Cruise & Stay holidays

One holiday, four ports and all the highlights of the Arabian Gulf. This trip with MSC Cruises blends great value with great adventure - made for every generation and each stop lingers long enough to savour it all. MSC Euribia is bursting with highlights including a LEGO themed kids’ club, an Aqua Park and dining that spans crepes and gelato to sushi and steak. Lively lounges, interconnecting family cabins and vibrant evening shows make every moment magic for everyone on board.

This is how you do the Caribbean islands, family style with P&O Cruises. Pink skies and palm trees in Barbados. A two-night stay in Antigua. Quiet coves in St Kitts. Paradise found at the Pitons. Arvia is one of P&O Cruises’ newest ships. Laid-back and endlessly entertaining. The centerpiece? SkyDome: pool, show space and cinema, all under a retractable roof. There’s also gin distilled at sea and restaurant collaborations with top chefs. Family cabins come with space and there’s a reassuring ‘dress up or don’t’ dress code.

The Sunshine State awaits for a pre-cruise getaway that’s going to be a hit with city dwellers and road trippers. Then it’s time to hit the open sea and take in the best of the south-west Caribbean. Sister ships Oceania Vista & Allura are Oceania Cruise’s latest launches and each have room for 1200 guests. They're uber-classy with exceptional dining at newly introduced venues: Aquamar Kitchen, Jaques and The Bakery at Baristas (on Allura).

Four contrasting cities by land, and charming Canadian and New England destinations by sea with Regent Seven Seas: this holiday is for both urban dwellers and nature lovers – there’s no compromise here. With space for just under 750 guests, Seven Seas Splendor is a wonderfully bijou ship with service that goes above and beyond. The vibe is light and bright with marble and chrome details and dark wood furnishings, and the lounges and bars are chic but comfortable.

A three-country sweep aboard an Explora Journeys ship that reflects the elegance of a superyacht. This trip threads together Portugal, Spain and France and stops off at fishing ports, cellar doors and sunlit plazas. Explora III is designed for extraordinary moments and the numbers tell the story. Just 925 guests and a high passenger-to-space ratio. Four heated pools, nine distinct culinary experiences and even more bars and lounges. Your suite? A masterclass in high-end living.

Two city stays and two countries on one immersive land and sea holiday. With Azamara Cruises, sail the coast of south-east Australia, cross the Tasman Sea and follow New Zealand’s spectacular coastline. Azamara Pursuit’s small size means you can visit ports that larger ships can’t reach. She has a sleek design with a modern twist on traditional ship décor – there are dark wood fixtures and furnishings and marble features but with modern clean lines.

This one’s an icon. It’s ocean-spanning, sophisticated and a part of history. Travelling across the Atlantic with Cunard gives you the chance to properly disconnect from the world and soak up the romance of sailing between continents. The ocean liner Queen Mary 2 is not like other ships. She cuts a majestic figure as her sweeping bow cuts through the waves, turning the heads everywhere she goes. And she’s the last of her kind.

It’s this way to la dolce vita. Let Lake Como’s storybook towns and Alpine backdrops give way to palaces, basilicas and vibrant islands on this majorly decadent lake-meets-lagoon-cruise holiday with Uniworld Boutique Cruises. The monochrome mask painted on her bow is the first nod to the S. S. La Venezia’s connection to the ‘floating city’. Stunning Fortuny fabrics are used extensively on board, as is Murano glass and subtle Venetian design elements. There’s no doubting where you are.

This two-week holiday combines a stylish stay in Barbados with a next-level-luxury Seabourn cruise visiting a string of relaxed islands where life moves at a gentler pace, and a few laid-back days in Grenada. Seabourn Ovation is full of little pleasures that add up to something special. Think ocean views from private verandas in every suite, art in unexpected corners, and a gentle pace that gives you the freedom to do as much (or as little) as you like. Stop by Seabourn Square for a gelato or a good book, dip into the spa, or toast the sunset at The Club.

If it’s a holiday that’s packed full of family moments you’re after, look no further than this Orlando and Royal Caribbean Cruises combo. There’ll never be a dull moment as you go seamlessly from land to sea. Another ship of record breakers, Star of the Seas is one the latest additions to Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class. She has the largest waterpark at sea and the lofty Crown’s Edge aerial adventure course. This is one for the thrill seekers.

This two-week journey pairs tall-ship travel with two beachfront beauties. The romance of sail is strong as you board Star Clipper for an adventure through the Caribbean’s off-track islands. Star Clipper is a true sailing ship, not a cruise liner in disguise. With space for just 166 guests, it feels intimate and sociable, and is more about shared experiences and conversation than Broadway-style shows and casinos. Cabins are compact but comfortable, with polished wood and portholes framing the view.

