Love Boat<\/em>\u00a0theme from the ship\u2019s horn. When couples aren\u2019t busy exploring Puerto Vallarta\u2019s historic square or El Arco in Cabo San Lucas, the ship offers couples secluded dining options like waiter-served breakfast on their own balcony\u2014a space that’s included with every outside stateroom\u2014or signature beverages and light meals at the adults-only enclave The Sanctuary.<\/p>\n Itinerary:<\/strong>\u00a07-Day Classic Yachtsman\u2019s Caribbean<\/p>\n Departure:<\/strong>\u00a0January to March 2023<\/p>\n Experience:<\/strong>\u00a0Cruising the Caribbean\u2019s more secluded ports like Gustavia on St. Barts and Soper’s Hole in the\u00a0British Virgin Islands\u00a0on a 300-stateroom yacht is romantic on its own\u2014but pair that with Seabourn’s amenities and shore excursions like \u201cCaviar in the Surf,\u201d where liveried stewards set up a surfboard bar stocked with caviar and chilled Champagne just steps into the surf off a white-sand beach, and one has a couple\u2019s escape par excellence. For added indulgence, book a Wintergarden Suite with a glass-enclosed patio featuring a whirlpool and daybed. Suite Hosts and attendants make sure minibars are stocked with guests\u2019 preferred beverages and draw pampering baths in lusciously outfitted marble tubs boasting Molton Brown amenities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Itinerary:<\/strong>\u00a012-Night New Zealand<\/p>\n Departure:<\/strong>\u00a0December 9, 2023<\/p>\n Experience:<\/strong>\u00a0Sailing from and returning to\u00a0Sydney Harbor\u00a0is an iconic, romantic couples cruise experience by itself, but so too is hitting the\u00a0best stops\u00a0in\u00a0Aotearoa\u00a0(New Zealand), from the Art Deco haven of Napier to Milford Sound, where rainforests and waterfalls tumble down the sides of the fjord, and wildlife enthusiasts can spot fur seals, penguins, and dolphins from their Infinite Balconies onboard\u00a0Celebrity Edge<\/em>. Couples looking to splurge can book a suite for access to The Retreat, a separate lounge and sundeck, plus the private Luminae restaurant, featuring signature dishes by Chef Daniel Boulud. Public spaces on the ship are also chock full of commissioned art pieces by global artists.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Itinerary:<\/strong>\u00a0Transatlantic crossing<\/p>\n Departure:<\/strong>\u00a0January 2023; April to December 2023<\/p>\n Experience:<\/strong>\u00a0There are no ports of call on\u00a0Cunard’s iconic transatlantic crossing, giving couples a week to enjoy the delights of the Queen Mary 2\u2014the world\u2019s last ocean liner and grand dame of sea-going glamour. Suite guests will dine in the single-seating Grill restaurants, with their own lounge and terrace, although afternoon tea in the Queens Room is a must-try on every crossing (don\u2019t call it a cruise). On Gala Nights the two-deck high, chandelier-capped dance floor has a live band, ballgowns, and other fineries (guests can perfect their ballroom steps at a series of included daytime dance courses). Passengers can enrich their days checking out titles from the ship\u2019s library and join the onboard book club for literary debates led by the ship\u2019s librarian, explore the heavens at the ship\u2019s planetarium, or attend lectures by invited experts.<\/p>\n Itinerary:<\/strong>\u00a014-Night Marquesas, Tuamotus, & Society Islands<\/p>\n Departure:<\/strong>\u00a0April, July, August, September, November, December 2023<\/p>\n Experience:<\/strong>\u00a0This two-week sailing makes for an ideal couples cruise, as it takes in some of\u00a0French Polynesia\u2019s\u00a0most spectacular port calls: Fakarava has pink-sand beaches, and abundant shark life beloved by divers. Some ports in the faraway Marquesas are so secluded they don\u2019t even have airports. Browse local wood carvings on Tahuata and visit artist Paul Gauguin\u2019s frangipani-showered grave on Hiva Oa. Return on board each evening to musical backdrops courtesy of the ship\u2019s Polynesian song-and-dance troupe. Banner spots like Bora Bora and Motu Mahana, the cruise line\u2019s private islet off Taha\u2019a, where a lavish beach picnic is set up, are featured in\u00a0itineraries; cruise fares include onboard Wi-Fi, select alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and even butler service in some stateroom categories.<\/p>\n Itinerary:<\/strong>\u00a0Romantic Danube<\/p>\n Departure:<\/strong>\u00a0April to November 2023<\/p>\n Experience:<\/strong>\u00a0By itself, Vienna is one of Europe\u2019s\u00a0most romantic cities, where lingering in one of\u00a0the city\u2019s many coffeehouses\u00a0is just as celebrated as the exciting buzz of evening concerts featuring works by famous denizens like Mozart and Strauss. Voyages on Viking’s Danube itinerary spend two nights in Vienna, plus there are other\u00a0romantic stops\u00a0like Budapest, Regensberg, and Pasau, ensure the itinerary would be an unforgettable couples cruise. An optional side trip to Salzburg to visit film sites from\u00a0The Sound of Music<\/em>\u00a0and dine in Austria\u2019s oldest restaurant are also on offer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Any cruise can be a couples cruise\u2014if you\u2019re going as a couple. But there\u2019s often a significant difference in the onboard experience from one\u00a0cruise\u00a0to another, and some cruises are just built for romance. These cruises typically also offer a variety of dining options\u2014from decadent meals in specialty restaurants to intimate repasts set up on stateroom […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=669"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":686,"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669\/revisions\/686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deluxecruises.com\/deals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Seabourn Cruises<\/h2>\n
Celebrity Cruises<\/h2>\n
Cunard<\/h2>\n
Paul Gauguin Cruises<\/h2>\n
Viking River Cruises<\/h2>\n