Innholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2024 i Cruise & Travel

If you’ve already explored Edinburgh’s historic treasures, focus instead on the old port district of Leith, an independent burgh until 1920 that’s burgeoning again following the return of the tram network in 2023. It’s now an easy hop from Princes Street on the tram to what Time Out has described as one of the ‘world’s coolest neighbourhoods’ and a great place to visit on your next cruise. Enjoy a morning at arts hub Leith Depot before heading to the spectacular Port of Leith Distillery - the UK’s first vertical distillery – an almost-foreboding Darth Vader-esque tower with tours and one of the world’s most dramatic whisky bars. The food scene here is equally impressive. My top recommendation is Heron, with its massive windows peering over the Water of Leith like…

It’s a big year for Silversea. The brand is celebrating 30 years in luxury cruising and, this summer, it launched the 12th ship in its fleet, Silver Ray. Like her predecessor, Silver Nova, Silver Ray brings contemporary flair to the cruise-line brand’s upmarket offering. ESSENTIALS Silversea’s 728-passenger Silver Ray is the second in the luxury line’s Nova class. Identical sister ship Silver Nova launched in 2023. Between decks three and 11, guests will find eight restaurants, four bars and lounges, a sea-facing gym and beauty salon and the Otium spa. Powered by LNG Silver Ray, is the most energy-efficient ship in Silversea’s luxury fleet. She has plug-in capability and is hydrogen fuel-cell ready (cells are not yet available). She’ll spend her inaugural season in the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic…

Watching the sun set slowly and create a warm glow over the island of Rab’s waterfront with a glass of chilled Croatian pošip wine in hand, I reflected on what had been a near perfect day. Earlier that morning our ship, the small and exclusive 18-cabin MS My Wish had left the city of Zadar to head to Rab Island as part of Cruise Croatia’s seven-night sailing from Dubrovnik to Opatija. The rich and varied itinerary largely takes in the the whole of the Dalmatian coastline, smattered with medieval cities and hidden-gem ports of call. Our daily ‘routine’ was now finely tuned after almost a week cruising; after a leisurely breakfast of fresh fruit, yoghurt and eggs, we stopped for a dip in the sea off the side of the…

WHERE EAGLES DARE Animal lovers are in for a treat with HX’s 13-night summer cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver. Starting with a night in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, you’ll board your ship in Seward and begin your journey on a cruise that will allow the remarkable diversity of nature and culture offered by Alaska and British Columbia to unfold around you. Expect to see many of Alaska’s wild animals, including bald eagles, moose, bears, sea lions, otters, orcas, humpback whales and many seabirds. You’ll also enjoy the sights of towering forest-clad mountains, glittering glaciers and deep blue fjords. The 13-night Wilderness, Glaciers & Culture cruise, from Anchorage to Vancouver, departing 9 June 2025, is priced from £4,648 per person. travelhx.com LATIN AMERICA EXPLORER AMAWATERWAYS will be the first major cruise…

16 NEW RIVER CRUISESBEST RIVERS DANUBE Flowing from Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea, the Danube is an enchanting river. Cruises of varying lengths sail through grand capitals, such as Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Belgrade. The UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley, lying between Krem and Melk in Austria, is a notable scenic highlight to take in along the way. RIVIERA TRAVEL: On every cruise there are cabins set aside for single occupancy at no additional cost, plus dedicated solo cruises with no supplements for any stateroom category. The seven-night Blue Danube River Cruise for Solo Travellers on William Wordsworth, departing 21 March 2025, is priced from £2,299 per person, including flights. rivieratravel.co.uk AVALON WATERWAYS: If you want to stay in shape and enjoy the great outdoors, this line offers sailings with…

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE, USA As summer ends and autumn begins, nature lovers in the USA head to New England to watch spectacular fall foliage displays during this peak leaf-changing season. Over a period of about six weeks, the leaves on the trees change from vibrant greens to lush oranges, golds and reds, offering visitors the chance to enjoy some wonderful vistas. One of the best ways to enjoy Mother Nature’s annual transformation masterpiece is on a visit to the almost 50,000-acre Acadia National Park, situated half way along the Maine coast, southwest of Bar Harbour. Here, visitors are encouraged to enjoy a 27-mile loop on the Acadia National Park & Carriage Ride to enjoy the wonderful sight of autumn in its fall glory, offering some amazing photo opportunities. For…

AUSSIE FLAVOURS Australia is known for its amazing food, great chefs and fabulous fresh produce. And lucky guests sailing on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth from 6-11 February 2025 will enjoy a culinary celebration of the best new Aussie dishes and drinks. From expertly crafted dishes to spectacular Tasmanian coastal views, those onboard the Great Australian Culinary Voyage will enjoy a feast for all senses on this very special sailing. So join chef, TV host and author Matt Moran onboard as he discusses why Australian cuisine is amongst the best in the world, alongside fellow food experts Nornie Bero, Darren Purchese and Katie Spain, as well as Australia’s first MasterChef winner, Julie Goodwin. cunard.com 15,000 bottles of fine wines from 20 countries around the globe are available on private cruise ship The…

