Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2023 i Cruise & Travel

As you might expect from somewhere that so proudly celebrates its links to France, Quebecers know great food. In fact, the only problem with spending a day in this striking city, topped by the fairytale towers of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, is narrowing down where to eat. Thankfully, numerous foodie tours – either organised via your cruise line or self-guided – make the job of finding the best a little easier. If history’s your thing, costumed guides can walk you through 400 years of life in the first city in New France – the only remaining walled city in North America, outside Mexico – whose fortified ramparts, towers and gates are now a Unesco World Heritage Site. Stop at locally-loved dining spots along the way, like year-round sugar shack…

The yacht slips into the harbour in Zadar, and we step ashore to the sounds of the Sea Organ, an art installation that uses the ebb and flow of the ocean to create a soothing melody. As we’re docking overnight in this ancient port city, which at one stage rivalled Venice as the most influential on the Adriatic coast, there’s plenty of time to explore. Our 36-passenger yacht, Princess Eleganza, is moored close to myriad restaurants and bars, so after wandering the streets, we dine in a buzzy restaurant before enjoying late-night drinks in an old town bar. It’s a treat not to have to clock-watch and rush back for a departure before midnight, as this APT Travelmarvel cruise is all about the slow-travel experience and allowing guests to make…

10 of the Best 1 ASIAN ADVENTURE While many mainstream lines sail on the Lower Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia, small-ship specialist Pandaw offers expedition voyages on the lesser-known upper reaches of the river in Laos. Venture into the heart of southeast Asia’s smallest country on a charming 28-passenger vessel with gleaming teak decks and brass fittings. There’s no single supplement on this fascinating cruise from the Thai border to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. You’ll sail past a backdrop of jungle-clad peaks, gorges, temples and Buddha statues and even navigate some thrilling rapids. Authentic shore tours feature unscripted walks through remote villages where western visitors are a rarity, so you’ll be warmly welcomed and may even be invited inside local homes. You’ll also see a display of traditional Laotian…

Much of our daily lives is now managed using a mobile phone and an internet connection – and cruise travel is no different. Many cruise brands have been investing in high-tech ways to improve the onboard experience and now offer apps that let you arrange your boarding, speciality restaurant bookings, shore excursions and even drinks orders from the palm of your hand with just the click of a smartphone. This may create a challenge for less tech-savvy sailors, but the aim is to get passengers onboard faster and to ensure a smooth sailing from start to finish. GETTING ONBOARD You may be used to using a travel agent or browsing online for cruise deals, but your smartphone can now help. New app My Kind of Cruise sends notifications about special…

Ambassador Cruise Line, which has filled the space left by the closure of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, operates with the same mission: to provide ‘premium value’ no-fly voyages from London Tilbury and seven other ports around the UK. The ship was named Ambition by sailing champion Shirley Robertson OBE, the first British woman to win gold at consecutive Olympics (in 2000 and 2004), at a ceremony in Newcastle in May. ESSENTIALS Ambition was built in 1999 and has just undergone a major revamp. It’s comfortably mid-sized, carrying 1,200 guests (200 fewer than sister ship, Ambience), so easy to negotiate. Of the 680 rooms, 133 are suites, while 125 cabins come with balconies. EXPERIENCE A ‘classic’ ship – that means no go-karts or climbing walls – Ambition has an elegant interior…

TRENDING / HOT SPOT Set on the west coast of Greenland and more than 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Ilulissat icefjord is not only one of the most awe-inspiring highlights on an Arctic adventure, but also one of the most scientifically important. The name comes from the local Kalaallisut word for ‘icebergs’, apt as it is fed by the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, which produces a tenth of Greenland’s calf ice – more than any glacier outside the Antarctic – earning it a place on Unesco’s list of protected World Heritage Sites. But unlike the White Continent, this natural beauty spot is just a few miles from a thriving town set on Disko Bay, where rainbow-bright houses cluster along the shore and whales and seals can be seen gliding…

Leaving behind the grand tombs of Recoleta Cemetery for the bright bustle of La Boca neighbourhood is like flipping from black-and-white to colour TV. Rainbow shades aren’t in short supply in vivacious Buenos Aires, but the cemetery provides a bubble of solemnity, and an opportunity to admire some post-life posing courtesy of the city’s wealthiest deceased. “Where’s Evita’s tomb?” tourists repeatedly ask their guides. The modest final resting place of Argentina’s former first lady is the most popular in Recoleta’s network of avenues (her life is commemorated by a simple plaque and endless floral offerings). Many who visit Buenos Aires find a distinctly European flavour, but it’s the excellent Argentinian food, eclectic architecture and buzzing South American street scenes that are expected to draw around 435,000 cruise visitors this 2023-24…

I can’t believe I’m wandering the aisles of a Caribbean supermarket searching for Angel Delight – yes, the wobbly dessert I begged my mum for when I was a kid – or at least its American equivalent, Jell-O. Having relinquished the delights of the palm-fringed, icing-sugar beaches of Antigua, foregone my daily round of putting on the sports deck and sacrificed my favourite Maguro burger in the Waves Grill (mouthwatering soy-ginger marinated ahi tuna, laced with wasabi-garlic mayonnaise), instead I’m shopping for several packets of instant vanilla pudding. It will be worth it to replicate the world’s best-ever rum cake. Apparently, vanilla Jell-O is the crucial secret ingredient guaranteeing the lightest of creations fit for a Paul Hollywood handshake. While I can’t bake it in my stateroom on Oceania Cruises’…

