Cruise International Cruise Planner 2020

Make 2020 the year of your best holiday ever with our fantastic Cruise Planner, your essential guide to all the hottest itineraries, cruise lines and new ships for the year ahead. Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or you’ve collected lots of cruise cards from your travels already, on the following pages you’ll find all the inspiration you need to help you choose, book and plan an incredible cruise. We’ve made the Cruise Planner as user-friendly as possible. Either start with the destinations you’re longing to visit, from Antarctica to Vietnam (page 85), see which cruise lines go there and then turn to page 15 to find out more about them; or vice versa. And to make things even more straightforward, on page 112 you’ll find a handy Cruise Lines Directory. There’s also…

Tokyo, Japan With its soaring skyscrapers, Buddhist shrines and ancient temples, the Japanese capital — setting for the 2020 Summer Olympics — is a city of infinite possibilities. Chaotic crowds and flashing neon give way to idyllic green spaces such as Chidori-ga-fuchi, a section of the Imperial Palace moat which transforms into a tunnel of trees covered with pastel pink sakura in the spring. One of the city’s top spots for hanami (cherry blossom viewing), the path is especially pretty when illuminated at night, as well as when the petals fall, creating the illusion of an ethereal pink river. >> Turn to page 108 to read about ocean and river cruises to Asia for the year ahead…

SILVER SPARKLE All snowflakes are unique, and this handmade personalised necklace is particularly pretty (£65, annalouoflondon.com). Wrap up Going on a cold cruise? Stay warm and stylish when you’re admiring the scenery on deck with a deliciously bright knit combo (Holly scarf and jumper from anthropologie.com). CLEAR VIEW Whether you’re sailing to Africa or Antarctica, binoculars are a must-have for wildlife spotting. Swarovski’s EL O-Range are definitely on our wish list (swarovskioptik.com). VA VA VOOM Benefit’s Holiday 2019 Gift Sets have four delectable beauty treats to help you look and feel your best over the festive season, and the tins shaped like campervans are super cute, too (from £34.50, benefitcosmetics.com). CHILL OUT Unwind after flying with the Tisserand Aromatherapy and National Geographic collection travel kits, comprising a bath oil, mood mist and roller ball in a reusable vegan cosmetic…

‘On board our first ever cruise our cabin was invaded by a giant swan. It was perching on the bed, surveying us with a beady eye, defying us to shift it aside should we desire anything as mundane as sleep. I did my research before embarking on Cunard's QE2 all those years ago (OK, twenty-two to be precise). I knew to save some cash for tips at the end of the cruise, I had remembered travel adaptors, a light waterproof jacket, binoculars (heck – I might even use them) but nobody had warned me a small towelling zoo was likely to greet us every evening. You can try your hand at activities that make you question whether you’re at sea or on land At first it seemed insulting to dismantle these works of…

SEABOURN Offering all-inclusive luxury on five mid-sized ships, Seabourn (named Best Boutique Cruise Line at the British Cruise Awards 2019) is returning to Istanbul in October. The company’s newest ship, the 300-suite Seabourn Ovation will sail four seven-day eastern Mediterranean cruises between the city and Athens. There are also a string of seven-day Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Juneau, as well as the regular longer voyages. Super-posh is new Seabourn Air, a private chartered jet service to and from the ship, as well as for mid-cruise jaunts. Also in 2020 there are more Ventures by Seabourn excursions, some complimentary, some not, including kayaking, catamaran rides and trekking. New ice-class expedition ship Seabourn Venture arrives in June 2021, with 132 luxurious oceanfront veranda suites and two six-passenger submarines (with custom leather upholstery,…

Elegance, luxury and uncompromised quality are the hallmarks of the Oceania Cruises experience. Not only does the cruise line boast a fleet of six intimate and sumptuous ships, it also offers award-winning cuisine and sailings to an array of alluring destinations. And always evolving, there’s an array of new additions designed to enrich your time away. ELEGANCE REIMAGINED The cruise line’s Oceania NEXT initiative is in the midst of elevating every element of the guest experience. From thoughtfully crafted dining to a fleet of better-than-new ships, the sweeping enhancements are inspirational. Following in the footsteps of Insignia, Sirena and Regatta, Riviera is the latest ship to be ‘re-inspired’. Every surface of every suite and stateroom is entirely new (the Owner’s Suites are adorned with new and exclusive Ralph Lauren furnishings) while the public…