WinTEr Sun Winter wonders
Winter-sun cruises are every bit as varied as summer sailings, so take the time to find the right one for your clients, writes Katie McGonagle
Family fun or floating festivities? Sunshine in the South Pacific or wildlife-watching in West Africa? Winter-sun sailings come in all shapes and sizes, and many go well beyond simple fun in the sun to incorporate events and festivals, in-depth excursions and exotic destinations that truly shine at this time of year. Tempt your clients to try winter sun on the water with our pick of sailings to suit every type of traveller.
BEST FOR . . . FESTIVE FUN WHY: Greet the dawn of 2024 in style on Explora I from new luxury line Explora Journeys. Guests can not only leave their post-festive-season blues behind in favour of golden-sand shores in the Caribbean – setting sail from Puerto Rico for the sun-kissed isles of St Kitts, Martinique, Saint Martin and St Thomas – but also experience one of the most exciting new ships to grace the waves in years. WOW: While many festive sailings spend New Year’s Day at sea, Explora Journeys focuses on making the most of the destination at hand. Guests can enjoy their gala dinner and champagne toast, then walk off that midnight merrymaking the following day among the coral-fronted buildings of Saint Martin, comparing the French and Dutch halves of the island, or people-watch over a café au lait. BOOK IT: An eight-day Sensational New Year Celebration cruise starts from £4,200 per guest in an Ocean Suite, sailing on December 29 from San Juan to Miami; flights not included.
explorajourneys.com
travelweekly.co.uk/cruise
OR TRY: Keep the festive spirit going for longer with Ambassador Cruise Line’s 38-night Christmas & New Year in the West Indies & Dutch Antilles sailing. With no flight required thanks to a London Tilbury departure, the line’s second ship, Ambition, charts a course to Funchal and the Cape Verde Islands before crossing the Atlantic to Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Antigua, returning via the Azores. The December 11 sailing starts from £2,439 for an inside cabin.
ambassadorcruiseline.com
BEST FOR . . . HISTORY AND CULTURE WHY: Soaking up the sun is all well and good, but why not soak up some history too amid the temples and tombs of the Nile? AmaWaterways will be doubling its capacity next year with the debut of 82-passenger ship AmaLilia, joining sister vessel AmaDahlia on the popular waterway. WOW: Exclusive experiences include private access to the lavishly decorated tomb of Queen Nefertari, a shrine from pharaoh Ramses II to his favourite wife and one of the most elaborate tombs in the Valley of the Queens, plus a private lunch at magnificent Abdeen Presidential Palace, a former royal residence now home to five museums. BOOK IT: An 11-night Secrets of Egypt & the Nile package, including three nights’ pre-cruise in Cairo, a seven-night sailing to Luxor on AmaLilia and a final night on land, costs from £5,750, including flights from Gatwick or Heathrow.
amawaterways.co.uk OR TRY: The Gambia is known for its beach resorts, but
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