If an all-singing, all-dancing ocean ship isn’t your thing then a cruise on Star Clippers may be the one for you. Its magnificent tall sailing ships offer elegant cruising at a different pace. You still get to explore fabulous destinations but the ships, with their billowing sails, make an enchanting base for your voyage. Destinations include Asia, the Caribbean A three-night cruise of Croatia on board Star Clipper costs from £550pp, including return flights from London, transfers and all meals on board.
With Cuba now opening up as a cruise destination thanks to the thawing in relations between the US and the Caribbean island, 2016 is the year to visit. Expect an alluring combination of fading Baroque buildings and colourful Art Deco charm in Havana (plus of course those vintage American cars). Thomson Cruises offers a seven-night Cuban Revolution cruise from Montego Bay, Jamaica, with two nights in Havana, from £637pp, excluding flights; other ports of call include Cozumel, Mexico.
A cruise is the perfect opportunity to unleash your wild side, secure in the knowledge that you have a comfortable floating home to return to at night, and the Amazon, with its untouched rainforests, incredible wildlife (including pink bottle-nosed dolphins) and ancient tribes offers unforgettable adventures for thrillseekers. Titan offers an 11-night Amazon Adventure departing 9 June 2016 from £3,299pp, comprising a week’s Amazon cruise and three nights in Quito, including flights.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises prides itself on being one of the most luxurious cruise lines around - and their new ship, Seven Seas Voyager, promises to take it to a whole new level, with highlights including a Culinary Arts Kitchen offering the style and glamour of a cookery school in France, exquisite all-suite accommodation and all gourmet dining and drinks included in the cost of the cruise, (even Champagne). For the ultimate indulgence, you can stay in the Regent Suite, where you can entertain your friends (you’re sure to acquire quite a few) at the black marble bar while playing the suite’s Steinway piano. Itineraries feature some of Europe’s most dazzling cities, including Monte Carlo, Istanbul and Venice, and next winter the ship sails from Miami to LA. Fares for Seven Seas Explorer’s inaugural season start from £4,079pp (based on a 4 October 2016 departure.
From the extraordinary underwater life of the Great Barrier Reef to the pristine Whitsunday Islands, the wine country of Hunter Valley and the bright lights of Sydney, an Australian cruise gives you a whole range of bucket list experiences all in one holiday. Azamara Club Cruises offers a 10-night Great Barrier Reef voyage from £2,347pp, cruise only, departing 5 January 2016.
China is the big cruise destination for 2016, with many ocean cruise lines offering cruises from Shanghai and Tanjin. The advantage of taking a cruise is that you’ll cut out a lot of red tape (although not all - you’ll still need a visa). Shanghai is an exciting city, with Blade Runner-esque skyscrapers and a laidback vibe. Royal Caribbean’s ‘Smart Ship’ Quantum of the Seas, which launched in October 2014, is now home porting in Shanghai, which is great news as it’s one of the most exciting ships around. Onboard activities include bumper cars (yes, really) and the fantastic iFly, which gives you the chance to try skydiving at sea. There are also robot bartenders to mix any cocktail you desire and some of the best dining on any ocean cruise, including the fabulous Wonderland. And if you’re travelling with kids, as well as state-of-the-art kids’ clubs there’s now a Kung Fu Panda-themed dim sum restaurant on board. Itineraries include Nagasaki, Japan, where you can visit the peace museum. Virgin Holidays Cruises offers a package from £1,519pp, based on two adults sharing an inside cabin, including a five-night cruise on Quantum of the Seas and return flights from London.
A cruise has to be the ultimate family holiday – stress-free, you can see visit lots of amazing destinations and experience different cultures without having to pack and repack, plus all that entertainment and food included too. Disney offers top-range entertainment for kids (and adults), including fireworks and deck parties. Shows are Broadway-quality with astonishingly clever sets. Disney Cruise Line offers a seven-night Mediterranean cruise on board the reimagined Disney Magic from £3,437.18 for a family of four, excluding flights (disneycruise.disney.go.com).
