Cruise deals of the week

The New Year hangover is wearing off at last, Christmas memories are fading fast, and within a few days it will be time to take down the tree and consign the cards to the recycling bin.
Time to start planning the next holiday, and today’s selection of cruises will take you to Africa, South America, and several of the fascinating islands in between.
Fly to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil to join the MSC Melody on March 13 for a 14-day cruise calling at the Cape Verde Islands, Tenerife, Casablanca in Morocco, Gibraltar, Malaga and Genoa, for the flight back to the UK. Fares start at £799 for two sharing an inside cabin, and £849 for solo travellers. Go to www.gillscruise.com or call 08454 60 60 60.
Or head to South Africa for an 18-day cruise on board MSC Sinfonia, departing on April 3. Fly to Cape Town and then sail to Walvis Bay in Namibia, Dakar in Senegal, Tenerife, Madeira, Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Genoa for the flight home. Solo inside cabin fares available from £1,099. Go to www.gillscruise.com or call 08454 60 60 60
You could take a 14-night Caribbean and transatlantic cruise on P&O’s Oceana for just £64 a night. Fly from East Midlands or Manchester on March 19 to join the ship in Barbados, and sail back to Southampton, calling at St Lucia, St Maarten, Tortola, Antigua and finally Madeira. Fares start at £899 per person, and include £150 onboard spending money. Upgrades to an outside cabin are available for £100 per person. Go to www.iglucruise.com or call 020 8544 6447.
Go even further, to Valparaiso on Chile’s Pacific coast to board Oceania Insignia for a 27-night cruise which takes you through the Panama Canal and on to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Other ports of call include Coquimbo, an overnight stay in Lima, Peru for excursions to Machu Picchu, Salaverry, Manta in Ecuador, Amador, Cartagena in Colombia, Oranjestad in Aruba, Grenada, Devil’s Island, and Fortaleza and Recife in Brazil. Fares for the cruise, which departs on March 7, start at £2,149, including pre-paid gratuities. Go to www.oceaniacruises.co.uk or call 0845 505 1920.
New to cruising? For free advice on ships and destinations, go to www.discovercruises.co.uk