Stowaway - February 2024 by VSense Ltd

FEBRUARY 2024

STOWAWAY GOOD CRUISE GUIDE 2024 Your complete guide to who goes where and who offers what

Welcome The 2024 edition of the Good Cruise Guide is now out and full of at-a-glance information to help you find the perfect cruise. Whether you want a trip to Antarctica or a river cruise away from the well-trod Rhine and Danube, you’ll find it listed in here. Just use the colour-coding below to locate the section you need and start searching. For more information call our sales team on

At SeaDream, we believe the most pleasurable travel experiences lie in beauty, intimacy, and detail. That’s why we are committed to delivering an unsurpassed boutique luxury experience for discerning travelers — on board elegant, newly renovated twin yachts carrying guests to breathtaking destinations that larger ships cannot reach, hidden gems off the world’s pristine coastlines.

seadream.com / info@seadream.com

01243 871664 42 4

New ocean and river ships 2024

Dining at sea

Take the family

No kids please

Expedition cruising

Days out in Doha

Luxury cruising

No-fly cruising

Experiences on board and ashore

The Great Lakes

River cruising

World cruising

Small ships

Sailing solo

Health and wellness at sea

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Stowaway Publications 10 Tadorne Road, Tadworth KT20 5TD Surrey +44 (0)7802 256275

Written and Edited by: Creative

AWARD-WINNING SERVICE • UP TO 56 COUPLES • 95 CREW • 5-STAR CUISINE • CASUAL ELEGANCE • INCLUSIVE PRICING

Jane Archer, Janearc@aol.com Oddsock Design, Andrew@oddsockdesign.com

Front cover image: Scenic Eclipse in Antarctica.

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seadream.com / info@seadream.com

01243 871664 42 4

New ocean and river ships 2024

Dining at sea

Take the family

No kids please

Expedition cruising

Days out in Doha

Luxury cruising

No-fly cruising

Experiences on board and ashore

The Great Lakes

River cruising

World cruising

Small ships

Sailing solo

Health and wellness at sea

Published by

23 32

Stowaway Publications 10 Tadorne Road, Tadworth KT20 5TD Surrey +44 (0)7802 256275

Written and Edited by: Creative

AWARD-WINNING SERVICE • UP TO 56 COUPLES • 95 CREW • 5-STAR CUISINE • CASUAL ELEGANCE • INCLUSIVE PRICING

Jane Archer, Janearc@aol.com Oddsock Design, Andrew@oddsockdesign.com

Front cover image: Scenic Eclipse in Antarctica.

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New ships BRILLIANT LADY

VIRGIN VOYAGES Style/passengers: Adult-only resort/2,512 Launches: To be confirmed. Virgin’s fourth Lady Ship. Brilliant Lady, is made in the image of the line’s other ships, which means lively entertainment, drag queens, Rockstar suites and plenty of complimentary eateries. Find it: The website says Caribbean, but like the launch date, itineraries are to be confirmed. virginvoyages.com

2024

OCEAN CRUISE SHIPS

ICON OF THE SEAS

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL Style/passengers: Family resort/7,600 Launches: January Royal already has the world’s largest cruise ship, but is going even larger with Icon. It’s got the biggest aquapark and tallest waterslide at sea, a waterfall, dare-devil divers, and so many bars and places to eat passengers need to be on for at least a fortnight to try them all. Find it: Sailing seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises round-trip from Miami that include a call into Perfect Day private island. royalcaribbean.co.uk

4 | FEBRUARY 2024

SUN PRINCESS

PRINCESS CRUISES Style/passengers: Family resort/4,300 Launches: February Princess has gone overboard (pun intended) with firsts on this ship, which has new cabana cabins, more restaurants, magic, mystery and mixology behind a secret door and an action-packed family zone. Find it: Sailing seven to 23-day Mediterranean and Greek Islands cruises from Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Piraeus (Athens). In October the ship relocates to the US for a season of Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale. princess.com

QUEEN ANNE

CARNIVAL FIRENZE

SILVER RAY

UTOPIA OF THE SEAS

EXPLORA II

DISNEY TREASURE

CUNARD Style/passengers: Premium/2,996 Launches: May The ship curates more than 4,300 works of art, radiates health and well-being from its Mareel spa and has a feast of Cunard dining firsts including Japanese fare in Aji Wa, Indian in Aranya and surf and turf in Sir Samuels. Find it: Sailing no-fly cruises from Southampton to the Canary Islands, Mediterranean, Norwegian fjords, Iceland, Scandinavia and around the UK. cunard.com

CELESTYAL DISCOVERY

CELESTYAL CRUISES Style/passengers: Family resort/1,266 Launches: March This ship, the former AIDAAura, is a replacement for Celestyal Olympia. It will have a Greek deli, Grillseekers speciality restaurant and, after a full refurbishment at the end of 2024, a Rays deck exclusively for suite passengers. Find it: Sailing three and four-night islandhopping cruises around the Greek Isles round-trip from Piraeus (Athens). celestyal.com

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL Style/passengers: Family resort/5,668 Launches: July Not content with launching the world’s biggest ship, Royal returns with a slightly smaller behemoth with lots of pools, waterslides, bars and restaurants, a new train car dining experience and the longest (295ft) dry slide at sea. Find it: Sailing three and four-night Caribbean cruises round-trip from Port Canaveral that include a call into Perfect Day private island. royalcaribbean.co.uk

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE Style/passengers: Family resort/4,126 Launches: May This is the second ship for the line’s new Carnival Fun Italian Style brand so expect Carnival favourites such as Guy’s Burger Joint, the adults-only Serenity hideaway and Punchliner Comedy Club against an Italian décor. Find it: Sailing three to seven-night cruises from Long Beach, California, to the Mexican Riviera. carnival.com

EXPLORA JOURNEYS Style/passengers: Luxury/922 Launches: August Designed with the look and feel of a classy boutique hotel, the ship has an art deco-like atrium, a stylish spa and thermal suite with saunas and steam rooms, an infinity pool with views over the sea and a feast of free restaurants. Find it: Sailing the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome). The ship relocates to the Caribbean in November. explorajourneys.com

SILVERSEA Style/passengers: Ultra-luxury/728 Launches: June The ship has a unique asymmetrical design that transforms the look of the sun deck and opens up views inside. In a nod to the environment, it is powered by a hybrid LNG/marine oil fuel system backed by battery power. Find it: Sailing the Mediterranean and Greek Isles. Between January and April 2025 the ship will be circumnavigating South America. silversea.com

DISNEY CRUISE LINE Style/passengers: Family resort/2,512 Launches: December Disney is back spreading a little pixie dust, this time on a ship with an Aladdin-themed Grand Hall, a Haunted Mansion bar mixing ghostly cocktails and new family Cocothemed Mexican restaurant. Find it: Sailing seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral that include a call into Castaway Cay private island. disneycruise.com

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New ships BRILLIANT LADY

2024

OCEAN CRUISE SHIPS

ICON OF THE SEAS

4 | FEBRUARY 2024

SUN PRINCESS

QUEEN ANNE

CARNIVAL FIRENZE

SILVER RAY

UTOPIA OF THE SEAS

EXPLORA II

DISNEY TREASURE

CELESTYAL DISCOVERY

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AMAMAGDALENA

AMALILIA

AMAWATERWAYS Style/passengers: Luxury/82 Launches: March This is ship number two on the Nile for AmaWaterways. It has balconies with inside and outdoor seating, a top-deck pool and decidedly Egyptian décor. Find it: Sailing seven-night cruises roundtrip from Luxor paired with pre and postcruise stays in Cairo. amawaterways.co.uk

RIVER CRUISE SHIPS

AVALON ALEGRIA

AVALON WATERWAYS Style/passengers: Luxury/102 Launches: March Avalon makes its Douro debut with a ship that takes its design cues from the rest of its fleet. Suites have wall-to-wall panorama glass doors facing the river and beds that look out to the water so you wake to fabulous views. Find it: Sailing eight-night Vineyards and Villages voyages on the Douro round-trip from Porto. avalonwaterways.co.uk

AMAWATERWAYS Style/passengers: Luxury/60 Launches: November AmaWaterways isn’t just launching a new ship, but also a new waterway - the Magdalena River in Columbia. The vessel has cabins with balconies offering indoor and outdoor seating and a sundeck pool. Find it: Sailing between Cartagena and Barranquilla or vice-versa, with nature, wildlife, music and UNESCO World Heritage Sites en route. amawaterways.co.uk

AMADEUS NOVA

AMADEUS RIVER CRUISES Style/passengers: Contemporary/158 Launches: April This ship has a hybrid diesel-electric engine and batteries to reduce emissions, while solar panels and excess heat captured from the engine feed back into the ship’s circuit and help keep the lights on. There is a topdeck heated pool. Find it: Sailing eight, 10 and 11-day cruises on the Danube between Passau and Budapest and Vienna and Bucharest. amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk

Find out which river ships are changing owners and names in 2024.

VICTORIA

AMERICAN LIBERTY/ AMERICAN LEGEND

AMERICAN CRUISE LINES Style/passengers: Contemporary/100 Launches: June and October These ‘go-anywhere’ catamarans are small enough to navigate rivers but built to sail coastlines around the US. All cabins have balconies and both vessels have an aft swimming platform. Find it: American Liberty is sailing New England Islands cruises round-trip from Providence, Rhode Island; Legend is sailing the Florida Gulf Coast and Keys round-trip from St Petersburg. americancruiselines.com

PORTO MIRANTE

RIVIERA TRAVEL Style/passengers: Premium/118 Launches: July Designed for the Brits, Porto Mirante has cabins equipped with tea and coffee-making facilities and upper deck accommodation with perks including a bottle of fizz. There’s a bar, lounge, restaurant and top-deck pool. Find it: Sailing eight-day Highlights of the Douro Valley and Salamanca cruises on the Douro round-trip from Porto. rivieratravel.co.uk

VIVA ENJOY

ESTRELA

APT TRAVELMARVEL Style/passengers: Contemporary/158 Launches: August The largest swimming pool on the Douro awaits as APT Travelmarvel makes its debut on the Portuguese river. Expect cabins with French balconies and a choice of indoor and al-fresco dining. Find it: Sailing seven-night Douro Discovery cruises round-trip from Porto with an included excursion to Salamanca and dinner at a local quinta. aptouring.co.uk

VIVA CRUISES Style/passengers: Contemporary/190 Launches: September Enjoy is Viva’s third new river ship in as many years. Passengers have a choice of three restaurants, can work up a sweat in a steam room and sauna, and borrow bikes carried on board for free. Find it: Sailing seven-night Charming Danube cruises round-trip from Vienna. viva-cruises.com

6 | FEBRUARY 2024

UNIWORLD RIVER CRUISES Style/passengers: Luxury/110 Launches: March Previously the Crystal Bach, Victoria has a conservatory-like lounge, stylish suites, an indoor pool and pop-up top-deck bar. Find it: Sailing tulip-themed cruises in Holland and Belgium in spring, and on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers in summer. uniworld.com

A-ROSA ALEA/A-ROSA CLEA

RIVERSIDE DEBUSSY

RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES Style/passengers: Luxury/110 Launches: March Formerly the Crystal Debussy, this vessel has a conservatory-like lounge, two-room suites, an indoor pool, a bistro for snacks and top deck bar and BBQ. Find it: Sailing three to 21-night cruises on the Rhine, Moselle, Main and Danube. riverside-cruises.com

A-ROSA CRUISES Style/passengers: Contemporary/138 & 140 Launches: April These sisters previously sailed for Avalon Waterways, have cabins with French balconies and a hybrid set up for dinner whereby passengers help themselves to starters and desserts and are served their main courses. Find it: Sailing five and seven-night cruises on the Rhine and Moselle round-trip from Cologne. arosa-cruises.co.uk

SPIRIT OF THE DOURO

SAGA Style/passengers: Premium/126 Launches: March This ship is joining Saga from Nicko Cruises, where it has sailed as Douro Serenity. Most cabins have panorama windows that open, there is a lounge bar, one restaurant and top-deck pool. Find it: Sailing seven-night cruises on the Douro round-trip from Porto. saga.co.uk

TUI AL HOREYA

TUI RIVER CRUISES Style/passengers: Adult-only/145 Launches: November The line is making its Nile debut with the launch of TUI Al Horeya (Arabic for ‘freedom’). It has restaurants inside and out and Egyptologists to take guests on tours of the temples and tombs along the river. Find it: Sailing seven-night Legends of the Nile voyages from Luxor to Aswan and back. tui.co.uk

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AMAMAGDALENA

AMALILIA

RIVER CRUISE SHIPS

AVALON ALEGRIA

AMADEUS NOVA

Find out which river ships are changing owners and names in 2024.

VICTORIA

AMERICAN LIBERTY/ AMERICAN LEGEND

PORTO MIRANTE

VIVA ENJOY

ESTRELA

6 | FEBRUARY 2024

A-ROSA ALEA/A-ROSA CLEA

RIVERSIDE DEBUSSY

SPIRIT OF THE DOURO

TUI AL HOREYA

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Diningat sea Leading chefs from around the world are helping cruise lines raise the culinary bar on board

Food has always been an important part of the cruise experience but when it comes to quality and choice diners on the high seas have never had it so good. Cruise lines still have main dining rooms and buffets where passengers can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner for free, and fill any hunger pangs through the day at poolside grills and afternoon tea, but many have upped the ante by adding a variety of speciality restaurants to their ships. Italian, French, Asian, Indian, Japanese teppanyaki. You can find food from around the world on the high seas these days, along with steakhouses, Chef’s Tables serving multi-course meals and restaurants that are heavy on veggie and vegan options. Speciality restaurants are usually complimentary on the ultra-luxury lines, and Oceania Cruises and Virgin Voyages also include them, but elsewhere there is invariably a fee to pay – anything from $25 per person to $300 or more, which buys more intimate spaces, more personal service and à la minute cuisine that is superior to the mass catering. Several lines have gone further and affiliated themselves with leading chefs from around the world who then train ships’ crew how to prepare and present dishes served in their name. Nobuyaki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa’s Peruvian-Japanese cuisine is served in Umi Uma on Crystal’s ships Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony and Jamie Oliver has branches of Jamie’s Italian on six Royal Caribbean International vessels (Anthem, Harmony, Mariner, Navigator, Ovation and Quantum of the Seas). P&O Cruises has celebration menus featuring dishes created by Marco Pierre White, who also hosts classes and dinners in the Cookery Club on selected sailings on Britannia. Celebrity Cruises has restaurants by Chef Daniel Boulud on Celebrity Beyond and Ascent; his cuisine is also served in Luminae, a restaurant exclusively for those in the suite-only Retreat on Beyond and Ascent, and also Celebrity Edge and Apex. Explora I, the first of six luxury ships built for new line Explora Journeys, has Anthology, a restaurant where renowned chefs from around the world are invited to showcase one-of-a-kind menus. The restaurant will also feature on the company’s second ship, Explora II, which launches in August 2024.