Explore myths, legends and the relics of long-gone civilisations. Hop between two cities that wear their epic past on their sleeves with Explora Journeys, stopping at islands and picture-postcard ports as you go. The spacious suites on EXPLORA II are refined but oh-so comfy and each has a private sun terrace where you can while away lazy moments. There are more dining experiences than days of the week, 12 bars and lounges, four pools and nearly a thousand square metres dedicated to wellness and fitness. And all this for just 922 guests.

Link urban adventures in two of the world’s celebrated cities in high style: an ultra-luxe journey with Silversea via Indonesia and the spectacular east coast of Australia. Silver Moon may be a larger ship in Silversea’s fleet but she still maintains all the best things about their bijou ships: everyone’s in a suite, the service is second to none, and the food is certainly something to write home about.

A coast-to-coast adventure via the remote Red Centre followed by an out-and-back voyage along Australia’s Queensland coast shows many sides to this stunning country. You'll be cruising on Celebrity Edge® – the perfect choice if you’re new to cruise and seeking something beyond the ordinary. The service is exceptional from the minute you step onboard and experience entertainment and shore explorations throughout your voyage, plus award-winning dining as part of your cruise.

This one’s all about bucket-list moments, a vibrant city stay and a sophisticated beach break. Kick it all off in Miami before setting sail for canal transits, New World relics and jungle adventures with Princess Cruises. From the moment you board the Caribbean Princess and sail away, there’s a fun and genuinely friendly atmosphere. Check the app or your daily Princess Patter, the planner that’s placed in your stateroom each evening, and you’ll find plenty of activities like quizzes, dance classes and meetups.

Begin with statues, spires and spaghetti in Rome. Then sail across the Aegean with Royal Caribbean Cruises for ruins, rooftop bars and rose-gold sunsets. Your finale? Halkidiki for cabanas, coastline and a side of Aristotle. The colossal Odyssey of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s innovative and action-packed Quantum Class ships. In one day, you can surf, ice skate, skydive, eat and drink it up, catch live bands in lounges and see West End-quality shows.

Have one foot in the present (on Silversea's ultra-modern Silver Nova) and one in the past (in Croatian medieval cities and Greek archaeological sites) on a holiday that’s full of European wonder. The out-of-the-ordinary, asymmetrically designed Silver Nova is a recent addition to Silversea’s fleet. She has a capacity of 728 guests and is wonderfully roomy as she has one of the most space per guest ratios of any cruise ship in the world. Go on, spread out a little bit.

Bookended by city stays, this Kuoni and Norwegian Cruises holiday takes you across the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand, calling at gems across the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Thailand. The Norwegian Jade has a friendly, sociable feel with plenty of choice on board. There’s a good mix of bars, live music venues, a spa, pools and spaces for quiet time too. You’ll find everything from Latin dance nights to wine tastings, and the ship’s smart design makes it easy to settle into your home at sea.

This holiday has both natural beauty and wildlife in abundance. Begin on Kenya’s big cat-rich plains before heading to the Seychelles to island hop on an exclusive superyacht with Emerald Yacht Cruises. Emerald’s boutique yachts are small enough to anchor where bigger ships can’t, but spacious enough for all 128 guests to feel like they’ve got plenty of room to spare on board. The service is second to none and every crew member is there to make sure you have the voyage of a lifetime. One of our favourite places on board is the Marina Platform where you can make the most of all the aqua toys in some of the world’s most scenic spots.

This is one for the books: a few days in Cape Town followed by a blockbuster voyage with Regent Seven Seas. You’ll port hop across southern Africa and around Madagascar before being dropped off in sunny Mauritius. The all-suite, 698-guest Seven Seas Voyager is super luxurious but also wonderfully informal. Days can begin with a Pilates class followed by a leisurely breakfast at Compass Rose or La Veranda. There’s a well-stocked library and a pool deck where you’ll find a heated pool and a bar serving cocktails and other alcoholic drinks that flow freely.

This two-week journey with AmaWaterways brings together elegant river cruising, vineyard-dotted landscapes, and time to linger in two of Portugal’s most characterful regions. AmaDouro, AmaVida and AmaSintra are purpose-built for the Douro, each carrying just over 100 guests. The atmosphere on board is relaxed and unhurried. You’ll find a small pool on the sun deck, a cosy lounge, and space to unwind between ports. It feels more like a boutique hotel that happens to float, with the scenery doing much of the talking.

This is a wish-list adventure for fans of wildlife, outdoor adventures and epic landscapes. Set off on a journey on the Rocky Mountaineer and cruise the coast of British Columbia and Alaska.

This is the Mekong, where village life unfolds at every bend. This fifteen-night journey with APT Travelmarvel takes you from buzzing Ho Chi Minh to golden shores by way of the mighty river and Siem Reap.

From Ubud’s gamelan chimes to Bangkok’s addictive energy, and with Komodo dragons and Singapore sparkle in between, this South-East Asia journey with Oceania Cruises is rich in flavour - on land and at sea.