Five of the best epic voyages
Experience more of the places you cruise to on a month-long odyssey. Here's how...
For most of us, our cruise
holidays are over far too quickly. Perhaps we didn’t get the chance
to enjoy the ship as much
as we hoped, or we saw only one city in
each country we stopped in.
But there’s no law that says cruises
have to be a week or a fortnight long.
Treat yourself to a four-week voyage
and you can become a true explorer,
delving deeper into the destinations
you visit and making the most of all
those onboard activities and facilities
along the way. Here’s our pick of five
month-long itineraries...
1. NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Plunge into myths and legends and
witness some of the world’s most
dramatic scenery as you make your
way around the northern hemisphere.
Follow in the wake of the Vikings and
explore the town of Longyearbyen on the Norwegian island of Svalbard;
experience the remote beauty of Jan
Mayen island in the Norwegian Sea and
look out for polar bears prowling the icy wastes of
northern Canada. Hike the hills of
Iceland and stroll the deserted shores
of Greenland – where life is simple,
calm and peaceful.
Get on board
Viking’s 28-night 'Greenland, Iceland,
Norway & Beyond cruise' onboard
Viking Star, from Bergen to New York
via Geiranger, Narvik, Lofoten, Tromso,
Honningsvag, Svalbard, Isafjordur,
Reykjavik, Heimaey, Djupivogur,
Seydisfjordur, Akureyri, Nanortalik,
Qaqortoq and Halifax, departs on August 5, 2024. Fares from £14,990 per person including
flights.
2. GO BACK IN TIME Discover Europe’s best preserved medieval town on the Greek island 2of Rhodes and see archaeological evidence of the days when Italy occupied Greece and Greece ruled the Italian island of Sicily. Explore great amphitheatres and trace the story of architecture back through the ages, finally arriving in Egypt where Giza’s mighty pyramids pierce the desert sky.
Get on board
Saga’s 26-night 'From Classical
Greece to Ancient Egypt cruise' aboard Spirit of Destiny, from Dover
to Portsmouth via Gibraltar, Sicily,
Crete, Rhodes, Antalya, Paphos,
Alexandria, Athens, Nafplion, Valletta
and Ceuta departs September 9, 2024. Fares from £7,950 per person.
3. ADVENTURE IN
ANTARCTICAFollow in the footsteps of the
great polar explorers as you venture
into a part of the world that few other
people will ever see. Marvel at emperor
penguins and elephant seals as you
make your way round icy islands where the only inhabitants are wildlife.
If you have ever dreamed of escape, an Antarcticacruise offers the ultimate
in quiet contemplation and majestic surroundings.
Get on board
Heritage Expeditions’27-night 'In
the Wake of Scott & Shackleton:
Ross Sea Antarctica' cruise aboard
Heritage Adventurer, return from
Queenstown (New Zealand) via The
Snares, Auckland Islands, Maquarie
Island, Ross Sea and Campbell Island
departs on January 7, 2025. Fares from
£24,250 per person.
4. CRUISE THE CARIBBEAN
Sail around some of the world’s
most enchanting islands – and best
beaches – taking time to explore
colourful towns and quaint capitals
where museums and monuments
tell stories of the colonial past.
Taste
fiery rums at Callwood distillery in
the British Virgin Islands; sample
tropical fruit in vibrant food markets
and bask in the beauty of powder-soft
sands, gently swaying palms and blue
Caribbean waters as warm as a bath.
Get on board
Iglu Cruise’s 35-night 'No Fly Grand Caribbean' cruise aboard
Iona, return from Southampton
via Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados, St
Lucia, Martinique, Antigua, St Kitts,
St Maarten, Tenerife and La Coruna,
departs on 11 January 2025, from
£2,343. iglucruise.com
5. GLIDE ALONG THE GANGESTake a slow boat through two of
the world’s most entrancing countries
– India and Bangladesh – on the world’s
longest river cruise. Over more than
2,000 unforgettable miles aboard
the luxurious 18-suite Ganga Vilas
you’ll get the chance to see tigers and
elephants at Kaziranga National Park
and visit the world’s oldest legal opium
factory. You’ll explore holy sites such
as Sarnath in northeastern India –
where Buddha is said to have given
his first sermon – and witness evocative
rituals such as the Ganga Aarti, when
Hindus float candles and flowers down
the Ganges at dusk as an offering to the
goddess Ganga.
Get on board
Antara Cruises’49-night Epic Cruise
aboard Ganga Vilas, from Varanasi
to Dibrugarh via Ghazipur, Buxar,
Patna, Jangipur, Murshidabad, Kalna,
Kolkata, Bali Island, Dhaka, Tangail,
Sirajganj, Guwahati, Mayong, Tezpur,
Silghat and Kaziranga National Park, costs from £20,562 per person. Check their website for
departure dates. antaracruises.com
