Short Break Cruises
It’s becoming increasingly popular to take a cruise as a short break. There is simply no better way for first time cruisers to sample the experience of cruising. Short breaks or mini-cruises may range from a weekend party cruise to celebrate a special occasion to a five- or seven-day holiday.
You will be onboard the same super-liners that travel on longer journeys and enjoy all the same services. Indeed the resort ships lend themselves to be destinations in their own right.
Mini-cruises from UK ports
For British passengers, P&O operate many of their cruises from Southampton including short break itineraries. Fred Olsen also run short break cruises from Southampton as well as Dover, Leith, Greenock, Liverpool, Belfast and Newcastle, although rail/coach transfers may be needed. NCL Cruises offer 2 night mini-breaks from Southampton, and Dover as well as fly-cruise short breaks in the Mediterranean.
UK-originating destinations include Bruges, Amsterdam, Guernsey, Dublin and, for longer breaks, the French town of La Rochelle, Vigo or Lisbon in Portugal or the Norwegian fjords.
Further afield
Short break cruises are also available around the world and can be an excellent addition to a land-based tour, or simply as a short fly-cruise. Popular destinations include:
Northern Europe and Baltic
Western Med
Central Med
Eastern Mediterranean
Canaries and the Azores
Caribbean
Adventure Cruises
There are a number of cruise options available for those with a taste for adventure. Whether you fancy trekking on pack ice in the Arctic Circle, observing penguins in Antarctica or navigating deep within the Amazonian rainforest, there’s a cruise package to suit.
Some destinations demand an adventurous spirit and open up their treasures to small specialised ships only. However, some cruise holidays on the larger ships allow for exploration and adventure through their programme of shore excursions. Activities may include dog-sledding, kayaking or snow-shoe trails in Alaska or Greenland, or observing rare wildlife in the Galapagos.
Ships are often built specifically for the areas they sail within – with ice-proof hulls for polar seas or with shallow drafts for gliding over coral reefs.
Adventure ships tend to be self-sufficient, given that regular port-hopping may not be possible. That doesn’t mean, however, that the experience needs to be basic. Many ships provide comfortable and even elegant surroundings for such adventures.
An important aspect of an adventure cruise is the lecture programme. A decent lecturer, whether a naturalist, scientist or historian, can make sense of the places visited and greatly enhance your cruise.
Operators offering cruises in ecologically sensitive areas are mindful of their responsibilities and strive to adhere to recognized environmental standards.
For a wide choice of smaller ship adventure cruises, view our specialist cruises.
Tall Ship Cruises
Cruising beneath the sails of a tall ship, navigating only by the wind and the efforts of an expert crew is one of the most romantic experiences available on the sea.
Voyages are possible on authentic sailing ships, contemporary versions of clipper ships and high-tech automated sail-cruise ships. These holidays offer something different. Schedules are less rigid, with weather conditions dictating which port visits are made, and the atmosphere onboard can range from idyllic tranquillity to the breathtakingly thrilling.
Destinations include the Mediterranean, the South Pacific, Fiji and the Far East.
View our cruising holidays website for a wide choice of tall ship cruises. |
