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Beyond cruising

Destinations

Where to cruise, and when.

Each destination page tells you what it's actually like from a ship, the best months, how long to go for, which lines we'd shortlist, and what works for families and for grandparents. Prices are planning figures per person.

All cruise destinations

Positano stacked above the sea on the Amalfi coast
Late May to June and September to early October. July and August for school holidays, booked well ahead.

Mediterranean

The easiest great cruise there is: short flights, famous ports, and a ship for every kind of family.

7 to 10 nights is the sweet spot; 14 for a one-way voyage from Barcelona to Athens.From £3,800 pp
Sunset over the whitewashed houses of Oia, Santorini
June and September are ideal; July and August are hot and busy; October still swims.

Greek Islands

Small ships, island overnights, and a late season that runs into October.

7 nights round trip from Athens; 10 to add Turkey.From £4,200 pp
The walled old town of Dubrovnik and its harbour from above
May to June and September; July and August are warm and busy.

Adriatic & Croatia

Venice, Dubrovnik and Kotor in a week, on ships small enough for the old harbours.

7 nights Venice to Athens or round trip from Venice (Fusina or Trieste).From £4,300 pp
Friendship Beach on Bequia in the Grenadines, palms over a quiet bay
December to April. Christmas and New Year sailings book 12 months ahead.

Caribbean

Winter sun for the whole family, on ships that make Christmas and half-term easy.

7 nights from Barbados, St Maarten or Miami; 10 to 14 to reach the ABC islands or Panama.From £4,000 pp
Geirangerfjord from Flydalsjuvet, a cruise ship small against the mountains
June to August for the light and the warmest weather; May and September are quieter.

Norwegian Fjords

No long flight, dramatic scenery from your terrace, and a season made for grandparents.

7 to 10 nights round trip from Southampton or Copenhagen; 12 to reach the Lofoten islands and the North Cape.From £3,600 pp
The towers of Tallinn's old town at sunrise
June to August.

Baltic & Northern Capitals

Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki in a week, with culture the whole way.

7 to 10 nights between Copenhagen and Stockholm.From £3,900 pp
The blue face of Hubbard Glacier meeting the sea in Alaska
Late May to early September; July and August for warmth and salmon runs.

Alaska

Glaciers, whales and bears from a small ship, with a pre-cruise stop in Vancouver.

7 nights one way Vancouver to Seward or Whittier; 10 to 14 with Vancouver and the Rockies.From £4,800 pp
Icebergs in the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland
June to August; Svalbard from late June when the ice allows.

Iceland & the Arctic

Expedition comfort around Iceland, Greenland and Svalbard, without giving up the butler.

7 nights around Iceland; 10 to 14 for Greenland or Svalbard.From £7,500 pp
The Lemaire Channel, Antarctica, sheer rock and ice reflected in still water
November to March. December and January for penguin chicks; February and March for whales.

Antarctica

The trip of a lifetime, planned a year ahead and done in real comfort.

10 to 12 nights from Ushuaia; 7 to 8 with flights across the Drake.From £11,500 pp
The floating torii of Itsukushima shrine at sunset, Miyajima
Late March to April for blossom; October to November for autumn colour.

Japan

Kyoto, Hiroshima and the Inland Sea without the trains, hotels and luggage.

10 to 14 nights round trip from Tokyo (Yokohama).From £6,500 pp
The lagoon of Bora Bora in shades of turquoise beneath Mount Otemanu
May to October, the dry season.

French Polynesia

Bora Bora, Moorea and the Society Islands from a yacht that stays a while.

7 to 10 nights round trip from Papeete, plus 3 to 5 nights on land.From £6,000 pp
The Hungarian Parliament on the Danube at dusk, Budapest
April to October; December for the Christmas markets; school holidays for family departures.

European Rivers

Rhine, Danube and Douro: a new town every morning, no sea days, everyone back for dinner.

7 nights is standard; 14 for Amsterdam to Budapest.From £3,200 pp

Explore by month

Start with when you can travel.

School holidays, a birthday, the only fortnight you can both take: pick the month and we show which of these destinations is at its best then.

Month-by-month planner →

By region

Or start with the map.

Where more than one of our destinations shares a sea, here they are side by side.

Mediterranean

Fjords and Northern Europe

polar and expedition routes

Tell us what you're looking for. We'll do the research.

Don't spend thirty hours comparing forty ships, cabins, dates, flights and hotels. Give us five minutes and we'll narrow it down to what is worth considering.

Start PlanningHow it works

Good to know

Questions, answered

How much does a luxury cruise cost?

As a planning figure, a week on a genuinely luxury ship usually starts around £3,000 to £5,000 per person for a veranda suite, and rises with ship, suite, season and region. Expedition voyages and the yacht-style lines cost more. Every price on this site is a guide for planning; your proposal carries a firm price for your dates, suite and party.

When should I book?

For school holidays, Christmas or a specific suite category, nine to twelve months ahead is sensible, and earlier for connecting suites or parties of six or more. Outside peak dates there is more flexibility, and occasionally good value closer to departure.

Can you arrange hotels before or after the cruise?

Yes, and for most sailings we recommend at least one night before embarkation. We also plan post-cruise stays if you want to extend.

Can you arrange excursions?

Yes, both the ship's own programme and private arrangements ashore, chosen around the ages and energy levels in your party.

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