Greece is synonymous with island hopping, which is why it makes a change to visit somewhere different in this ever-fascinating country. The buzzy city of Thessaloniki is our first port of call on a cruise around the Aegean with Celestyal Cruises. The city is known as the culinary capital of Greece, so we’ve opted for a Food on Foot tour, and it’s the perfect way to enjoy some amazing local cuisine and a history lesson too. Like so many places in this part of the world, Thessaloniki has been occupied over the centuries by Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans. It became part of the Kingdom of Greece in 1912, only to be occupied again during the second world war. There are a few landmarks to see first, most notably the…

SPECIALITY CRUISING Tempted by the promise of sunrise meditation sessions, yoga on deck under the stars or in the shade of the trees on an exotic beach and Ayurveda-inspired meals, I booked myself on Swan Hellenic’s inaugural Explore and Restore cruise. Designed and run in conjunction with global wellness giant Deepak Chopra, my cruise onboard SH Diana ran from Panama to Acapulco. After checking into my spacious boutique hotel-style stateroom, it was time for my introductory self-discovery session followed by a short meditation. There were to be four sessions during the week, asking the questions Who am I?, What do I want?, What is my purpose? and What am I grateful for? Straight away, I realised this was not your average cruise… Many of the predominantly female and American passengers…

BEHIND THE SCENES CHRIS PUGH CAPTAIN, MSC CRUISES, MSC VIRTUOSA “When I was a child, our family spent summer holidays in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. I used to watch the Sealink ferry Felicity arrive from Ireland and was fascinated by it. At the age of eight, I wrote a letter to Sealink asking how to become a ship’s captain, and they replied with an encouraging letter and some merchandise. I still have the letter framed at home. I pursued my dream upon leaving school, attending Warsash Maritime College in Southampton. I love seeing our guests having a memorable time; it’s at the centre of all we do. I also love representing more than 1,700 crew on the ship as captain. Our crew members come from more than 70 different countries, with diverse…

Stirring briefly from my slumber, I’m momentarily confused to see the moon dangling from the sky above me like a giant silver lantern, casting a lustrous glow over the surrounding sea. A light tropical breeze flutters across the open deck and I wonder if this is a dream, but then I remember that we’re sleeping alfresco under the stars. It’s one of boutique line SeaDream Yacht Club’s signature experiences, and as our ship’s sailing through the toasty embrace of the Caribbean, we’d jumped at the chance to spend the night on plush sunbeds in prime position on the ship’s prow. A double bed has been made up with a quilt and pillows and it feels so comfortable my husband and I soon drift off to sleep to the rhythmic soundtrack…

INDONESIA Overhead, two more of the world’s largest tree-dwelling mammals sit on a branch, oblivious to our awe-struck presence Unsurprisingly, we take hundreds of photos and a fellow traveller fills pages of her journal every day. However, there’s even more to come... A sense of calm envelops me in the humid morning heat as our three-man canoe glides through the still waters around the seemingly impenetrable forested island of Pulau Kaja. The only sound is the rhythmic wash of the river breaking against the bow, occasionally punctuated by distant birdsong. We round a bend and suddenly we’re not alone, and I try to supress an audible gasp. The near silence is broken by an orangutan, cracking fallen branches underfoot as he walks upright into the undergrowth carrying an entire bunch…

CRUISE INSPIRATION SUNNY DELIGHTS WITH VIKING Soak up the scenery from Viking’s sunny Aquavit Terrace, found on all its popular Longships. Located at the front of the vessels, this is the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely al fresco lunch and glass of wine while enjoying the wraparound river views. viking.com EPICUREAN EXPERIENCES WITH RIVIERA Riveria’s Gastronomy of the Douro itinerary is perfect for food and wine lovers – enjoy port sampling in Porto, almond tasting in Castelo Rodrigo, tapas in Salamanca, and delicious meals in historic Portuguese quintas. rivieratravel.co.uk SUITE DREAMS WITH UNIWORLD All beds on Uniworld are from luxury bedmakers, Savoir of London, ensuring guests enjoy the most comfortable night’s sleep ever – enjoy the slumber in the Grand Suite on SS La Venezia. uniworld.com DINNER & OPERA…

SPANISH CRUISE At 11am on Monday morning, the tasting room at Osbourne, one of Andalucia’s best-known wineries, is abuzz. In front of us are three different sherries – ranging from bone dry to the sweet variety we associate with Christmas. The snacks are as generous as the measures and though I’ve already had a hearty breakfast, I tuck into the local acorn-fed jamon with gusto, before enjoying a tipple or two. This is just one of the many complimentary excursions in store for guests on what is possibly the most unique river cruise in Europe. French-run CrosiEurope’s MS La Belle de Cadix is the only river cruise ship to travel on southern Spain’s Guadalquivir River. On its seven-night Andalucia: Tradition, Gastronomy & Flamenco itinerary, you’ll not only visit Seville, Cádiz,…