Foodie news

Oceania Cruises Aquamar Kitchen, a restaurant serving healthy-style cuisine that debuted on Oceania’s Vista in summer 2023, will open on Marina after a refit in May 2024. The ship is also getting a new al-fresco Italian trattoria. Cunard New ship Queen Anne is launching in May with a feast of new dining options. There’s Japanese cuisine in Aji Wa, Indian in Aranya, and surf and turf in Sir Samuels. Tramonto serves Mediterranean dishes, while the Golden Lion will serve pub favourites by Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux. Holland America Line Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Holland America’s fresh fish ambassador (pictured left), has opened his first restaurant at sea. Morimoto by Sea is on Nieuw Amsterdam and serves Asian cuisine that’s heavy on seafood. Princess Cruises Food, entertainment and technology come together in 360: An Extraordinary Experience – a exclusive dinner show (pictured below) for suite passengers on Discovery Princess and, from January, Enchanted Princess, that uses film, music, images and scent to recreate the cultures, tastes and flavours of the Mediterranean. Silversea By day, the SALT Lab on Silver Nova has hands-on cookery classes that don’t just show passengers how to prepare dishes from the places they are visiting, but also delve into their history. Come evening, the room transforms into a new 11-course Chef’s Table food and wine extravaganza for 18 diners. Celestyal Cruises The flavours and tastes of Greece come alive on Celestyal Journey, which started sailing for Celestyal in September 2023. Passengers can go casual in the Taverna or indulge in a six-course dining experience created by Greek chef and broadcaster Diane Kochilas in Grill Seekers.

Mediterranean inspiration A new Mediterranean-style restaurant is opening on Seabourn’s ultra-luxury ships in early 2024. The venue, Solis, replaces the Thomas Keller Grills that have been a feature of Seabourn ships for the past eight years. The first opens on Seabourn Quest in January 2024, with Seabourn Encore, Ovation and Sojourn to follow by spring 2024. Developed in tandem with Master Chef and culinary partner Anton Egger and senior corporate chef Franck Salein, they will serve dishes inspired by places in the Mediterranean that Seabourn ships visit. Examples include Tuscan-style steaks, Greek village salads and Piquillos De La Mama, which pairs Basque piquillo peppers with fresh Murcia goat milk cheese.

8 | FEBRUARY 2024

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Diningat sea Leading chefs from around the world are helping cruise lines raise the culinary bar on board

Foodie news

8 | FEBRUARY 2024

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DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Style: Resort With art work that comes alive, kids and teen clubs, nurseries, restaurants themed around Disney heroes, Princess dress-up events and deck parties hosted by Mickey and Minnie, this line has everything families could want and more. Kids of all ages can get wet, wet, wet on waterslides and watercoasters that spin you around the top of the ships, there are mini water parks and slides for toddlers, and pools, bars and swanky restaurants just for adults. Come evening the curtain rises on shows featuring favourite Disney characters. disneycruise.com

Families at sea

With amazing activities, kids’ clubs and all meals included in the price, a family holiday at sea is great fun and unbeatable value.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Style: Resort Kids of all ages are promised a ball on Carnival’s self-styled Fun Ships. They have huge aquaparks, waterslides, ropes courses and bikes that hang from a track that circles around the top of the ship, some 150 foot above the ocean. The line’s three newest ships, Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee also have Bolt, a roller coaster that shoots along an 800ft track at up to 40 miles an hour, dropping, twisting and turning as it goes. There are clubs for kids (2-11) and teens (12-17), adult-only Serenity hang-outs for mums and dads, and restaurants galore serving everything from burgers to Japanese teppanyaki. carnival.com

10 | FEBRUARY 2024

CELEBRITY CRUISES

Style: Premium resort Camp at Sea is the place to be if you happen to be aged three to 12 and cruising with Celebrity. There are games, movie nights, sing-alongs, scavenger hunts and lessons in the art of navigation. A tad older? No worries. The Teen Club has silent discos, video game tournaments and other activities for the 13-17s. Outside the organised activities, there are pools to splash around in and kid-friendly menus. Starting 2024, the line has cruises that call into Perfect Day at Coco Cay private island, where there are water parks, slides, pools, beaches and more. celebritycruises.co.uk

MARELLA CRUISES

Style: British/resort As the UK cruise arm of TUI, Marella knows only too well what makes a great family holiday. The on-board vibe is relaxed, there are kids’ clubs, pools, climbing walls, outdoor cinemas and minigolf, children’s menus and British dining favourites to cater for the fussiest of eaters. Shore excursions, including bike tours and trips to water parks, aquariums and beaches, are designed for families, and with drinks on board included, mum and dad can relax knowing they won’t be always putting their hands in their pockets to keep the kids refuelled. One ship, Marella Explorer 2, is designated adult-only (see p14). tui.co.uk

MSC CRUISES

Style: Resort Whether you fancy splashing down waterslides, balancing across tightropes and swaying beams or cooling off under jets of water, you can with MSC. Its ships have kids clubs with video games, teen hangouts with night clubs and games centres where you can speed around an F1 racetrack (a simulated one of course), zap aliens in an XD cinema or go bowling (extra cost). There are dedicated family cabins, restaurants to cater for all tastes and bike, beach and dolphin-watching tours. msccruises.co.uk

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DISNEY CRUISE LINE

Families at sea

With amazing activities, kids’ clubs and all meals included in the price, a family holiday at sea is great fun and unbeatable value.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

10 | FEBRUARY 2024

CELEBRITY CRUISES

MARELLA CRUISES

MSC CRUISES

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Best of the rest

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Style: Resort If walking a plank over the side of the ship, more feet from the ocean than you really want to know, doesn’t do it for you, then racing around a twisting, turning go-kart track surely will. There’s never a dull moment on NCL ships, which between them have ziplines and ropes courses, water slides with trap doors, dual slides that pit racers against a friend, laser tag games, fun clubs for kids and teen hang-outs. And all against a Freestyle backdrop, which translates into a casual vibe with no dress codes and no organised dining. ncl.com

P&O CRUISES

Style: British/resort Family cruising doesn’t get much easier than with P&O, which has four ships sailing from Southampton in summer so instead of negotiating airports, parents only need to get everyone to the port and the holiday starts right away. Once on board, there’s plenty for kids and teens, with welcome aboard parties, clubs to join and pools to splash around in. For families who don’t mind flying, a fifth ship sails the Mediterranean round-trip from Valletta through the summer; come winter there are Caribbean flycruises from Barbados and Antigua. Two P&O ships are designated adult-only (see p14). pocruises.com

12 | FEBRUARY 2024

PRINCESS CRUISES

Style: Resort Families have always been on the Princess radar with kids’ clubs, teen hangouts and themed pirate nights on the ships, and discovery and wildlife-themed excursions ashore, but the line has taken things up a gear with new ship Sun Princess. Launching in February 2024, the vessel has larger kids and teen clubs, a family centre for babies and toddlers and a first-time activity zone, Park19, where adventures can harness up and hang-glide at speeds of up to 11 miles an hour around a track circling the top deck, clamber across beams and nets on a ropes course or climb between decks 19 to 20 before sliding back down. princess.com

Holland America Line

Nicko Cruises

Cunard

Ships have kids and teen clubs for youngsters aged three to 17 with activities that range from arts and crafts and theme parties to treasure hunts, scavenger hunts and video game tournaments. Family cabins on Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam hold up to five people. hollandamerica.com

Vasco da Gama has a supervised play area for children aged three or over that spans two decks and activities ranging from video games and table football to discos. Children under 16 travel for free when accompanied by two full-fare-paying adults. There are drinks packages for kids and teens. nicko-cruises.co.uk

The line’s three ships (four from May) have Play Zones (2-7s), the Kids’ Zone (8-12s) and the Teen Zone (13-17s) that offer everything from arts and crafts to computer games and discos. A children’s tea is served in the Lido restaurants. cunard.co.uk

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

Style: Resort With their rock climbing walls, dodgem cars, surf parks, zipwires, ice-rinks and rooms that hold up to eight people, Royal Caribbean ships are made for families. There are kids and teen clubs of course, and they’re a great place for youngsters to make friends, but who wants to be indoors when you can be out getting your thrills on water slides, plunging 10 storeys down the Ultimate Abyss, cooling off in a water park or suiting up to go skydiving. Step on board new ship Icon of the Seas, launching in January 2024, to take on the tallest water slide at sea and Crown’s Edge in the all-new family neighbourhood. royalcaribbean.co.uk

Five of the best places to cruise with the kids Mediterranean With its choice of flycruise or ex-UK sailings, sunny summers and fun days out visiting beaches, waterparks, volcanoes and dolphinwatching, the Med is the top cruise choice for British families.

Northern Europe Families with a sense of adventure can visit glaciers, kayak through fjords and go whalewatching and horse-back riding.

Scandinavia

Caribbean

Alaska

This region isn’t top of the list for families, but with cycle rides, visits to former nuclear missile sites, high-speed RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) rides and theme parks, it really should be.

It’s the classic sun, sand and sea combo with the added attraction of a different island to explore every day.

With husky dogs, kayaking, zipwiring, whale-watching and float plane trips among excursions, children and teenagers will have a ball.

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Best of the rest

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

P&O CRUISES

12 | FEBRUARY 2024

PRINCESS CRUISES

Holland America Line

Nicko Cruises

Cunard

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

Northern Europe Families with a sense of adventure can visit glaciers, kayak through fjords and go whalewatching and horse-back riding.

Scandinavia

Caribbean

Alaska

This region isn’t top of the list for families, but with cycle rides, visits to former nuclear missile sites, high-speed RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) rides and theme parks, it really should be.

It’s the classic sun, sand and sea combo with the added attraction of a different island to explore every day.

With husky dogs, kayaking, zipwiring, whale-watching and float plane trips among excursions, children and teenagers will have a ball.

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Expedition cruising

please Just as there are familyfriendly cruises, there are ships where children are most definitely not welcome.

We all love kids, but that doesn’t mean you want them buzzing around you on your holiday, especially if they are someone else’s offspring. After all, even the best-behaved children want to be kids and run around, making a bit of noise, which is annoying for those who crave peace and quiet. So kudos to the lines that have banned children, allowing cruisers to escape to an adults-only world. Top of the list is Virgin Voyages which, much to everyone’s surprise, launched its first ship with a ban on anyone under 18 – a policy that remains in place on all its vessels (three now and a fourth to launch in 2024). With no kids’ clubs, there’s more room for restaurants and bars, and no young ears means entertainment can be a bit racy. Saga’s two ships, both sailing from the UK and both aimed at British cruisers, are not only no-kids’ zones, but also no-go areas for anyone under 50 (although someone aged 50 or more can take a companion aged 40 or over). British lines Marella Cruises and P&O Cruises split the difference and have some ships aimed at families and others designated adults-only.

14 | FEBRUARY 2024

Marella Cruises has four ships for families and one, Marella Explorer 2, for cruisers aged 18 and over. The vessel is spending this winter sailing the Caribbean from Montego Bay in Jamaica and will be exploring the Adriatic and Greek Isles from Dubrovnik in summer 2024. P&O Cruises has two ships, Arcadia and Aurora, for adults only. Both offer traditional British-style cruises with formal nights and fixed dining alongside open-seating options for those who prefer to eat when they want. Both ships sail from Southampton to the Mediterranean, Norwegian fjords, Iceland, even the US, Canada and West Indies. For the ultimate child-free blast, Arcadia has a 99-night voyage to Australia and back in January 2025.

Take your chances Fred Olsen Cruise Lines allows children but its more formal style is favoured by Brits aged 60 and over so it’s pretty rare to see youngsters on board. Likewise luxury lines such as SeaDream Yacht Club and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are not top of the list with families as their cruises are not cheap and their ships are not childfriendly. Strict rules in the UK about taking kids out of school mean term time can be a good time for a child-free cruise no matter the cruise line. Bear in mind, though, there could be babies and toddlers on board, and also children from countries that have different school holiday dates to the UK.

No kids

Giant icebergs, penguins, polar bears, crocodiles and places you never knew existed. Welcome to the wild side of cruising.

ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES

Beat a retreat

Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises are among several lines with familyfriendly ships that set aside special areas where adults can have some me-time away from children. Princess Cruises’ ships have the Sanctuary, which costs extra. Disney Cruise Line goes a step further and has pools, bars, lounges and even restaurants set aside for adults-only.

Style: Premium This company made its debut in the US three years ago and has now set its sights on the UK. Its three identical Ice Class 1B expedition ships. World Navigator, World Traveller and World Voyager, launched 2021 and 2022 respectively, hold 196 passengers, carry an expedition team, and have lecture rooms and mudrooms. In polar regions, shore excursions, a parka and vest, boots and pre and post-cruise hotel nights are included. Kayaking, paddle-boarding and camping cost extra. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, South America, Iceland. atlasoceanvoyages.com

AE EXPEDITIONS

Style: Premium An Australian-based company, AE Expeditions (part of Aurora Expeditions) has two expedition ships, Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle, which launched 2019 and 2022 respectively. Both hold 132 passengers and feature a X-bow hull that cuts through waves, resulting in a smoother ride and saving on fuel. Onboard there are expedition teams, lecture theatres, science centres and mudrooms. A complimentary jacket is provided on polar expeditions. Antarctica cruises include a free pre-cruise hotel night. Activities, including camping, snorkelling and kayaking, are optional extras. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, Iceland, Norway, Costa Rica, Scotland. aexpeditions.co.uk

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 15

Expedition cruising

please Just as there are familyfriendly cruises, there are ships where children are most definitely not welcome.

14 | FEBRUARY 2024

No kids

Giant icebergs, penguins, polar bears, crocodiles and places you never knew existed. Welcome to the wild side of cruising.

ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES

Beat a retreat

AE EXPEDITIONS

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 15

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

PONANT

QUARK EXPEDITIONS

Style: Boutique Celebrity has three vessels in the Galapagos, an archipelago of islands some 1,000km west of Ecuador in South America. Celebrity Xploration is the baby with room for just 16 guests, then comes Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Flora, the first-ever ship ever purpose-built to cruise in the islands, holding 48 and 100 passengers respectively. Ten and 11-night itineraries pair one-week cruises round-trip from Baltra ‘airport’ island and included excursions, with pre and post-cruise hotel nights in Quito. Expedition cruises in: Galapagos Islands. celebritycruises.co.uk

Style: Boutique French line Ponant has the world’s largest expedition fleet, with more ships than the other lines. Le Boréal, L’Austral, Le Soléal and Le Lyrial hold 244-264 passengers and are built to sail in polar waters. Le Lapérouse, Le Champlain, Le Bougainville, Le Dumontd’Urville, Le Bellot and Le Jacques Cartier hold 184 passengers and offer expedition cruises in warmer climes. The 245-passenger ice-breaker Le Commandant Charcot can reach deep into the polar regions, including as far as the North Pole. Ponant also owns Tahiti-based Paul Gauguin Cruises, which operates the eponymous 330-passenger ship Paul Gauguin. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, New Zealand, Kimberley, Tasmania, Indian Ocean, Micronesia, Central America, South Pacific. ponant.com

16 | FEBRUARY 2024

Style: Boutique Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has one internationally-designated expedition ship, Hanseatic Inspiration, which means the language on board is both German and English. The ship, classified PC6 ice class, holds 230 passengers (199 in Antarctica) and sails with an expedition team. It has a science centre, lecture theatre and mud room. Clients can borrow a parka and boots if cruising in very cold regions. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, US Great Lakes. hl-cruises.com

Style: Premium Part of the Travelopia travel group, Quark Expeditions launched its first new-build ship, the 199-passenger Ultramarine, in 2021. The vessel carries an expedition team, two helicopters that land passengers in remote areas (extra cost) and has water-level Zodiac hangers and four embarkation points so the inflatables can get operational faster and be loaded quicker. There is a lecture theatre and two mudrooms. Quark also has cruises on the 128-passenger Ocean Adventurer in Antarctica (November to March) and Arctic (May to October) and on the 172-passenger World Explorer in Antarctica (November to March). Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, Northwest Passage. quarkexpeditions.com

Contact your travel agent or call 02 07 66 04 089. For more information, visit uk.ponant.com. Photo taken in compliance with AECO regulation and with local community. Non-contractual document. All rights reserved. ©PONANT - Julien Fabro. IM013120040.

