Cruise Planner 2023 - Sample Issue

KNOW YOUR CRUISE LINGO

Do you know your port from your starboard? And what exactly is a tender? Whether you’re a cruising aficionado or a first-timer, brush up on your lingo with Kelly Ranson’s guide to being a savvy sailor

AAft – The rear of the ship, also known as the stern.

All aboard – The time to be back on board after going ashore – take note, as the ship won’t wait!

Bridge – Where the captain and rst of cers steer the ship.

Bow – A technical term for the front of the ship.

CCruise director – One of the crew members you will see most frequently, who will introduce the rest of the crew, and highlight excursions and activities on board.

Wendy Atkin-Smith, UK managing director, Viking Crow’s

nest

“‘As the crow flies’ is an idiom I’ve always liked and it’s used at sea for the most direct route between two points. This comes from nautical traditions where seafarers, unsure of their position in coastal waters, would release a caged crow. It would fly straight towards the nearest land. This is also why a ship’s tallest lookout platform is called the crow’s nest.”

DDeck – Quite simply, the name for the oors of a ship.

FFormal night – Many traditional lines offer the chance to dress up in your nest on certain nights.

GGalley – The ship’s kitchen, where everything from your room service breakfast to mid-morning pastries and ve-course dinners are prepared.

Gangway – The ramp that leads from the ship to the quayside when you get on or off – they can be steep so watch your step!

EEmbarkation – This is the process of boarding your cruise ship.

Excursion – A tour or activity you take on shore while your ship is docked for the day, with options ranging from sightseeing and cycling to scuba diving.

Godmother

Andy Harmer, managing director, UK & Ireland, Cruise Lines International Association

“A godmother traditionally blesses a new ship as it begins its inaugural voyage. Royalty, well-known celebrities and even a cartoon character have been honoured as godmothers of ships.”

VIRGIN VOYAGES

Avant-garde cruises focused on fun

Having bagged A-list celebrity Jennifer Lopez as chief entertainment and lifestyle of cer, this adult-only player with its ‘rebellious luxe’ style of cruising welcomes two more so-called ‘lady ships’ to its burgeoning eet this year. First to arrive is Resilient Lady in May, which will debut two one-week Greek island round-trip cruises from Athens, with Brilliant Lady following in December from Puerto Rico’s capital San Juan. This year also marks the of cial launch of Virgin Voyages’ Sailing Club loyalty programme, giving guests a raft of bene ts and exclusive offers that include anytime boarding, premium Wi-Fi and exclusive cocktail parties.

virginvoyages.com

CONTEMPORARY

Modern, fun-packed ships with plenty of facilities for families and trend-setting travellers

WORDS SARA MACEFIELD

BARCELONA

With its mind-bending architecture, glimmering coastline and worldleading culinary scene, the city shaped by Gaudi rarely fails to charm, and with several cruise lines using the city as a base this year, including Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady, it’s a key hopping-on point for cruises around the Med.

From the surrealist spires of La Sagrada Familia to the cobbled squares of the Gothic Quarter, the palm-flanked restaurants of Las Ramblas to the dragon-like creations in Park Guell, there’s plenty to entice, but go beyond the better-known sights and you’ll find a treasure trove waiting.

Wander the colourful streets of Gracia for bohemian boutiques and eclectic restaurants, take a cable car to Montjuic Castle to see the city twinkle from on high or sip a cocktail at Paradiso, named number one in last year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Bars. If time allows, strike out beyond the city: Sitges enchants with its whitewashed stone architecture and eye-popping beaches, while the cloud-capped, majestic rock formations of the Montserrat mountain range are mesmerising and well worth lingering on for.

WORDS LAURA FRENCH

View of Park Guell

SINGAPORE

Singapore features on a huge number of cruise itineraries next year, with Tui-owned Marella Cruises and luxury line Silversea both homeporting here for the first time. The latter, known for its food-focused ‘Salt’ shore excursions, has itineraries that combine Singapore stop-offs with visits to Mumbai, Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh.

