Words | GABRIELLA LE BRETON

THEBESTLUXURY CRUISES

Pioneering new ships bristle with innovative facilities while exotic new ports of call and unprecedented levels of luxury and service have

transformed this once staid way of travel into a dynamic form of adventure.

If you’re one of the 22 million people who enjoyed an ocean or river cruise last year, you’ll know that cruising has changed beyond

recognition in recent years...

Words | GABRIELLA LE BRETON

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If you haven’t yet dipped your toes in the bottomless cruise waters, here are just some of the things that cruise veterans take for granted: they can travel to five different countries in a week but only unpack once (or not at all, if they have a butler). They can travel with several gener-ations of their family knowing that each will be content.

They can dine in glamorous restaurants, under the stars or in the privacy of their private balcony, cooked for by world-class chefs. And they can spend their days spotting penguins in Antarctica, wine tasting in Burgundy or river fishing in Cambodia, returning to their floating hotel to relax in a serene spa, enjoy a full-scale theatre production or browse the shops. The glamour and

romance of the ‘Golden Age’ of cruising is still very much alive yet most cruise lines recognise the preference among contemporary travellers for barefoot luxury and adventure. Thus, the emphasis aboard today’s ships is on understated elegance and creating unique, immersive experiences aboard and ashore. You might find yourself dining in black tie in the midst of an ancient Greek ruin, attending an exclusive concert in Vienna’s Opera House or enjoying a private visit to a Burmese temple. Such diverse choice of destinations, ships and excursions can be mind-boggling, so here are some of our favourites to whet your appetite. Prices are per person, for the cruise only, including meals, select beverages and shore excursions, unless otherwise stated.

THE PRINCESS FIT FOR A QUEEN From the moment you step aboard the 49-passenger Hebridean Princess in her home port of Oban, Scotland, you realise why HRH The Queen has twice chartered her for royal family holi-days. Oozing restrained luxury with attentive staff and Cham-pagne on tap, the Hebridean Princess sedately ushers her guests around the Scottish Isles, introducing them to remote islands, crumbling castles, mirror-still lochs and picturesque villages.

HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS

FLYING THE FLAG FOR OVER 150 YEARSCunard ocean liners have navigated the seas for over 150 years, with the rich, famous and royal waltzing their way across the Atlantic in sumptuous luxury. Named in 2010 by HRH The Queen, the 2,068-pas-senger Queen Elizabeth continues the Cunard tradition of unabashed, and quintessentially English, glamour. Expect grand dining halls, lavish afternoon teas, ball room dancing, bridge - even a Fortnum & Mason hamper ordering service. Heading north from Southampton on next summer's 12-night 'British Isles Culinary Discovery', guests will have a full day at sea to luxuriate aboard Queen Elizabeth before arriving at Edinburgh. The ship will continue its voyage calling at, amongst others, Inverness for a day in the Scottish Highlands, Kirkwall to explore the Orkney Islands' fascinating Norse heritage, Charles Rennie Mack-intosh’s Glasgow, Belfast, Liverpool and Guernsey’s historic capital, St Peter Port. Cruise departs June 23 2016; From £1,849 per person; cunard.co.uk.

QUEENELIZABETH MINERVA

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HISTORY BY FLOWERSThe RHS Chelsea Flower show is a genuine national treasure, loved not only for its horticultural fanfare but also for its glorious Britishness. So, imagine the delight of our green-fingered friends upon hearing that the 350-passenger Minerva will sail from Portsmouth to a collection of legendary gardens and medieval treasures in nearby France, Holland and Guernsey before sailing up the Thames for two days in London, complete with a day at the 2016 Chelsea Flower Show. The 13-night Glorious Gardens and the Chelsea Flower Show itinerary delivers a veritable horticultural feast, with guided visits to Monet's gardens at Giverny, the grand Jardins du Montmarin and the exotic Parc Oriental de Maulevrier of Nantes to name but a few. In keeping with Minerva's reputa-tion as the thinking man's ship, there are talks from horticultural experts and guided tours of key historical sites, including Caen's Peace Rose Garden, the royal fortress of Castle Cornet in St Peter Port, Guernsey and the Tower of London. Cruise departs May 14 2016; from £2,642 per person; swanhellenic.com

