Cruising is one of the areas of travel we know particularly well.
Phillip spent many years working for Royal Caribbean, and between us we’ve cruised extensively around the world, from the Caribbean and Mediterranean to Alaska, Asia, New Zealand and some of the most remote parts of South America.
And if there’s one thing all that experience has taught us, it’s that choosing a cruise shouldn’t begin with the ship.
Do you want the ship itself to be the destination, or are you choosing a cruise because of where it takes you?
Do you want a small, intimate ship or a huge floating resort? Warm weather and beaches or glaciers and wildlife? Lots happening around you or somewhere peaceful where everything feels effortless?
There are hundreds of ships and thousands of itineraries.
Our job is to help narrow them down to the ones that actually suit you.
Cruising has taken us to some extraordinary places, often combining destinations that would be difficult to experience in a single journey.
We’ve explored the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Baltic, crossed the Atlantic and enjoyed remarkable journeys through Asia, including India, Japan, China, South Korea and Vietnam.
Further afield, we’ve discovered New Zealand from the water, cruised amongst Alaska’s spectacular glaciers and sailed along the Pacific Coast of North America.
Some of our most memorable adventures have taken us around South America, through the dramatic landscapes of Patagonia and as far south as Ushuaia and the Falkland Islands.
These experiences have taught us that the destination can be just as important as the ship itself. Sometimes we cruise for the ship, but just as often, it’s the extraordinary places it can take us that make the journey special.
This is usually one of our first conversations.
If you’re cruising the Mediterranean, Caribbean or sailing with children, the ship itself may be a huge part of the holiday.
Royal Caribbean’s newest mega-ships are perfect examples.
These are enormous floating resorts where entertainment, restaurants, pools, activities and increasingly imaginative spaces mean you could have a fantastic holiday without being particularly concerned about where the ship was going.
For the right family, they’re brilliant.
But put us somewhere like Alaska, Japan, New Zealand or Patagonia, and our priorities can change completely.
Now we might be looking at the itinerary first.
Which ports does it visit? How long are we there? Is there scenic cruising? Does the ship reach somewhere difficult to experience independently?
There is no right answer.
It depends on why you’re cruising.
One of the things we love about cruising is the sheer variety of experiences available. From enormous floating resorts to intimate luxury ships, there’s something to suit almost every style of traveller.
For families and those who enjoy plenty of entertainment and activities, Royal Caribbean offers some of the most innovative ships at sea, while Disney Cruise Line brings its own special magic to family cruising. Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises also offer lively ships with plenty of choice.
For something a little different, Virgin Voyages offers a contemporary, adults-only experience, with excellent dining, entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere.
Celebrity Cruises remains a personal favourite of ours, combining contemporary ships, excellent food and attentive service. Princess Cruises and Holland America Line offer appealing alternatives for those who enjoy comfortable, destination-focused cruising.
For a more traditional experience, Cunard brings elegance and a sense of occasion, while P&O Cruises offers a distinctly British style of cruising, with ships catering to both families and adults.
At the luxury end of the market, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania Cruises and Seabourn offer smaller ships, personalised service and some fascinating itineraries. Each has its own character, from Regent’s particularly inclusive approach to Oceania’s emphasis on dining and destinations. Explora Journeys offers another option, bringing a fresh, contemporary style to luxury cruising.
And these are just some of the cruise lines we work with.
Our role is to understand how you like to travel and help you find the right ship, itinerary and experience, rather than recommending the same cruise line to everyone.
Even the word luxury means different things at sea.
For one client, luxury might mean a beautiful suite, a butler and a small ship where the crew quickly know their name.
For somebody else, it means having almost everything included so they barely need to think about spending once onboard.
Another client may value outstanding food above everything else.
And for a family, luxury could simply mean having enough space, fantastic children’s facilities and so many activities that nobody ever hears the words “I’m bored.”
That’s why we look beyond the star rating.
We want to know how you actually like to travel.
Cruising isn’t automatically about sunshine and a sun lounger.
Of course, if that’s what you want, there are wonderful Caribbean, Mediterranean and other warm-weather itineraries where days can revolve around beaches, swimming and long lunches.
But some of our favourite cruise experiences have been at the opposite end of the scale.
Alaska is about glaciers, mountains and wildlife.
Patagonia, Ushuaia and the Falklands are about extraordinary landscapes and reaching places that feel genuinely remote.
Japan, South Korea, China and Vietnam can turn the ship into a wonderfully convenient way of travelling between fascinating destinations without repeatedly packing and unpacking.
So, one of the questions we’ll often ask is very simple:
We very rarely look at a cruise in isolation.
If you’ve flown all the way to Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney or Buenos Aires, it seems a shame to simply travel from the airport to the ship and then straight home again afterwards.
Some of our own favourite cruise journeys have been made much richer by adding time on land.
A few nights in Singapore before sailing through Asia. Time exploring Japan around a cruise. A longer stay in New Zealand. A city break before joining a Mediterranean sailing.
We can build the land arrangements around the cruise so that the whole thing becomes one journey rather than a ship booking with flights attached.
You can also explore many of those destinations in much more detail within the individual country pages across our website.
River cruising is becoming increasingly popular, and we’re seeing more clients, friends and family choosing it.
It’s a completely different style of holiday.
Rather than spending days crossing open water, river cruising puts the destination immediately outside the window. Ships are much smaller, you’re often able to walk directly into towns and cities, and itineraries tend to be heavily focused on sightseeing, food, culture and local experiences.
European rivers remain enormously popular, but some of the most interesting journeys are further afield.
The Mekong between Vietnam and Cambodia is a great example, and Scenic’s journeys through this region have proved particularly popular with our clients.
River cruising does come with different considerations.
River levels and local conditions can occasionally affect navigation and itineraries, so flexibility is part of this style of travel.
But for the right journey, being able to unpack once and watch the destination unfold around you is very appealing.
Whether you’re considering your first cruise, planning something special or looking for a completely different experience at sea, we’d love to help.
Tell us a little about what you’re looking for, and we’ll help you explore the ships, destinations and journeys that could be just right for you.
So, get in touch and let’s have a conversation about where you’d like to go next.