Singapore is famous for its parks and nature reserves (there are more than 400 to explore, many of which are connected by walking and cycling trails) and there will be even more opportunities to walk on the wild side in 2023. The 17-hectare Bird Paradise park, opening in spring, will have 3,500 birds in eight walk-through aviaries inspired by a range of landscapes, including Australia’s eucalyptus forests.

Fancy catching some rays? Head for Sentosa Island’s golden beaches, ideally the ones lining the Siloso Beach Walk near the island’s northwestern tip. This is where you’ll find the new Central Beach Bazaar, a carnival-themed complex with musical fountains, street food stalls and Wings of Time, a multi-sensory night show. Another reason Sentosa should be on your radar? In 2024 Singapore’s second Raffles hotel will open here, providing the perfect excuse to indulge in a Singapore Sling.

WORDS TAMARA HINSON

BARBADOS

For an island just 21 miles long and 14 miles wide, Barbados certainly packs the punches. It has its fair share of sun, sea and white-sand beaches – it is the Caribbean after all – but no other island in the West Indies quite manages its mix of beguiling British charm and laid-back vibe. Star Clippers, SeaDream Yacht Club and Marella Cruises are among many lines with cruises from here so the temptation is to fly in, sail and fly out, but stay awhile before or after your voyage and you won’t be disappointed.

The east coast is a beautiful but wild landscape, with powerful Atlantic rollers; Harrison’s Cave is a wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites, streams and waterfalls. If it’s Friday, Oistins Fish Fry is the place to be. Animal Flower Cave has a cavern washed by the ocean that’s home to sea anemones, crabs and rock formations, as well as an excellent cliff-top restaurant that has sea views plus Bajan fish cakes and jerk chicken on the menu.

WORDS JANE ARCHER

SEATTLE

This Pacific northwest city makes life easy for cruise visitors – with some of the smoothest transfers around, you can fly direct and be boarding your ship in record time. Yet skip this city and you would miss out on the home of grunge music, the first Starbucks and the famous Chihuly glass.

Make a beeline for Pike Place Market, where you’ll see fishmongers tossing their catch of the day back and forth to the delight of the watching crowds, or pick up some sweet souvenirs at Chukar Cherries – but delve deeper into this multi-floor marketplace to uncover some fantastic finds, from second-hand bookshops to curious local crafts.

Provided you have a head for heights, no visit to Seattle is complete without a trip to the top of the towering Space Needle, built for the 1962 World’s Fair with knockout views of the city skyline and surrounding scenery of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. The nearby Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPop, is full of fun memorabilia for fans of Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and more, with a sci-fi exhibition on the side that could entertain for hours.

WORDS KATIE MCGONAGLE

Left: Downtown Singapore Right: Pike Place Market, Seattle Below: Bottom Bay, Barbados

SOUTH AFRICA

Distances that seem daunting on land pale into insignificance on a cruise, so exploring South Africa by ship makes the big, beautiful Rainbow Nation feel manageable. Most country-specific cruises begin or end in Cape Town, a vibrant city with a visually stunning location.

Hopping along the coast, you’ll tick off Garden Route highlights from historic Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth’s penguin colony, before heading for Durban and Richards Bay, with beautiful beaches and rich Zulu culture. All along the east coast there are opportunities to take full-day excursions to national parks and game reserves so that you can spot the wish-list ‘big five’.

Keep at least a fortnight free for some of the in-depth, intensive voyages available from lines including Azamara, Oceania Cruises, Silversea and NCL – these usually also include an additional port of call or two in Namibia or Mozambique. Cruise-and-stay itineraries are popular as well, with extra nights at safari lodges or in Cape Town and the winelands. Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers free three-night pre or post-cruise land programmes on its Cape Town round-trip voyage.

WORDS JOANNA BOOTH

Above: Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa