NiGeL THOmPSON Wave to go mARJORie YUe
Are you a nautical novice or a seasoned sailor? Either way, you’ll find something for you in next month’s national #ChooseCruise campaign.
The whole cruising family is coming together to showcase holidays at sea and on rivers in October.
Organised by industry body Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), it features inspired ideas and added-value offers to tempt you to head up the gangway.
And if you do choose a cruise you’ll be in good company – a record 1,971,000 holidaymakers from the UK and Ireland took an ocean cruise in 2017 with the two million barrier set to be passed in 2018.
On the rivers it was a record year too, with 210,400 getting on board.
The Mediterranean remains the most popular cruise destination, taking 37 per cent of the market. Northern Europe and the Caribbean are second and third most popular, at 26 and 14 per cent respectively, with Alaska the fourth most popular on one per cent.
Research by CLIA shows that younger cruisers – 40 and under – are most likely to cruise in the Caribbean and Northern Europe, while for the 50-plus age group more adventurous long-haul destinations such as Asia and China are booming, along with the Galapagos islands and the polar regions. CLIA UK and Ireland director Andy Harmer said: “We are thrilled to see the continued growth of the British cruise industry. This is a strong performance from the UK and Ireland market. It’s highly likely the total for 2018 will surpass two million for the first time.” ■■For more info about cruising and all of the planned #ChooseCruise activities, visit And watch out for more cruise news and deals in the Sunday Mirror throughout October. See you on board! »»British
Airways launches direct Dreamliner flights from Heathrow to Osaka, the second largest city in Japan, on March 31. Return fares on the four times a week service start at £599. ba.com »»Budapest
is the cheapest city in Europe for an autumn cultural break. Research by Post Office Travel Money put the Hungarian capital top of 17 destinations for value at art galleries, museums, opera and theatres. Madrid was the most expensive. postoffice. co.uk/travel-money »»Budget
hotel chain Travelodge has released 180,000 family rooms for £35 or less a night across its UK properties at halfterm. Stay dates are between October 15-November 4. travelodge.co.uk
GoPro HERO7, £379.99. gopro.com
It’s a lot of money, but you get a lot of rugged flagship video camera tech. Not least HyperSmooth stabilisation to eliminate shaky shots and improved audio, and face, smile and scene detection. It works underwater too.