Picking up plump oysters, succulent lobsters and heather honey along the way, the Hebridean Princess also introduces her mol-lycoddled passengers to some of Scotland's finest cuisine. With hard-to-beat service and cuisine guaranteed, why not plump for the week-long 'Autumn Surprise' itinerary? Other than starting from and returning to Oban, your ports of call remain a surprise, determined each day by Captain Bailey, who picks out his favour-ite ports and adapts to that famously fickle Scottish weather. Cruise departs October 18 2016; from £3,110 per person; hebridean.co.uk

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IN OUR PURSUIT of extraordinary travel experiences, we all too often neglect our home turf which, while familiar, is as diverse and magical a realm as many of those we spend days trying to reach. Over 32 million tourists visited the UK last year - unlike them, we can leave our passports at home and simply drive, hop on the train or grab a cab to London Bridge, Southampton, Portsmouth or Oban to start discovering our remarkable back garden.

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B E S T O F C R U I S I N G S P E C I A L

F I V E B E S T O F B R I T I S H

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ALL ABOARD FOR A BRITISH ADVENTURE!While an expedition ship isn't strictly necessary for a ten-night voyage around the British Isles, the luxurious 132-passenger Silver Explorer blends culture and history with adventure in an inimitable way. Starting in Portsmouth and ending in Edinburgh, Silver Explorer's expert guides will whizz you around remote islands aboard rigid inflatable Zodiac boats to admire seal and rare bird colonies; deposit you on St Kilda, the UK's westernmost landmass; accompany you on walks on the Isles of Scilly, through Mount Congreve woodland garden near Waterford and around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kirkwall; and take you on a steam train ride across the Isle of Mann. With time to enjoy the urban delights of Dublin, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and a butler who's as adept at keeping your minibar stocked as he is at ensuring your waterproofs are dry come morning, this is the British Isles at their very best. Cruise departs June 8 2017; from £4,150 per person; silversea.com

Azamara ClubTEE-OFF IN GREAT BRITISH STYLEWith two mid-sized ships in its fleet, Azamara Club Cruises places its focus squarely on immersive travel, creating unusual itineraries with unique shore excursions and overnight stays in atmospher-ic ports to give passengers a real taste for a place. Bringing that special touch to the UK, the 686-passenger Azamara Journey promises to make golfers' dreams come true... Step aboard the elegant ship in Southampton for a 13-night voyage in summer 2017 and you'll receive tickets to the 146th Open Championship and British Open at Royal Birkdale as well as six rounds of golf on some of the UK's best courses. Golf widows fear not: there's plenty other than golf to keep you entertained as you call at Cork, Dublin and Belfast, Snowdonia National Park and the Lake District, Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye before completing your journey in Edinburgh. Cruise departs July 19 2017; from £3,133 per person; azamaraclubcruises.com

SILVER EXPLORER

AZAMARA JOURNEY

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SilverseaMAGICAL MYANMAREvolved from the vestiges of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, founded in 1865, Pandaw River Cruises launched in 1995 to become the undisputed expert in Burmese river exploration. Pandaw's colonial-style ships feature extremely shallow draughts, which means they can navigate the Irrawaddy beyond Mandalay as well as sections of the lesser-known Chindwin River. Sleeping just 48 passengers, RV Pandaw II might resemble a colonial river ship yet she offers all mod-cons from spacious, air-conditioned suites and a gourmet restaurant to live entertainment in the saloon bar and an onboard bakery. The ten-day ‘Golden Land’ itinerary takes guests deep into ‘Middle Myanmar’, a timeless place of teak plantations, mon-asteries, gilded temples and rural villages. Departures through 2016 From US$3,260.60; pandaw.com.

FROM PEST TO THE ‘DAMFifteen days, four countries, three rivers and some of the world’s oldest, finest cities: the ‘European Jewels’ voyage is a kaleidoscope of Europe’s cultural highlights. Sailing from grand old Budapest, the city known as the “Queen of the Danube”, you’ll call at imperial Vienna, academic Heidelberg and Gothic Cologne before reaching quirky Amsterdam. Along the way, you’ll call at the great Melk Abbey, dazzling Winter Palace of Prince Eugene in Würzburg, and picture-perfect Bavarian towns like Bamberg and Nuremburg. Not to be outdone, the all-inclusive “super ship” S.S. Maria Theresa is a wildly lavish vessel that set a new benchmark in luxury river travel when she launched last summer. Sail aboard the Maria Theresa and you can expect unashamed opulence, ZAGAT-rated fine dining, spacious staterooms, and a spa complete with indoor swimming pool. Departures from April to November 2016; From £5,319; uniworld.com.

