CRUISING FOR ALL
With so much choice on offer, even the most ardent cruise-sceptics are coming on board
For families
The school summer holidays are the prime time for visiting Alaska, home to the most spectacular coastal cruising on the planet. Besides on-board fun in children’s clubs, there’s educational merit in viewing the awesome natural sights (glaciers, whales, bears, seals) as well as towns such as Skagway – gateway for the Klondike gold rushers – and Sitka, the former capital of Russian America. Shore activities are also amazing – kayaking, white-water rafting, gold panning and chopper flights. Go with: Holland America (hollandamerica.com).
For beach lovers
During our winter, the Caribbean is hard to beat for sun, sea and sand. If you don’t know which island to visit (after all, Columbus recorded the same dilemma in his ship’s log!), go to several. There is a choice of departure ports, in both Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale) and in the Caribbean itself (Barbados, Puerto Rico and others). Some ships offer simple back-to-back itineraries, others offer a linear island hop, starting on one island and finishing on another. Sailing is also a great way of finding out which island you’d like to return to for a lengthier, land-based holiday. Go with: Thomson (thomson.co.uk/cruises).
For culture vultures
On a river cruise, the water’s always calm and there’s scenery on both sides. In addition to gliding down Europe’s major arteries, one of the most magical journeys is along the Myanmar Irrawaddy, cruising from Yangon through timeless landscapes and jungle-clad gorges, visiting the ancient capital of Mandalay and the 3,000 Buddhist structures spread across the great plain of Bagan. Be sure to pack a copy of George Orwell’s Burmese Days (pith helmet optional). Go with: Jules Verne (vjv.com).
For foodies
As well as the main dining salons, many ships offer a choice of speciality restaurants, some endorsed by celebrity chefs. You’ll find a diverse range of cuisines, too, from French fine dining to Japanese sushi or southern Indian. If you love cooking, try a cruise that offers cookery classes. Sommelier-guided wine tasting can be on the menu, too. Go with: Seabourn (seabourn.com).
For adventurers
The global extremities beckon. In our winter, head south to Antarctica, the Great White Continent (the one with the penguins, plus seals and whales, icebergs and glaciers). During the summer, head up to more Arctic parts, including the Svalbard archipelago, the North Cape, Greenland and the legendary Northwest Passage. Choose an expedition ship equipped with Zodiac inflatables for nipping ashore, and a team of nature experts among the crew, who can give your sightings an environmental perspective. Go with: Hurtigruten (hurtigruten.co.uk).
For romantics
With their pearl-white beaches, thick matting of vegetation and seas that cover every shade of blue, from pale chalky spearmint to deepest indigo, the South Sea Islands come closer to our dreams of paradise than anywhere else on the planet. Follow in the wake of painter Paul Gauguin and his pursuit of dusky maidens in French Polynesia, for example. Couples can also enjoy a unique Polynesian blessing ceremony, first wrapped in a ceremonial blanket, then crowned with a wreath of tiare (Tahitian orchid) and serenaded by a Tahitian love song. Go with: Silversea (silversea.com).
For wildlife enthusiasts
The Galápagos, Darwin’s ‘living laboratory’, ranks high on most people’s bucket list. Since the wildlife, free of inhibitions, varies between islands, a cruise is an obvious approach. Be sure to pack binoculars although, with amazingly close encounters on the cards, you may end up viewing the fauna through the ‘wrong’ end. If you’re going all that way, and probably routing via Peru, it’s worth adding a few days and visiting iconic archaeological sites, such as Machu Picchu and Spanish colonial Cusco. Go with: Celebrity (celebritycruises.co.uk).
For escapists
Most people choose a cruise for its ports of call. However, those simply wanting to relax should opt for one that offers lots of sea time. A transatlantic passage is the obvious choice. You could go for a regular Cunard sailing, or one of several ships that are ‘repositioning’ between summering in the Med and wintering in the Caribbean (and vice versa). Round-theworld cruises also incorporate plenty of days at sea. Go with: Cunard (cunard.co.uk).
History buffs
Your choice will depend on your favourite epoch. If ancient empires turn you on, head for the Eastern Med, especially the archaeological sites of Turkey’s Lycian coast and the Greek islands. More recent eras could include the legacy of the Venetians, whose Serenissima empire shaped many towns along the Croatian coast. Mexican itineraries invariably include excursions to Mayan sites, such as Tulum and Chichen Itza. Go with: Voyages To Antiquity (voyagestoantiquity.com).