Summer's COMING
Get ready with our guide to the very best new cruises
JUNE? It’s nearly June already? If you’re like me, and can’t quite believe how fast time flies, then this special Check In supplement is for you.
It’s our wake-up call to take a look at all the fantastic, late-availability cruises on offer in the next few months and beyond. It’s also a ‘book now or miss out’ message for the best new cruise ships, itineraries, excursions and entertainment options. And it’s a reminder that plenty of low-cost deals lurk amidst the luxury offerings.
FAVOURITES
Favourites on the world’s oceans include a series of sunny Mediterranean cruises with P&O where you can start the cruise in either Southampton or Valletta in Malta – plus a new set of Princess cruises around the coasts of Canada and New England in 2024.
Who books that far ahead? Lots of us, according to cruise companies. We like to have something fantastic to look forward to, we want to be sure we get the best choice of cabins, and we really love early-bird deals with rock-bottom deposits. So don’t think picking a 2024 cruise is getting too far ahead of the game. Dozens of itineraries have already been released for 2025 – and plenty of bookings are being made because, yes, time flies.
HIDDEN GEMS
So take a look at our cruise favourites, whether it’s voyages into Northern Lights territory with local experts Fred. Olsen or a joyous 22-night Venice & the Treasures of the Adriatic cruise on Saga’s boutique (and brand-new) vessel, Spirit of Adventure. I’m also a fan of the shore excursions on Saga cruises – in the Mediterranean that includes visiting some of the world’s best museums, gardens and galleries.
Then get ready to have a fantastic time afloat – for on page 4 we reveal just how good the latest entertainment programmes have become. Better still, it’s not just the shows passengers rave about. It’s the auditoriums they play in, as a friend pointed out after an NCL cruise in the Caribbean.
‘I always thought I didn’t like theatre,’ he said. ‘But it turns out I didn’t like theatres.’ Apparently stuffy interiors, small seats and ‘always having someone with big hair sitting in front of me’ had spoiled the experience on land. On a cruise, with plenty of space, proper air conditioning and pitch-perfect sightlines, he loved every minute of each show he saw.
CLEVER EXTRAS
Surveys show other guests love the hands-on entertainment options on today’s cruises, from chef-led cookery schools in Regent Seven Seas’ Culinary Arts Kitchens to the Citizen Scientist programme you’ll discover on Hurtigruten.
Having the right speakers on board helps make cruises come alive (Cunard is great for this as are river cruise companies, which we feature on page 8). And I’m a fan of clever extras such as the Bridge Clubs on Ambassador Cruise Lines’ ships.
STRESS-FREE
Two more tips to make cruises stress free? I dread flight delays ruining my travel plans. So if I’m flying to a cruise I try to leave home one day early for a night in a hotel near the embarkation port. Tui offers ‘cruise-and-stay’ deals on Marella cruises with up to a week in a hotel after a cruise (a real treat, if you have the time). But it can also arrange things the other way around – and if you don’t fancy booking a holiday online it’s got staff on the phone and in high street travel stores to help.
I also like to prepare for the unexpected. So my final tip for a stress-free cruise is to take out travel insurance the moment you book. It’s easy to wait till the last minute and focus on cover for lost luggage or costs at sea. But buy a policy when you book and you get cancellation cover right up to the departure date even if that’s many months away. The best policies even offer to refund the cost of pre-booked shore excursions if you are unable to travel to take them.
The right ship, newest itinerary, best entertainment – and all the boring insurance details taken care of early. Add it all up and it’s easy to see why cruises make us smile.
So use our research and recommendations to get a dream holiday in your diary. Whether it’s a late booking for summer or a special occasion for the future, I promise it will be worth every penny – and it will be here before you know it. Happy travelling!