CRUISE & TRAVEL Your ultimate guide to cruise
PLANNER 2024
PLANNER 2024 £5.99
Exciting new ships Travel trends Destination A-Z Luxury River Specialist Expedition World cruises FEATURED PARTNERS
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WORLD CRUISES
ON TOP OF THE WORLD It’s a true once-in-a-lifetime voyage, but what do you need to know if you’re considering a round-the-world cruise?
PICTURE: ALAMY/DAVID CARILLET
WORDS SARA MACEFIELD
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WORLD CRUISES
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Previous page: See the iconic Sydney Opera House up-close Left to right: Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge on the approach to San Francisco; the Treasury at Petra is a highlight of Silversea’s Jordan trips
WORLD CRUISE TIPS
■ When choosing a world cruise segment, look carefully at
the itinerary and check to see how many port days there are and what time is spent in key destinations, as some segments may include lots of sea days. ■ If you join a world cruise outside the UK or fly one-way, your luggage will be restricted to airline limits, but if you are on a world cruise starting and finishing at a UK port, you can take as much luggage as you can fit into your cabin. ■ Book the largest cabin you can afford, as this will be your base for several months, but also be aware that larger cabins often sell out first. ■ Remember that you’ll need travel insurance that specifically covers longer durations, as many policies (including those linked to bank accounts) have a maximum cover period of 30 days. ■ Cruise lines generally offer high-value incentives to book world cruises early, such as free gratuities, laundry, hotel stays or special events, so check out what’s offered and plan ahead.
WHAT IS A WORLD CRUISE?
Such epic voyages have long been a key component of the cruising world, ever since Cunard first established the tradition a century ago in 1923. A true world cruise is one that circumnavigates the globe, taking a minimum of around 100 days to sail to Australasia and back, generally via the Far East and the Americas. However, there has been a proliferation of such sailings in recent years, as more cruise lines have added them to their lineups, with many longer durations that can be at least five or six
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PICTURES: GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO/BLUEJAYPHOTO; REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES; SILVERSEA
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othing can match the thrill of setting off to sail around the world on what is undoubtedly the ultimate ocean-going adventure. Ever since French novelist Jules Verne fired up imaginations with the exploits of Phileas Fogg in his seminal novel, Around the World in Eighty Days, the prospect of getting around the globe by ship remains one of the last great travel experiences. This is true bucket-list territory; an irresistible opportunity to tick off some of the world’s most iconic sights from the deck of a ship as it crosses oceans between continents, while recapturing the romance of travel by sea to experience distant lands and different cultures. What other holiday gives you the chance to cruise into Sydney Harbour past its distinctive Opera House and sail under the impressive Golden Gate Bridge on the approach to San Francisco, all in the same trip? And what of sights that can only be accessed by sea, such as the sensation of squeezing through the Panama Canal as you cruise between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans? You can guarantee that you’ll sail to some of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders – following in the wake of bygone explorers as you encounter the mesmerisingly beautiful islands of the South Pacific, the rugged volcanic outposts of Indonesia, or the billowing desert dunes of the Arabian Gulf.
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A-Z OF DESTINATIONS FOR 2024 Looking for ideas to inspire your next escape? Check out our pick of the coolest cruises and hottest spots to add to your wish list this year
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DESTINATIONS
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...ARCTIC
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PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO/ ZIBA PHOTO MEDIA
The Arctic’s pristine, frozen landscapes are a draw for intrepid travellers wishing to follow in the footsteps of legendary explorers, while ticking off their bucket-list aspirations. Spend time in this diverse polar region and you’ll witness towering glaciers, floating icebergs, secluded fjords, unique wildlife including polar bears and the captivating aurora borealis, aka the northern lights. From the Svalbard wilderness to unspoilt Greenland and the off-grid appeal of Franz Josef Land, there’s much to discover, and luxury expedition lines including Seabourn, Ponant, Scenic and Swan Hellenic will provide your front-row seat – along with Zodiacs and kayaks – for some of the most breathtaking shows on the planet. WORDS REBECCA BARNES
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... KIMBERLEY
This rugged northwest Australian region is a hot ticket in warm-water expeditions for 2024, as cruise lines capitalise on the growing appetite for adventure with alternatives to the icy polar extremes. Scenic Eclipse II and Seabourn Pursuit become the latest brand-new ships to ply these waters this year, starting in May, alongside established lines including Ponant, and Australian-owned True North and Coral Expeditions. But with a short season and high demand, consider booking now for 2025, when the likes of Silversea’s Silver Cloud are set to sail here. It’s a truly remarkable corner of the country, combining wildlife – from humpback whales to native birdlife in the Lacepede Islands Nature Reserve – with natural beauty spots such as the Horizontal Falls, where the flow is so strong the waterfall appears to gush out sideways, and the oldest Aboriginal rock-art sites ever discovered. Tag on extra time in the interior to explore scenic highlights including Purnululu National Park and El Questro.
PICTURES: TOURISM AUSTRALIA/CJ MADDOCK
WORDS KATIE MCGONAGLE
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NEW DESTINATIONS SHIPS RIVER
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DIRECTORY
C R U I S E LI N ES D I R E C T O RY A
AE EXPEDITIONS 73 AMADEUS RIVER CRUISES 87 AMAWATERWAYS 83 AMBASSADOR CRUISE LINE 61 AMERICAN CRUISE LINES 87 AMERICAN QUEEN VOYAGES 85 APT 64, 88 AQUA EXPEDITIONS 80, 92 ARANUI CRUISES 64 A-ROSA CRUISES 84 ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES 75 AVALON WATERWAYS 84 AZAMARA 43
B
BELMOND 92
C
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE 51 CELEBRITY CRUISES 42, 76 CELESTYAL 65 CORAL EXPEDITIONS 80 CROISIEUROPE 65, 89 CRYSTAL 39 CUNARD 59
D
DISNEY CRUISE LINE 54
E
EMERALD CRUISES 65, 87 EUROPEAN WATERWAYS 89 EXPLORA JOURNEYS 38
F
FAR HORIZON TOURS 92 FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES 60
G
G ADVENTURES 80 HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES 39, 76 HAVILA VOYAGES 66 HEBRIDEAN ISLAND CRUISES 68 HOLLAND AMERICA LINE 46 HURTIGRUTEN (HX) 73
L
LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS 78
M
MARELLA CRUISES 50 MSC CRUISES 48
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS 80 NICKO CRUISES 91 NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE 52
O
OCEANIA CRUISES 45
P
P&O CRUISES 49 PANDAW 92 PONANT 75 POSEIDON EXPEDITIONS 80 PRINCESS CRUISES 54
Q
QUARK EXPEDITIONS 73
R
REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES 36 RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION 40 RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES 92 112
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RIVIERA TRAVEL 83 ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL 55
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SAGA 44 SAGA RIVER CRUISES 90 SANCTUARY RETREATS 82 SCENIC 75, 84 SEABOURN 37, 74 SEADREAM YACHT CLUB 35 SHEARINGS 92 SILVERSEA 35, 79 STAR CLIPPERS 67 SWAN HELLENIC 78
PICTURES: CRYSTAL; SEADREAM YACHT CLUB/GREG CEO; GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO/RUSM
H
T
TAUCK 89 THE MAJESTIC LINE 68 TRAVELMARVEL 90 TUI RIVER CRUISES 88
U
UNCRUISE ADVENTURES 80 UNIWORLD 88
V
VARIETY CRUISES 66 VIKING 36, 76, 83 VIRGIN VOYAGES 56 VIVA CRUISES 90
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WINDSTAR CRUISES 66 CRUISE ANDTR AVEL.CO.UK