Our Essential Guide to Cruises
From voyaging through some of Europe's most picturesque waterways to sailing between sunkissed islands in faraway places, there's so much choice when it comes to cruises that it can at times be overwhelming.
What's certain is that cruises are a great way to explore a destination, allowing you to easily and comfortably travel from one location to the next without having to deal with the hassle of airports.Have you always wanted to take a cruise but are unsure of where to start? Or are you a cruise veteran who's looking for their next adventure and needing some inspiration? We're here to help!
When you think of cruises you might imagine enormous cruise liners with casinos and entertainment venues carrying thousands of passengers. While these extravagant ocean voyages are an ever-popular choice, they're not the only way to explore the world by boat.
River cruises
If what you want from a cruise is to explore culture-rich cities, you might instead consider a river cruise. From the Rhône to the Douro, Europe has some of the world's most beautiful rivers that are best experienced on a small ship, where you can sail from little towns to historic cities through peaceful stretches of countryside.
Take our cruise along the Garonne and Dordogne rivers with a guest appearance from Raymond Blanc for example. You'll visit beautiful locations including Saint-Émilion, Libourne, Blaye, Médoc, and Cadillac - starting and finishing the adventure in the World Heritage Site of Bordeaux.
Another wonderful cruise through France is with the company of chef Michel Roux on a luxury sailing along the Seine, with visits to several historic sites and ending up in Paris for the Rugby World Cup final.
Expedition cruises
If your interests lie more with discovering the natural world then you might want to consider an expedition cruise. These are probably as far removed from the stereotype of sunbathing on the deck of a gargantuan ocean liner as you can get.
These cruises tend to be on much smaller ships, and the focus is on exploring the beautiful wild landscapes that our world has to offer. You'll travel with an expert expedition team who will help you make the most of your trip, teaching you about the landscapes you're exploring and making sure you're safe on shore excursions.
Expedition cruises can take you all over the world, but there are plenty of untamed landscapes to explore right here in the UK too. That's why we're offering an expedition cruise of the British Isles. You'll sail along England's south coast, then north to the Hebrides via Fishguard in Wales and Belfast in Northern Ireland, learning more about the nature and heritage of each fascinating destination
Alternatively, you can spend time exploring the Scottish Hebrides specifically, including a shore excursion on St Kilda, a dramatically beautiful uninhabited archipelago home to one of Europe's most important seabird colonies.
Ocean cruises
Finally we have ocean cruises. Usually when people think of ocean cruises they imagine gigantic liners holding thousands of guests. Although this type of vessel won't be for everyone, these larger cruises do offer plenty of benefits. Firstly, ocean liners will be far bigger than expedition ships or river boats. Although you won't get such an intimate atmosphere on board, the pay off is a huge range of facilities, from dining options, to entertainment venues to wellness facilities.
If you're put off by the idea of a large liner, but are still keen to take an ocean cruise and explore faraway places, don't worry - there are still opportunities for more intimate ocean cruises.
Take our luxury wellness cruise around the Caribbean, for example. You'll sail on the sleek Emerald Azzurra, a new and ultra-modern yacht that first sailed in 2022 and hosts just 100 guests, looked after by 76 crew.
Or join our cruise around Central America next year to sail between heavenly white-sand beaches on Star Clipper, a traditional tall ship with 36,000 feet of billowing sails. There will be a maximum of only 166 guests, so life on board is blissfully relaxed, much like travelling on a private yacht.
So how do you go about choosing a destination for a cruise? As we've seen, cruises can take you all over the world. Luxurious ocean cruises often take guests to sunny destinations with excellent beaches. River cruises will take us through elegant cities packed with culture and the beautiful rural landscapes in between. And expedition cruises will take you to hard-to-reach parts of the world, often to uninhabited destinations like Antarctica, or remote islands in the UK.
Some of the destinations you can visit on our upcoming cruises include Croatia, with its delightful coastline and islands, Northern Spain, with its vast beaches and world-class museums, or Scotland, with its lochs, glens, and towering mountains.
Ultimately, where you choose to go will depend on the type of holiday you want. Luckily, we have a large range of cruises available to cover almost all bases, from expeditions in icy climates to luxurious Caribbean sailings with plenty of beach time.
Once you've decided on the type of cruise you want to go on and where you'll be exploring, you'll need to start thinking about what to pack. Obviously, this will vary enormously depending on your destination.
For a cruise around the sunny islands of the Caribbean, you'll need to remember your sunblock, hat, swimwear, and anything else you might usually take on a beachy holiday. If you're planning to join shore excursions that involve a bit of walking, make sure you bring some comfy walking shoes along with your flip flops.
Our luxury wellness cruise around the Caribbean includes a lot of days reserved for relaxation, where you'll be wandering along powdery-soft beaches or simply relaxing in Emerald Azzurra's infinity pool. But there's also a guided volcano hike on the itinerary - not so great in flip flops! So make sure you familiarise yourself with all the potential activities you'd like to get involved with, and pack accordingly.
Although most of our cruises don't have any dress codes and lean more towards casual, you might want to pack a cocktail dress or smart suit and tie in case you decide to explore bars and restaurants on land.
For an expedition cruise to icier climes, like our 15-day voyage to Antarctica, your packing list will look very different. Despite the cold weather, you should also pack sunblock for this trip, as UV exposure can be quite high, and you'll be spending a lot of time outdoors.
It's also recommended to bring a camera and a memory card with a large capacity, as you'll be sure to see a lot of things worth photographing. It's also worth packing extra batteries for your camera and other electronic devices if you're planning an icy adventure, as the cold conditions can shorten battery life.
Finally, although you won't be taking a dip in the ocean on this cruise, bring your swimwear anyway - you'll likely want to make use of the ship's heated pools, on-deck hot tub, and panoramic sauna.
The short answer is: yes! While cruises remain popular with couples and even family groups, they can be great for solo travellers too. Solo cruising is getting more and more popular, and there are several reasons why a cruise makes sense if you're looking to explore the world as a solo traveller.
You'll be travelling in a safe and convenient way, with organised excursions and routes all planned out for you. This means you won't have to navigate transport while abroad alone, which takes away much of the stress of organisation for independent travellers. This can be particularly helpful in a country where you might not speak the local language, and where you might want to explore various parts stress-free.
Take our cruise of Japan during cherry blossom season. The stress of having to navigate a new country alone is taken away, as you explore hi-tech modern cities and ancient monuments with expert guides and with a group of travellers with similar interests.
Of course, another big advantage to choosing a cruise for a solo holiday is the chance to make new friends.
Many of our cruises have celebrity guests and exciting excursions, like our cruise of the Venetian Lagoon with Rick Stein. There'll be a live cooking demonstration from Rick and a market tour, giving you the chance to bond with fellow guests who share an interest in good food and wine.
Most of our cruises will take place on board smaller, boutique ships, rather than gigantic ocean liners. Our cruise around Costa Rica and Panama takes place on the elegant Star Clipper,a traditional tall ship with 36,000 feet of billowing sails, and carrying only 166 guests.
Life on board is blissfully relaxed, much like travelling on a private yacht and there are plenty of beautifully-appointed communal spaces where guests spend a lot of time, like the stylish restaurant and piano bar. This gives you the chance to really get to know your fellow guests, and perhaps even come away with lifelong friends.
