This week’s top cruises

Take a 10-night pre-Christmas cruise to northern Europe on Cunard’s Queen Victoria (above) and come home to a free festive hamper. Sailing from Southampton on December 9, the voyage visits Hamburg in Germany, Stavanger and Oslo in Norway, and Copenhagen in Denmark where the Tivoli Gardens will be the perfect place to get into the Christmas spirit. Last stop Bruges before returning to Southampton on December 19. Fares start at £799 per person for two sharing an inside cabin.
The John Lewis hamper which comes as part of the deal includes wine, Christmas cake and pudding, mince pies and all sorts of treats – everything you need for the big day except the turkey and brussel sprouts.
See www.readeroffers.travel or call 0845 458 8909.
You could travel to Turkey aboard Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral, on a Wonders of the Ancient World cruise of 24 nights leaving Dover on November 5. Ports of call are Almeria, Spain; Villefranche, France; Civitavecchia (for Rome); Katakolon and Piraeus (for Athens) in Greece; Alanya, Turkey; Limassol, Cyprus; Alexandria, Egypt; Sfax and La Goulette (for Tunis), Tunisia; and Lisbon, Portugal before returning to Dover. The cruise has a Classical History theme through Olsen’s ArtsClub programme of special interests. Fares from £1,099 per person, based on two sharing an inside twin cabin.
See www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call 01473 742424.
Thomson Cruises has a seven night Moorish Delights cruise on the Thomson Destiny for £609 per person, sailing from from Palma on September 17 and visiting Tangier in Morocco, Portimao, Portugal; Gibraltar, and Malaga and Cartagena in Spain. The price includes flights from Leeds-Bradford, Gatwick, Liverpool or Southampton.
See www.thomson.co.uk/cruise or call 0871 231 3243.
Seven nights in the Mediterranean on the sparkling new Costa Pacifica – the ship of music – are on offer from £639 per person (flights extra) departing from Valletta, Malta on October 2. The cruise calls at Palermo in Sicily, Civitavecchia, for Rome; Savona, in the north-west of Italy, Barcelona, Palma and Tunis before returning to Malta.
See www.costacruises.co.uk or call 0845 3510552.