Trips with staying power C
Cruise-and-stay holidays deliver the perfect compromise for those who want a little bit of everything. Jane Archer explores the options
OMBINING a cruise with a landbased holiday offers the best of both worlds. You get a value-formoney holiday on the water, and you also have time to stay in or near your departure port and explore properly. The mix also offers a perfect compromise for families, couples or friends who can’t decide which type of holiday to take.
It’s easy to create your own cruise-and-stay holiday, but several companies can do the job for you.
Thomson Cruises (thomson.co.uk/cruises) matches hotels from its stablemate tour companies with voyages from all the ports it sails from in Europe and the Caribbean. Virgin Holidays Cruises (virginholidayscruises.com) also offers ready-made cruise-and-stay holidays.
In South Africa, you can contact Imagine Cruising (imaginecruising.co.za) or CruiseAbout (cruiseabout.co.za) for any tailor-made cruising holidays.
Imagine Cruising, whose latest brochure twins river and ocean cruises with stays in North America, Alaska and Dubai among others, has seen a 40% growth for cruise-andstay this year. Land tours include African safaris, Niagara Falls and the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress train.
In the UK, Cruise1st (cruise1st.co.uk) reports strong growth in Asia, where some lines will be basing ships (in Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong) from 2016. A 24-night cruise that includes stays in Singapore, Xian and Beijing costs from £2 599 (about R56 000) per person, including flights.
HAVANA
MSC Cruises (msccruises.co.za) has new seven-night Caribbean cruises from Havana that include two days in the Cuban capital. That’s long enough to stroll around old Havana, ride in a classic American car and wander along the seafront Malecon, but adding a few days at the end will allow time to seek out restaurants and bars at your leisure and visit the Museum of the Revolution — as interesting for its lavish surroundings as for its subject matter. Celestyal Cruises with Cuba Cruise
(yourcubacruise.com), Variety Cruises (varietycruises.com) and Star Clippers offer voyages from Havana that cruise around Cuba. Pair with... Feeling flush: Havana’s Hotel Saratoga (hotelsaratoga.com) is situated in an enviable location that affords a rooftop view across to the Capitol building, the seat of government until after the Cuban revolution in 1959. From $179 (R2 570) per night.
On a budget: What you lose in style you gain in location at Hotel Ambos Mundos
(hotelambosmundos-cuba.com), bang in the centre of Old Havana. Doubles from $68 (R1 000) per night.
MIAMI
Home to the world’s busiest cruise port, Miami, via Fort Lauderdale, is the North American springboard for voyages worldwide, with a focus on the Caribbean and South America.
The port is used by 15 cruise companies including Carnival, Celebrity Cruises
(cruises.co.za) and Royal Caribbean International (cruises.co.za). A great option for younger couples, Miami will also appeal to foodies and those with an interest in Art Deco. It is one of those enviable cities that combine a fabulous beach with hip nightlife, sophisticated dining, glamorous hotels and great shopping. Other lines based here include MSC Cruises and Crystal Cruises (cruises.co.za). From this month, Norwegian Cruise Line
(tritonsea.co.za) will have a new ship, Escape, home ported in Miami all year.
Pair with... Feeling flush: SLS South Beach Hotel
(slshotels.com) is in the heart of South Beach’s trendy Art Deco district, on the beachfront, and has two pools and dining options ranging from Spanish to Japanese. From $492 (R7 000) per night.
On a budget: YVE Hotel
(destinationhotels.com/yve-miami) is on Bayside Marketplace, a 10-minute drive from Miami Beach. Rooms are simple but contemporary. Doubles from $220 (R3 000) per night.
HONG KONG
Most ships offering turnaround cruises from Hong Kong (where one set of passengers disembarks and another comes on board) are sailing one-off itineraries through Asia to Europe or the Orient. Cruise lines calling at the port
include Seabourn (cruisses.co.za), Silversea (cruise-vacations.co.za), Cunard
(whitestar.co.za) and Celebrity (cruises.co.za).
If you are joining a cruise there, add a few nights in this dynamic East-meets-West Asian metropolis. Safe, and good for exploring, the city has extensive, easy-to-use and affordable public transport, not to mention superb restaurants, vibrant markets, scores of temples and outlying o islands to explore.
Pair with...
Feeling flush: Worth pushing the boat out for,
The Peninsula Hong Kong in Kowloon is one of Asia’s must-see hotels. The Star Ferry terminal, numerous shopping malls and waterfront museums are within easy walking distance. Even if you don’t stay at The Peninsula, at least pay a visit for its legendary afternoon tea. Doubles from HK$3 480 (R6 400) per night. On a budget: The Novotel Hong Kong
(accorhotels.com), on Kowloon’s busy Nathan Road, is minutes from Temple Street night market and a stone’s throw from the main shopping district. Doubles from HK$1 200 (R2 200) per night.
THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
The 813km Rhône, used by Greek and Roman traders, starts in the Swiss Alps and flows into the Mediterranean. Its main tributary, the Saône, rises in the Vosges region to the north and joins the Rhône at Lyon. Several companies offer itineraries along these waters, through France’s gastronomic heartland, including Burgundy and Provence, with opportunities to taste and buy wine, visit country markets and tour historic sites. Try Uniworld (uniworld.com), Viking River Cruises (icanholidays.com) and Titan (titantravel.co.uk).
Most cruises start or end in Lyon, France’s second city, one of its oldest and often referred to as “the food capital of the world”. It’s certainly worth spending a few days here to stroll (or ride a rented Vélo’v bike) through its Renaissance old town (full of secret passages) and spectacular park; and to tour its basilica, several museums and see its Eiffel Tower replica.
Pair with...
Feeling flush: In a former convent on the Fourvière hillside, Villa Florentine has a Michelin-starred restaurant with striking city views, a heated outdoor pool and a jacuzzi overlooking the old town. Doubles around à450 (R5 000) per night, with breakfast.
On a budget: The Mercure Lyon Centre Beaux Arts is in a beautiful 19th-century building in a great, central location near the river. Free wifi. Doubles from à90 (R1 400) per night.
VENICE
When it comes to cruising in or out of Venice, the world really is your oyster. Setting sail from Venice’s famous lagoon is deeply satisfying and numerous lines offer itineraries to all corners of the world. MSC Cruises (msccruises.co.za) has several round-trip sailings, from as short as two nights (visiting Slovakia); or seven (going to Greece, Turkey and Croatia); all the way to a 21night cruise ending in Argentina.
Pair with...
Feeling flush: The sumptuously refurbished Gritti Palace hotel is in a 15th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal, looking across the water to Santa Maria della Salute, one of Venice’s greatest churches. The property is awash with atmosphere and heritage with a price tag to match: from around à450 (about R7 000) per night.
On a budget: Convents are a pretty good cost-cutting option when staying in Venice. The rates are generally more affordable than hotels and they are certainly charming and different. One of the best is the Instituto San Giuseppe. Located in the heart of Venice, it has a beautiful canal entrance and rooms with private bathrooms and air conditioning. Rates, excluding breakfast, start at à42 (about R640) per person per night (monasterystays.com). —© The Daily Telegraph. Additional reporting by Elizabeth Sleith