CELEBRITY CRUISES

BEYOND EXPLORATION

Le Commandant Charcot - The World’s Only Luxury lcebreaker Inuit spring of Ammassalik in the Arctic 11 days/10 nights. Early rates for Summer 2025 available now.

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

PONANT

QUARK EXPEDITIONS

16 | FEBRUARY 2024

CELEBRITY CRUISES

BEYOND EXPLORATION

Le Commandant Charcot - The World’s Only Luxury lcebreaker Inuit spring of Ammassalik in the Arctic 11 days/10 nights. Early rates for Summer 2025 available now.

Poles apart

Antarctica cruises take passengers to the South Pole. Sailings are mostly to Antarctica but a few longer voyages pair the continent with South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. The Arctic is a notional area defined by an imaginary circle in the Northern Hemisphere with the North Pole at its centre. Radiating out, it encompasses Greenland, Svalbard, Norway, Russia, Canada and numerous islands in the Labrador Sea. The Northwest Passage leads from Greenland to Canada.

What is a Zodiac? An inflatable boat used by expedition cruise lines to land passengers in the polar regions, Galapagos, Kimberley and other areas that do not have ports. The boats are also used for close-up cruising around coast lines, icebergs and glaciers.

What is an expedition team? Instead of singers, dancers and production shows, expedition ships carry marine biologists, birders, geologists, historians and other such experts who host lectures and accompany passengers on shore landings or Zodiac cruises. © Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

What is a mudroom? This is a room at the bottom of the ship with lockers and hangers where passengers change into their expedition gear (boots, waterproofs, jackets) before going ashore in the Zodiacs and change back to their everyday clothes after coming back on board.

SCENIC

Style: Ultra-luxury Dubbed discovery yachts rather than expedition ships, Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II are nevertheless built to Polar Class 6 rating and able to sail in icy Arctic and Antarctica waters. The vessels can hold 228 passengers, but numbers are restricted to 200 in polar regions. Each carries an expedition team and has lecture theatres and free-to-use kayaks, paddle-boards and snorkelling gear. Complimentary expedition parkas are provided in Antarctica. Excursions in the two helicopters and a submarine are optional extras. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, Kimberley, Melanesia. scenic.co.uk

18 | FEBRUARY 2024

SEABOURN

Style: Ultra-luxury A newcomer to the expedition sector, Seabourn has two new 264-passenger vessels, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, launched 2022 and 2023 respectively. Purpose-built for expedition cruising, they have Discovery Centre lecture theatres and each carry a 26-strong expedition team, 24 Zodiacs and two seven-man battery-powered submarines for exploring beneath the waves. Complimentary jackets are provided in Antarctica and the Arctic. Kayaks can be borrowed (extra cost). Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, Northwest Passage, Kimberley, South Pacific. seabourn.com

SILVERSEA

Style: Ultra-luxury The pioneer in ultra-luxury expedition cruising, Silversea has four all-suite ships with butlers for all dedicated to the adventure sector. Silver Endeavour, launched in 2022, is the flagship and holds 220 passengers. Silver Wind holds 274 and Silver Cloud 254 (the latter restricted to 240 in polar waters and 200 in the Kimberley). Silver Origin, based in the Galapagos Islands, has capacity for 100. All carry expedition teams and Zodiacs, there are kayaks on all bar Origin, and lounges that double as theatres and mudrooms. Passengers cruising in Antarctica receive a free parka to take home. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, Kimberley, Galapagos, Northwest Passage, South Africa, South Pacific. silversea.com

SWAN HELLENIC

Style: Premium This line might share the same name as the company that collapsed in 2017, but it could not be more different. It has three new ships – Minerva and Vega hold 152 passengers and Diana has capacity for 192 – all launched between 2021 and 2023, and all with ice-strengthened hulls to they can cruise the polar regions. The ships carry an expedition team and Zodiacs, and have an expedition lab and mudroom. Passengers cruising in polar regions receive a free parka to take home. Expedition cruises in: Antarctica, Arctic, Chilean fjords, Africa, Costa Rica, Madagascar. swanhellenic.com

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 19

Poles apart

SCENIC

18 | FEBRUARY 2024

SEABOURN

SILVERSEA

SWAN HELLENIC

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 19

Gorgeous Greece

Extraordinary adventures

Australia’s remote Kimberley region.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SEABOURN

Exploring the remotest regions of the world in ultra-luxury style. Who says expedition is all about roughing it? Certainly not Seabourn, which has stamped its ultra-luxury mark on the world of exploration with two exceptional ships built to cruise to the ends of the earth – literally. With their ice-strengthened hulls, fleets of inflatable Zodiacs and on-board teams of expedition leaders, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit are right at home seeking out penguins, polar bears and giant icebergs in the icy waters of the Arctic or Antarctica. But, as Seabourn is about to prove, expedition is not all about getting your chills. After a winter season at the South Pole, Seabourn Pursuit will be seeking new adventures Down Under as it explores Australia’s remote Kimberley region. For those not in the know, the Kimberley is a vast wilderness across the top of Western Australia that’s three times the size of England but home to barely 40,000 people. It veers from scorching and dangerously wet in summer (our winter) to beautifully warm in winter (about 30C), which is when Seabourn Pursuit will be there. It’s an extraordinary place, with arid desert, sandstone canyons and rainforest. You’ll go exploring in the Zodiacs, hang on tight for a white-water ride over gushing horizontal waterfalls and get up close to centuries-old rock art. You’ll also have a front-row

seat as the Montgomery Reef seemingly rises up out of the sea and go flight-seeing over the Bungle Bungles, a range of beehive-looking rock formations thought to be 350 million years old But the warm-water expeditions don’t stop there because on its way to and from the Kimberley, Seabourn Pursuit will be seeking new adventures in the South Pacific. There are calls into the Society and Cook Islands, Niue, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, where days ashore learning about Polynesian culture and exploring caves and rainforest await. An epic 28-day expedition from Darwin to Guam in August 2024 explores the cultures and traditions of New Guinea; for those with more days to spare, a 38day voyage from the Tahitian capital of Papeete takes guests to remote Pitcairn Island, which the mutinous crew of HMS Bounty made their home, and calls into Easter Island, where huge human heads carved hundreds of years ago sit looking out to sea. The cruise continues south through Chile, navigating fjords and up close to glaciers, spends five days in Antarctica and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina, with a flight to Buenos Aires. By now it’s November 2024 and Seabourn Pursuit is in position, ready for an exciting winter season exploring the White Continent.

Discovering the Northwest Passage More than 100 years since the sea corridor between Greenland and Arctic Canada was discovered by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, crossing the Northwest Passage remains one of the world’s greatest adventures. Lucky Seabourners! They’ll have two opportunities to tick the passage off their expedition wishlist in 2025, as Seabourn Venture sails from Reykjavik in Iceland to Nome in Alaska in July and from Nome to St John’s in Newfoundland, Canada, in August. Both cruises are 34 days, but there are shorter 23-day sectors. Whichever they choose, guests will see polar bears, discover Inuit culture, learn how people survive in the icy conditions on the Northwest Passage, and hopefully (nothing on an expedition cruise is 100%) visit Beechy Island, thefinal resting place of the sailors on the UK’s doomed Franklin Expedition of 1845.

20 | FEBRUARY 2024

ALL INCLUSIVE

ALL SUITE

21 – AD - Seabourn Expedition

Book by 29 Feb 2024 Save Up to 15% off select Ocean voyages and up to 25% off select Expedition voyages. Plus enjoy up to US$1,000 per suite shipboard credit

ULTRA-LUXURY

Seabourn’s exclusive Sail of the Year is your best opportunity to sail away in ultra-luxury with savings up to 15% on our Ocean voyages. When you travel with Seabourn, you may enjoy the full flavour of the Greek Isles and sample a delectable menu of immersive experiences, from sipping a locally made wine while overlooking Santoríni’s caldera, making tzatziki with a local chef at a taverna on Rhodes to a private yacht excursion on Mykonos. Or participate in authentic optional shore experiences immersing you in local history and culture - such as a UNESCO tour to ancient Delos, a classical concert amid the ruins of Ephesus in Turkey, or a trip back in time to Crete’s Minoan civilization at Knossos. The Sail of the Year is available for a limited time only, until 29 February.

Choose from more than six hundred voyages. Here are just a few:

7-night Turquoise Coast & Greek Isles

12 May*; 29 Sep 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £3,489pp | Inclusive Air Roundtrip Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Limassol (Cyprus); Antalya (Turkey); Marmaris; Agios Nikolaos (Crete); Milos. *Lead fare based on 12/5/24

10-night Greek Treasures & Ephesus 12 May 2024 | SEABOURN QUEST

From £4,299pp | Inclusive Air Piraeus (Athens) to Venice (Fusina)

Visits: Mykonos, Dikili (Pergamon, Turkey); Bodrum; Kusadasi (Ephesus*); Cephalonia; Corfu; Rovinj (Croatia), • Seabourn’s Classical concert at Ephesus*

7-night Turkey & Greek Island Gems

26 May 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £4,199pp | Inclusive Air Roundtrip Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Canakkale (Turkey); Izmir; Patmos (Greece); Rhodes; Spetses

10-night Malta & French Riviera 5 Jun 2024 | Seabourn Sojourn

EPHESUS

THE SEABOURN ALL-INCLUSIVE DIFFERENCE

MONEMVASIA

●

Intimate ships with a private yacht-like atmosphere.

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Intuitive, personalised service provided by team passionate about exceeding guests expectations.

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MYKONOS

Curated voyages to all seven continents delivering award-winning authentic experiences. All ocean-front suites luxuriously appointed, most with a private veranda. Tipping is neither required, nor expected.

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Complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times.

●

Welcome Champagne and complimentary in-suite bar stocked with your preferences.

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Complimentary WI-FI.

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World-class dining and culinary experiences that rival the finest restaurants anywhere, all complimentary – dine where, and with whom you wish.

From £4,899pp | Inclusive Air Piraeus (Athens) to Barcelona

Visits: Monemvasia (Greece); Valletta (Malta, overnight); Mgarr (Victoria, Gozo); Syracusa (Sicily); L’ile-Rousse (Corsica); Toulon (France); Palamos (Spain); Barcelona.

• Overnight stay in Valletta

7-night Balkan Jewels

30 Jun; 25 Aug* 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £3,099pp | Inclusive Air Dubrovnik to Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Kotor (Montenegro); Gallipoli (Italy); Sarande (Albania); Zakinthos (Greece); Nafplion. *Lead fare based on 25/8/24

7-night Aegean Treasures 4 Aug 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £3,899pp | Inclusive Air Roundtrip Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Skiathos; Kavala (Neapolis); Dikili (Pergamon); Bodrum; Santorini.

C O N TA CT Y O UR TRA VE L P RO FE S S IO N A L FO R E XP E RT A D VICE O N Y O UR SEABOU RN CRU ISE Terms & Conditions: Featured prices are per guest based on double occupancy and are inclusive of Cruise Fare, Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses. All savings amounts included in the fares shown. Fares are in GBP. *Discounts available on voyages departing Summer 2024 and beyond. ^Discount amounts vary: up to 15% on Ocean Fleet and up to 25% on Expedition Fleet. Ocean Fleet voyages are operated on Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation. Expedition fleet voyages are operated on Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. Discounts are based on promo code NV/JE and are valid on select sailings and apply to the cruise-only fare and Taxes, Fees or Port Expenses (TF&PE) or, in the event that Inclusive Air is provided, discount applies to the Inclusive Air package price including Taxes, Fees or Port Expenses (TF&PE). Discounts are not valid on any optional packages including but not limited to: air (when not included in the package price), private car transfers, or pre/post packages. The Inclusive Air offer includes Economy Class Air (ECA) and is available on select Europe, Caribbean, Asia/Arabia, and Australia sailings. Inclusive Air is subject to availability, valid only for guests residing in the UK and applicable to the 1st and 2nd guests sharing a Suite only. In the event that promotional ECA is not available (at the sole discretion of Seabourn), or for guests not wishing to utilize the promotional air offer, a cruise credit will be applied to the booking amount. Promotional Inclusive Business Class Air (BCA) may also be available for an additional charge. Inclusive Air offers include complimentary transfers between the airport and ship and in case of an airline delay or cancellation when enroute, next port protection. If promotional air flight(s) and/or cruise schedule(s) force an overnight, a complimentary hotel night is also included. Inclusive ECA offer is based on promo code JE, Inclusive BCA offer is based on promo code JB. Shipboard Credit (SBC) offers are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable, non-transferable, have no cash value, expire at the end of the cruise, may not be used in the casino and are not combinable with other promotional shipboard credit offers. SBC offer is based on promo ZH. Offer is subject to availability and may be capacity controlled and may be modified or withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Other restrictions may apply. Seabourn reserves the right to correct errors. Ships’ registry: Bahamas. ©2024 Seabourn.

Gorgeous Greece

Extraordinary adventures

Australia’s remote Kimberley region.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SEABOURN

20 | FEBRUARY 2024

ALL INCLUSIVE

ALL SUITE

21 – AD - Seabourn Expedition

Book by 29 Feb 2024 Save Up to 15% off select Ocean voyages and up to 25% off select Expedition voyages. Plus enjoy up to US$1,000 per suite shipboard credit

ULTRA-LUXURY

Choose from more than six hundred voyages. Here are just a few:

7-night Turquoise Coast & Greek Isles

12 May*; 29 Sep 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £3,489pp | Inclusive Air Roundtrip Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Limassol (Cyprus); Antalya (Turkey); Marmaris; Agios Nikolaos (Crete); Milos. *Lead fare based on 12/5/24

10-night Greek Treasures & Ephesus 12 May 2024 | SEABOURN QUEST

From £4,299pp | Inclusive Air Piraeus (Athens) to Venice (Fusina)

Visits: Mykonos, Dikili (Pergamon, Turkey); Bodrum; Kusadasi (Ephesus*); Cephalonia; Corfu; Rovinj (Croatia), • Seabourn’s Classical concert at Ephesus*

7-night Turkey & Greek Island Gems

26 May 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £4,199pp | Inclusive Air Roundtrip Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Canakkale (Turkey); Izmir; Patmos (Greece); Rhodes; Spetses

10-night Malta & French Riviera 5 Jun 2024 | Seabourn Sojourn

EPHESUS

THE SEABOURN ALL-INCLUSIVE DIFFERENCE

MONEMVASIA

●

Intimate ships with a private yacht-like atmosphere.

●

Intuitive, personalised service provided by team passionate about exceeding guests expectations.

●

MYKONOS

●

Complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times.

●

Welcome Champagne and complimentary in-suite bar stocked with your preferences.

●

Complimentary WI-FI.

●

World-class dining and culinary experiences that rival the finest restaurants anywhere, all complimentary – dine where, and with whom you wish.

From £4,899pp | Inclusive Air Piraeus (Athens) to Barcelona

Visits: Monemvasia (Greece); Valletta (Malta, overnight); Mgarr (Victoria, Gozo); Syracusa (Sicily); L’ile-Rousse (Corsica); Toulon (France); Palamos (Spain); Barcelona.