RV PANDAW II

MARIA THERESA

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TRAVELLING ALONG THE watery arteries of a country gives a unique perspective on its history, culture and people. Adapt to the pace of a river, following its slow, meandering path to discover historical ports such as Avignon, Bangkok and Vienna, and you’ll be rewarded with truly immersive travel.

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MOZART ON THE DANUBE Across the globe, cruise aficionados are count-ing down the days to July 13 2016, when Crystal Mozart will sleep serenely into the Danube for her maiden voyage. Lesser cruise geeks might be familiar with Crystal Cruises as the world’s most awarded luxury cruise line, which is now poised to take its all-inclusive, six-star service from the oceans to the rivers: Crystal Mozart is the first of four sisters, which will make up the new Crystal River Cruises fleet. Not only will the 70-suite Crystal Mozart boast two palatial penthouse suites, she’ll offer unusual itiner-aries that enable guests to capitalize on the nightlife offered in so many of Europe’s ports,

with dinners ashore at Michelin-starred restau-rants and local eateries, as well as action-packed excursions and glamorous evening events. The inaugural voyage is sold out but Crystal Mozart’s second ten-day Vienna round-trip voyage departs July 23 2016; From £3,205, including flights; crystalcruises.co.uk.

CRYSTAL MOZART

ANANTARA SONG

VIKING LONGSHIPS

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Viking River Cruises

SUR LE PONT D’AVIGNONViking River Cruises is the world’s leading river cruise line, operating the most ships across the most extensive network of rivers, from China and Portugal to Vietnam and Russia. The company’s signature Viking Longships are a celebration of Scandinavian style, complete with suites featuring min-imalist interiors and private wraparound verandas, organic herb gardens and a sleek indoor/outdoor terrace for al fresco meals and sundowners. These innovative longships provide the transport and accommodation for marauding tourists looking to explore Europe’s rivers, also throwing in lo-cally-inspired food and wines, diverse shore excursions, onboard seminars, workshops and cultural shows. With so many Viking ships and itineraries to chose from, the world is your oyster but we’re particular fans of the eight-day ‘Portraits of Southern France’ voyage, sailing from Avignon to Lyon along the beautiful Saone and Rhône rivers, passing through Beaujolais and Provence. Departures from March through November 2016; From £1,495, including flights; vikingrivercruises.co.uk

ONE THOUSAND GOLDEN TEMPLESTogether with just three fellow passengers, sailing aboard Anantara Song is more akin to chartering a private yacht (or, in this case, a 100 year-old Thai rice barge) than cruising. Crafted from teak and decorated in lavish traditional style, with mahogany furniture, Siamese antiques and silk soft furnishings, she more than lives up to her name. For those looking to really get under the skin of Thailand, Anantara Song offers three-day trips down the Chao Phraya river, sailing out of Bangkok to the ancient ruined city of Ayutthaya and back. Motoring slowly out of steamy Bangkok, she makes multiple stops at the tem-ples, monuments and villages that dot the riverbanks. Four attentive crew, including an excellent chef, are on hand to provide iced towels when you return from your shore outings, serve mouth-watering Thai cuisine under balmy skies, demonstrate how to fold lotus flowers to present as offerings at temples, and teach you how to whip up an authentic curry. Departures April through October 2016; From 64,000 Thai Baht per double cabin, excluding alcoholic drinks, service charges and taxes; anantara.com.

THE WORLD’S MOST LUXURIOUS SHIP™It’s a bold move to trademark a ship that hasn’t even been built yet “The world’s most luxurious ship”. However, if anybody can deliver on that promise, it’s the ultra luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas when it launches Seven Seas Explorer, the fourth ship in its prestigious fleet, this July. Sleeping 750 guests in spacious, elegant suites, each with a private balcony, the best room in the house is the game-changing Re-gent Suite: 2,917ft2 of unabashed opulence, complete with a custom Steinway piano, in-room spa suite (and unlimited treatments) and a glass-encased outdoor ‘garden’ offering 270-degree views. Already the king of all-inclusive fares, Regent Seven Seas takes this to new levels for guests booking the Regent Suite, who’ll benefit from free first class airfares, limousine airport transfers and a private car with a driver and guide in every port. Seven Seas Explorer’s inaugural Medi-terranean voyage is sold out but similar ten-night voyages depart August through October 2016. From £4,839; rssc.com.

