Cruise & Travel April/May 2023 - Sample

REGULAR READERS MAY HAVE NOTICED a few changes on the cover of this latest issue. After more than a decade of proudly publishing as Cruise International – becoming the bestselling cruise magazine in the UK along the way – we’re excited to announce we’ve changed our name.

Your new-look Cruise & Travel is still the number-one source of advice, inspiration and information about cruise holidays to every corner of the world. And now, we can bring you more insider tips, more ideas for what to do ashore, more behind-the-scenes interviews – plus more ship reviews, expert insight and the latest cruise and travel news so you can stay in the know.

In this issue, we’re celebrating all things stateside with a bumper USA cruise-and-stay guide (page 55), shining a light on the dream destinations and lesser-known spots you can enjoy on a cruise across the pond.

Set your sights on South Africa with a safari adventure (page 44), take life easy in the south of France (page 70), pick up the pace with our selection of the top family trips for this year (page 35) and nd out which country is next on celebrity chef Rick Stein’s travel wish list (page 98).

If that’s not enough, follow us on social media and go to cruiseandtravel.co.uk for bonus features, interviews and expert advice to help inspire your next cruise.

Katie McGonagle, Editor

katie.mcgonagle@chelseamagazines.com

55 USA SPECIAL

Your essential guide to the best cruise-and-stay combinations

70 PROVENCE

Sail the smaller waterways in the south of France on this laid-back barge cruise

78 CITY GUIDE

See Southampton in a new light before your next ex-UK voyage

GREEK ISLES CRUISE WITH CELESTYAL

68 COMPETITION

Win an idyllic Aegean cruise with Celestyal, worth £3,000

74 INSIDER’S GUIDE

Which room type is right for you? We get the lowdown, from inside cabins to owner’s suites

85 BEHIND THE SCENES

What to expect from the new wave of yacht-style sailings

88 REVIEWS

Tried-and-tested verdicts on Silver Endeavour, Sylvia Earle and Travelmarvel Vega

97 ASK THE EXPERTS

Industry insiders answer your biggest questions about cruise

98 CELEBRITY TRAVELS

Sneak peek of Rick Stein’s foodie adventure in Venice

dates etc, before making final arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded. The opinions expressed by contributors to CRUISE & TRAVEL are not necessarily those of the publisher. For up to date travel advice, always check fco.gov.uk before you go.

SPITSBERGEN, SVALBARD

This icy expanse lies off the shore of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Norwegian-owned archipelago of Svalbard. It’s an area of extremes, where polar bears are said to outnumber people, where you can’t give birth and cannot die (on record, at least), and where the summer-long midnight sun gives way to polar night and the dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis come winter.

Photographer, conservation filmmaker and expedition leader Florian Ledoux, who leads small-group tours for expedition brand Secret Atlas, captured this spectacular image. He said: “We had sailed as far north along the west coast of Spitsbergen as the pack ice allowed us. To explore further we launched the Zodiacs and weaved in and out of the huge ice rafts that are prevalent early in the season in Svalbard.

“We came across a large ice sheet that was strong enough for us to land on, slowly drifting with the current. We pulled the Zodiacs up on the ice and snapped this picture in the stunning early-season landscape. One of the advantages of a small group is that it gives us a great deal of flexibility to explore.”

Turn to page 88 for expedition cruise ship reviews +

NEWSNEWS

SAVOURING SCOTLAND

New luxury cruise line Explora Journeys has teamed up with experiential travel provider Pelorus to create immersive adventures in Scotland and Iceland – with Alaska, Canada, Costa Rica and Japan set to follow. The dedicated Scottish departure sets sail on September 2, and you can join in with the Highland Games at the Braemar Gathering, visit the Isle of Skye by helicopter, meet an astronomer amid the designated dark-sky park of the Cairngorms or join a wild-food forager to dig out organic ingredients to munch back on board. explorajourneys.com

IMAGINE THAT! STAR LINE-UP FOR NEW BRITISH ISLES CRUISE

Imagine Cruising has revealed the celebritylled line-up for its exclusive departure on P&O Cruises ship Britannia (right). Comedian and presenter Jason Manford, platinum-selling soul singer Beverley Knight and hypnotist and author Paul McKenna are set to appear on the British Isles cruise in June.

Manford said: “I am so excited to be a part of this incredible ‘sailcation’ from Imagine Cruising and can’t wait to get on board and meet and entertain the guests.”

e 14-night itinerary departs from Southampton on June 9, 2023, calling at Liverpool (overnight), Greenock (for Glasgow), Kirkwall, Invergordon and South Queensferry (for Edinburgh), with days at sea to make the most of the celebrity appearances. All guests are guaranteed to see each performer. Prices start from £799. imaginecruising.co.uk

GO NORTH OR SOUTH

Set sail for the North Pole or the South Pacific with Abercrombie & Kent’s new expedition cruises for 2024-25. With vessels chartered from luxury line Ponant, the company will offer 17 different expedition itineraries across all seven continents, including the first-ever sailing of its North Pole Expedition Cruise: The Ultimate Frontier, where guests will venture to the northernmost point on the planet on board icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot Also new to the range are voyages around the historic regions of Greece, Turkey and Saudi Arabia – including a trip down the Suez Canal – and a South Pacific sailing visiting Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, where dramatic scenery, crystal-clear waters and vibrant Indigenous cultures await. abercrombiekent.co.uk