• Overnight stay in Valletta

7-night Balkan Jewels

30 Jun; 25 Aug* 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £3,099pp | Inclusive Air Dubrovnik to Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Kotor (Montenegro); Gallipoli (Italy); Sarande (Albania); Zakinthos (Greece); Nafplion. *Lead fare based on 25/8/24

7-night Aegean Treasures 4 Aug 2024 | SEABOURN ENCORE

From £3,899pp | Inclusive Air Roundtrip Piraeus (Athens)

Visits: Skiathos; Kavala (Neapolis); Dikili (Pergamon); Bodrum; Santorini.

Days out in Doha Everything in Doha is bigger, better and just plain breathtaking. We pick six of the best cruise excursions that show off the great variety of experiences that await in the Qatari capital. Make a splash

Pack the swimming cossie, take a towel and get ready for a fun day out at Desert Falls Water and Adventure Park. There are 30 rides and slides including King Cobra, Surf Dunes, Spinning Rapids, a wave pool and lazy river. For an extra adrenalin hit, a man-made canyoning adventure has cliff jumps from heights of 7.5 metres. Seven-and-a-half-hour tour on MSC’s sevennight Emirates cruises round-trip from Dubai. Weekly departures from November 16 2024 to January 18 2025.

2022

Expect the wonderful FASHION & SHOPPING

LUXURY SHOPPING DESTINATIONS

OF THE BEST... THEME PARKS & PLAY CENTRES

PLACE VENDÔME

The new home of luxury shopping in Qatar, Place Vendôme (pictured left and above), is vast in size and big on Parisian style. Over four floors, discover more than 580 high-end and mid-range stores, from Gucci and Valentino to Zara and H&M. There’s also the largest Louis Vuitton and Sephora stores in the Middle East. Outside every night from 19:00-23:00 on the hour, enjoy the whimsical Dancing Fountains show in the courtyard.

1. DESERT FALLS WATER & ADVENTURE PARK

One of Doha’s newest theme parks, Quest takes you on a journey through time and is divided into three dimensions – past, present and future. The best bit? It’s indoors and fully air-conditioned. +974 4410 3444

Right: Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park.

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AL HAZM

Step back in time to the grandeur of Europe with the added bonus of outdoor air-conditioning. This mall is a feast for the senses with gleaming marble walkways, lush 600-year-old olive trees imported from Italy and Spain, along with heat-absorbing floors and a state-of-the-art ventilation system to keep shoppers cool. There’s a sophisticated line-up of retail outlets – Glam District, Kashperia, Arabian Notes, De Beers and Palazzo Nero selling stunning abayas. Shop until you drop, then get a mani at Aldo Coppola before coffee at Rosemary Café.

NOBU, DOHA

London’s favourite Christmasthemed amusement park comes to Doha with festive attractions, activities, music, entertainment and delicacies at Al Maha Island in Lusail. Al Maha Island, Lusail City

Cool off at Desert Falls, one of the largest theme parks in the Middle East.

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Dani Garcia’s breezy new seafood restaurant and tapas bar at The Pearl-Qatar is inspired by Spain’s chiringuitos (casual beachfront seafood eateries). Be transported to the Mediterranean as you dine on tuna carpaccio, squid ink croquettes, perfectly grilled fish and seafood paella in the lush gardens at the elegant Marsa Malaz Kempinski. +974 3100 0373

This man-made island just a 15-minute drive from the city centre, is a mix of luxurious residential villas overlooking the Arabian Gulf, with prestigious shops and supercar dealerships. A fun precinct where super yachts are moored in view of boutiques such as Alexander McQueen, you’ll see homegrown designers thriving alongside global brands, and the young Qatari style set hanging out. Find chic sneakers at Loft, delicate threads from Elie Saab or a luxury car from Ferrari.

5. DOHA QUEST

Breathtaking new hotels, art galleries, museums, sports arenas, world Michelin-starred Italian chef Enrico Crippa has opened his first restaurant outside of Italy and it’s here in Doha. Head to Raffles Doha at the iconic Katara Towers in Lusail to dine on typical Italian dishes with a contemporary twist. The menu will feature all the flavours of Italy, including truffles from Alba in the northern Piedmont region. raffles.com

THE PEARL-QATAR

4. LUSAIL WINTER WONDERLAND

LOBITO DE MAR, DOHA

Luxury lovers from across the globe are captivated by the array of designer goods at 21 High Street in Katara – home to prestigious Parisian department store, Galeries Lafayette. There’s also a curated collection of worldrenowned fashion, watches and jewellery boutiques, from Cartier to Joseph. Expect a first-of-its-kind outdoor shopping experience in a cool, regulated environment, then head to Katara Hills for sunset.

3. ANGRY BIRDS WORLD This adventure park themed around the iconic gaming sensation of Angry Birds is a fun fantasy land brimming with 35 rides and colourful play zones inside Doha Festival City. +974 4042 0444

FOOD & DINING

GALERIES LAFAYETTE

Delve into history and culture on a tour that pairs the National Museum of Qatar, a building designed like a desert rose, with a walking tour through Doha’s colourful Souq Waqif. The narrow streets and alleys are lined with shops selling spices, jewellery, colourful shawls and even falcons (falconry is a major sport in Qatar). Four-hour tour on Silversea’s 17-day Doha to Athens (Piraeus) cruise departing April 27 2025.

2. SNOW DUNES

Skiing in the desert? Yes! Nestled inside the Doha Festival City entertainment precinct is the first snow experience in Qatar, with snowy slopes that wrap around an imaginary city. +974 4042 0444

Make a splash at one of the largest theme parks in the Middle East. With sprawling cave-like structures housing more than 56 attractions, it’s made for aquatic adventures. +974 4423 6416

Qatar’s food culture is steeped in humble dishes and generous hospitality, and now contemporary fine-dining adds to the rich tapestry of flavour. You’ll find global outposts of world-renowned fine-dining restaurants serving everything from modern Japanese to Peruvian, Cantonese, Mediterranean and beyond.

Desert rose

FAMILIES & CHILDREN

Qatar’s most coveted dining destinations take global flavours to new heights.

In Qatar, luxury shopping is serious business. Here are the top picks for the fashion-savvy.

3-2-1

On your marks, get set, go … on a tour of Doha ending at the 3-2-1 Olympic and Sports Museum, where seven galleries feature sporting memorabelia including items donated by boxing and tennis greats Muhammad Ali and Roger Federer. Four-hour tour on Costa Cruises’ sevennight Dubai and UAE cruises round-trip from Dubai. Weekly departures between December 28 2024 and March 8 2025.

WINTER

ALBA BY ENRICO CRIPPA, DOHA

NOBU, DOHA

And now a cruise port and community setting new standards in the world of travel by sea and by land for you, your friends and family.

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Cruise the bay

How better to enjoy Doha’s spectacular high-rise skyline than on a peaceful cruise around the bay in a dhow, a traditional style of wooden boat that dates back to the days before oil was discovered, when Qataris earned their living fishing and diving for pearls. Four-hour tour on Azamara’s eight-night Arabia Intensive Voyage round-trip from Dubai departing November 13 2024.

22 | FEBRUARY 2024

The Doha outpost of the world’s most exclusive dining destination is a curved oystershaped restaurant that sits on its own private beach. The design is a celebration of Qatar’s pearl diving past and the menu pays homage to Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. Must-try dish: miso marinated black cod. Nobu’s Friday brunch is also one of the hottest in town. +974 4494 8500

souks, inspiring mosques and countless, centuries old traditions.

Dune-bashing

Hold on tight because we’re off on a 4x4 jeep ride in the desert. It’s about an hour from Doha, in an area known as the Inland Sea, where the sand rolls down to the sea. Once there, drivers head out on an exciting rollercoaster ride up and down dunes on the way to a desert camp where there’s time to relax before returning to the ship. Four-hour tour on Ponant's seven-night Desert and Cities of the Persian Gulf cruise round-trip from Dubai departing January 2 2025.

FINE DINING

class restaurants and glamorous boutiques, coupled with timeless

Mangroves and wildlife

Leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind on a kayaking tour through the Al Khor mangrove forest that's suitable for both beginners and experienced paddlers. The area is criss-crossed with narrow channels to explore and home to a multitude of fish, crustaceans, herons and flamingos. Three-hour tour on Crystal’s 15-night Abu Dhabi to Mumbai cruise departing December 23 2024.

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Explore Qatar for the first time and we know you will return.

FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022™ SPECIAL www.visitqatar.qa

2022

Expect the wonderful FASHION & SHOPPING

LUXURY SHOPPING DESTINATIONS

OF THE BEST... THEME PARKS & PLAY CENTRES

PLACE VENDÔME

1. DESERT FALLS WATER & ADVENTURE PARK

Right: Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park.

104

AL HAZM

NOBU, DOHA

London’s favourite Christmasthemed amusement park comes to Doha with festive attractions, activities, music, entertainment and delicacies at Al Maha Island in Lusail. Al Maha Island, Lusail City

Cool off at Desert Falls, one of the largest theme parks in the Middle East.

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5. DOHA QUEST

THE PEARL-QATAR

4. LUSAIL WINTER WONDERLAND

LOBITO DE MAR, DOHA

FOOD & DINING

GALERIES LAFAYETTE

2. SNOW DUNES

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FAMILIES & CHILDREN

Qatar’s most coveted dining destinations take global flavours to new heights.

In Qatar, luxury shopping is serious business. Here are the top picks for the fashion-savvy.

3-2-1

WINTER

ALBA BY ENRICO CRIPPA, DOHA

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134

Cruise the bay

22 | FEBRUARY 2024

souks, inspiring mosques and countless, centuries old traditions.

Dune-bashing

FINE DINING

class restaurants and glamorous boutiques, coupled with timeless

Mangroves and wildlife

135

Explore Qatar for the first time and we know you will return.

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Luxury CRUISING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SEABOURN

When only the best will do Discover how to travel in ultra-luxury style to some of the most exciting destinations in the world.

Imagine luxuriating in a stylish hotel where the staff greet you by name and remember your favourite cocktail, and where every day you wake up to a different view. Sounds too good to be true? Not when you travel with Seabourn it isn’t. As one of the leading names in the world of ultraluxury, this company ticks all the boxes, ensuring its guests truly want for nothing on their holidays. Whether on Seabourn Encore or Ovation, Quest or Sojourn, they’ll travel on boutique-like floating hotels that hold no more than 600 guests (just 458 on Quest and Sojourn) and look a million dollars thanks to the creative talents of leading hotel designer Adam Tihany. They’ll reside in spacious ocean-front suites, most with private balconies, where personal suite attendants greet them with champagne and keep minibars stocked with favourite beverages, and be looked after by staff who not only remember their likes but anticipate their every wish. When it’s time to dine, sample sushi, linger over exquisite dinners with family and friends, or take a seat in Solis, a stylish new restaurant opening on all four ships this year that serves Michelin-quality cuisine. The choice is always theirs and along with alcoholic and soft drinks, it’s all complimentary, even the Champagne and fine wines, because Seabourn knows that luxury means never having to ask ‘how much’. As for waking to a different view, it doesn’t get much better than with Seabourn, with a selection of holidays

24 | FEBRUARY 2024

that visit some of the world’s most sought-after destinations and more than a few hidden gems. Guests can spend their summers exploring the Eastern and Western Mediterranean on cruises that circle around France, Spain, Italy and Croatia, and pair the Greek Isles and Turkey’s Turquoise coast, or discover the highlights of the ancient world on voyages that start and end in Athens (Piraeus). They can have a cultural extravaganza in Asia on 14-night cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong that call into Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, or explore the South China Sea on longer voyages that add in the Philippines. In March 2025, guests can see Japan’s famed cherry blossom on holidays from Bali or Hong Kong. There are sailings in Australia and New Zealand, voyages around South America, and guests can also get a sun, sea and sand fix on a huge selection of winter cruises in the Caribbean on Seabourn Ovation. These are just perfect for the Brits as they start and end in Bridgetown, Barbados, an island with excellent direct air links with the UK. Options range from a week to a fortnight and even an epic 25 days of island-hopping that pair lesser-known beach escapes such as Bequia in the Grenadines and cute Soper’s Hole in the British Virgin Islands with hotspots including Antigua and St Kitts, where historical Nelson’s Dockyard, a narrow gauge railway and Seabourn’s popular Caviar in the Surf and beach BBQ await on fun days ashore.

Small ships, gourmet dining, classy suites and never having to ask how much. Luxury cruising is a dream come true for sybarites.

AZAMARA

Style: Luxury This was the line that pioneered slow cruising with itineraries that stayed late and overnight in ports. The company has four ships that hover around the 700-passenger mark, have inside and outside cabins and a good percentage of rooms with private balconies. The biggest rooms are at the front and back of the ships, but Club Spa Suites (there are just two) are hot favourites for their location by the spa, contemporary design and bathtubs that overlook the ocean. What’s included: Selected drinks and tips. Suite passengers additionally enjoy some free internet and laundry, butler service and unlimited free dining in the ships’ speciality restaurants, Prime C and Aqualina (otherwise $30pp). azamara.com

CRYSTAL

Style: Ultra-luxury Having risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of its predecessor, the new-look Crystal, now part of the A&K Travel Group, has given its two ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, a multi-million-dollar refurbishment that has enlarged suites, reduced the passenger count (now 606 and 740 respectively) and restyled the spa. Master Chef Nobuyaki Matsuhisa’s Umi Uma restaurant has reopened, many of Crystal’s former staff have returned and there is a new Italian restaurant, Osteria d’Ovidio. What’s included: Soft and alcoholic drinks, tips, one complimentary visit to each of the speciality restaurants on cruises of up to 11 days (more on longer cruises) and Wi-Fi. crystalcruises.com

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 25

Luxury CRUISING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SEABOURN

When only the best will do Discover how to travel in ultra-luxury style to some of the most exciting destinations in the world.

24 | FEBRUARY 2024

Small ships, gourmet dining, classy suites and never having to ask how much. Luxury cruising is a dream come true for sybarites.

