Bucket-list bargains for fans of the pharaohs…
WE CANNOT wait to go travelling again, and cruises are a wonderful way to spread your wings. Whether you are looking for slow travel by river boat through one region or a delightful mix of destinations on an ocean ship, here are some of the best to book now.
LATE-SUMMER sun beckons on a Mediterranean cruise aboard MSC’s newest ship, the dazzling MSC Virtuosa (msccruises.co.uk). Join a nine-night round-trip cruise from Marseilles on September 21 and you’ll have time ashore in Barcelona, Genoa, Malaga, Lisbon and Casablanca. You’ll also have three days at sea to explore the 21 bars, nine restaurants, five pools and swish spa. Earlybooking fares start at £819pp, including tips. Flights are extra.
Viking (vikingrivercruises.co.uk) is giving £1,000pp off all 2022 river cruises booked by March 31 this year, making now the perfect time to plan a bucket-list holiday, such as a Pharaohs & Pyramids tour. You’ll see the sights of Egypt from the comfort of brandnew Viking Aton, built specially to navigate the Nile, sailing for seven nights from Luxor and staying at a first-class hotel in Cairo for four nights. The cost of the 11-night holiday is from £4,665pp (down from £5,665pp) for the departure on September 11, 2022, and includes flights, 11 excursions, wine and beer with meals, wi-fi and gratuities.
There’s nothing like a glorious show of flowers to lift the spirits, and next year’s once-in-a-decade Floriade Expo in Holland has millions of blooms along with fruit, vegetables and every kind of foliage. Book now, with a deposit of only £49pp, for a one-off, one-week Floriade And The Delights Of The Dutch Waterways cruise with Titan Travel (titantravel.co.uk), departing on April 13, 2022. Other excursions included in the price from £1,499pp (along with VIP door-to-door travel service) are to the windmills of Kinderdijk, the canals of Amsterdam and sightseeing in Cologne.
You don’t need to travel far for a holiday afloat, and Anglo Welsh (anglowelsh.co.uk) has 11 bases across England and Wales for your bubble to explore the countryside in your own narrowboat. One lovely route is on the Llangollen Canal from Trevor in North Wales, crossing the astonishing Pontcysyllte aqueduct. Luxury narrowboat Anna, for four people and two pets, costs from £1,340 to hire for a week in August.