CRUISE NEWS

A GENTLY paced tour on a riverboat is not only a delightful way to explore a region – it’s also great value, with so much included in the upfront fare, such as excursions, full board, drinks, tips, and often a celebrity host.

Cookery legend Prue Leith will prepare dinner in the galley and share her kitchen secrets on a Venice & Gems Of Northern Italy cruise on newly revamped SS La Venezia next spring. The one-week, all-inclusive fly-cruise, departing Venice on March 28 and including wine-tasting and lunch in Verona, has fares from £1,999pp – saving up to £1,000pp – when booked with Iglu Cruise (iglucruise.com).

TV gardening expert Charlie Dimmock joins Saga’s brand-new Spirit of the Rhine (saga.co.uk) on a Flowers On Parade roundtrip cruise on the Dutch and Belgian waterways next year, sailing from Amsterdam on April 12. There will be visits to the Keukenhof Gardens, the Floralia flower show in Brussels, Utrecht Botanic Gardens, and the spectacular Bloemencorso Flower Parade in Haarlem. Fares starting at £1,449pp include door-to-door travel and insurance.

Charming small ship Lord of the Glens (lordoftheglens.co.uk), newly refurbished by Hebridean Cruises and with just 27 cabins, navigates the 29 locks of the Caledonian Canal, crossing the heart of the Highlands and nipping in and out of lochs between Inverness and Oban. Five-night cruises in spring and autumn 2021 start at £1,095pp, including excursions.

If you’re celebrating a special anniversary in 2021, now’s the time to book a luxury European river cruise with Crystal (crystalcruises.co.uk). Its swish, spacious vessels serve complimentary champagne from morning till night. You’ll save up to 50 per cent on the best available suite, and the Advance Purchase Programme means that you have until December 31 this year to change your departure date, should you wish.

One-week cruises on Crystal Bach, sailing on the Rhine, and Crystal Mahler, sailing the Danube, now start at £2,974pp and include an excursion in every port.