AZAMARA

CRYSTAL

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 25

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

Style: Luxury This line has two ships designated German and English speaking – Europa 2 for classic cruising and Hanseatic Inspiration for expedition (see p16). Europa 2 holds just 500 passengers, has all-balcony, all-suite accommodation, four complimentary restaurants serving French, Italian, Asian and Japanese fare, and six bars (drinks at the bar cost extra). Europa 2 roams the world, from the South Pacific to the Mediterranean and Asia. What’s included: Speciality dining, drinks from the minibar (this includes spirits for those in Grand Ocean Suites and higher) and one hour of free Wi-Fi a day. hl-cruises.com

OCEANIA CRUISES

Style: Luxury Food and destination are keywords for Oceania – the former because it claims to offer the finest cuisine at sea, the latter because lots of its itineraries stay late or overnight in ports such as Istanbul, Bordeaux and Lisbon, while excursions focus on everything from wellness to cuisine. The line has seven ships (an eighth, Allura, is due in 2025) that hold between 648 and 1,238 passengers, and offer a variety of complimentary restaurants serving everything from prime steaks and Asian specialities to French and Italian cuisine. What’s included: Flights, transfers, most speciality dining, Wi-Fi, drinks with lunch and dinner and up to US$1,600 per cabin shoreexcursion credit. oceaniacruises.com

PONANT

Style: Boutique Ponant brings a taste of Gallic luxury to the high seas with chic designer ships built for exploring the polar regions or expeditions in warmer waters. Cabins and suites are stylishly decked out, crew speak French and English and restaurants serve cuisine prepared by chefs trained by French chef Alain Ducasse’s firm Ducasse Conseil. Ponant also owns Paul Gauguin, a luxury ship based year-round in Tahiti that holds 330 passengers, has larger suites and three restaurants that serve a blend of French and Polynesian cuisine. What’s included: Unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, all dining and tips. Excursions are included on expedition cruises. ponant.com

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

Style: Ultra-luxury This line not only claimed the world’s most luxurious ship when Seven Seas Explorer launched in 2016, but went on to add two sisters (Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Grandeur). No expense has been spared on any of them. There are leather floors, enough marble to cover an American football field, crystal chandeliers and Picassos and Chagalls adorning the walls. A custom-designed Fabergé egg, Journey in Jewels, takes pride of place in Grandeur’s multi-million-dollar art collection. Trumping the lot is the extravagant Regent Suite – one on each ship – which clocks in at almost 4,500 square foot, has a $200,000 bed, a custom-made $250,000 Steinway piano and in-room spa. What’s included: Flights, transfers, unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, shore excursions, speciality dining, tips, laundry and Wi-Fi. Passengers in concierge suites or higher enjoy a free pre-cruise hotel. rssc.com

26 | FEBRUARY 2024

SAGA

Style: Luxury Exclusively for customers aged 50 or more, this line has two ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, launched 2019 and 2021 respectively, that each hold 987 passengers and sail exclusively from the UK. The vessels have all-balcony accommodation including lots of solo cabins and suites for those travelling alone. Discovery has Asian, seafood and steak restaurants, and The Club by Jools Holland, who sails with the ship at selected times throughout the year. Adventure has Nepalese, Italian and Supper Club dining options. What’s included: Speciality dining, selected excursions, unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks, tips, UK port transfers, Wi-Fi and travel insurance. saga.co.uk

SCENIC

Style: Ultra-luxury The line has two yachts, Scenic Eclipse and its sister Eclipse II, with head-turning looks inside and out that are equally at home in the marinas of the Mediterranean or amid polar ice in Antarctica. The vessels each hold 228 passengers (200 in polar regions), have all-suite, all-balcony accommodation with walk-in wardrobes and butlers, and eight restaurants serving everything from French and Asian fare to steaks and sushi. An invitationonly Chef’s Table serves a 10-course menu for just 10 people at a time. Each carries two helicopters and a seven-man submarine for excursions above and below the waves. What’s included: Flights, transfers, shore excursions (helicopters and submarine are extra cost), unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, dining, tips and Wi-Fi. scenic.co.uk

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 27

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

OCEANIA CRUISES

PONANT

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

26 | FEBRUARY 2024

SAGA

SCENIC

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 27

No-fly SEABOURN

Style: Ultra-luxury Seabourn has five designer-like ships that hold 458 to 600 passengers and are small enough to slip into exclusive harbours in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. The ships have beautifully-appointed ocean-front suites with private verandas, marble bathrooms and personal attendants to keep ice buckets full and minibars stocked with favourite wines and spirits. Once per cruise there’s an evening with composer Sir Tim Rice, who appears as a hologram and introduces popular songs from musicals he has penned. The line also has two polar expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, which hold just 264 (see p18). What’s included: Unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, speciality dining, tips and Wi-Fi. seabourn.com

28 | FEBRUARY 2024

SEADREAM YACHT CLUB

Style: Luxury SeaDream has two small yachts that hold just 112 passengers but what they lack in size – and therefore facilities - they more than make up for when it comes to charm, exclusivity and exceptional service. There are two restaurants, one indoors, the other outside; in each, dishes are prepared individually and with so few passengers, staff quickly get to know everyone’s likes and dislikes. All rooms are small and none has a balcony. If square metres matter, the Owner’s and Admiral Suites are the best options. What’s included: Unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks and tips. seadream.com

SILVERSEA

Style: Ultra-luxury The line has 11 ships (a 12th, Silver Ray, launches in 2024). Seven offering classic luxury cruises, with the rest no less luxurious, designed for expedition cruising (see p19). All have all-suite accommodation, mostly with private balconies, and everyone gets a butler and marble-finished en-suite bathrooms. Restaurants serve everything from French and Italian dishes to hot rocks grills by the pool. Silver Moon, Dawn and Nova have SALT Kitchen restaurants (the acronym stands for Sea and Land Taste) serving an ever-changing selection of regional favourites.SALT-themed excursions and lectures delve into local culinary traditions. What’s included: UK and overseas airport transfers, flights, unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, selected shore excursions, tips, Wi-Fi and a pre or post-cruise hotel (or both) if needed due to flight times. Port-toport fares are available. silversea.com

cruising

Choose a cruise that starts and ends in the UK and you can travel the world without having to fly. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Style: Family resort Sailing from: Dover Sailing to: Iceland, round-Britain, Scandinavia When: June to August 2024 Ship: Carnival Legend (2,124 passengers). Features include a Serenity retreat for adults, kids and teens clubs, water slides, steakhouse dining. carnival.com

CELEBRITY CRUISES

Style: Premium resort Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Norwegian fjords, Bruges & Amsterdam, Scandinavia, Iceland, Spain & Portugal, Mediterranean, Canary Islands & Portugal When: May to October 2024 Ship: Celebrity Apex (2,910 passengers). Features include a suite-only Retreat, Rooftop Garden, and 29 restaurants, bars and lounges. celebritycruises.co.uk

CUNARD

Style: Premium Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Germany, Holland and Belgium, Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Canary Islands, round-Britain, Norwegian fjords, Scandinavia, Iceland, round-the-world When: Year-round Ships: Queen Victoria (2,061 passengers) and (from May 2024) Queen Anne (2,996 passengers). Features include Princess and Queens Grills accommodation and restaurants, traditional afternoon tea, formal gala evenings. cunard.com

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 29

No-fly SEABOURN

28 | FEBRUARY 2024

SEADREAM YACHT CLUB

SILVERSEA

cruising

Choose a cruise that starts and ends in the UK and you can travel the world without having to fly. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

CELEBRITY CRUISES

CUNARD

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 29

Best of the rest Oceania Cruises

Style: Luxury Cruises round-trip from Southampton departing April, July, August and September.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Style: Ultra-luxury Cruises round-trip from Southampton departing May, June, August, September.

Seabourn

Style: Ultra-luxury Cruises from Greenwich (London) to Leith (Edinburgh), round-trip from Greenwich and round-trip from Dover departing in April, May, July, August and September.

Silversea

Style: Ultra-luxury Cruises from Southampton to Leith (Edinburgh), from Leith to Portsmouth and round-trip from Southampton departing in April, May, June and July.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE

MSC CRUISES

PRINCESS CRUISES

SAGA

FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES

P&O CRUISES

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

VIRGIN VOYAGES

Style: Family resort Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Belgium, France, Spain, round-Britain, Norwegian fjords, Iceland When: July to September 2024 Ship: Disney Dream (4,000 passengers). Features include a watercoaster, kids and teen clubs, character breakfasts, adult-only bars and restaurants. disneycruise.com

Style: British/classic Sailing from: Dover, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Rosyth, Southampton Sailing to: Norwegian fjords, Azores, roundBritain, Channel Islands, Iceland, Portugal, Holland, Scandinavia, Scotland, Mediterranean, Canada, Ireland, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Adriatic, Canary Islands, Morocco, Caribbean, round the world When: Year-round Ships: Borealis, Bolette and Balmoral (respectively 1,353, 1,338 and 1,325 passengers). Features include Asian and Indian restaurants, up to eight bars and lounges, fleets of RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boats). fredolsencruises.com

30 | FEBRUARY 2024

Style: Family resort Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Western Europe, Canary Islands, Norwegian fjords, Scandinavia, Mediterranean When: Year-round 2024 Ships: Jan-April: MSC Euribia (6,327 passengers); April-Oct: MSC Virtuosa (6,334 passengers); Oct-Dec: MSC Preziosa (4,345 passengers). Features include kids and teen clubs, suite-only Yacht Club, water parks and slides. msccruises.co.uk

Style: British/Family resort/adult-only Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Canary Islands, Western Europe, Norwegian fjords, Mediterranean, Spain, France, Portugal, Channel Islands, Scandinavia, Iceland, round-Britain, USA, Canada, Caribbean, world cruise When: Year-round Ships: Family: Iona and Arvia (5,200 passengers), Ventura (3,078 passengers), Britannia (3,647 passengers). Adult-only: Aurora and Arcadia (respectively 1,874 and 2,094 passengers). Features include British pubs, wine bars, kids and teen clubs (not Aurora or Arcadia), Indian restaurants. pocruises.com

Style: Family resort Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Spain, Portugal, Norwegian fjords, Mediterranean, Britain Isles, Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Canary Islands When: March to November 2024 Ships: Sky Princess, Regal Princess, Caribbean Princess (respectively 3,660, 3,560 and 3,140 passengers). Features include adult-only Sanctuary, kids and teen clubs, steakhouse dining, wine bars. princess.com

Style: Family resort Sailing from: Southampton Sailing to: Norwegian fjords, France, Spain, Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Scandinavia When: May to October 2024 Ship: Anthem of the Seas (4,180 passengers). Features include North Star observation capsule, skydiving simulator, dodgem cars, kids and teen clubs, indoor promenade, Jamie’s Italian, English pub. royalcaribbean.co.uk

Style: British luxury/over 55s only Sailing from: Portsmouth and Dover Sailing to: Canary Islands, Caribbean, West Africa, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Norwegian fjords, Madeira, Azores, Greek Isles, Western Europe, British Isles, Scandinavia, Channel Islands, Iceland, Greenland, US, Canada When: Year-round Ships: Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure (987 passengers), Features include Asian and seafood restaurants, solo cabins, Jools Holland jazz club. saga.co.uk

Style: Resort/adult-only Sailing from: Portsmouth Sailing to: Holland, Belgium, France, Spain When: August-September 2024 Ship: Resilient Lady (2,762 passengers). Features include Mexican, Vegetarian and Italian dining, champagne bar, nightclub, large spa, suite-only sundeck. virginvoyages.com

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 31

Best of the rest Oceania Cruises

Style: Luxury Cruises round-trip from Southampton departing April, July, August and September.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Style: Ultra-luxury Cruises round-trip from Southampton departing May, June, August, September.

Seabourn

Style: Ultra-luxury Cruises from Greenwich (London) to Leith (Edinburgh), round-trip from Greenwich and round-trip from Dover departing in April, May, July, August and September.

Silversea

Style: Ultra-luxury Cruises from Southampton to Leith (Edinburgh), from Leith to Portsmouth and round-trip from Southampton departing in April, May, June and July.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE

MSC CRUISES

PRINCESS CRUISES

SAGA

FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES

P&O CRUISES

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

VIRGIN VOYAGES

30 | FEBRUARY 2024

STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 31

Experiences on board and ashore SMALL SHIPS Whether you want to hone your cooking skills, delve into ancient Greece or practice yoga on a beach, you can on a cruise. Which lines offer cooking classes? Check out Oceania Cruises’ Marina, Riviera and Vista or Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ ships Seven Seas Explorer, Splendor and Grandeur. All have culinary centres with individual or shared cooking stations and chef-led classes. P&O Cruises has more of the same in the Cookery Club on Britannia, except on selected dates the classes are hosted by none other than Marco Pierre White. Silversea offers cooking classes on three ships – Silver Moon, Dawn and Nova (and Silver Ray when that launches in June). The classes are part of the line’s Sea and Land Taste (SALT) programme which taps into local and regional food cultures so passengers also learn the history of the dishes as they cook.

What about cooking ashore? Back to Oceania, Regent and Silversea, as all three have excursions that either have passengers cooking or watching chefs at work. Celebrity Cruises has Market Discoveries excursions led by the ships’ chefs and private dinners back on board. Holland America Line and Crystal have foodie tours to farms and wineries that include cooking demonstrations or wine-tasting followed by a local lunch.

Are there any history-themed cruises? Variety Cruises’ Antiquity to Byzantium voyages on the cruise ship Galileo take passengers on a journey through ancient Greece with historian Eugenia Alexiou. There are visits to Delphi, Olympia, where the original Olympic Games were held, ancient Mycenae and the theatre in Epidaurus. Cruises are one week round-trip from Marina Zea in Piraeus in March and April and October and November.

32 | FEBRUARY 2024

River cruises on the Seine in Northern France delve into World War Two history with a day touring sites linked to the Allied landings on June 6 1944, including Pegasus Bridge, the D-Day landing beaches and British, American and Canadian cemeteries. APT mixes the First and Second World Wars on a 14-night Western Front Explorer in April that visits the Airborne Museum in Arnhem, the battlefields of Fromelles and the Somme, and Tyne Cot Cemetery.

What about wine? Oenophiles are spoilt for choice when it comes to cruising, with wine-themed voyages on the oceans and rivers with the likes of SeaDream Yacht Club, Avalon Waterways and Emerald Cruises. AmaWaterways has more than 40 wine cruises on selected dates throughout 2024 as well as a new Flavors of Burgundy itinerary offering winetasting tours most days. Wine lovers sailing with P&O Cruises should make a beeline for The Glass House (not on Arcadia), where they can sniff and swirl their way through reds and whites chosen by wine expert Olly Smith, who also joins passengers on selected voyages.

What about staying active or wellness tours ashore? Almost all river cruise lines carry bikes that can be borrowed for free and many have hiking tours that get passengers out exploring beyond the city sights. Go with Virgin Voyages for hiking, cycling and kayaking tours. Turning things down a gear, Oceania and Regent have wellness tours that include practising yoga in a Croatian olive grove, dipping into thermal baths in Rome and reflexology on a rice barge in Thailand.

CMY

BIG CRUISES

TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA RIVERS OF WEST AFRICA SEYCHELLES - GARDEN OF EDEN CAPE VERDE ANTIQUITY TO BYZANTIUM CLASSICAL GREECE UNEXPLORED GREECE JEWELS OF THE CYCLADES WINES OF GREECE

Seafarer

WORLDWIDE CRUISING HOLIDAYS

varietycruises.co.uk

32 | FEBRUARY 2024

CMY

BIG CRUISES

TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA RIVERS OF WEST AFRICA SEYCHELLES - GARDEN OF EDEN CAPE VERDE ANTIQUITY TO BYZANTIUM CLASSICAL GREECE UNEXPLORED GREECE JEWELS OF THE CYCLADES WINES OF GREECE

Seafarer

WORLDWIDE CRUISING HOLIDAYS

varietycruises.co.uk

Duluth

Toronto

Explore the

Milwa

ukee

Thunder B Mackinac

Great Lakes

Island

THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY SYSTEM is a shared U.S.-

Canadian waterway. Pristine rivers, lakes and channels make the Great Lakes a cruising destination that strikes the perfect balance between ocean travel and riverboating. The awe-inspiring experience includes traversing manmade locks that create more than 2,000 miles of inland cruising.

LAKE ERIE Cleveland, Ohio • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the city’s No. 1 attraction • Cleveland Museum of Art, great for groups • Trolley tours through the city LAKE HURON Mackinac Island, Mich. • Luxurious Grand Hotel with public dining • Horse drawn carriage rides • Rent bikes and lap the island

Ports of Call

Thunder Bay

Lake Superior MINNESOTA MINNESOTA

Bayfield

IOWA IOW A

miss the unexplored experience on the freshwater seas.

