Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2024 i Cruise & Travel

POSTCARDS Inside the magnificent Doge’s Palace with its sumptuous halls is what looks like a letter box, framed in the mouth of a stucco statue. This is where you could discreetly inform on those who threatened the ancient republic. And I wanted to post my own denunciation, hearing all the Jeremiah-like warnings about visiting Venice. Travelling on Uniworld’s SS La Venezia, we were on an exclusive early-morning visit of the Palace and even had St Mark’s Basilica all to ourselves that evening, admiring the golden mosaics of its Byzantine domes. But the most remarkable thing about Venice is how easy it is to escape the crowds at any time of day. There are always canals and bridges that lead to near-deserted piazzas hung with laundry, where children play and locals…

There’s a man coming towards me with a smile on his face. “If you’re on deck, you’ll see whales that no one else will,” says marine biologist Deanne Leonard-Spitzer, as we lean against the rail on the top deck. “Alas, we can’t stop the ship every time there’s a sighting.” I’m on an exciting expedition cruise from the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik to the western coast of Greenland, sailing on Adventure Canada’s Ocean Endeavour where whale watching is just one of the highlights of the trip. We’re following what Deanne describes as the “whale highway”, a strip of water between Norway and Greenland where whales congregate during the summer to breed. If there’s a large pod of whales in the vicinity, an announcement bellows through the ship summoning passengers to…

Unless you’re flying first class and have access to a private lounge, spending time at an airport these days is something to be endured, rather than enjoyed. It’s no wonder then, that no-fly cruises - to the Baltic, Scandinavia and the Arctic; south to the Mediterranean and Canaries or even crossing the Atlantic – are so popular. No-fly cruises from the UK are far more convenient than battling through airport security for early morning flights. You can take as much luggage as you like, with no airline restrictions, and if you live an easy drive from the port you can choose a check-in time to suit you – or book into a hotel for a night or two to create your own mini-break. Alternatively, if river cruising is more your…

MILFORD SOUND, NEW ZEALAND New Zealand is famous for its incredible landscapes, glaciers and waterways but nothing will quite prepare you for the arresting sight of Milford Sound, a stunning fjord on the southwest coast of the South Island. Rudyard Kipling once described it as the “eighth wonder of the world”, and if you cruise through this spectacular waterway, you’ll soon see why. Located within the Fiordland National Park, part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site, Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Maori) is home to fur seal colonies, penguins, bottlenose dolphins and kea, the only alpine parrot in the world. It boasts a dramatic landscape of snow-capped mountains, shimmering lakes and fjords and pristine forests. Rising above the fjord’s indigo water is Mitre Peak (Rahotu), a 1692 metre-tall mountain which…

POSTCARDS Known for its futuristic skyline, it’s easy to forget that Singapore is a country of islands – 64 to be exact – and visiting some of the lesser-known isles is a total joy. If you want to see another side of Singapore, take a trip on one of the city’s wooden barges, known as bumboats, to boomerang-shaped island Pulau Ubin, which is a breezy 12-minute ride from the mainland, yet feels worlds apart. It’s one of the city state’s only two remaining kampungs (rural villages). Some of its 38 Chinese and Malay residents live as their ancestors did in traditional palm frond-roofed kampung houses. The easiest way to explore Ubin is on two wheels. Rent a bike by the arrival jetty and take the signposted Eastern Route to a…

Luxury river cruise operator Uniworld has acquired two of the four sleek European river boats originally built for Crystal Cruises, chartering each for three years. I joined the first of their redesigned fleet, the 110-passenger S.S. Victoria, originally Crystal Bach, on a Castles on the Rhine itinerary. ESSENTIALS Uniworld’s other Super Ships are famed for their fabulously over-the-top opulence but S.S. Victoria is more chic boutique hotel in design, sumptuous but subtle. There’s an aquamarine and burnt orange colour scheme in the dining room, while the cabins, more like beautiful hotel rooms than typical riverboat accommodation, are tasteful shades of off-white, emerald green and silver, with spacious, marble-effect bathrooms and gorgeous Asprey bath goodies. The beautiful, light-filled lounge is all cream and silver, with soft crystal-effect lights. On the top…

BEHIND THE SCENES STEFFAN MULLAN CLASSICAL SHOWMAN, RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES “As a proud Welshman, when asked from a very young age why I sing, my answer was always, ‘I just want to change someone’s bad day.’ I speak five languages including Chinese, and think it’s important to make every guest feel special – I always adapt my programme to the various languages in the room and create what I call bridging songs. For example, when I perform a famous Mandarin song, halfway through I translate it to English and finish in the original out of respect. Communication, emotions and seeing others happy makes me happy, and on a river ship, there’s something special about being so close to your audience in an intimate setting. The ship allows you to see…

QUEEN ANNE ❤ LIVERPOOL In a nod to its maritime history, Cunard has named the City of Liverpool as godparent to its newest ship, Queen Anne. The city was the birthplace of the luxury cruise line, with its first transatlantic crossing departing 184 years ago, and was also the company’s headquarters for 128 years. Cunard selected five distinguished Liverpool female icons to represent the city and officially name Queen Anne in June. Spice Girl Melanie C, broadcaster and community leader Ngunan Adamu, local restaurant entrepreneur Natalie Haywood, Liverpool music and legend Jayne Casey, and British Olympian heptathlon athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson named the ship at a star-studded ceremony. The icons joined Cunard President, Katie McAlister, and Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge for a special naming ceremony, where they officially smashed a bottle…

They anoint us with a daub of red ochre and pay their respect to elders past and present, before leading a hike uphill to a sacred spot known as Cyclone Cave As the Zodiac nudges up to the shore for a wet landing and we wade the final few steps through the shallows, it’s clear this is no ordinary sun-and-sand beach stop. Guides from Wijingarra Tours – an Aboriginal-owned company led by the traditional guardians of Freshwater Cove, also known as Wijingarra Butt Butt– are waiting on the beachfront to offer us a ceremonial ‘welcome to country’. They anoint us with a daub of red ochre and pay their respects to elders past and present, before leading a hike uphill to a sacred spot known as Cyclone Cave. Here, spread…

GREEK ISLANDS Everything is red. Ruby-red lights cast a scarlet glare over us as onboard dancers, clad head-to-toe in crimson, strut their stuff around a glittering burgundy pool. Soon acrobats are back-flipping around us as the music pumps, and within half an hour the entire deck is a sea of people dancing and splashing around, illuminated in a glow of rouge. Crowd-pleasing, noughties-led tunes blast from the speakers as the DJ mixes on the deck (quite literally), and it ends up being the liveliest night I’ve ever had on a cruise – watched over by a giant inflatable octopus that sits at the end of the pool. It’s Scarlet Night on Virgin Voyages’ newest ship, Resilient Lady – an out-there answer to formal, when guests are encouraged to don their…