ALL ABOARD
The latest news for your next cruise
A real page turner
IF you love to read a good book while cruising there will be many inspiring reads during Queen Mary 2’s Literature Festival at Sea, curated by the Cheltenham Literature festival team. Authors Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and Prue Leith will be on the seven-night Transatlantic crossing which departs Southampton for New York on December 1. From £1,199 pp including return flight to uk ( cunard.co.uk, 0344 3388 650). Sail soon for £509
ESCAPE the cold on a seven-night Med cruise on MSC Grandiosa which departs Barcelona on February 4. Calls include Marseille, France; Genoa and Civitavecchia, Italy; Palermo, Sicily and Valletta, Malta, with a fly-cruise price from £509 pp departing Luton or Manchester featuring two-nights in Barcelona and on board tips ( cruisenation.com, 0800 408 0759). Be quick for discounts
NORWEGIAN Cruise Line is offering up to £1,500 off per stateroom on all 2020 cruises of nine nights or more, and £750 off any six to eight-night sailing, when booked by Monday. Prices for the 14-day Scandinavia, Russia and Amsterdam: ultimate Baltic fly-cruise on Norwegian Jade now start from £2,166 pp on the June 13 roundtrip from Amsterdam with calls including St. Petersburg, Russia, and Stockholm, Sweden ( ncl.com, 0333 2412319). Pride of Panama
IT’S all balmy sunshine in Montego Bay, Jamaica at this time of the year and Marella Discovery’s seven-night sailing from the port on February 11 starts from £1,150 pp. Fly from Gatwick for the allinclusive Pride of Panama cruise visiting Santa Marta and Cartagena, Colombia,
above; Colon, Panama, and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica ( tui.co.uk, 0871 230 2800). Cutting edge dance
WATCHING a sword dance on Korcula, the Croatian island said to be explorer Marco Polo’s birthplace, is one of many unusual sights during Silver Shadow’s Mediterranean Grand Voyage which visits 17 countries in 59 days. The refurbished ship sails from Venice to Lisbon with Albania, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, ukraine, Italy and Portugal all among the September 8, 2021 departure. Prices from £26,500 pp ( silversea.com, 0207 340 0700).
Belgian chocolate — and gin
EMERALD Dawn’s Springtime Delights eight- day river cruise from Amsterdam has a treat in store for guests with a maiden call to Hasselt, a small Belgian town that’s big on attractions, with gin and fashion museums, 600- year- old Herkenrode Abbey and renowned chocolate shop, Boon. Further ports include Arnhem, Antwerp, Beverwijk, and Rotterdam plus a visit to Keukenhof Gardens. Price from £2,545pp, departing April 1, 2021 ( emeraldwaterways.co.uk, 0808 301 3352).