Chicago

Alpena Traverse City

MICHIGAN

INDIANA

SHIP FACTS

wr La . St

• About 1/3 of cruise vessels built today carry fewer than 400 passengers, providing a more intimate experience. • Ships in the St. Lawrence Seaway are small enough to navigate the locks and channels, but large enough for superior handling and stability in rough seas.

QÚEBEC

Three Rivers

Bay City

Toledo

MAINE MAIN E NOVA NO VA SCOTIA

Midland

Toronto

Kingston

Lake Onta

VERMONT VERMON T

Clayton

ri o

For information on transiting the locks and channels of the St. Lawrence Seaway or other Great Lakes destinations, contact:

NEW HAMPSHIRE HAMPSHIRE

MASSACHUSETTS

RHODE ISLAND CONNECTICUT CONNECTICU T

Cleveland OHIO

• Maximum ship dimensions are length 225.50 m, beam 23.77 m and depth 8.08 m.

NEW NE W BRUNSWICK

Parry Sound

Tobermory

PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVA ILLINOIS

sail in throughout the spring, summer and fall. Your passengers won’t want to

Chicago, Ill. • Navy Pier’s public art, shopping and dining • Chicago Architecture River Cruise, 2021 top attraction er Riv ce • Millennium Park and its interactive fountains and gardens n e

Oswego Rochester Welland Canal NEW YORK Port Huron Sarnia Buffalo Holland e Eri Detroit Windsor Lake Erie

Muskegon

Burns Harbor

Lakes go out of their way to welcome cruise ships and their passengers as they

Quebec City

on Hur ke La

Milwaukee

to berthing space. Unique onshore experiences immerse passengers in local

Green Bay, Wisc. • Lambeau Field and Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, top attractions • Green Bay Botanical Garden • New public market on Fox River

ONTARIO ONTARIO

Sault Ste. Marie Sault Ste. Marie St. Ignace Manistique Mackinac Island

WISCONSIN

historic, maritime and Midwestern charm. Prime attractions are closely located history, art, architecture and native cultures. Port communities on the Great

Marquette

Green Bay

River and all five freshwater Great Lakes. Picturesque ports are rich with

Milwaukee, Wisc. • Harley Davidson Museum, a global icon and No. 1 city pick • German beer and bratz • Milwaukee Public Market and Riverwalk

Houghton/Hancock

Lake Michigan

Duluth

This growing hub for luxury cruises includes the clear water of the St. Lawrence

LAKE MICHIGAN Muskegon, Mich. • Heritage Landing ship dock, craft breweries, markets, public art • Silversides Submarine Museum with beach coastline • Historic district, museums, art and architecture tours

LAKE SUPERIOR Duluth, Minn. • Canal Park, 7.25 miles of Lakewalk and 5 top attractions • Glennsheen Mansion and Gardens, tours and intrigue • All-freshwater aquarium

Atlantic Ocean

REBECCA YACKLEY

Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (202) 297-9448 • rebecca.yackley@dot.gov

Duluth

Toronto

Explore the

Milwa

ukee

Thunder B Mackinac

Great Lakes

Island

THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY SYSTEM is a shared U.S.-

Ports of Call

Thunder Bay

Lake Superior MINNESOTA MINNESOTA

Bayfield

IOWA IOW A

miss the unexplored experience on the freshwater seas.

Chicago

Alpena Traverse City

MICHIGAN

INDIANA

SHIP FACTS

wr La . St

QÚEBEC

Three Rivers

Bay City

Toledo

MAINE MAIN E NOVA NO VA SCOTIA

Midland

Toronto

Kingston

Lake Onta

VERMONT VERMON T

Clayton

ri o

For information on transiting the locks and channels of the St. Lawrence Seaway or other Great Lakes destinations, contact:

NEW HAMPSHIRE HAMPSHIRE

MASSACHUSETTS

RHODE ISLAND CONNECTICUT CONNECTICU T

Cleveland OHIO

• Maximum ship dimensions are length 225.50 m, beam 23.77 m and depth 8.08 m.

NEW NE W BRUNSWICK

Parry Sound

Tobermory

PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVA ILLINOIS

sail in throughout the spring, summer and fall. Your passengers won’t want to

Chicago, Ill. • Navy Pier’s public art, shopping and dining • Chicago Architecture River Cruise, 2021 top attraction er Riv ce • Millennium Park and its interactive fountains and gardens n e

Oswego Rochester Welland Canal NEW YORK Port Huron Sarnia Buffalo Holland e Eri Detroit Windsor Lake Erie

Muskegon

Burns Harbor

Lakes go out of their way to welcome cruise ships and their passengers as they

Quebec City

on Hur ke La

Milwaukee

to berthing space. Unique onshore experiences immerse passengers in local

Green Bay, Wisc. • Lambeau Field and Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, top attractions • Green Bay Botanical Garden • New public market on Fox River

ONTARIO ONTARIO

Sault Ste. Marie Sault Ste. Marie St. Ignace Manistique Mackinac Island

WISCONSIN

historic, maritime and Midwestern charm. Prime attractions are closely located history, art, architecture and native cultures. Port communities on the Great

Marquette

Green Bay

River and all five freshwater Great Lakes. Picturesque ports are rich with

Milwaukee, Wisc. • Harley Davidson Museum, a global icon and No. 1 city pick • German beer and bratz • Milwaukee Public Market and Riverwalk

Houghton/Hancock

Lake Michigan

Duluth

This growing hub for luxury cruises includes the clear water of the St. Lawrence

LAKE SUPERIOR Duluth, Minn. • Canal Park, 7.25 miles of Lakewalk and 5 top attractions • Glennsheen Mansion and Gardens, tours and intrigue • All-freshwater aquarium

Atlantic Ocean

REBECCA YACKLEY

Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (202) 297-9448 • rebecca.yackley@dot.gov

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Great Lakes Focus on the

With everything from forts and fudge to world war history and waterfalls, it’s no wonder the lakes are set to be the next big thing in cruising, says Jane Archer.

Top: Ponant's Le Bellot off Big Tub Lighthouse, Tobermory, Canada. Below: Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The porch at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island. I’m beginning to realise how French explorer Jean Nicolet got it so wrong. Almost 500 years ago he happened upon Lake Michigan in the US and thought he was somewhere near China. It’s an easy mistake to make. As lakes go, this one is huge. There is no sign of anything but water to the front, back, left and right of us as we sail. And this is only one of five lakes on the border between the US and Canada – in size

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order Superior (hence its name), Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario - that between them contain one-fifth of the world’s fresh water and are larger than the UK and Ireland. They even have their own Loch Ness monster, except this one is in Lake Erie and called Bessie. The lakes are also one of the world’s most exciting up-and-coming cruise regions, with everything from big cities, fascinating history and towns in both the

US and Canada to discover that I’ll bet most people have never heard of; it goes without saying that the best way to do that is on a cruise. Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Pearl Seas Cruises (a sister company to American Cruise Lines) and Viking sail the lakes in summer and autumn, seeking out places such as quirky Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island, lively Detroit, Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, cute Little Current

and Parry Sound in Canada, and various places with names straight out of the UK (hello Windsor and Tobermory). There’s scenic cruising past forested islands, visits to wineries, warships and windmills, and days ‘at sea’ as ships cross the lakes. Passengers can also take sidetrips to Niagara’s spectacular waterfalls and stand on the Canadian side of Sault Sainte Marie (say it like Soo-Sainte-MahRee), at the mouth of Lake Superior, and

look into the US on the other side of St Marys River. The company tasked with increasing tourism to the area is the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), a wholly-owned government corporation that works closely with another body, the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition, to encourage more cruise lines to the region. The challenge lies with the size of vessel that can sail through the lock system (length

225.5m, beam 23.77m and draft 8.08m), but despite that, 2023 was a record year, according to Rebecca Yackley, a director of Trade & Economic Development at GLS. Yackley said seven cruise lines operating 10 ships took an estimated 100,000 passengers to ports around the lakes last year, resulting in a “welcome boost of tourism dollars” that has encouraged “many” other port communities to look at ways to attract cruise lines.

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Great Lakes Focus on the

With everything from forts and fudge to world war history and waterfalls, it’s no wonder the lakes are set to be the next big thing in cruising, says Jane Archer.

Top: Ponant's Le Bellot off Big Tub Lighthouse, Tobermory, Canada. Below: Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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STOWAWAY - GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 37

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Milwaukee: On the shores of Lake Michigan, the city is a popular turnaround port with plenty to occupy anyone in town for a day or two before or after their cruise. The art museum is as famous (well almost) for its exterior design as the Picassos, Rodins and Warhol paintings inside, while keen bikers will not want to miss the Harley Davidson Museum. Guided tours give you a good insight into the story of this iconic motorbike. The Public Market, RiverWalk and Third Ward are all top spots for exploring and lunch stops.

Soo locks, kayak along St Marys River or head into town where museums showcase the history of the area and the construction of the canal.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the key places cruise passengers will visit as they sail America's Great Lakes. Detroit: The Motor City is probably not top of anyone’s US must-see list but it should be because, just nine miles away, in Dearborn, the Henry Ford Museum has exhibits from momentous events in American history that shook the world.

Mackinac Island.

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There’s the Lincoln car President Kennedy was in when he was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, the chair President Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was shot in 1865 and the bus Rosa Parks was on when, in 1955, she refused to give up her seat to a white man. Separate exhibitions focus on American history from the revolution to the civil rights movement. Back in the city, it’s a short walk from the port to explore the downtown. The elevated Detroit People Mover is a cheap (75 cents) and easy way to enjoy the views. Mackinac Island: This is a Victoriana wonderland, where cars are banned, horsedrawn carriages clip-clop along Main Street (you will be forgiven for thinking you have arrived in Disneyland) and bijou shop fronts proclaim home-made fudge and handcrafted souvenirs.

Visitors can walk, cycle or take a carriage to the Grand Hotel, which was built in 1887, retains an evening dress code and has rocking chairs on what is claimed to be the world’s longest porch (600ft). Fort Mackinac, overlooking the port, was built in 1780 by the British, seized by the Americans in 1796, captured by the British at the start of the War of 1812 and handed back to the US in 1815. Exhibitions tell of its history and what life there was like. Sault St Marie: There is a Sault St Marie in Ontario, Canada, and one in the US, just across the St Marys River, which flows between Lakes Superior and Huron. Ships usually visit the Canadian one, but there is a bridge between the two so for an outing with a difference, passengers can cross over and at one point stand with one foot in each country. Alternatively, they can take a small boat tour under the bridge and through the

Muskegon: Most people have likely never heard of this Michigan town, yet back in the late 1880s it had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the US thanks to the white pine trees discovered here that were in big demand in Europe. Visitors today can learn about the lumber trade on tours of the historic downtown, head to nearby Holland to see a windmill brought all the way from the Netherlands that still grinds grain or climb aboard a World War Two submarine and tank landing ship that was used on D-Day in June 1944. Parry Sound/Little Current: Both towns are on the shores of Georgian Bay in Lake Huron in Canada. Passengers can go kayaking, take small boat cruises around the lighthouses and islands that dot the bay and up close to the rugged shore line or join guided hikes in Killbear Provincial Park. Pearl Sea Cruises has a flightseeing excursion that gives passengers a bird’s eye view of the area. Cleveland: The city is home to an excellent art museum and vast leafy cemetery, the final resting place of both John D. Rockefeller and US President James Garfield, who was assassinated in 1881. But the main attraction for most (and an easy walk from the port) is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It charts the rise of pop music from the days of Elvis up to new inductees Kate Bush, George Michael and Sheryl Crow as well as showcasing memorabilia such as Michael Jackson’s white sequined glove.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Offers 12 and 13-day cruises between Milwaukee and Toronto on the 230-passenger expedition ship Hanseatic Inspiration. The cruises take in all five lakes. Departures are available in September and October 2024 and 2025. Ports visited include Windsor (for excursions to the Henry Ford Museum), Tobermory, Parry Sound, Killarney, Sault Sainte Marie, Duluth, Mackinac Island and Fayette.

Duluth: This is one of those places few people will have heard of, but it’s a top stop for cruise ships navigating Lake Superior. Most people make a bee-line for the Aerial Lift Bridge, which you can watch in action from the ground or walk across. The views are great. Pearl Seas pairs a trip to the Railroad Museum with a vintage train ride along the shores of the lake. If time allows, take a trip to the Insta-worthy Split Rock Lighthouse. Thunder Bay: On Lake Superior and surrounded by thousands of miles of wilderness, this is Northwest Ontario’s largest city. You can learn about its history at the Fort William Historical Park or take a tour to Kakabeka Falls (the name means waterfall over a cliff), aka the Niagara of the North. Follow the Mountain Portage trail for a good view of the falls, gorge and river. Welland Canal: This connects Lakes Ontario and Erie. The first canal here opened in 1829 with 40 locks. The current version, following a more direct route, opened in 1932 and has eight locks that lift ships sailing north to south (Lake Ontario to Lake Erie) by 326ft. The canal is just under 28 miles long; transit time is around 10 hours. Excursions to Niagara Falls leave from Port Colborne, at the southern end of the canal. Niagara Falls: On the border between Ontario in Canada and New York State, the falls are 165ft high and simply spectacular. There are three falls – Horseshoe, American and Bridal Veil. A boat ride that goes within feet of the Horseshoe Falls’ spray is a must – but prepare to get very wet (ponchos are provided). Some excursions pair the waterfalls with a chance to taste local reds and whites at one of Ontario’s wineries.

Ponant's Le Dumont D'Urville docked in Milwaukee. Left: The spectacular Niagara Falls.

Sample itineraries

Hanseatic Inspiration off Mackinac Island.

Ponant Offers four seven and 10-night cruises between Milwaukee and Toronto from August to October 2024 on the 184-passenger ship Le Champlain (an October 13 sailing is on sister ship Le Bellot). The cruises take in Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Michigan. Two sailings between Thunder Bay and Milwaukee focus on Lakes Superior and Michigan. Ports visited include Mackinac Island, Sault Ste Marie, Little Current, Parry Sound, Detroit and Port Colborne.

Pearl Seas Cruises Offers seven and 11-night cruises between Milwaukee and Toronto on the 210-passenger Pearl Mist from May to September 2024 and 2025. In June 2024 and 2025, there are additionally 14-night voyages between Toronto and Duluth on Lake Superior. Ports visited include Muskegon, Mackinac Island, Sault St Marie, Parry Sound, Detroit, Cleveland and Port Colborne.

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Soo locks, kayak along St Marys River or head into town where museums showcase the history of the area and the construction of the canal.

Mackinac Island.

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Ponant's Le Dumont D'Urville docked in Milwaukee. Left: The spectacular Niagara Falls.

Sample itineraries

Hanseatic Inspiration off Mackinac Island.

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River cruising With so many waterways to explore and itineraries and ships to try, it’s no wonder hundreds of thousands of Brits are getting on board with river cruising.