Scenic Eclipse II, the second ‘discovery yacht’ for Australian-owned cruise line Scenic, is an expedition ship for travellers who don’t want to compromise on luxury. With the sleek lines of a superyacht, and the high-ceilinged interiors and glossy decor of a boutique hotel, it doesn’t even look like an expedition ship. But with a Polar Class 6 hull for nudging through Antarctic ice, two helicopters, a six-passenger submarine, a fleet of Zodiacs and an expedition team of up to 24, Scenic Eclipse II can reach the furthest extremes of the planet. ESSENTIALS Scenic Eclipse II carries 228, limited to 200 in Antarctica. The ship is all-inclusive, all-suite and all-balcony, with butler service throughout. As well as all the Bond-style toys, there’s a water-sports marina for launching kayaks and paddleboards and…

We’re keen for late summer sun but the price of hotels in the Med is insane! Is it worth looking for a cruise deal instead? Katie Wilson, head of cruise and stay, Bolsover Cruise Club Yes – if you compare a land-based holiday to a cruise, the latter is often more cost-effective and premium. For instance, a Royal Caribbean cruise has a plethora of amenities such as kids’ clubs, water sports, and Broadway-style shows, to name just a few. The value-added experiences surpass any hotel in terms of opportunities and entertainment. On the other hand, luxury cruise lines like Silversea provide an unmatched level of service, often outshining even the most opulent hotels. Exquisite cuisine and fine wines are included in the package, while allowing you to sail the world…

Remember the famous scene in James Bond’s Die Another Day, when a bright orange bikini-clad Halle Berry emerges from the waves like a modern-day Aphrodite? What claimed to be the shores of Cuba was in fact filmed on Playa de la Caleta in Cadiz, the ancient Andalusian city and popular cruise port on the southwest coast of Spain. It’s just been voted the top ‘hidden gem’ destination for cruise travellers in a survey by travel agency cruise.co.uk, which polled 700 customers about their favourite under-the-radar spots. Within an easy walk of Cadiz cruise port, you’ll find lofty viewpoints – the Tavira Tower and Cadiz Cathedral tower offer panoramic vistas across city and sea – historic landmarks including an ancient Roman theatre and 18th-century castles that flank its golden-sand beaches, plus…

Aomori’s futuristic skyline, dominated by a pyramid-shaped skyscraper, seems to lean out as we approach on Silversea’s Silver Muse, inviting us to explore the streets beyond the cruise terminal. The angular architecture of this vibrant city – set on the northern tip of Honshu, Japan’s main island – is crowned by the rugged Hakkōda mountains, which lie 13 miles southeast and are popular with climbers, skiers and snowboarders. The two landscapes somehow complement each other, a reflection of this highly urbanised country’s harmonious relationship with nature. The Japanese love Aomori for its juicy red apples (the climate’s extreme temperature differences help cultivate the world’s finest, apparently) and for its 300-year-old Nebuta Festival, held each August, when a population of 300,000 swells to nearly 3 million. They flock here to admire…

“It’s the wildness, the vastness and the total remoteness that first drew me to Alaska,” says hiking guide Riley, a hardy Arizonian who’s spent every summer here for the past 12 years. “This is a place unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been – there’s just something special about it.” It’s not hard to see what he means. We’re kayaking on a lake so still it feels ethereal, and the scene is made all the more serene by the faint hum of birdsong and the calming swish of paddles as they glide gently through the water. To my left, a carpet of Christmas-green spruce trees covers the banks, perfectly reflected in the lake below; up ahead, snow-dusted mountains rise like something from a pop-up picture book, shining bright and dazzling white…

I’m having a real pinch-me moment. The room is packed, a rock band is playing live on stage and beer and wine is flowing. But hang on a minute – I’m cruising with Holland America Line, a brand that has a reputation (in the UK at least) for being rather old-fashioned. Yet here’s the band, looking the part with their long hair, shades and ripped jeans, getting the line’s newest ship, Rotterdam, rocking every night with a repertoire covering everything from Bryan Adams and Bon Jovi to Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones. Welcome to the Music Walk, where you can literally stroll from one musical genre to another. There’s Billboard Onboard, a piano bar dedicated to chart-toppers across the decades, with KG and Melissa at the keys and Leonard…

ALDRIN MATEO KENNEL MASTER CUNARD’S QUEEN MARY 2 I’ve worked for Cunard for a number of years in various roles, and have been a kennel master on Queen Mary 2 for the past year. It’s one of the best jobs, especially when there’s free time and we can play with the dogs. I really love animals and it’s extremely rewarding when the owners are thankful for the care we’ve given their pets when they disembark. We sometimes even take part in photo shoots with the pets during the voyage and some guests give us these photos or take them home to put in frames. Before embarkation, we prepare for new arrivals by putting the pets’ names on each kennel – there are 24 on QM2. Upon embarkation, we greet the…

Marella Cruises is as reassuringly British as the fish and chips served on its ships, with innovative twists that give it a distinctive flavour – and these are perfectly embodied in its newest debutante, Voyager. ESSENTIALS The 1,912-passenger newcomer, originally built for Celebrity Cruises in the 1990s, set off on its maiden voyage in June, becoming the line’s fifth ship. Marella’s fleet shares the fun, resort-style feel of its parent company, package-holiday giant Tui, and Voyager adds to this with vibrant decor and fun features, personified by life-sized statues of neon-bright zebras dotted across the decks. EXPERIENCE There are numerous quirky touches, from lazy hammocks strung across cabin balconies to the Bring me Bubbles button in Flutes Champagne bar to summon waiters. These can also be found on Marella’s other…