by Telegraph Travel, The Telegraph, March 2, 2018
If traditional cruise itineraries have never quite had you clicking “book”, it may be time to think again. Cruise lines and tour operators are now luring 20- and 30-somethings with new destinations, throwing in land excursions and appealing to tighter budgets with fares that often cost less than £1,500 per person.
If you thought that cruising was not for you, or if you have teenagers who are keen on trips on water, the following may be winners.
1. Eco-conscious adventures
Peregrine Adventures has launched 12 low-impact Adventure Cruising departures that are being offset with renewable energy projects. The operator has also banned single-use plastics such as straws, cups and water bottles on its adventure trips. The cruises include Rivers of West Africa (Senegal to The Gambia) and a Cape Verde trip.
From £1,515pp (peregrineadventures.com).
2. Citybreaks on the Rhine, Danube and Seine
U by Uniworld is a new brand pitched at 21- to 45-year-olds. Two ships, The A and The B, will sail the Rhine, Danube and Seine, offering activities including kayaking, wine tours and mixology classes in popular cities. The line is partnering with supper-club outfit eatwith.com which offers visitors the chance to dine with locals.
Introducing the cruise line where over 45s are banned
From £1,269pp (triple-share) (ubyuniworld.com).
3. Eighties throwback in Bruges
Fancy a weekend of partying at sea this October? This portaloo-free music festival will include headline acts The Human League, Erasure’s Andy Bell and OMD. Join in with Eighties karaoke and watch films from the decade, such as Top Gun. The three-night cruise is on Royal Caribbean International’s Navigator of the Seas and includes a day in Bruges.
20 of the world's most unforgettable cruise holidays
From £699pp (floatingfestivals.co.uk).
4. Caribbean winter sun
The Caribbean and New Orleans for under £900? This is a great cruise to bank for winter and you’d be hard pushed to find a land-based holiday that offers such good value.
The 10-night cruise sails to the Western Caribbean (Montego Bay, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico) with a night either side in New Orleans. From £859pp departing in November ( travelbagcruise.co.uk ).
5. Value for money in South America
Maximise your flight outlay by combining the Galápagos, a bucket-list holiday favourite, with time in Quito and Peru − for the Inca Trail. For those with time to spare, G Adventures has an attractive proposition: combine a Peru tour with a Galapagos cruise and the domestic flight between Quito (Ecuador) and Lima (Peru) is covered.
From £1,799pp for a Quito with Galápagos Islands cruise and £999 for the Inca Discovery tour ( gadventures.co.uk ).
This article was written by Telegraph Travel from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].
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