Cruise Holidays

An Advertising Feature

It might seem like an odd thing to say – what’s not to relax about? Surely you just have to fly to the right port, hop on your ship & sit back? But some people are actually quite daunted at the prospect of being on board a cruise boat, even for a few days. If you fear claustrophobia, cheesy entertainment & passing out from overindulgence at the buffet, perhaps you need some reassurance – cruises have moved on a bit since last time you checked! And there are several tips you can follow to make sure you get the absolute best from your time on board.

Go special interest

You might have noticed this yourself, but everyone seems to be specialising right now, from fancy cupcake shops to adventure-travel organisers. It makes sense, given the level of competition around. There are hundreds of cruises designed to take you closest to what you love most, be it tropical birdwatching in Borneo, spectacular Buddhist temples in Myanmar or the Northern Lights in Finland. If you’re wary of taking a cruise just for the sake of sitting in the sun eating prawn salad & drinking cold beer, try one that’s tailored precisely to your interests. The ships will often be smaller, with fewer passengers, each of whom share your enthusiasm for diving, ancient monuments, gibbons or whatever. You’ll usually be accompanied by expert guides who can lead you straight to the best bits, & perhaps even tell you something you didn’t already know.

Head up-river

If the very idea of setting out to sea leaves you queasy, try a river cruise instead. When you’re gazing at that world map, fantasising about your next holiday, you probably don’t think about the web of blue spreading across every continent. But there are cruises navigating a remarkable proportion of it. You can explore India on nearly 2,000 miles of its rivers & inland waterways, much of South East Asia via the Mekong, & Europe by both rivers & canals. Given that accommodation is included, it’s an economical (not to mention ecological) way to travel, even if your entire holiday isn’t based round the cruise – you can cut out hours of crowded European airport just by hopping on a fast boat down the Danube, & the scenery is unarguably prettier.

Embrace your inner tourist

If you’ve ever watched Now, Voyager (starring Bette Davis, not the cast of Star Trek) you’ll remember Bette’s draconian mother denouncing the idea of being “mere tourists” as utterly shameful. But allowing yourself to simply wander & observe can be superbly relaxing – for you & your family. Certain destinations attract visitors for good reason. Relish your time on land, whether you stick with the group or not. Most day-trip leaders won’t object to letting you off the leash if you know what time to return to the ship. Just don’t do what Bette does & get stuck up a mountain with a romantically-minded stranger. It might be quite expensive to get home again…