ABOVE AND BEYOND NEW CONCIERGE CRUISE AGENCY

A luxury-focused cruise agency has opened its (virtual) doors in the UK, focusing on tailor-made cruise-and-stay holidays. Above and Beyond

Luxury Cruises offers a concierge-style service, so you can get a home visit or speak via a phone call, video chat, WhatsApp, email or text, to get advice on booking your next holiday. As well as cruise-and-stay breaks, they can add discounted airport parking, lounge passes or shore excursions, and can even sort out looking after your pet while you’re away or shopping for essential items on your return.

Elaine Ross, head of luxury and expedition, said: “Our research shows there is a gap in the market for an ultra-luxury travel agency, offering a full concierge service. If customers are booking high-end cruises, they expect the same service from their agency, and we will go above and beyond to fulfil this.” aboveandbeyondluxury.cruise

MOSEY ALONG THE MOSELLE

A leisurely sailing along the Moselle River (left) is the latest addition to Amadeus River Cruises’ new 2024 programme, which features 19 river-based holidays that will visit 13 countries. Guests who like to plan ahead can even make the most of a 15% early booking discount, available until November 30, 2023.

The eight-day Saar & Moselle Fairytales cruise sets off from Cologne along the Rhine and onto the smaller tributaries of the Moselle and the Saar – both set among the stepped vineyards of the Mosel wine-making

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region, where crisp Rieslings are joined by less-common white grapes such as elbling, kerner and auxerrois across its more than 500 vineyards. Departures in May, August and September start from £1,350.

Other highlights of the programme include the Rhine in Flames festival, with firework displays that light up the river and the small towns along its banks, and an epic sevencountry sailing along the Danube, including through the Iron Gates gorge, ending with a stay in Romanian capital Bucharest. amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk

COUNTRIES

feature on MSC Cruises’ new World Cruise 2025, which will visit 50 destinations and 22 new ports of call for the line over an epic 116 nights

A new LGBTQ+ cruise will set off for the Seychelles on board Variety Cruises’ traditional sailing ship Pegasus (above). Guests on the voyage can make the most of farm-to-table dining, as well as adventure tours on shore and an Off Broadway at Sea evening back on board.

The cruise departs on October 28 and will be led by director of communications Constantine Venetopoulos, part of the third generation of the family-owned line. He is the director of Draw With Me, the first documentary film on transgender history to be presented to the United Nations, and a volunteer counsellor with The Trevor Project, which works to end suicide among young LGBTQ+ people. varietycruises.com

NEWS / TRENDING 13 CRUISEANDTRAVEL.CO.UK APRIL/MAY 2023 | CRUISE & TRAVEL

3 Sail Rail &

Glide through the wildflowerfilled Alps on the Bernina Express this summer, on a new railand-sail holiday from A-Rosa Cruises. It combines three nights on land in Lake Lugano, including the scenic rail journey, with a seven-night Rhine sailing from Basel to Amsterdam.

CARIBBEAN CHRISTENING

Pop star Nicole Scherzinger officially named P&O Cruises’ latest ship, Arvia, in a beachside ceremony in Barbados.

The star-studded event - which took place on March 16 - saw the singer perform her godmother duties onboard Arvia, before taking to the stage to sing for passengers. A specially commissioned bottle of Mount Gay Black Barrel rum was used for the traditional bottle smash.

The celebrations were also held on nearby Heywood Beach where singer Olly Murs performed. Popular DJs Trevor Nelson and Sara Cox were on hand to entertain the crowds onboard, ashore and on the cruise line’s live stream broadcast. Award-winning singer and presenter Scherzinger has signed an exclusive collaboration with P&O Cruises to create a series of music and dance performances to be held in the Sky Dome onboard Arvia and sister ship Iona pocruises.com

Fred Holidays Rail Journeys is offering a series of Star Clippers sailings that combine an Italy cruise with a luxury trip on the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress. Enjoy the full-service rail journey and a four-night mini cruise or week-long Amalfi Coast and Sicily sailing

AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURES

SEABOURN DEBUTS NEW KIMBERLEY VOYAGE

Immerse yourself in the Middle Ages with a new Medieval Cities of Germany by Rail trip from Great Rail Journeys. Travel by train to Cologne and Passau, then join a sailing along the Danube, stopping off to explore castles, medieval markets and magnificent churches.

The remote Kimberley region of northwestern Australia is among the new destinations featured in ultra-luxury line Seabourn’s programme of expedition cruises for 2024-25. Its two purpose-built expedition vessels will sail to some of the world’s hardest-to-reach spots, with Seabourn Pursuit in the Kimberley between June and August 2024, as well as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the South Pacific. Sister ship Seabourn Venture will travel to Iceland, Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and Antarctica. seabourn.com

1 / ALPINE ESCAPE

2 / ITALIAN ELEGANCE

3 / PAST TIMES