With cruise ships big and small offering everything from budget to ultra-luxury holidays in regions as diverse as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Far East and Polar regions, there’s no excuse for missing out on a cruise sale.
Travel Weekly’s cruise editor Jane Archer has suggestions for what to offer clients with different budgets and tastes.
The young family
Setting the scene: A couple with young children who are not keen on flying.
What to suggest: P&O Cruises’ Ventura from Southampton.
Why: First, there’s the ex-UK departure, so our couple just need to get themselves to Southampton, board the ship, and they are on holiday.
Second, Ventura not only has a lively kids’ club, with activities morning, noon and night, a bungee trampoline and circus workshop, but Noddy is on board to help keep youngsters entertained.
There’s a pool with a roof, so children can splash around even on cloudy days, and self-service breakfast and lunch, which is better than formal meals for youngsters.
Kids can also have an early dinner and get back to their friends, leaving mum and dad free to enjoy dinner à deux in The White Room, serving menus devised by Marco Pierre White.
Sample package: From £649 per person cruise-only for a seven-night round-trip from Southampton to Lisbon departing May 15 2010. pocruises.com, 0845 3555 333
The honeymooners
Setting the scene: A honeymoon couple looking for a romantic Caribbean getaway.
What to suggest: Windstar’s Wind Surf sailing yacht.
Why: There is nothing more romantic than the moment the sails are hoisted, the engines are switched off and you are really sailing. Except maybe dining under the stars to the sound of the gentle swish of the water at the al fresco grill created around the pool at the back of Wind Surf each evening.
Wind Surf is small and intimate, with room for just 312 passengers, making it a perfect getaway for lovers.
In the Caribbean, the cruiseline seeks out smaller islands and towns, so you can sightsee away from the big ship crowds.
Days tend to be lazy affairs, a time to relax in the sun by the pool or on a beach with the one you love, but there is a marina, lowered on calm days when the ship is at anchor, where guests can try their hand at sailing, water skiing or wind surfing.
Sample package: From £2,888 per person for a seven-night cruise from Barbados departing January 10 2010 including flights and one night in Barbados. windstarcruises.com, 020 7292 2387
The older travellers
Setting the scene: An older couple more interested in discovering new places than sailing on a swanky ship.
What to suggest: Swan Hellenic’s ship Minerva.
Why: Swan Hellenic is the original discovery cruiseline, famous for taking adventurous over-55s off the watery beaten track. The cruiseline has just one ship, the 350-passenger Minerva, which is comfortable, but lacks cruising mod-cons such as balconies (there are just two cabins with a verandah) and show lounges.
However, what Minerva lacks in luxury it more than makes up for in the exciting places it visits.
This autumn Minerva will be in Libya and the Black Sea, this winter it will be in Antarctica, and next year in Yemen and Syria. As Swan cruises are all about learning and discovery, there are educational lectures on board and free excursions at every port.
Sample package: From £1,695 per person for a 14-night cruise from Istanbul to Alexandria in Egypt, departing October 3 including flights, excursions and gratuities. swanhellenic.com, 0845 246 9700
The budget-conscious couple
Setting the scene: A young couple on a tight budget in search of a casual winter break.
What to suggest: Island Cruises’ Island Escape.
Why: This is the ultimate in low-cost cruising, so it’s perfect for anyone counting the pennies.
The cruiseline, now part of TUI Travel, has just one ship, Island Escape, which will be sailing in the Canary Islands this winter – ideal for our clients as they can be sure of warm weather, and easily do their own thing ashore rather than having to fork out on excursions.
Back on board, it’s casual all the way, with no formal nights or gala dinners, but there is a paid-for waiter-service restaurant, so our couple can treat themselves to a break from the buffet if they desire.
Sample package: From £584 per person for a seven-night Colourful Coasts cruise from Tenerife departing December 11 including flights. thomson.co.uk/cruise, 0871 230 2800