We enter the cruise terminal without a glitch, straight onto a bus for a five-minute drive to SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream I, past a number of cruise ships docked in Piraeus on this busy Saturday.
A high-Arctic wildlife smorgasbord awaits travellers to Spitsbergen. Our adventure cruise editor, Roderick Eime, fills his plate to overflowing.
Over there on the iceberg: about 100 metres,” calls Judd Hill, our sea guide, in a loud whisper. “Where?!” I respond with less restraint and more volume. “There: he’s looking at us now,” Hill replies.
A Christmas to Remember: November/December 2008 San Diego California to Rio De Janiero Brazil via the Chilean Fjords and Antarctica. The itinerary was a wonderful mix of Mexico, Panama, South America and Antarctica all in one magnificent 42-day journey.
This was our fifth Star Cruise, second time on the Virgo and previously cruised on the Aries, Leo and Gemini. The ship is nearly in the same condition as it was in 2001, spotless with very few signs that she is now 10 years old.
My wife and I boarded the Queen Mary II at Fremantle, Western Australia for the Sydney to Capetown leg of her Inaugural Around the World Voyage. We sailed out of Fremantle at 5:30pm on a beautiful evening and were followed out of the harbour by some 1000 small craft and a crowd of more than a 100,000 that jam-packed Fremantle just to catch a glimpse of the biggest liner in the world.
When you need a mid-year escape to recharge the batteries, a short cruise in the tropical waters of Vanuatu offers the perfect fix. A three-hour flight takes you from Australia or New Zealand to a completely different world: one of scenic, volcanic islands, vibrant coral reefs and a complex culture that spans thousands of years.
Cruising in Indonesia's lesser-known islands on board Orion is an eye-opening experience. You could spend a week here and discover something new every day – the spa alone offers enough rejuvenating treatments to keep you fully occupied.
Many cruises have music aboard, or offer fine dining, or invite distinguished guest lecturers to speak. Others go further and devote whole cruises to a theme, attracting like-minded devotees from around the world.
In a move which must have left many travel operators concerned, last week the US government issued a general travel alert to Americans with plans to travel to Europe.
As of Friday, the enforced gratuity charge of $7.50 per adult per day won’t be charged to your shipboard account; if you want to tip any a member of crew for exceptional service, it will be a matter of choice.
Cruising in Asia and the Pacific offers the chance to explore a rich array of native folklore and art. Indigenous culture is in vogue and interest shows no sign of abating. The movie Avatar, in which audiences side with the indigenous blue-skinned Na’vi people on fictional planet Pandora, was simply highlighting a trend.
Ever wondered where those obliging staff mostly come from, where they learned their craft, and what they like – and don’t like – about the business of serving you on board?
Further moves to keep passenger numbers in check and protect the environment mean this spectacular but vulnerable continent can be experienced only by a fortunate few.
As Canada settles down after the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia we have a look at the sites of Winter Olympics around the world, for a side-trip on your next cruise.
She's the most specious ship yet from luxury line Oceania Cruises. James Sitters tells Rose Kelly and Peter Lynch what's on board the new class of ship, including restaurants, spas and suites.
