ALL ABOARD
The latest news for your next cruise
Tattoos and drag queens
Sailors are known for their tattoos — now you can find out why on a Tattoo on U cruise in Germany. The Frankfurt to regensburg sailing on Uniworld’s The a departs on august 17.
Too squeamish for a tattoo, but love dressing up? The a’s drag queen cruise, U in Drag, departs on July 6.
Seven nights from £2,499 pp on both sailings (0845 678 2795, ubyuniworld.com).
Healthy break
Wallow in a sea of wellness with WW, the new Weight Watchers. Healthy eating and holistic therapy combine on its Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona on MSC Seaside. The seven-night WW Mediterranean Cruise costs from £1,299 pp, July 20 (0800 953 4964, msccruises.com).
In pole position
Take your seat at the Monaco Grand Prix to watch lewis Hamilton and his rivals race for pole position during Star Pride’s rome to rome sailing on May 21. a Formula 1 racing expert is on board to share stories and accompany visits to the pits. earplugs supplied!
Seven-day sailing from £5,205 pp (1-888 349 3826, windstarcruises.com).
Eighties bands on board
Ex-spandau Ballet lead singer Tony Hadley will be belting out the hits alongside Sister Sledge,
UB40 and DJ Pat Sharp on Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas’ Throwback Eighties cruise for three nights, from Southampton for Le Havre on October 11 from £729 pp. 0207 3733 2567, iglucruise.com
Pop in for pirozhki
Villagers in Svirstroy welcome mS Volga Dream’s passengers into their homes to eat pirozhki (puffpastry meat pies) during a six-night cruise along the Russian waterways. Five-star hotel stays top and tail the 12-night St Petersburg to moscow trip, with prices reduced by £200 to £3,245 pp on the august 6 departure. 0808 250 7252, fredriver cruises.co.uk
Go green, drink whisky
Try a wee dram or order a cask of ardnamurchan whisky at Scotland’s greenest distillery and learn about eco-processes during Hebridean Princess’s Westering Home & Whisky galore cruise from invergordon to Oban on august 5. Work your way through a choice of 50 whiskies on the eight-night sailing. Price from £5,110 pp (01756 704 7040, hebridean.co.uk).
Borneo maiden call
FEEL the wind in your hair as four-masted Star Clipper skims the South China Sea from Singapore to maiden port Kota Kinabalu in Borneo on may 18. Laze on beaches or join jungle treks to look for clouded leopards — but don’t miss a tour to Kinabalu Park to see the Bornean orangutans. Cruise-only price from £2,190 pp (0845 200 6145, starclippers.co.uk).