From beaches to safaris, cruise-and-stay packages cover it all. Jane Archer rounds up some of the best.
Cruise-and-stay packages come in all shapes and sizes, from a week at a beach resort or a few nights in a city hotel to a group tour before or after a voyage.
They might include all or some transfers, selected meals or breakfast only, one or two excursions or leave travellers free to do as they wish. Either way, it’s easy to find packages to suit everyone and all pockets.
Agents can put together bespoke cruise-and-stay holidays, but the cruise lines’ readymade packages make life easier. Here are just some of the options.
Marella Cruises: Western Mediterranean
This holiday pairs a one-week Treasures of the Mediterranean cruise round-trip from Palma on Marella Discovery 2 with a week at the all-inclusive Tui Blue Alcudia Pins hotel in Playa de Muro.
Why go: After a week of sightseeing, water parks and bike tours in Palamos and Civitavecchia – the gateways to Barcelona and Rome respectively – Naples, Palermo in Sicily and Ajaccio in Corsica, clients will have a week to relax by the beach.
Best for: Families, first-time cruisers, city-break lovers.
Book it: From £1,518 for 14 nights departing May 2 including flights, transfers to and from the ship, meals, drinks and tips on the cruise and drinks and meals at the hotel.
tui.co.uk
Riviera Travel: France
This holiday pairs an 11-day Lyon, Provençal Rhône and the Camargue river cruise on the Rhône and Saône in France round-trip from Lyon on Lord Byron with three nights at the Lyon Mercure Part Dieu.
Why go: Discover the Ardeches Gorges, spectacular Roman Pont du Gard, wild Camargue, vineyards of Châteauneufdu- Pape and Arles, where Van Gogh once painted. Back in Lyon there are three days to explore the city known as the gastronomic capital of France.
Best for: Lovers of food, wine, Roman history, nature and art.
Book it: From £2,839 for 13 nights departing October 27 including flights, meals and excursions on the cruise, all transfers and B&B at the hotel.
rivieratravel.co.uk
Sightings of elephants, rhinos, hundreds of bird species, giraffes, lions and more are on the cards during the land tour and on safaris
Azamara: Africa
This holiday pairs a five-night Victoria Falls and Chobe Game Park Safari with a 12-night South Africa Intensive cruise round-trip from Cape Town on Azamara Pursuit.
Why go: Sightings of elephants, rhinos, hundreds of bird species, giraffes, lions and more are on the cards during the land tour and on safaris from Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Richards Bay and Durban during the cruise. A day in Cape Town before disembarking is a good time to visit the winelands.
Best for: Clients who love wine and wildlife.
Book it: From £9,610 for 17 nights departing December 4 including meals on the tour and cruise, and selected drinks and tips on the cruise. Not including flights.
azamara.co.uk
Princess Cruises: Italy
This 20-day Classic Italy holiday pairs a six-day Venice, Florence and Rome tour with a seven-day cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Piraeus (Athens) on Enchanted Princess.
Why go: Excursions on the land tour take in highlights such as the Doge’s Palace in Venice, Michelangelo’s David in Florence and the Colosseum in Rome, plus plenty of free time. Then a cruise to Italy, Greece and Turkey.
Best for: Art, wine and history lovers.
Book it: From £3,589 for 20 days departing April 16 including train and coach transfers between cities and to the ship, selected meals on the tour and all meals, drinks, Wi-Fi and tips on the cruise. Flights not included.
princess.com
Take in highlights such as the Doge’s Palace in Venice, Michelangelo’s David in Florence and the Colosseum in Rome
American Queen Voyages: Mississippi
This holiday book-ends a seven-night Deep South river cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on American Queen with a two-night hotel stay in each city.
Why go: On the cruise, find out why Vicksburg refused to take part in July 4 Independence Day celebrations until 1945, what life was like on a cotton plantation and how Baton Rouge got a White House. In the cities, see Elvis’s Graceland home in Memphis and seek out the best jazz bars in New Orleans.
Best for: Music and history lovers.
Book it: From £4,855 for 11 days departing December 20 including flights, transfers, all meals, drinks, tips and Wi-Fi on the cruise, plus two hotel nights in Memphis and two in New Orleans with breakfast.
aqvoyages.com
Denali is an unspoilt wilderness where grizzly bears, caribou, moose and wolves roam, and you get three days there
Holland America Line: Alaska
This Triple Denali holiday pairs five days in Alaska, including overnights in Anchorage and Denali National Park, with a seven-night cruise from Whittier to Vancouver on Nieuw Amsterdam.
Why go: Denali is an unspoilt wilderness where grizzly bears, caribou, moose and wolves roam, and you get three days there. On the ship, guests will cruise up-close to glaciers, and be able to enjoy excursions to the Klondike, whale-watching and lumberjack shows.
Best for: Anyone with a sense of adventure.
Book it: From £2,489 for 11 days departing August 9 including coach and train transfers in Alaska, drinks, shorex credit, one visit to a speciality restaurant and Wi-Fi. Flights and meals on the tour are extra.
hollandamerica.com
Pictures: Sara Heidinger / Micato Safaris; Kavram
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