It’s Cruise Week – the chance to showcase worldwide cruises and ports in the UK and abroad.
Last year more than 1.7 million Brits took a cruise – more than a million of those joining a ship in the UK. For holidaymakers who prefer not to fly, there are numerous cruises with Cruise Lines International Association member lines from ports across the country including Belfast, Bristol, Dover, Edinburgh, Greenock, Harwich, Hull, Liverpool, London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Oban, Portsmouth, Rosyth and Southampton.
To celebrate Cruise Week, from September 27 to October 5, here are destinations available from YourHols’ Top 10 UK cruise ports:
Southampton
Home to many cruise ships – Cunard’s Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth were all in Southampton for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations (above). The UK’s largest cruise port offers an enormous choice of itineraries and destinations covering the globe. As well as destinations around the UK, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, cruise ships from Southampton call at worldwide ports including South Africa, the USA’s Californian coast, Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and the UAE to name but a few. Voyages vary in length from one night to over 100.
Belfast
Cruises from the capital of Northern Ireland visit a wide range of destinations, from cities such as Glasgow and Dublin, to the capitals of Scandinavia and the Baltic. These include Stockholm – often known as the “Venice of the North” – the medieval city of Tallin (above) and Copenhagen with its rich Viking history coming together with cosmopolitan living. Cruises from Belfast vary in length from three to 16 nights.
Bristol
Cruises from Bristol are undergoing a renaissance. Having welcomed its first cruise ships for 20 years in 2013, almost twice as many passengers are expected to embark in the South West city this year. There are cruises taking in destinations near and far, from ports along the Channel such as picturesque Honfleur (above), cultural Antwerp and bustling Amsterdam, to the tropics with the Caribbean islands of Antigua and the Grenadines. Itineraries vary from a one night mini cruise, to 30 nights sailing the Atlantic and back.
Dover
Cruises from the “white cliffs” port sail north and south, with destinations including the “Land of the Midnight Sun” – Europe’s most northerly point at the Northern Cape – or a journey south into the Mediterranean, calling in at places such as Gibraltar’s famous rock, cultural Barcelona (above), stylish St Tropez and stunning Santorini, and further afield as far South as Cape Town. Cruise lengths vary from a four night short voyage in Northern Europe to a 71 night odyssey to the Horn of Africa.
Edinburgh
Passengers embarking in the Scottish capital can explore Scotland and the Faroe Islands, taking in the Orkneys and Skye, or choose cruises that sail further afield to destinations such as the medieval Baltic city of Tallin, or the home of Russia’s famous Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg (above). Passengers can choose from holidays lasting from four to 14 nights.
Greenock
Cruises from the Clyde side port of Greenock include nearby ports of call including Loch Fyne – famed for its oysters, Campbelltown and the much sung of “Mull of Kintyre”, and Troon and its famous golf courses, along with islands far out into the Atlantic such as the tropical Azores and resplendent Madeira (above). There are one night mini-cruises to Liverpool, or month long journeys of discovery to the white sands and warm waters of the Caribbean.
Harwich
This port, within easy reach of London and the Midlands, has cruises offered by a wide range of companies to destinations both near and far. These include Dublin’s “fair city”, Waterford and its famous crystal and the UK’s most northern city, Inverness, along with ports of call around Europe such as La Coruna (above), close to the pilgrim’s city of Santiago de Compostela, and the picturesque French port of La Rochelle. The ports of Scandinavia and Russia are also favourite destinations. Itineraries vary in length from a two night mini cruise to 28 nights.
Liverpool
The historic cruise terminal at the Merseyside port is being restored to its former glory as cruises from the city continue to grow in popularity. Destinations range from those just across the Irish Sea – such as Dublin and Cork – to those right across the Atlantic such as the Nova Scotian capital, Halifax, beautiful Quebec City, the New England ‘walking city’ of Boston, and the ‘Big Apple’ itself – New York (above). Cruises vary in length from two nights to 28 nights.
London
From temperate river to tropical rainforest, cruises from London journey as far afield as the Amazon Delta, the Caribbean islands and Australia, but also offer plenty of destinations closer to home such as Edinburgh, the Orkneys, the Western Isles (Stornoway) and Fowey on the Cornish Riviera. There’s a huge range of itineraries from two night weekend cruises, to 38 night cruises ‘down under’.
Newcastle upon Tyne
Passengers embarking on Tyneside can cruise to destinations of incredible natural beauty, from the spectacular Norwegian fjords to the breath-taking, rugged landscape of Iceland, and the remote, beautiful islands of the Faroes, Shetland and the Orkneys (above). Cruises vary in length from 6 to 28 nights.
Visit www.cruiseexperts.org for further information.
