GET CRUISING

Sharon Stephenson finds that smart travellers enjoy the journey as much as the destination

Back in 1922, when W Somerset Maugham sailed the rivers of Myanmar, he complained that cruising was “monotonous”. Had the grumpy writer been around 97 years later, he’d no doubt change his mind because taking to the waters – on vessels both large and small – has never been better or more popular. In fact, Kiwis are top of the charts when it comes to ocean cruising, with more than 112,000 of us doing so in 2018. That’s a 14.6 percent increase on the previous year, well ahead of the growth rate of the world’s largest and more established cruise markets.

It’s a similar story with river cruising, which has become so popular that the number of ships on European waterways has almost tripled in the past six years.

It’s easy to see why: cruising is all about unhurried journeys to exciting destinations, about slowing down and appreciating the good things in life. It also means never having to find a park or deal with multiple airport queues. And, joy of joys, you only have to unpack once.

Cruising, say the experts, is about sitting back and watching some of the world’s most scenic attractions roll past the floor-to-ceiling windows in your stateroom. And, especially in the case of boutique river cruises that usually moor in the heart of cities, you’re never far from the action. Throw in a butler service and you’ll understand the appeal.

Large ocean-going ships, on the other hand, are a resort destination in themselves, offering the most cutting-edge activities on board such as surf simulators, bumper cars and multiplex cinemas.

And on both ocean and river cruises, it’s all about the food: you could have several restaurants, all-night buffets, snack bars and cooking classes on board.

Here, we’ve rounded up just a taste of what’s new for 2020 in both river and ocean cruising.