A getaway that will give you a rosé glow
WITH winter round the corner, what better time to plan a cruise to sail away from it all. Here’s my pick of the end-of-year getaways.
LUXURY all-inclusive line Scenic has added a cruise along the River Douro, sailing from Porto on November 23.
At that time of year, the beautiful northern Portuguese region will be tranquil and temperate, making it perfect for sightseeing.
Visits to vineyards, the lavish Mateus Palace (famed since the 1970s for its place on rosé wine labels), a side trip to the gorgeous Spanish city of Salamanca and a private concert in a church in Porto are all on the itinerary.
Fares are from £2,245pp, including flights (scenic.com).
The onset of dank December at home can be a downer, but the warmth of the Canaries beckons.
Sail from Lisbon for ten nights aboard Norwegian Sun on December 1 and you’ll go south to Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, before calling in at Gibraltar, Malaga and Cadiz on the way back to Lisbon.
Cruise-only fares are from £754pp – down from £1,139pp (ncl.com).
If you have more time to spare, you could swan around the Caribbean for nearly six weeks – at just £75 a day – aboard classic ship Arcadia.
During this full-board round trip from Southampton, you’ll visit palmfringed islands including Barbados, Curacao, Jamaica and Saint Martin, visit the vibrant cities of New Orleans, Miami and Cartagena in Colombia, and pop in to Azores on the way back.
From £2,999pp for departure on November 9 (pocruises.com).
For a festive mini-break, nothing beats the almost magical Christmas markets in Germany. You can feast on gluhwein and gingerbread every day while sailing on the Rhine from Cologne, home to seven different yuletide markets.
You’ll also visit Rudesheim, where they lace coffee with local brandy, picturesque Koblenz, and Bonn, the former capital of West Germany.
The four-night cruise aboard MS Oscar Wilde departs on December 21 and prices, from £899pp, include flights and excursions (rivieratravel.co.uk).