This week’s top cruise deals

Oasis of the Seas has been grabbing the headlines this week, as the largest cruise ship in the world made a brief visit to the UK en route to Florida, from where it will be sailing year-round to the Caribbean.
The 220,000-ton ship – 40 per cent bigger than its nearest rival – will be named at a lavish ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on November 30. Surprisingly, there are still cabins available for the maiden four-day cruise sailing on December 1 and calling at Royal Caribbean’s private resort of Labadee, on the island of Haiti.
Whether it’s because of the state of the economy, or simply because there are 2,704 cabins to fill every week, there are still some bargains to be had – how about a balcony cabin for £499 (flights extra). Go to www.gillscruise.com or call 08454 606056 quoting cruise code: 27330
Plenty of deals available this week for no-fly cruises departing from UK ports in December.
For a short break, try a four-night cruise on board Cunard’s Queen Victoria leaving Southampton on December 5, and calling at Cherbourg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. Fares from £559. Go to www.sailfromuk.com or call 0808 202 6104.
Or take 10 nights on P&O’s Arcadia sailing from Southampton to Hamburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Zeebrugge. The cruise departs on December 8, and fares start at £699. Go to www.sailfromuk.com or call 0808 202 6104.
Heading in the same direction, Fred Olsen’s Balmoral leaves Dover on December 12, sails to Copenhagen, Hamburg and Amsterdam, and also transits the Kiel Canal – always a surreal experience. Fares from £729. Go to www.sailfromuk.com or call 0808 202 6104.
Further afield, the luxurious Celebrity Summit sails on a seven-night voyage in the southern Caribbean – from San Juan, Puerto Rico to St Maarten, Dominica, the Grenadines, Tobago and Barbados. Fly from Manchester on December 11, with inclusive fares starting at £963. Go to www.thelca.com or call 0870 122 5115
For a special treat, how about Christmas sailing through the Caribbean on board the casual cruise ship Ocean Village. Special family treats include a Top deck Winter Wonderland where children can visit Santa’s grotto and get presents on Christmas day, a Caribbean carol service – those traditional tunes played on steel drums no doubt – and a chance for kids to meet Paddington Bear and Bagpuss.
Mums and dads can sit back and enjoy a debut stand-up comedy performance by Auf Widersehen Pet’s Tim Healy.
Fares for the 14-night holiday start at £1,199 when booked through Thomas Cook and prices include return flights, transfers, buffet dining, nursery facilities and all the onboard entertainment. Departing December 16, the itinerary includes Barbados, Tortola, St Maarten, St Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Barbados, Tobago, Isla Margarita, St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent. Go to www.oceanvillageholidays.co.uk or call 0845 358 5000.