Cruise Deals

With three drivers still in realistic contention for the title, tomorrow's final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi will be a nail-biting affair. Next year's race on November 13 could be just as exciting, and wouldn't it be fun to combine a day at the track with a cruise holiday? MSC Cruises start a season of voyages in the Gulf from October 30, 2011, and will be flying passengers on Etihad Air from London, Manchester and possibly Dublin direct to Abu Dhabi. The cruises will be on MSC Lirica, a medium-sized 60,000-ton vessel carrying 1,560 passengers. Cruise-only fares [...]

Thomson Dream's first season of cruises in the Med came to an end this week as the ship arrived in Harwich, and then sailed for a multi-million dry-dock and refit in Hamburg. The 1,500-passenger vessel, largest in Thomson's fleet, had a stormy ride earlier this year with passengers complaining about faulty air conditioning and problems with bathrooms following its transfer from Costa Cruises. But recent passenger questionnaires have shown 100 per cent scores of "good" or "excellent" for service and 99 per cent for food, entertainment and cabins. Managing director David Selby said: "We accept that there were challenges following [...]

If the first frosty mornings of winter have you shivering, then do what the cruise ships do and head for the Caribbean sunshine. P&O's Azura sails from Southampton next Friday and there's still time to get on board for the 14-night voyage which takes in St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada and Barbados. There's even a stop at Tenerife on the way. Fares start at £799 per person, including the return flight from Bridgetown. Go to www.pocruises.co.uk or call 0845 3555333. Need a bit more time to pack your cases? Then fly from Gatwick, Cardiff or Bournemouth on November 27 [...]

It's not too late to grab a bargain cruise for half term, though you might have to pinch a day or two of school time at the beginning or end to make the most of these last-minute bargains. Tell the head teacher it's educational to travel to New England in the fall, or to be one of the first passengers on board Cunard's brand new Queen Elizabeth. Learn how leaves change colour in the autumn on a nine-night cruise to Canada and New England on board Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas. Fly to Boston, then it's on to Portland, [...]

It's my idea of heaven - Christmas at sea, with no need to worry about cooking, washing up . . . or annoying relatives. Just sit back to be entertained, fed and plied with drink at any time of day or night, and even enjoy a few hours of unseasonal sunshine by the pool. And there are options for those who want to spend the time surrounded by their children, or those who prefer to get away from the little darlings altogether. P&O has vacancies on several of its ships for this year's Christmas cruises. Arcadia offers the child-free option, [...]

The nights are drawing in and there's a chill in the morning air, but there are still plenty of opportunities to sail away from the UK on a cruise to the sun - with none of the hassle involved in flying. Departing from Dover on October 12 on a 14-night cruise to the Mediterranean, Fred Olsen's Balmoral visits Gibraltar, Mahon (Ibiza), Marseille, Barcelona, Alicante and Malaga before returning to Dover. Fares from £839. Go to www.cruise118.com or call 0800 280 2614. Or travel to the Canary Islands on board Marco Polo, leaving Tilbury on October 16. The 14-night cruise calls [...]

With National Cruise Week starting tomorrow, (Sept 19) travel agents and ship operators are falling over themselves to offer special deals, cut-price offers and other incentives. Cruise and Maritime Voyages, P&O, MSC and NCL will each refund the entire cost of one cruise picked at random from those booked during the next seven days. Crystal Cruises is including free flights on all 2011 European sailings, and Orion Expedition Cruises is including free flights from London on itineraries to Vietnam, Australia and Borneo. Shearings has a 10 per cent reduction on its exclusive cruises aboard MV Discovery, and on European river [...]