The secret is to make the cruise your very own

anything you want to on a cruise. You just have to make it your own.

To help inspire you our writers have corralled 85 of the best ocean-cruise holidays from pole to pole (see tomorrow’s Travel section for 25 more cruise ideas). Polar cruises are a bucket-list dream for many a combination of unusual excursions and wildlife sightings has seen their popularity soar. Small and large-ship operators are launching new vessels with itineraries that are tailor-made for places once the domain of explorers or scientific expeditions.

At least three new ships will be visiting Scandinavia in 2018. Scenic Eclipse, which launches in August, is one of the most exciting additions. The luxurious Discovery Yacht takes a maximum of 228 passengers and is designed for expedition cruising, with an ice-strengthened hull, and its own helicopter and submarine.

Saga’s much-anticipated Spirit of Discovery, which makes its first appearance in July 2019, will sail from Dover to Norway and the Baltic in the summer of 2019. One of the itineraries will be to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic’s far north. The 999-passenger ship will feature all-balcony cabins – including those for singles – and an indoor hydrotherapy pool.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge will begin sailing the Caribbean in November and December sees the launch of a handsome sailing ship, the Flying Clipper, also bound for the Caribbean (and the Mediterranean in summer). Here is our selection of cruises to the Caribbean and Americas, the Mediterranean, the Baltics and Norwegian fjords and the polar regions.

In tomorrow’s travel section we visit Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands.

Dust off your snorkel. It’s time to cruise.

Gustavia on St Barts – the Caribbean islands are great for family cruises