The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Trips to inspire first-time cruisers
You might think cruise holidays aren’t your cup of tea, but with so much diversity in terms of ships and the type of experiences they offer, you are sure to find a trip that floats your boat – whatever your holiday priorities. The key is finding the perfect fit. Here are five of the best for complete newbies.
THE RIVIERA THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED
If a full week at sea sounds a little too daunting for your very first cruise, how about treating yourself to a shorter sailing as a taster? This five-day cruise from Nice with Mundy Cruising takes in a good few of the Riviera region’s biggest hitters: Sanremo, Cannes and Saint-Tropez. Better still, it’s aboard SeaDream I, the 112-passenger luxury vessel whose motto is “It’s yachting, not cruising” – and the intimate boutique-ship environment is indeed the absolute antithesis of mainstream sailing.
Four nights from £2,985pp on an all-inclusive basis, including flights and transfers (020 7399 7670; mundycruising.co.uk) . Departs June 30 2022
IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME If you are worried that cruises don’t give ample time to explore each port of call, a potter around the Greek islands with Celestyal should tick several boxes. A sevennight Aegean sailing calls at Crete, Rhodes, Milos and Kusadasi (in Turkey), plus of course Instagram sensations Mykonos and Santorini.
With overnight stays in the latter two ports, there is no need to miss out on their legendary nightlife – you can roll home as late as you like. From £759pp, full board (0800 411 8038; celestyal.com/gb). Departs May 28 2022
ACCESS PLACES YOU CAN’T NORMALLY VISIT Some destinations are so remote that cruising presents the only viable way to get there. An example is the Marquesas, a group of French Polynesian volcanic islands cast adrift in the South Pacific. Their lifeline with the outside world is provided by Aranui 5, a dual-purpose passenger/ freighter ship that has been fondly dubbed the Freighter to Paradise. Stow away in a balcony cabin for an 11-night island hop.
From £6,365pp, including flights and transfers, plus pre- and post-cruise accommodation in Tahiti and Los Angeles (020 8742 1556; windowsonthewild. com). Departures available from February to June 2022
A CLASSIC JOURNEY IN STYLE
If you’re thinking of a first-time cruise, why not go on a brand new ship? Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima will be debuting next summer with plenty of first-at-sea innovations and more outdoor deck space than any other new-build. For some old-meets-new appeal, choose a classic sailing to New York that departs from Southampton and calls at the Shetland Islands and Iceland’s Reykjavik en route.
From £3,895pp, including full board, three nights in New York and flights back to Britain (0800 316 0194; bon-voyage.co.uk). Departs Sept 23 2022
SEE A WORLD WONDER Cruises can be handy for crossing things off your bucket list. Take the Great Barrier Reef: an Australian icon that is visible from space and a marvel to experience. For a really immersive adventure, go there on an expedition cruise with Coral Expeditions, a small-ship specialist that knows these remote waters well. Its seven-night trips from Cairns take in the sensational outer reef, which is way beyond the reach of day-trips.
From £2,550, including full board and transfers, excluding flights. Departs Nov 2022 (00617 4040 9999; coralexpeditions.com)
James Litston