River cruising continues to grow in popularity, with more and more of us being seduced by the flexibility (lots of chances to get off), the constantly changing scenery and increasingly glamorous ships. Scenic’s Space Ships are known for their five-star service, with Egyptian cotton sheets, fleecy robes and little extras including complimentary wifi and a pillow menu. An eight-day Gems of the Danube cruise, sailing between Budapest and Nuremberg, costs from £1,895pp, based on two sharing, with flights and transfers. The price includes all meals, wine, beer and soft drinks throughout the day, excursions, butler service and gratuities.
If you want some peace and tranquility then the Norwegian Fjords, with their incredible scenery and pretty villages are for you. Spend a few days in the Baltic (including St Petersburg and Tallinn) before heading to the fjords, including dramatic Geraingerfjord, and the always wonderful Danish capital, Copenhagen. Norwegian Cruise Line has a 16-night Norwegian Fjords & Baltic Capitals cruise from Copenhagen on Norwegian Star on 1 May 2016, from £1,516pp (based on two sharing), including flights.
- A safari will give you the opportunity to see the Big Five in all their glory, and with a South Africa cruise you can also spend time in cosmopolitan Cape Town and visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. Voyages to Antiquity offers a 13-night Game Parks of South Africa package that includes a 12-night round-trip sailing from Cape Town from £2,995pp, including flights, departing on 4 January 2016.
P&O’s Britannia (opened by the Queen in 2015) offers contemporary spaces and home comforts. What makes it extra special, are its regular talks and demonstrations in its cookery school from the likes of Marco Pierre White, James Martin and Mary Berry. There’s also the added advantage that it sails from Southampton, making it an attractive option for anyone who would prefer not to fly. For a taste of Britannia with a French twist, renowned master pâtissier Eric ‘Cake Boy’ Lanlard will be on board next August for a seven-night Iberia cruise from £699pp.
The islands of Hawaii, including Maui and Kauai, offer breathtaking scenery, pristine beaches, glorious surf, waterfalls and volcanoes and spectacular wildlife watching opportunities, plus of course Hawaiian culture. In 2016 attention will be focused on O’ahu, home to Pearl Harbor, as it’s the 75th anniversary of the attack on the US naval base on December 7. A nine-night Hawaiian Islands fly-cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line on Pride of America departs 6 November 2015, from £2,377pp.
While most Baltic ocean cruise itineraries include a few nights in St Petersburg and sometimes the option to take a train to Moscow, a river cruise will take you between both cities, with their awe-inspiring architecture, palaces and churches, and also on to Uglich, Yaroslavl and more. On Viking River Cruises you can also opt for exclusive excursions, including an after hours tour of the Hermitage museum, or unique experiences such as tea with a babushka. A 13-day cruise starts at £2,595pp.
A cruise around South America is one of the best ways to experience the region – i'ts hassle free, and you get to see the Panama Canal. In Costa Rica you can marvel at the wildlife, including sloths, monkeys and iguanas, while in Colombia you’ll see crumbling colonial mansions and pristine coral reefs at the Rosario Islands. Thomson Cruises offers a 14-night Pride of Panama cruise-and-stay holiday, with seven nights sailing on Thomson Dream followed by a seven-night stay at the 5T Sensatori Resort Jamaica from £1,689pp. Sails from Montego Bay, Jamaica and visits Cartagena, Colombia, San Blas, Panama, Colon, Panama and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica.
Japan is now one of the most popular destinations for Brits – the weak yen against the pound makes it much more affordable. Fly to Tokyo and you can spend a few nights exploring this spectacular city with its irresistible combination of tradition and hi-tech craziness, before being transported by ship to the northern islands of Japan (and Russian-owned Korsakov). Travel in spring or autumn and you’ll also be treated to some of the most incredible natural beauty in the world. Princess Cruises has a nine-day Hokkaido cruise on Diamond Princess in a return trip from Yokohama departing in June, July, August and September 2016) calling at Kushiro, Otaru, Hakodate and Aomori, Japan from £679pp, cruise only.