SEVEN SEAS EXPLORERRegent Seven Seas

PERHAPS IT’S BECAUSE we’re an island nation, or simply the result of our inclement weather, but the majority of Britons regard travel as a luxury they simply cannot do without. And we’re not skimping on our travel addiction: more of us than ever are travel-ling with luxury cruise lines, often pushing the boat out to splurge on ultra-luxury lines.

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LE LYRIAL

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Sail Dalmatia

Windstar CruisesTHAT CERTAIN ‘JE NE SAIS QUOI’Calling all Francophiles: the quintessentially French cruise company PON-ANT bakes mouthwatering fresh breads and pastries daily, serves Ladurée macarons at tea time and delivers inimitable French style aboard its four distinctive yachts. The youngest of this impressive fleet of sister ships, Le Lyrial, boasts sleek, contemporary interiors inspired by the destinations to which she travels: the crisp whites and subtle grey blues of Polar ice mingle with splashes of turquoise and natural woods from Mediterranean coves. Fortunately for budding Antarctic explorers, PONANT has over 15 years' experience in polar cruising, so Le Lyrial also features ice-strengthened hulls, a professional expedition team and fleet of Zodiacs, poised and ready to whizz you onto the ice cap. The 11-day ‘Emblematic Antarctic’ voyage will see you hiking among penguins, spotting countless whales, sea leopards and sea birds, watching glaciers calve and following in the footsteps of the world’s greatest explorers. Departures 4 December 2016, 12 and 22 February 2017. From €6,910; en.ponant.com

POLYNESIAN PARADISEWindstar Cruises is a breath of fresh air in the luxury cruise world. With a fleet of six elegant ships, none of which carry over 300 guests, Windstar prides itself on delivering an unpretentious yet decidedly private yacht experience. Whether you plump for one of Windstar’s trio of classic masted yachts or one of the three motor yachts, you’ll discover that small ships means small ports, opening up gems like Capri, Hvar and Raiatea. You’ll enjoy deck BBQs with live music, remarkable shore excursions and a special Windstar private event on each voyage. When anchored off calm ports, Windstar ships open their wa-tersports platforms, complete with com-plimentary waterskiing, kayaks, dinghies, paddleboards and snorkeling equipment. We say go the whole hog with a week of white sands, turquoise waters and desert island perfection in Tahiti, sailing from Papeete and calling at the legendary is-lands that caused Bounty’s staff to mutiny; Moorea, Tahaa, Raiatea, Bora Bora and Huahine. Cruises throughout the year. From $5,710, including flights; windstarcruises.com.

And the best way to explore that rugged coastline has to be from the comfort of a gulet. These pretty, almond-shaped, two-masted wooden vessels have become the boat of choice for private charters in the eastern Mediterranean, thanks to their generous deck space and gentle gait. An experienced sailor herself, Dora Vulic is the founder of London-based Sail Dalmatia and will tailor a dream holiday for you, picking your ideal boat from her hand-picked portfolio. She’ll then craft a bespoke itinerary for you, pinning down sought-after festival tickets and table reservations. Our top tip? Go for Eleganza, which sleeps eight in spacious luxury and comes with four crew, including the masterful chef Toni. Departures April through December 2016. From €1,487.50 per week, excluding food and drink; saildalmatia.com.

BESPOKE DALMATIA Sprinkled with cultural treasures like Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar, as well as pristine lagoons and verdant islands, the Dalmatian Coast makes for ideal coast-hopping terrain.

EUROPA 2Hapag-LloydFAMILY FUN AT SEAAs increasing numbers of families are discovering, a cruise is the perfect way to travel. The attentive crew aboard Hapag-Lloyd’s ultra-luxury ship EUROPA 2 take the desires of the youngest of its 500 guests as seriously as they do the oldest, even preparing complimentary baby

welcome packages for tiny tots. It can be hard to extricate children from the Steiff bear cuddle lounge but fun-packed special kids’ and teens’ shore excursions usually do the trick. There are supervised children’s meals – they eat with their new best friends, you enjoy a romantic meal à deux – and a Late Risers Service, whereby staff collect your angels from your suite at 8am and take them to breakfast, leaving you free to enjoy a lie-in. The ‘Short & Sweet’ four-day Hamburg round-trip voyage is a specific family-friendly voyage, with extra family activities. Departs 24 August 2016. From £1,800, children aged up to 11 sharing a suite with an adult travel free; hl-cruises.com.

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