ALL ABOARD FOR THIS YEAR’S SUPER CRUISES

Whether for family fun, cultural highs or far-flung adventure, now’s the time to push the boat out, says Fred Mawer

Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Mexico, with overnight pre-cruise hotel stay (0344 338 8605; hollandamerica.com).

ON TRACK FOR GO-KART FUN

New last year, the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Bliss offers entertainment galore for children, not least with the largest at-sea go-kart track, laser tag battle area and water slides. Adults can retreat to the serenity of the observation lounge, a vast top-deck space with 180-degree views.

Departing Feb 16 2019 (half term), from £1,568 per person based on a family of four sharing, for a sevennight Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami to St Thomas, Tortola and Nassau (0333 241 2319; ncl.com).

SMALL AND SECRET ISLANDS

Smaller, more luxurious ships can diverge from the beaten path in the Caribbean and stop at pint-size ports. The Classic Caribbean Yacht Harbors cruise on the 229-suite Seabourn Odyssey visits Bequia, a delightful little Grenadines blob with one of the region’s prettiest natural harbours, and Nevis, rich in British colonial history; tenders are used to get ashore. Departing Nov 23 2019, the seven-Day Classic Caribbean Yacht cruise, Barbados to St Maarten, costs from £2,499 per person, excluding flights (0344 338 8615; seabourn.com).

HAVANA GOOD TIME

Cuba is the most culturally rewarding Caribbean island, so choose a cruise that spends plenty of time ashore. A new Cuban Exploration cruise on Regent Seven Seas Mariner affords a day and evening in Havana and overnight stops in Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos. Imaginative excursions, such as a tour of a community art project in Havana, are included in the fare. Departing Oct 22 2019, the 10-night Cuban Exploration from Miami, which also visits the Bahamas and Key West, costs from £4,939 per person (02380 682280; rssc.com).

CUBA LESS TRAVELLED

SeaDream Yacht Club is introducing regular departures for an enticing itinerary of western Cuba, sailing on the intimate, casually luxurious 112-passenger SeaDream II. Among the stops along the way are little-visited backwaters such as Maria La Windstar’s cruise ship Wind Surf, main; Havana, Cuba, top right; swimming with dolphins, below Gorda (fantastic diving and snorkelling), the Isle of Youth

(possibly Stevenson’s Treasure Island) and Cayo Largo (superb beaches), as well as the drop-dead-gorgeous colonial town of Trinidad.

Departing March 25 2019, the seven-day Havana to Cienfuegos cruise costs from £5,299 per person, excluding flights (0800 783 1373; seadream.com).

TEE-TIME AND ME-TIME

Explore the southern Caribbean with Marella Cruises on the new Marella Explorer 2, an adults-only ship with a Champneys spa and a mini golfing green (plus clubhouse-themed bar with golf simulators). After heading to the Dutch ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao) and visiting Grenada and St Lucia, spend a week at your final stop, Barbados.

Departing Nov 17 2019 from Barbados, the seven-night Tropical Delights cruise followed by seven nights at the adults-only Club Barbados Resort & Spa costs from £2,253 per person, on an allinclusive basis (020 3451 2682; tui.co.uk/cruise).

GREAT-VALUE VOYAGES

Many ships relocate across the Atlantic from the Caribbean to Europe in the spring, and vice versa in the autumn. The voyages can work out excellent value. A case in point is an autumn repositioning cruise, from Southampton to

Barbados, on P&O’s flagship Britannia, via Madeira, Antigua, St

Kitts, St Lucia and St Vincent.

Departing Oct 25 2019, the 14-night Caribbean Transatlantic cruise costs from £1,129 per person, including a one-way flight back to the UK from Barbados (0344 338 8003; pocruises.com). Windstar’s new Grand Caribbean Adventure may be the most expansive itinerary ever in this part of the world. The 56-day circuit on the Wind Surf, a romantic yacht with computer-operated sails and a watersports platform, will visit 36 mostly smaller and less-visited ports – such as volcanic Montserrat and chic St Barts – in the Caribbean and Central America.

Departing Jan 4 2020 from St Maarten, from £11,999 per person booked through Mundy Cruising, including pre- and post-cruise overnight stays and daily laundry service (020 7399 7670; mundycruising.co.uk).

CLIPPING THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL

Any journey on Star Clippers’ rigged sailing ships is special, but none more so than transiting the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal. Travelling on the 227-passenger Royal Clipper from Barbados to Panama City (at the Pacific end of the canal) includes other very different highlights, from snorkelling in the Grenadines’

Tobago Cays to visiting the historic Colombian city of Cartagena.

Departing Nov 16 2019, the 14-night Barbados to Panama cruise costs from £3,375 per person, excluding flights (0845 200 6145; starclippers.co.uk).

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

Explore southern Chile aboard the RCGS Resolute, a new addition to the fleet of One Ocean Expeditions, the Canadian expedition cruise operator. It is designed for polar sailing but is also very comfy. Trip highlights include approaching huge glaciers by zodiac boat, hiking in Torres del Paine National Park and spotting migrant whales.

Departing March 31 2019, the 13-night Chilean Fjord Adventure from Ushuaia to Valparaiso costs from £7,159 per person, including three extra hotel nights, booked through Swoop Patagonia (01173 690196; swoop-patagonia.com).

GOING DEEP INTO MEXICO

Explore Mexico on board Star Legend, Windstar’s luxury 212-passenger ship. Sailing from San Diego, you’ll stop in Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of Baja California, authentic La Paz – a great base for swimming with whale sharks – laidback Loreto and the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta. With wildlife including pelicans, ocelots and sea lions, there will be plenty of opportunity to swim, dive and snorkel among them, or to go fishing for trophy-sized marlin and tuna.

Departing October 4 2019, the seven-day Fishing for the Sea of Cortez cruise, San Diego to Puerto Vallarta, costs from $2,499/£1,929 per person (001 844 572 9069; windstarcruises.com).