the best luxury cruises

THE
BEST
LUXURY
CRUISES
Words | GABRIELLA LE BRETON
Words | GABRIELLA LE BRETON
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...
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.
BEST OF CRUISING SPECIAL
I
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 generations 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. :
FIVE BEST OF BRITISH
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.
QUEEN
ELIZABETH
Cunard
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FLYING THE FLAG FOR OVER 150 YEARS
Cunard 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-passenger 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 Mackintosh’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.
Swan Hellenic 2
MINERVA
swanhellenic.com
HEBRIDEAN
PRINCESS
Hebridean
3
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 holidays. Oozing restrained luxury with attentive staff and Champagne 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.
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The 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 reputation 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;
THE PRINCESS FIT FOR A QUEEN
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HISTORY BY FLOWERS
Picking up plump oysters, succulent lobsters and heather honey
along the way, the Hebridean Princess also introduces her mollycoddled 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 favourite 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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Pandaw
SILVER
EXPLORER
Silversea
RVPANDAWII
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MAGICAL MYANMAR
Evolved 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, monasteries, gilded temples and rural villages. Departures
through 2016
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.
FIVE BEST RIVER CRUISES
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.
 Cruise departs June 8 2017; from £4,150 per person; silversea.com
AZAMARA
JOURNEY
Azamara Club 5
TEE-OFF IN GREAT BRITISH STYLE
With 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 atmospheric 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
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 From US$3,260.60; pandaw.com.
Uniworld
MARIA THERESA
FROM PEST TO THE ‘DAM
2
Fifteen 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.
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VIKING
LONGSHIPS
Viking River
Cruises 3
ANANTARA
SONG
Anantara
ONE THOUSAND GOLDEN TEMPLES
SUR LE PONT D’AVIGNON
Viking 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 minimalist 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 locally-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 eightday ‘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
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Together 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 temples, 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.
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MOZART ON THE DANUBE
3
CRYSTAL
MOZART
Crystal Cruises
FIVE BEST ULTR A-LUXURY CRUISES
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 travelling with luxury cruise lines, often pushing the boat out to splurge
on ultra-luxury lines.
5
Across the globe, cruise aficionados are counting 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 itineraries that enable guests to capitalize on the
nightlife offered in so many of Europe’s ports,
with dinners ashore at Michelin-starred restaurants 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.
SEVEN SEAS
EXPLORER
Regent
Seven Seas
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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 Regent 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 Mediterranean voyage is sold out but similar ten-night
voyages depart August through October 2016.
 From £4,839; rssc.com.
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Windstar Cruises
WIND STAR
POLYNESIAN PARADISE
2
Windstar 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 watersports platforms, complete with complimentary 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 islands that caused Bounty’s staff to mutiny;
Moorea, Tahaa, Raiatea, Bora Bora and
Huahine. Cruises throughout the year.
Ponant
LE LYRIAL
THAT CERTAIN ‘JE NE SAIS QUOI’
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Calling all Francophiles: the quintessentially French cruise company PONANT 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
 From $5,710, including flights;
windstarcruises.com.
ELEGANZA
EXPLORER
Hapag-Lloyd 5
EUROPA 2
Sail Dalmatia 3
FAMILY FUN AT SEA
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.
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.
As 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 funpacked 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.
 From €1,487.50 per week, excluding food and drink;
saildalmatia.com.
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