“Think about whether you want more days at sea or a new port of call each day”
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
MANY CRUISES CLAIM TO BE ALL-INCLUSIVE, BUT QUESTION WHETHER THE CRUISE PRICE INCLUDES DRINKS, TIPS, WIFI, SHORE EXCURSIONS, ON BOARD CLASSES, A CHAUFFEUR SERVICE TO AND FROM THE PORT AND CRUISE INSURANCE.
ULTRA-LUXE SHIPS SUCH AS REGENT, SEABOURN, CRYSTAL, OCEANIA, HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS AND SILVERSEA USUALLY INCLUDE THE MOST. EXCURSIONS ARE INCLUDED ON SWAN HELLENIC’S MINERVA (SWANHELLENIC.COM) AND FROM SUMMER 2017, THE NEWLY REFURBISHED THOMSON CRUISES (THOMSON.CO.UK/CRUISE) FLAGSHIP DISCOVERY WILL OFFER AN ALL-INCLUSIVE DRINKS PACKAGE ON EVERY CRUISE. GUESTS
WHO JOIN CRUISE SHIP CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION (CELEBRITYCRUISES.CO.UK) ON A TEN-NIGHT ITALY AND SPAIN FLY/CRUISE ON 2 MAY 2017 PAY FROM £1,499PP AND RECEIVE A FREE CLASSIC DRINKS PACKAGE AND UP TO £388 ON BOARD SPENDING.
DINING OPTIONS?
FOR CASUAL DINING, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE (NCL.CO.UK) OR EUROPA 2 (HL-CRUISES.COM/ SHIPS/MS-EUROPA-2) WILL SUIT. FOR TRADITIONAL DINING AND DRESSING UP FOR FORMAL NIGHTS, IT HAS TO BE CUNARD (CUNARD.CO.UK). MOST SHIPS OFFER BOTH FINE DINING AND BUFFET SERVICE – LARGER SHIPS CAN FEATURE AROUND 20 RESTAURANTS SERVING EVERYTHING FROM PIZZAS TO MENUS DESIGNED BY CELEBRITY CHEFS INCLUDING JAMIE OLIVER ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN QUANTUM CLASS SHIPS, THOMAS KELLER ON SEABOURN AND RELAIS & CHATEAUX RESTAURANTS ON SILVERSEA SHIPS.
SEA DAYS V SHORE DAYS?
SOME CRUISES OFFER NEW PORTS OF CALL EVERY DAY WHILE OTHERS MAY INCLUDE MORE SEA
DAYS. ON A SAILING FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO
NEW YORK, YOU’D EXPECT ABOUT SEVEN DAYS AT SEA. IF YOU HAVE A SEA DAY ON A MEGA SHIP
TRY ICE-SKATING, WATCHING A MOVIE BY THE POOL, CLIMBING A ROCK WALL, SURFING ON WAVES, BASKETBALL OR EVEN DODGEMS – AND THAT’S
NOT FORGETTING THE EVENING ENTERTAINMENT WITH QUALITY BROADWAY-STYLE SHOWS.
IT’S WORTH BOOKING POPULAR SHORE EXCURSIONS AS THEY ARE LIKELY TO SELL OUT. THIRD-PARTY TOURS WITH VIATOR (VIATOR.COM) AND CRUISING EXCURSIONS (CRUISINGEXCURSIONS. COM) ARE ALSO WORTH EXPLORING.