Innholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2025 i Cruise & Travel

Like a new home, restaurant or even date, the frisson a new ship elicits is palpable. Recently I was one of the first lucky people to step onboard Oceania’s stunning new vessel Allura and loved every bit of it – from the cool retro pool area to the super-roomy staterooms and naughty-but-nice Crêperie. You can read my report on page 48. As summer comes to an end, it’s the ideal time to plan your next Christmas cruise. These popular trips always book up fast, so check out our roundup of seven of this year’s best for festive inspiration (pg 63). Looking ahead, Beth Poppy Erskine’s report on Portugal’s delightful second city Porto (pg 91) has convinced me to pay a visit next year, while Deborah Stone’s investigation into 2026’s best…

CO-ORD CHIC A five-star cruise calls for stylish separates that look great at pre-dinner cocktails and deckside pool parties too. We love the easy elegance of this slinky RI Studio top-and-trousers set Satin high-neck top, £90, and matching trousers, £60 riverisland.com VIEW FROM THE TOP Adventurous guests onboard Royal Caribbean’s new mega-ship Star of the Seas should check out the line’s signature Rock Climbing Wall, where everyone from beginners to experienced speed climbers can strap in and go vertical. At the top, rest, catch your breath and take in the endless ocean views. With no reservation required, this is a complimentary activity you’ll want to try again and again. royalcaribbean.com ADD TO BASKET Ambassador Cruise Line’s newly refurbished ship Renaissance will offer holidaymakers a wider shopping experience. Onboard, you’ll discover…

One day you’re stepping off your cruise ship into a new adventure in a new country, taking in the sights on a panoramic guided tour, shopping for souvenirs and making amazing memories. The next day you’re back onboard with seemingly nothing coming up on the horizon – except the actual horizon… For some, the words “day at sea” conjure up images of wistfully looking through a porthole and longing for land to reappear. But sea days can be as much fun as shore days if you plan them well. For starters, think of them as a special mini-break – a chance to challenge yourself, to totally relax or get acquainted with what’s onboard and make the most of your ship’s amenities. “Sea days are the highlight of any ocean voyage,”…

FUSION FIESTA Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei fusion cuisine has taken the food world by storm. And now Oceania Cruises has added 12 delicious dishes to the menu of its signature Pan-Asian restaurant Red Ginger. The cuisine traces its origins back to the late 19th century, when Japanese immigrants settled in Peru and began adapting traditional Japanese recipes with Peruvian ingredients, resulting in dishes featuring fresh seafood, bright citrus and soy-based sauces. Menu Highlights include: Ceviche Nikkei – Marinated tuna dressed in leche de tigre. Soft shell crab tempura bao buns – Lightly fried crab tucked in pillowy bao buns, topped with a punchy Nikkei-style zarza. Chicken Anticuchos – Juicy chicken skewers paired with a spicy huancaína sauce. Try these dishes onboard Vista and Allura, and on the rest of the fleet by…

1 MAGIC & MARKETS This extended Christmas Markets cruise from Berlin to Prague takes place on the paddlewheel ship MS Elbe Princesse, and ticks off some of Europe’s most vibrant markets. In Dresden, discover the authenticity of Germany’s oldest market, while in Litomerice, the colourful houses and fairytale ambience will transport you into a true Christmas story. In Prague, enjoy a private concert in an exceptional setting. Between tastings of local specialties, this eight-night voyage embodies the warmth and festive atmosphere of the holiday season. CroisiEurope’s eight-day Christmas Markets cruise from Berlin to Prague, with departures on 4 and 12 December 2025, is priced from £1,899 per person including drinks, excursions, port fees, wifi and insurance. croisieurope.co.uk 2 NO-FLY FESTIVE FUN Prefer to avoid crowded airports? This short sailing on…

Porto is a city with its own rhythm. While comparisons with Lisbon are inevitable, they rarely feel fair. Porto has a quieter kind of magic, a place where history and modern life weave together effortlessly, and where the Douro River shapes both the landscape and the pace. This is a city that invites you to slow down. Terracotta rooftops roll up the hillsides, azulejos – the tile-clad facades – shimmer in the sunlight, and port barrels still rest in the cool riverside lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia. There’s heritage here, but also a sense of life being lived well and without rush. Porto is a city that unfolds slowly. It’s the kind of place where a port house can become a hotel, where a bookshop becomes a pilgrimage, and…

It’s not every day you find yourself climbing 300 steep stone steps carved into rock, each bringing you closer to a vision that seems to defy the laws of gravity. Yet here I was, ascending towards the thousand-year-old Hozoviotissa Monastery on the Greek isle of Amorgos, its chalk-white facade improbably wedged into the rock face, with the azure Aegean Sea sparkling 900 feet below. Built in 1017 and later renovated by Byzantine emperor Alexius Comnenus I, the monastery is dedicated to Panagia, the Virgin Mary – Amorgos’ patron saint. The climb is demanding (good shoes are essential, and don’t forget a sun hat and plenty of water), but the reward is nothing short of extraordinary. Pausing to catch our breath, the surrounding sea unfurled beneath us, a dazzling endless blue…

When I signed up for the marine wildlife cruise in Namibia’s Walvis Bay, I never thought the wildlife would be on the boat. However, as Julius hauls himself up the ladder out of the water and settles contentedly on the table in the middle of the deck, our guide Mandela tells us not to be alarmed. He explains that Julius, one of the 50,000-plus Cape fur seals found around the nearby sweep of the Pelican Point sand spit, was found injured as a youngster and treated by the boat’s skipper before being released. Never forgetting the good deed – nor one to sniff at the chance of a free breakfast – he makes regular appearances as the boat prepares to pull out of the bay. As he dozes, his sleek…

I’M ON THE SUNDECK of the river ship APT Ostara when suddenly, right before my eyes, a restaurant starts to appear. Now, before you say anything, I know a lot of structures on the sundecks of river ships in Europe fold down hydraulically to get under low bridges. But this is very different. Because when I went to the restaurant three days ago, it was on Deck Three. Now the whole thing – the galley, bar, seating, the lot – is on the sundeck. Or so I’m told. Just to be sure, I head to deck three where, sure enough, there’s a hole where the Grüner Bar & Dining used to be. Ostara and twin vessel APT Solara, which also launched this year, are the first-ever European river ships to…

Cruising makes me feel like I’m carrying my bedroom around the world. A cruise cabin is always so cosy and I love waking up in different ports every day. I took my first cruise when I was 19. I joined Sea Princess in Southampton and sang my way around the world for the next four years. I fell in love with cruising at a young age and have never looked back. I’m really looking forward to being onboard Spirit of Adventure. It’s always such a pleasure travelling on a Saga ship – everything is five-star, and I love the amazing food, cabins and friendly crew. My cruise sets sail at the beginning of November and I’m very happy, as I love winter cruises. I’m excited about getting wrapped up then…