You can travel to a range of far-flung destinations all from the comfort of a UK port – you can even take a round the world cruise…
Of the 1.7 million of us who took a cruise last year, 962,000 chose to cruise from British ports – and that figure will hit the million mark this year. Not only is a no-fly cruise hassle-free, but with so many departure ports to choose from, transfers are relatively straightforward.
You can reach some of the world’s most stunning locations on a cruise ship from the UK, from New York to the Caribbean and beyond. The world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, will be in Southampton for the first time next year, when you can join it to sail across the Atlantic on a 12-night cruise (from Southampton, 15 October 2014, with return flights back to London Heathrow from £793pp).
Crystal’s Voyage of the Vikings 14-night cruise sails to Boston (from Dover, 2 September 2013, from £3,935pp), but if you fancy a little detour before crossing the pond, Carnival travels to New York via Reykjavik, the hot springs in Qaqortoq (Greenland) and St John’s (Canada), (from Dover, return flights from New York, 25 September 2013, from £942pp). Cunard have a selection of round-trip transatlantic crossings to New York on the Queen Mary 2, including a 14-night voyage (from Southampton, 12 November 2013, from £1,579pp). While their Caribbean Celebration voyage takes you to New York before exploring the Caribbean, (from Southampton, 15 December 2013, from £3,029pp).
Yes, the Caribbean can be reached from UK ports. See P&O’s 24-night Caribbean & Azores cruise visiting Ponta Delgado, Antigua, St Kitts, Dominica, Grenada, Barbados and Horta (from Southampton, 25 March 2014, from £1,849pp).
Meanwhile, Cruise & Maritime takes you from the Thames, across the Atlantic and down the Amazon River at Santarem on their 42-night Amazon, West Indies & the Azores voyage (from London Tilbury, 5 January 2014, from £2,699pp). Fred. Olsen also have a couple of tempting options: a 35-night Amazon Adventure & the Caribbean cruise (from Southampton, 22 March 2014, from £2,999pp) and a 32-night West Indies Cruise with destinations including Barbados, St Lucia and the Dominican Republic, (from Southampton, 11 November 2013, from £2,399pp).
For an eclectic mix of destinations see Princess’ 38-day tour to Singapore through Europe, reaching as far as Kuala Lumpur, (from Dover, return flights from Singapore, 7 September 2013, from £5,199pp).
Ile aux Cerfs Beach, Mauritius
And if an Australian summer tempts you, embark on Fred. Olsen’s 61-night cruise to Sydney, via Madiera, South America, Easter Island, Tahiti, the Cook Islands and New Zealand, (from Southampton, 14 January 2014, from £5,649pp w/o return flights).
The ultimate cruise from the UK, perhaps, has to be a round the world voyage. P&O offer a 109-night World Circumnavigation Cruise (from Southampton, 4 January 2014, from £9,129pp) while Fred. Olsen has a 104-night World Cruise – Myanmar, Japan & Hawaii Cruise (from Southampton, 5 January 2014, from £6,999pp). Cunard offers luxury round-trips from Southampton, calling at 78 destinations on six continents, from Mauritius to Sydney, Hong Kong to Dubai – this is definitely the trip of a lifetime (from Southampton, Queen Mary 2, 10 January 2014, from £12,229pp). Worth saving up for.
Read Cruises from the UK: Europe
Read Cruises from the UK: Round the UK & Eire
Read Cruises from the UK: Scandinavia & Baltic
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