Top deals in the cruise sales

Cunard and P&O, the UK’s top two cruise lines, are cutting each other’s throats to capture passengers planning to travel next year. Both launched sales this week with cut-price fares and offers of on-board spending money.
If you’re not too busy baking the Christmas pud or shopping this weekend, check out these deals.
Seven nights from £699 including a £50 per person discount. Departing from and returning to Southampton and calling in La Coruna, Bilbao, La Rochelle and Brest. Based on Ventura’s April 22, 2011 departure.
 
A 14 night cruise to the Mediterranean from £1,199 including a £200 per person discount. Departing from and returning to Southampton and calling at Lisbon, Valencia, Rome (from Civitavecchia), Villefranche, Barcelona, Alicante and Gibraltar. Based on Oceana’s October 26, 2011 departure.
One-way crossing on board Azura from Southampton to the Caribbean from £1,249 including a £200 per person discount, visiting Madeira, Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados. Including return flight home. Based on October 28, 2011 departure.
Go to www.pocruises.co.uk or call 0845 3 555 333.
Transatlantic crossings on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 now take seven nights – one day longer than last year – but the lowest fares have been reduced by £20 to £879, including return air fare.
Both Queen Victoria and the brand new Queen Elizabeth feature a number of roundtrip voyages from Southampton in 2011 – to the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Fjords – all of which are available in the sale at up to £1,000 off, together with an on-board credit of up to $720 per person.  (for some unaccountable reason you pay your fare in sterling but the US dollar is the currency on board).
Go to www.cunard.co.uk or call 0845 678 0013.
If this week’s snow has set you thinking about travelling to the Arctic Circle, then  plan a 10-night voyage in search of the Aurora Borealis with Norway’s Hurtigruten and astronomer Ian Ridpath. The £1,399 fare includes flights from Heathrow and there are no single supplements  The voyage, departing from Bergen on February 20, visits Kirkenes, Trondheim and the planetarium at Trondheim. Accommodation on a half-board basis. Go to www.hurtigruten.co.uk or call 0844 448 7601.
The Northern Lights are also the target of Marco Polo’s departure’s 14-night sailings from Tilbury on February 21, March 7 and March 21, and sister ship Ocean Countess, cruising from Hull for 13 nights on March 20. Ports of call include Molde, Narvik, Svolvaer, Tromso,  Alta, Alesund and Bergen. Inside cabins from £1,099 pp, and ocean view from £1,499. Go to www.cruiseandmaritime.com or call 0845 333 9798
New to cruising? Visit www.discovercruises.co.uk for advice on ships and destinations.