The Insider
Spring is upon us and warm, sunnier climates are on the horizon, which means only one thing – it’s almost time for the Mediterranean cruise season to begin.
Over the past few years, we have spoken a lot about the trend for travel in far-fiung and off-the-beaten-track destinations, such as Asia, the Americas and polar regions. While bookings in these types of regions are undoubtedly on the rise, there’s still one part of the world that holds the number-one spot destination for us Brits. If you haven’t guessed already, it’s the Mediterranean.
I’ve been fortunate enough to take cruise holidays in incredible destination, but there’s just something particularly special about the Med. I love being able to explore historic and popular cities one day, then discover lesser-known places the next. My favourite ports have to be Kotor, Montenegro – sailing through the fjords at sunset is simply breathtaking – and Porto, Portugal, the gateway to the Douro.
It’s safe to say that the Mediterranean won’t lose its accolade anytime soon. The 2019 CLIA Cruise Review, which includes UK & Ireland ocean and river passenger gures, won’t be released until April. However, gures from January to September show that the Med still sits at number one, with more than 400,000 Brits taking an ocean cruise in the central and western Mediterranean last year. Including Eastern Europe, the gure stands at over 500,000, or 37 per cent of total market share for the UK & Ireland cruise market.
There are many reasons why the Med is such a popular destination for British cruisers. With countless itineraries offered across a wide variety of ships from an abundance of cruise lines, the Mediterranean has so much to offer. Add in eastern Europe, too, there’s a voyage for every taste with so many places to explore, that no matter how many times you cruise in this part of the world, you can always discover a new destination.
Furthermore, for those who would prefer not to fiy, there’s always the option to start your summer holiday from the UK, with many cruise lines homeporting their ships in UK ports.
SOLO TRAVEL
No matter where I am in the world, or what ship I am on, I have always taken great pleasure meeting fellow guests when I’m on board and hearing their travel stories. Cruises are a fantastic way to meet new, like-minded people and the friendly atmosphere on board means that strangers quickly turn into friends. That’s why cruises are the perfect option for those who are looking to travel solo.
With more Google searches for ‘solo travel’ than ever before, the number of people choosing to go on holiday without a companion is on the rise. This travel trend is being seen across the board, including the cruise sector. As such, many cruise lines are expanding their solo offerings by removing, or reducing, the single supplement and increasing the number of single cabins on board.
Offering both space for solitude and opportunities for social interaction, cruising is a fantastic option for solo travel. It takes away the stress that can come with travelling alone on a land-based trip, so you can relax in the knowledge that the ship will take you from destination to destination in comfort and ease. On board, solo travellers can connect and share stories with fellow passengers and crew, who become like a second family. I’ve been lucky enough to cross paths with crew on multiple cruises and caught up with their news and where they’ve travelled to since we last met, which is a heart-warming experience.