APT/APT TRAVELMARVEL

Style: Luxury/Contemporary Fleet: Nine river ships split between APT (4) and APT Travelmarvel (5) RIVERS Europe: Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro. Worldwide: Mekong. The Nile and Ganges are offered on chartered vessels. aptouring.co.uk

A-ROSA CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: 13 river ships. Another two join the fleet in April 2024 RIVERS Europe: Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhône, Saône, Douro. arosa-cruises.co.uk

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AMADEUS RIVER CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Ten river ships. An 11th joins the fleet in April RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Saar, Danube, Rhône, Saône, Seine. amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk

AMERICAN CRUISE LINES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Six river ships, four paddle-wheel boats RIVERS US: Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Columbia, Snake. americancruiselines.com

CROISIEUROPE AMAWATERWAYS

Style: Luxury Fleet: 24 river ships. Another two join the fleet in March and November 2024 RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Gironde. Worldwide: Nile, Mekong. Cruises on the Magdalena River in Columbia are new in 2024. The Chobe is offered on a chartered vessel. amawaterways.co.uk

AVALON WATERWAYS

Style: Luxury Fleet: 14 river ships. A 15th joins the fleet in March RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Rhône, Saône, Seine. The Douro is new in 2024. Worldwide: Mekong. The Nile and Amazon are offered on chartered vessels. avalonwaterways.co.uk

Style: Contemporary Fleet: 40 river ships plus six hotel barges RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Guadalquivir, Guadiana, Po, Loire, Gironde, Dordogne, Sava, Tisza, Neckar, Havel, Oder, Elbe, Vltava (Moldau). Worldwide: Mekong, Lake Kariba. The Ganges and Nile are offered on chartered vessels. Canals and waterways (barge cruises): Upper Loire, Marne, Provence, Marne to Rhine, Burgundy, Oise River. croisieurope.co.uk

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River cruising With so many waterways to explore and itineraries and ships to try, it’s no wonder hundreds of thousands of Brits are getting on board with river cruising.

APT/APT TRAVELMARVEL

A-ROSA CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: 13 river ships. Another two join the fleet in April 2024 RIVERS Europe: Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhône, Saône, Douro. arosa-cruises.co.uk

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AMADEUS RIVER CRUISES

AMERICAN CRUISE LINES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Six river ships, four paddle-wheel boats RIVERS US: Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Columbia, Snake. americancruiselines.com

CROISIEUROPE AMAWATERWAYS

AVALON WATERWAYS

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EMERALD CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Nine river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône. Worldwide: Mekong. emeraldcruises.co.uk

RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES

Style: Luxury Fleet: Two river ships. A third joins in March 2024 RIVERS Europe: Danube, Rhône. Adding the Rhine, Main and Moselle from March 2024. riverside-cruises.com

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

Style: Luxury Fleet: 15 river ships. A 16th joins the fleet in March 2024 RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Gironde. There are also cruises on the Venice Lagoon. Worldwide: Nile, Mekong. The Amazon and Ganges are offered on chartered vessels. uniworld.com

RIVIERA TRAVEL

Style: Contemporary Fleet: 11 river ships. A 12th joins the fleet in July 2024 RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine. Worldwide: The Nile and Mekong are offered on chartered vessels. rivieratravel.co.uk

SCENIC

NICKO CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: 12 river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine. nicko-cruises.co.uk

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SAGA

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Two river ships. A third joins in March 2024 RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Saar. Danube, Douro. Selected Moselle and Dutch and Belgian Waterways cruises are offered on a chartered vessel. saga.co.uk

Style: Luxury Fleet: 13 river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Gironde. Worldwide: Mekong. scenic.co.uk

TAUCK

Style: Luxury Fleet: Nine river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine. tauck.com

VIVA CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Seven river ships with an eighth joining in September 2024 RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Neckar, Saar, Elbe, Vltava (Moldau). viva-cruises.com

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EMERALD CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: Nine river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône. Worldwide: Mekong. emeraldcruises.co.uk

RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES

Style: Luxury Fleet: Two river ships. A third joins in March 2024 RIVERS Europe: Danube, Rhône. Adding the Rhine, Main and Moselle from March 2024. riverside-cruises.com

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

RIVIERA TRAVEL

SCENIC

NICKO CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Fleet: 12 river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine. nicko-cruises.co.uk

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SAGA

Style: Luxury Fleet: 13 river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Gironde. Worldwide: Mekong. scenic.co.uk

TAUCK

Style: Luxury Fleet: Nine river ships RIVERS Europe: Dutch & Belgian Waterways, Rhine. Moselle, Main, Danube, Douro, Rhône, Saône, Seine. tauck.com

VIVA CRUISES

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Know your rivers Most people are familiar with the Rhine and Danube, and the Dutch and Belgian Waterways speak for themselves, but for those a bit shaky on the rest, here’s a quick getting-toknow-you guide.

Families on the rivers A-ROSA CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Topping the charts for family-friendly river cruises is A-Rosa, which made history with the 2022 launch of A-Rosa Sena, which is not only the first (and so far only) river ship in Europe with a dedicated kids’ club and pool but also has family cabins for up to five people and free cruises for children aged 15 and under (the free kids offer applies to selected cabins on all A-Rosa ships bar Alea, Clea or Alva). Family cruises on: Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhône, Saône.

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

Style: Luxury This line has a selection of Generations river cruises that have extra tours to keep kids entertained, including trips into a silver mine, tree climbing, go-karting and pedal-boating. Family cruises on: The Rhine, Danube and Dutch and Belgian Waterways.

TAUCK

Style: Luxury Tauck’s family cruises, sold under the Bridges brand, are the same as its other sailings but with extra activities to appeal to youngsters, such as geo-caching and I Spy Castles games, scavenger hunts and chocolate painting. Family cruises on: Danube, Douro, Seine, Rhine and Rhône.

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Main In Germany. Connects the Rhine and Danube (with the help of the Main-Danube Canal). Moselle In Germany. Tributary of the Rhine. Usually paired with the Rhine. Saar In Germany. Tributary of the Moselle. Neckar In Germany. Tributary of the Rhine. Elbe In eastern Germany. Cruises offered from Berlin to Prague and vice-versa. Vltava (Moldau) In the Czech Republic. Usually paired with Elbe cruises. Rhône In France. Cruises mostly go from Lyon to Arles or vice-versa. Saône In France. Usually paired with the Rhône. Seine In France. Cruises go from Paris to the English Channel. Garonne/Dordogne/Gironde In southern France. The three rivers are linked for cruises round-trip from Bordeaux. Loire In France. Douro In Northern Portugal. Cruises go from Porto to the border with Spain and back. Guadalquivir In Spain. Guadiana In Portugal. Offered in tandem with the Guadalquivir. Po In Italy. Sava In Croatia and Serbia. Tisza In Hungary. Havel In Germany. Oder In Poland. Nile In Egypt. Cruises are mostly Luxor to Aswan and back. Mekong Sailed in tandem with the Tonle Sap River to link Siem Reap in Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Ganges In India. Cruises mostly operate round-trip from Kolkata. Chobe In Namibia, Southern Africa. Lake Kariba In Zambia, Southern Africa. Amazon In Peru, South America. Magdalena In Columbia, South America.

Discover Europe’s most beautiful rivers.

VIVA All-Inclusive exclusivity without extra cost Full-board dining is included with breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring multicourse gourmet menus served right at your table Selection of cold and hot non-alcoholic beverages, as well as a curated selection of alcoholic drinks High Tea: Indulge in a range of sweet and savory treats, available once per voyage Daily replenished minibar and a reuseable water bottle in your cabin Wi-Fi and gratuities

+44 (0) 330 818 7271

www.viva-cruises.com

GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 45

sales@viva-cruises.com

Families on the rivers A-ROSA CRUISES

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

TAUCK

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Discover Europe’s most beautiful rivers.

+44 (0) 330 818 7271

www.viva-cruises.com

GOOD CRUISE GUIDE | 45

sales@viva-cruises.com

New in 2024

Go Viva BROUGHT TO YOU BY VIVA CRUISES

One of the newest names in river cruising is making waves on Europe’s greatest waterways They say time flies when you’re having fun. So what a ball Viva Cruises must have been having since it was launched, can you believe, five years ago. In that short time it has grown to a fleet of seven river ships and is looking forward to welcoming vessel number eight, Viva Enjoy, in September this year. Those yet to have heard of this river cruise line are seriously missing out – agents because of all the commission they could have earned selling its fantastic cruises; clients because when it comes to excellence and value, Viva takes some beating. The river cruise line has an enviable pedigree. Based in Düsseldorf, it is owned by Scylla AG, a family-owned Swiss company founded in 1973 that is the undisputed leader when it comes to European river cruising, building

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beautiful vessels for the likes of Tauck and Riviera, and employing hundreds of staff dedicated to delivering a service that is second to none. Spinning that expertise out into an in-house river cruise line was the next obvious step. With such provenance, Viva was always onto a winner, but factor in the line’s laid-back atmosphere, affordable fares that include unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks, tips and Wi-Fi, and a wide and varied selection of cruises on Europe’s favourite rivers, all bilingual, in German and English, along with a choice of departure ports, and it’s easy to see why the line is gaining a big and growing following in the UK. There are cruises on the Danube, Rhine and Moselle, and the MainDanube Canal, a man-made waterway that (as the name suggests) connects

the Main and Danube rivers. There are also cruises on the Rhône and Seine in France and on the Dutch and Belgian waterways. Guests can sail for a week or more, or hop on board for a three or four-night taster cruise. They can sail through the summer, autumn and winter, with cruises to the Christmas markets in December and over Christmas and the New Year. Unusually, there are also sailings between January and March, which are perfect for those keen to escape the crowds. Winter options this year include city-hopping around Holland from Düsseldorf and around Germany from Berlin, as well as four-night wellness-themed cruises from Frankfurt. Looking ahead to 2025, Viva, a member of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, has already put next year’s programme on sale, with new cruises on the Douro in Northern Portugal on the river ship Porto Mirante among highlights. As always, all these cruises feature Viva’s All-Inclusive prices, offering terrific value for customers.

Viva Cruises launched in 2018 and in just five years has built its fleet to seven vessels, including new builds Viva One and Viva Two, which launched in 2022 and 2023 and hold 176 and 190 passengers respectively. Come September 2024, it will have eight vessels as a third new build, the 190-passenger Viva Enjoy, joins the fleet. A sister to Viva Two, Viva Enjoy will have a top-deck pool, choice of three restaurants, a sauna and steam room, and bikes guests can borrow for free. The vessel will be based on the Danube and sail four, five and seven-night voyages, mostly from Vienna. In all, Viva is offering more than 280 cruises and 85 different itineraries in 2024. They include new seven-day sailings round-trip from Düsseldorf to Amsterdam, Hoorn, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Nijmegen on Viva Moments. Alongside the new-builds, Viva is gradually refurbishing the rest of the fleet so the other vessels fall in with the line’s look and feel. Viva Voyage and Viva Gloria were the first to get the makeover in 2023 and now feature a new bar concept, Viva’s Vino, where guests can taste their way through a variety of different wines.

Meet the fleet (capacity in brackets) Viva Tiara (152): Sails four and seven-night cruises on the Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube from Frankfurt, Koblenz, Düsseldorf and Regensburg. Swiss Ruby (88): Sails seven and nine-night cruises on the Elbe in Germany and Vltava in the Czech Republic between Berlin and Prague. Viva Moments (176): Sails four and seven-night cruises on the Rhine and Moselle from Düsseldorf and Antwerp. Viva Voyage (152): Sails five, six and seven-night cruises on the Rhône in France from Lyon or between Lyon and Arles. Viva Gloria (152): Sails seven-night cruises on the Seine from France in Paris. Viva One (176): Sails the Rhine, Moselle and Dutch and Belgian Waterways from Düsseldorf and Frankfurt. Viva Two (190): Sails the Rhine, Danube and Dutch and Belgian Waterways from Düsseldorf, Passau and Vienna. From September 2024 Viva Enjoy (190): Sails four, five and seven-night cruises on the Danube from Vienna.

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New in 2024

Go Viva BROUGHT TO YOU BY VIVA CRUISES

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NICKO CRUISES

When: October 24 2024 This cruise, on Vasco da Gama, offers the ultimate escape from the UK winter. The 148-day sailing starts in Heraklion in Crete and follows an easterly routing that takes passengers through the Middle East, Asia and South Pacific to South America, around Cape Horn, to Uruguay and Brazil before crossing the Atlantic to the Canary Islands and journeys end in Tenerife. There is an option to join the cruise in Singapore on November 30, reducing it to 109 days. nicko-cruises.co.uk

OCEANIA CRUISES

When: January 5 2025 An epic 200-day voyage awaits as Insignia sails from Miami to New York, circles South America and South Africa, sails through the Indian Ocean and Asia, calling into Australia and New Zealand, then transits the South Pacific to journey’s end in San Diego. There are overnights in ports including Ho Chi Minh City, Adelaide, Sydney, Auckland and Honolulu. oceaniacruises.com

PRINCESS CRUISES

World cruising Taking three, four even six months off to cruise around the world is the ultimate adventure at sea.

AZAMARA

When: January 6 2025/January 6 2026 Fresh from a sell-out round-the-world debut in 2024, Azamara is off on another global adventure in 2025, this time a 155-night voyage from San Diego to Southampton. It’s on Azamara Onward, takes in 37 countries in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia, Asia, the Middle East and Mediterranean, and includes 46 late stays and overnights. The ship is then doing it all again in 2026, on a westbound route from Miami to Barcelona. It’s another 155 nights but 36 countries and with 55 late stays or overnights. azamara.com

CRYSTAL

When: January 7 2025 The new-look Crystal is back on the world cruise trail with a 123-night voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona on Crystal Serenity that sails around South America and South Africa, circles Asia and enters the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. It visits 31 countries and will be in Rio de Janeiro for four days during Carnival. crystalcruises.com

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HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

When: January 25 2025 Scenic cruising in Antarctica and calls in Iceland and Greenland feature on Volendam’s 133-day Pole to Pole extravaganza round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. The ship circumnavigates South America, transits the Amazon River and visits Europe before circling back to Canada and the US. hollandamerica.com

MSC CRUISES

When: January 4 2025 MSC Magnifica is taking a westward route on its 116-night cruise round-trip from Civitavecchia (Rome) There are 15 port calls in New Zealand and Australia and overnight stays in Buenos Aires, Valparaiso, Papeete and Sydney. Clients can alternatively opt to sail round-trip from Genoa (depart Jan 5), Marseille (Jan 6) or Barcelona (Jan 7). msccruises.co.uk

When: January 20 2025 Island Princess is sailing a 116-day world cruise round-trip from Los Angeles that follows a westerly route through Hawaii and the South Pacific to New Zealand and Australia before skirting through Asia and the Middle East to Europe and crossing the Atlantic back to the US. princess.com

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

When: January 10 2026 Seven Seas Mariner is sailing a 154-night world voyage round-trip from Miami that follows a westward course through South America, Hawaii and the South Pacific to Australia, and returns to the US via Asia, the Indian Ocean and South Africa. Honolulu, Bora Bora (French Polynesia), Papeete, Sydney, Darwin and Mahe (Seychelles) are among overnight calls. * Regent’s 2025 world cruise was almost sold out as the Good Cruise Guide went to press. rssc.com

SEABOURN

When: January 6 2026 Seabourn Sojourn is sailing a 129-day Ring of Fire world cruise from Los Angeles that crosses the South Pacific, circumnavigates New Zealand and much of Australia, sails through Indonesia to Japan, and crosses the Pacific to Alaska before journey’s end in Vancouver. The cruise covers 28,000 nautical miles, crosses the equator twice and includes overnights in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Busan (South Korea) and Yokohama. * There is no world cruise in 2025; instead Seabourn has a 90-day round-Africa cruise departing November 30 2024. seabourn.com

SILVERSEA

When: January 13 2025/January 6 2026 Shaking things up a bit, Silver Dawn is sailing a controtempo world cruise in 2025, which means it is going against the usual beat by starting in Tokyo and following a 137-day course through Asia to the Middle East, Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Canada before journey’s end in New York. The 2026 world cruise, also on Silver Dawn, is more conventional - 140 days and a westerly route from Fort Lauderdale through the South Pacific to Australia and New Zealand and back through Asia, ending in Lisbon. silversea.com

Travel the world without flying CUNARD

When: January 9 2025 This will be new ship Queen Anne’s maiden world cruise. It’s 107 nights and follows a westward voyage round-trip from Southampton to Australia and back that includes overnight stays in ports including Honolulu, Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. cunard.com

FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES

When: January 6 2025 Following a similar route to that taken by explorers Magellan and Elcano in 1519, Bolette is setting off on a 106-night westward voyage round-trip from Southampton to Australia and back that includes calls into Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island and St Helena, the island to which Napoleon was exiled in 1815. Clients have the option to sail from Liverpool on January 4. fredolsencruises.com

P&O CRUISES

When: January 3 2025/January 6 2026 Overnight stays in San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai are among destination highlights as adult-only ship Arcadia sails a 99-night voyage round-trip from Southampton that follows a westerly course to New Zealand, Australia and back through Asia, the Middle East and Suez Canal. Arcadia is also circumnavigating the globe in 2026, this time sailing a 100-night voyage round-trip from Southampton that follows an easterly course through the Middle East and Asia to Australia and New Zealand, returning to the UK via the South Pacific, US and Caribbean. There are overnight stays in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, Honolulu, San Francisco and Los Angeles. pocruises.com

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NICKO CRUISES

OCEANIA CRUISES

PRINCESS CRUISES

World cruising Taking three, four even six months off to cruise around the world is the ultimate adventure at sea.

