Cruises under £1,000

Going on a dream cruise doesn’t have to break the bank − there are some great itineraries out there of up to 12 nights for under £1,000 per person. Here’s our pick of the top deals for 2018…

MEDITERRANEAN

See some of the western Med’s most beautiful cities on a four-day fly-cruise with NCL’s Norwegian Epic. Jet to Rome to join your ship for a voyage to Livorno, Cannes and Palma, ending in Barcelona and a flight back to the UK. All-inclusive prices – covering drinks and gratuities – start from £950 for the October 31 sailing (ncl.co.uk, 0333 241 2319)

Leave Southampton for a seven-night round-trip to Ajaccio in Corsica and Livorno, Rome and Messina on P&O Cruises’ ship Oceana from £799 for the May 10 departure. Price includes selected flights from selected UK airports (pocruises.com, 0843 373 0111)

MSC’s Meraviglia is sailing a seven-night round trip from Barcelona visiting Marseilles, Genoa, Civitavecchia (Rome), Palermo and Valletta on March 2. The price of £849 includes return flights (msccruises.co.uk, 020 3426 3010)

Another seven-night round trip from Barcelona is available on Carnival’s new ship Horizon, sailing April 22 via Civitavecchia (Rome) and Livorno. Prices from £829 including return flights from Heathrow (carnival.co.uk, 0843 374 2272)

In the eastern Med, Marella Cruises – formerly Thomson – has a seven-night cruise from Dubrovnik on May 10 via Malta, Sicily, Kefalonia, Greece and Montenegro. Prices from £974 include return flights from Birmingham, transfers, tips and service charges (tui.co.uk/cruise, 0871 230 2800)

NORWEGIAN FJORDS

Take a seven-night no-fly cruise from Southampton to Stavanger, Flam, Olden and Bergen on P&O Cruises’ ship Azura on September 8, with prices starting at £749 (pocruises.com, 0843 373 0111)

For a longer holiday – and a chance to see the Northern Lights – join P&O Cruises’ ship Aurora on November 28 for a 12-night cruise from Southampton to Andalsnes, Tromso (overnight in port), Alta (two evenings in port) and Stavanger. Fares from £999 (pocruises.com, 0843 373 0111)

Royal Caribbean has an eight-night cruise on Independence of the Seas from Southampton on May 20, calling at Molde, Geiranger, Alesund, Flam and Stavanger, from £900 (royalcaribbean.co.uk, 0844 493 4005)

Celebrity Cruises offers a seven-night trip from Southampton on Celebrity Silhouette from £799, calling at Bergen, Alesund, Geiranger and Stavanger. Price based on an April 30 departure (celebritycruises.co.uk, 0800 441 4054)

BALTICS

Sail to St Petersburg via some of the greatest northern European capitals for £959. A 12-night voyage on Navigator of the Seas heads from Southampton to Russia and back with stops including Oslo, Copenhagen, Tallinn and Helsinki. From £959, departures on June 3, 15 and 27 (royalcaribbean.co.uk, 0844 493 4005)

For a more unusual itinerary, board CMV ship Marco Polo for a nine-night voyage via the Kiel Canal to lesser-known ports in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania and Poland. From £622 on October 14 (cruiseandmaritime.com, 0844 998 3937)

FRANCE

Escape to Paris with a romantic weekend cruise on Celebrity Silhouette for just £439. The price, based on an April 28 departure, includes a free classic drinks package and gratuities, allowing you to sip cocktails as you sail from Southampton (celebritycruises.co.uk, 0800 441 4054)

Saga has a cruise from Dover to Honfleur and Caen, leaving on August 21, from £700. The prices includes a choice of wines at lunch and dinner, and all onboard gratuities (saga.co.uk, 0808 278 2205)

Sail away at Easter on CMV’s Marco Polo from Bristol to Rouen and Honfleur, stopping at the Isles of Scilly on the return leg. There’s even time to see Monet’s garden at Giverny on the cruise departing March 31. Prices from £709 (cruiseandmaritime.com, 0844 998 3877)

Fred Olsen offers an eight-night cruise to Bordeaux from Southampton on April 6, starting at £899. Not only will Braemar sail the Seine, Gironde and Garonne rivers but guests will also enjoy overnight stops in Rouen and Bordeaux, plus a call at historic Lorient (fredolsencruises.com, 0845 805 3828)

CANARY ISLANDS

See Tenerife’s volcanic valleys, the golden sands of Gran Canaria and the national parks of La Palma with a seven-night cruise on Fred Olsen’s ship Boudicca for £999. Flying in to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where you stay overnight, you join the ship for an island-hopping itinerary including Madeira and Gibraltar, before the return flight from Malaga. The cruise leaves Tenerife on March 1 (fredolsencruises.com, 0845 805 3828)

Marella Cruises has a seven-night cruise, also from Santa Cruz, for £628. Leaving on January 12, Marella Dream stops at Gran Canaria, La Gomera, Madeira, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Price includes return flights from Gatwick, tips and service charges (tui.co.uk/cruise, 0871 230 2800)

AMSTERDAM

Enjoy Zeebrugge as well as Amsterdam on a Saga Cruises trip leaving Southampton on November 9, costing from £674 (saga.co.uk, 0808 278 2205)

SCOTLAND

CMV’s Astoria heads north from London Tilbury on April 3, with stops including Kirkwall in the Orkneys, Torshavn and Klaksvik in the Faroes, Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, Invergordon and Rosyth. Prices from £689 (cruiseandmaritime.com, 0844 998 3877).

*All prices are per person, based on two sharing an inside cabin. Fares and itineraries are correct at going to press but subject to change.