Top cruise deals of the week

Costa Serena is currently starring on TV in the behind-the-scenes documentary series Cruise Ship Diaries, showing on the National Geographic channel, and you could be on board next month.
An 11-night cruise departs from Savona, in north-west Italy, on March 25, and calls at Barcelona, and Casablanca, before heading to the Canary Islands to visit Arrecife on Lanzarote, Santa Cruz on Tenerife, and Funchal, Madeira. Then it’s on to Malaga and back to Savona.
Fares from £549 per person for an inside cabin (flights extra). Go to www.costacruises.co.uk or call 0845 351 0552.
Sailing from the UK, with no flights necessary, P&O’s family-friendly Ventura leaves Southampton on April 14 for a 14-night cruise to Lisbon, Palma, Barcelona, Cannes, Livorno, Rome and Gibraltar with fares starting at £1,025 per person – which works out at £74 a night. Book direct with P&O at www.pocruises.co.uk (or call 0845 3 555 333) to receive £100 per adult on-board credit.
There’s a premium to pay for travelling on sister ship Azura during her maiden season, but you’ll be able to tell your friends you were one of the first. The ship will be launched by ballerina Darcey Bussell in Southampton in April and a 16-night cruise to Malaga, Katakolon, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Venice, Korcula and Gibraltar, departing May 10, costs £1,475, or £93 a night. The same £100 on-board credit offer applies. Go to www.pocruises.co.uk or call 0845 3 555 333.
An interesting short itinerary is available on Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas, sailing from Lisbon to Oslo, via Vigo, La Coruna, Le Havre, Bruges and Amsterdam. Fares for the journey, departing April 19 – and including flights – start at £579 and it’s £100 extra for an outside cabin, or another £250 for a balcony. Go to www.iglucruise.com or call 020 8544 644.
With a little more time to spare, you could join Fred Olsen’s Balmoral for a 22-night cruise from Dover to the Mediterranean, leaving on May 22. Ports of call include Gibraltar, Cagliari, Messina, Pireaus (for Athens), Volos, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Valletta, Eivissa and La Coruna, returning to Dover on June 13. While at sea, passengers can join in special interest programmes on the Mythology of the Mediterranean, or Computers for Beginners.. Fares start at £1,589 per person. Go to www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call 01473 742424.
Cruise the Mediterranean in a luxury suite with a butler on board Oceania’s Insignia, departing from Barcelona on April 18 and sailing to Athens via Palma de Mallorca, Marseilles, Livorna, Civatavecchia, Sorrento, Taormina, Ancona, Venice (overnight), Dubrovnik and Corfu. There are a few penthouse suites available on this 14-night cruise, with fares reduced to $3,612 (about £2,300). Go to www.oceaniacruises.co.uk or call 0845 505 1920.
Finally, something a little bit off the beaten track, calling at some rarely-visited ports in the southern Red Sea. Fly to Mumbai to join Spirit of Adventure on March 2 and sail to the frankincense capital of the world, Salalah in Oman. Then it’s on to Aden, Djibouti, Hodeidah in Yemen, and Massawa in Eritrea – where the highlight is a trip by vintage steam train. Visits to Safaga and Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt follow before the ship arrives in Aqaba, Jordan. Fares for the 15-night adventure start at £1,919, which includes a choice of excursions in each port, gratuities and flights. Go to www.spiritofadventure.co.uk or call 0800 300 432.
New to cruising? Go to www.discover-cruises.co.uk for advice on ships and destinations