AZAMARA

CRYSTAL

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HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

MSC CRUISES

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

SEABOURN

SILVERSEA

Travel the world without flying CUNARD

FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES

P&O CRUISES

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EMERALD CRUISES

Style: Luxury Having established itself in the river cruise arena, Emerald Cruises turned to the oceans, building two 100-passenger superyachts, Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara. The vessels have cabins and suites with private balconies, a choice of restaurant or café dining, and an infinity pool. In 2024, they are sailing the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Greek Isles and Seychelles. emeraldcruises.co.uk

PONANT

Style: Luxury With its fleet of small ice-class and explorer ships, this line straddles the luxury, expedition and small ship sectors. For details, see p16 and p24. ponant.com

SEADREAM YACHT CLUB

Style: Luxury With two yachts holding 112 passengers, inclusive prices and personal service, this small ship line joins peers in the luxury arena. For details, see p26. seadream.com

Small ships

VARIETY CRUISES

Style: Boutique The ultimate small ship specialist, Variety has eight motor yachts that hold between 44 and 72 passengers and seek out little bays and harbours in destinations around the world including Greece, the South Pacific, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Cape Verde and West Africa. Expect indoor and al-fresco dining, a cosy lounge, all oceanview cabins and swim stops on most itineraries, when everyone is free to jump off the back into the water. seafarercruises.co.uk

Discover small ports off the beaten track on ships with just a couple of hundred others on board.

WINDSTAR CRUISES

APT/APT TRAVELMARVEL

Style: Luxury/contemporary Spreading its wings from the rivers, this company has exclusive charters on two vessels in Croatia Lady Eleganza (APT) and Princess Eleganza (APT Travelmarvel), which hold just 34 and 36 passengers respectively. The vessels have indoor and outdoor dining and meal plans that are either full board (APT) or mostly full board (APT Travelmarvel). They sail seven and eight-night cruises between Opatija (flights to Zagreb) and Dubrovnik. aptouring.co.uk

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AMERICAN CRUISE LINES

Style: Contemporary Alongside its river fleet, American Cruise Lines has three Independence Class and two Constellation Class coastal ships that hold just 90 and 170 passengers respectively and two ‘go anywhere’ Coastal Cats that hold just 100 guests. Two more Cats launch in 2024 and another six are on order. All ships are American flagged and sail only in US coastal waters, including in New England, the Florida Keys and Chesapeake. fredholidays.co.uk

CROISIEUROPE

Style: Contemporary This line is best known for river cruising but it also has two coastal ships, La Belle de l’Adriatique and La Belle des Oceans, holding just 197 and 130 passengers respectively. Neither has inside cabins so everyone gets a room with a view (cabins on the main and first decks on La Belle de l’Adriatique have portholes only). The former is sailing in Greece, Croatia and Montenegro in 2024, while La Belle des Oceans is cruising in the Mediterranean. croisieurope.com

Style: Boutique With its fleet of three sailing ships (Wind Star and Wind Spirit hold 148 passengers, Wind Surf holds 342) and three motor yachts (312 passengers), Windstar delivers something for everyone. The vessels have ocean-facing cabins and suites, a choice of places to eat (including new tapas bars by Michelin-starred chef Anthony Sasso on the three yachts) and aft marinas from which passengers can go snorkelling, stand-up paddle-boarding and sailing in destinations as varied as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South America and South Pacific. All dining is included; an optional package adds unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and Wi-Fi. windstarcruises.com

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EMERALD CRUISES

PONANT

Style: Luxury With its fleet of small ice-class and explorer ships, this line straddles the luxury, expedition and small ship sectors. For details, see p16 and p24. ponant.com

SEADREAM YACHT CLUB

Style: Luxury With two yachts holding 112 passengers, inclusive prices and personal service, this small ship line joins peers in the luxury arena. For details, see p26. seadream.com

Small ships

VARIETY CRUISES

Discover small ports off the beaten track on ships with just a couple of hundred others on board.

WINDSTAR CRUISES

APT/APT TRAVELMARVEL

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AMERICAN CRUISE LINES

CROISIEUROPE

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Best of the rest

Sailing solo

Celebrity Cruises Passengers sailing solo can enjoy a room with a view on all the line’s Edge-class ships. There are 16 single Infinite Veranda cabins on Celebrity Edge, 24 on Apex and 36 each on Beyond and Ascent. Celebrity Silhouette has four inside rooms for those travelling alone.

Cunard There are 15 solo cabins on Queen Mary 2, all with an oceanview, while Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth have eight oceanview cabins each, and a ninth inside, with no window. There are drinks receptions, coffee mornings and dinners for those travelling alone.

Holland America Line The line’s three newest ships, Rotterdam, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam each have 12 single oceanview cabins.

Royal Caribbean International A selection of supplement-free single Studio cabins and rooms with virtual and real balconies are available on ships including Anthem, Quantum, Ovation, Odyssey, Harmony and Spectrum of the Seas.

With a ready-made family of passengers and guided tours ashore for those nervous of exploring alone, a cruise is perfect for those sailing solo. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

Style: Resort/family With hundreds of single cabins across its fleet, NCL leads the way in solo cruising. It started in 2010 when it put 128 Studio cabins for lone travellers on Norwegian Epic and added a exclusive Studio lounge where they could meet their neighbours. Studio cabins and lounges have since been added to every ship built since (Norwegian Getaway, Breakaway, Escape, Encore, Bliss, Prima and Viva) and retro-fitted to its Hawaii-based ship, Pride of America. New in 2024, it is offering solo inside, oceanview and balcony cabins across its entire 19-ship fleet. ncl.com

FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES

Style: British/classic A long-time favourite with solo travellers, Fred Olsen has three vessels, all with a good supply of affordable single cabins that are individually priced rather than carrying a supplement. Bolette and Borealis have 43 and 49 respectively, while Balmoral has 65. All offer a choice of inside, oceanview or balcony cabins, as well as single suites. The ships’ smaller size (the largest holds just 1,353 passengers) makes it easier for those travelling alone to make friends, but to help the socialising along there are welcome drinks parties, get-togethers and dance hosts. fredolsencruises.com

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SAGA

Style: Boutique A British cruise line exclusively for those aged 50 and over, Saga has two 987-passenger ocean-going ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, with all-balcony accommodation that includes 109 single cabins and suites - more than one-fifth the ships’ total room stock. There are no single supplements. All cruises start with a solos’ drinks party where those travelling alone can get to know each other and there are singles lunches hosted by the officers. On port days, the shore excursion team will help those on their own to partner up with other solo travellers if they wish. saga.co.uk

NICKO CRUISES

Style: Classic The line’s ocean ship, Vasco de Gama, is a wildcard on the solo scene as it doesn’t have single cabins but with a supplement in the Mediterranean this summer of just 15% across all cabin grades (not suites) for those travelling alone (20% for the 2024-25 world cruise), and flights, transfers and tips included in the price, it’s great value. nicko-cruises.co.uk

P&O CRUISES

Style: British/contemporary A choice of inside, outside or balcony single cabins are offered supplement-free on all P&O ships. Britannia has the most (27), with new ships Iona and Arvia a close second with 22 each, of which 10 are inside and 12 have a balcony. Ventura and Azura have 18 solo cabins apiece (six inside and 12 with an oceanview) clustered together in a ‘singles’ section. Arcadia and Aurora have six and 10 respectively, but as the ships are smaller they are arguably the best choice for those travelling alone. pocruises.com

VIRGIN VOYAGES

Style: Contemporary/adult-only The line has three ships – and a fourth due out in 2024 – each with 46 cabins (and no supplements) for anyone travelling alone. Six have an ocean view, the rest are inside, with no window. virginvoyages.com

CELESTYAL CRUISES

Style: Contemporary Neither of Celestyal Cruises’ two ships - Celestyal Journey and, from March, Celestyal Discovery - have single cabins, but with a solo supplement of no more than 30% across all cabin grades (excludes suites, which carry a 100% supplement) it is very affordable for those travelling alone. Adding to the value, prices include all dining, drinks with meals, tips and £65 credit to put towards selected prebooked shore excursions. celestyal.com

Best river ships for solo travellers RIVIERA TRAVEL British company Riviera has 13 eight-day supplement-free river cruises exclusively for solo travellers in 2024. The cruises are available across a range of rivers, including the Douro in Portugal, the Rhine, the Moselle and the Seine and Rhône in France. Other cruises throughout the year on these and other rivers also have no single supplement.

Tauck US company Tauck has scrapped the single supplement on its lower deck (Category 1) cabins on all ships and for all 2024 European river cruise sailings. Single travellers booking higher category cabins can alternatively save up to £800 on selected departures.

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Best of the rest

Sailing solo

Holland America Line The line’s three newest ships, Rotterdam, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam each have 12 single oceanview cabins.

With a ready-made family of passengers and guided tours ashore for those nervous of exploring alone, a cruise is perfect for those sailing solo. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES

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SAGA

NICKO CRUISES

P&O CRUISES

VIRGIN VOYAGES

CELESTYAL CRUISES

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Health & wellness at sea

Spa time Keeping in shape is all very well but now and then everyone needs time off to recharge the batteries. Cue a trip to the spa where you can chill out in hot and cold rooms, be massaged with bamboo sticks, rubbed with hot stones or wrapped in seaweed. New on Celestyal Journey, Celestyal Cruises has a whole deck devoted to the art of Sozo, which comes from the Greek word for restoring and healing. There’s a spa with Asian, Indian and Balineseinspired treatments, a beauty salon, a gym and yoga classes, and a Drift Den and Thermae with steam baths and Jacuzzis where passengers can literally ‘drift’ off. The new-look Crystal, now part of the A&K Travel Group, has reinvented the spas on its ships, Crystal Serenity and Symphony, renaming them Aurora in honour of the goddess of dawn and offering treatments that use technology and touch to leave passengers feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Those cruising with Silversea can indulge in Otium, a spa concept introduced on Silver Dawn and rolled out to Silver Nova (it will also be on Silver Ray when that launches in 2024) that adopts the Ancient Romans’ belief that spa-ing is all about pleasure. So if you want a glass of fizz while relaxing after your massage, no one is judging. Better still, you can take the pleasure back to your suite and indulge in Otium bubbles in your bath or drinking hot chocolate on your balcony while wrapped (if it’s chilly) in a cashmere blanket.

Cruising has become the go-to holiday for those with health and wellness on their minds. Set the alarm for early because there’s a fitness class starting at 7am and you don’t want to be late. Doesn’t sound like a typical way to start the cruising day? You’d be surprised. Cruise lines these days are pitching themselves as emporia of health and wellness - the holiday of choice for those who want to relax, rejuvenate and maybe even roll back a few excess pounds. It’s no idle claim. There are massive gyms packed with hi-tech fitness equipment that are not only free to use but also just up or down stairs from your cabin so there’s no excuse for bailing out of exercise sessions. For those more into the relaxation thing, there are stylish spas where you can be pampered with massages, facials and even sign up for acupuncture and Botox; when it comes to dining, more and more there are healthy foods and plant-based menus alongside the burgers, pasta, fries and steak options.

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Going vegan

Staying in shape

Princess Cruises is the latest line to get on board with vegan menus, serving plant-based starters, soups, salads, pasta and main courses nightly in the main dining room. Windstar is also a recent vegan convert, with plant-based menus now available across its six ships. SeaDream Yacht Club has been serving ‘raw food’ for a decade (the food is not uncooked but prepared with raw, organic and vegan ingredients), and expanded its repertoire last year to offer vegan dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner in both the dining room and al-fresco Topside Restaurant. Regent Seven Seas Cruises has had an extensive plant-based menu in its Compass Rose restaurant for several years and has now added plant-based options in other venues including chia yoghurt and homemade granolas for breakfast at La Veranda and a non-meat steak in Prime 7. Oceania Cruises’ new Aquamar Kitchen restaurant on Vista and, from May 2024 Marina, has various nonmeat dishes for vegetarians and vegans.

Whether on a big ship or small, passengers can expect gyms packed with hi-tech equipment that get passengers running, lifting, stretching and stepping their way to fitness. They offer classes for those who need that Mr Motivator-style trainer to get the beat going, and there are outdoor jogging tracks for those who want to enjoy sea views while keeping in shape. Yoga, Pilates, indoor cycling and all fitness classes are complimentary on ultra-luxury cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea and Seabourn (but personal training or body analysis costs extra), and also with Oceania Cruises, but mostly they cost extra. On the rivers, companies including Emerald Cruises and Uniworld have complimentary fitness classes that get passengers stretching, practicing yoga and finding their abs alongside regular guided biking and hiking tours. AmaWaterways has fitness instructors on every river ship (not the Douro in Portugal or on the Mekong) and five or six classes a day starting early morning and running into the afternoon.

Mind, body and soul Seabourn offers mindful living in partnership with US integrative medicine guru Dr Andrew Weil. Passengers can dive into a programme of yoga, meditation, lectures and classes devised by the doctor that promises to set them on a path to health and happiness, along with a selection of mindful-living and earth grounding massages. Taking a break from polar exploration, Swan Hellenic has a selection of Explore & Restore cruises in partnership with Chopra, an integrative health company into meditation, healing, wellness and self-care. On each cruise, passengers can book a Chopra Health Retreat Package that includes meditation, yoga and breathing classes, Ayurveda-inspired meals and excursions designed to connect them with local cultures and nature, for instance by watching traditional dance shows or trekking through rainforest. There are six Explore & Restore cruises in 2024, in Central America, the US, Caribbean, Greece and South Africa. Options include a five-night Balancing your Mind and Body voyage from Nassau in the Bahamas to New York on the expedition ship Diana departing May 10 that features a session hosted by the wellness guru himself, Dr Deepak Chopra.

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Health & wellness at sea

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Going vegan

Staying in shape

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