The sea and high spirits
The image of sipping wine while gazing across the awning blue vista sounds just so divine doesn’t it? Reason why Celebrity Cruise’s Immersive Wine cruises has us in thrall. Held on board their expansive liner— the Celebrity Eclipse— the culinary cruise for this year begins on October 12 and is one worth braving sea-sickness. The 12-night cruise that will be hosted by renowned wine connoisseur Oz Clarke will take you across the vineyards of France, Spain and Portugal. On the agenda are wine masterclasses, visits to local chateaux and vineyards where you will get to experience grape harvesting firsthand, and sipping glass after glass of the finest Champagne, Bordeaux and Rioja wines. What’s not to love?
For details: www.celebritycruises.com
Around the world in 124 days
Now this is what we call serious decadence. And it might as well be one, because at the price tag of £8000pounds a day, Six Star Cruises’ £1million pounds per couple, 124-day voyage aboard their Silver Whisper liner is the stuff of fantasies. The dream trip starts with a private flight to the US of A where you are served by a Michelin-starred chef. The flight is followed with a drive in a Rolls Royce to the Beverly Wilshire hotel where you’ll be lodged for four days... Yes, all of this before you even set sail.
Once aboard the liner, the journey literally takes you around the globe, travelling through French Polynesia, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Barbados and Miami, Florida. Even as you check off the countries from the map, enjoy the indulgent treatment that will be meted to you. Luxuriate in the Royal suite that comes with marbled bathrooms and spacious verandahs; enter food heaven by tucking into the finest Beluga Caviar, sipping Dom Perignon and eating gourmet fare prepared by expert chefs; and get confused choosing between nine different pillows when you decide to call it a night. Not for nothing is it called the ‘cruise of a lifetime.’
For details: www.sixstarcruises.co.uk
Dreams on a Yacht
If discreet sophistication is more your style, Seadream1 is the luxury yacht you should set sail on to explore the waters. The intimate settings of the yacht — that can accomodate 420 people — are reminiscent of a private club and, in the words of the regulars, elegant and chic. With a lounge, a well-stocked library, a piano bar and a small casino, a voyage on the Seadream is like an extravagant picnic you’ve always wished for.
That said, let us also warn you that the toughest thing you will face while signing on for a trip is making a decision about where you want to go because from the Mediterranean to the Transatlantic, the Carribean, Northern Europe, Costa Rica and Asia Pacific and Australia, they’ve got the whole world covered.
For details: www.seadream.com
Ahoy, sailor!
Sometimes you’ve got to take a cruise because of the sheer sense of adventure it lends. And fact is, there’s only so much distance a road can take you. For that unparalleled journey into sheer wilderness or just proximity to nature, a ship’s the best mode. So, if you are an adventure junkie looking for an awe-inspiring trip, hark on a Silversea expedition cruise to lesser-known and lesser-explored destinations including Antarctica, the Arctic, the Central & South America or the Galapagos Islands. That the itineraries are flexible and allow for detours for further explorations just warms the pirate-spirit in us.
For details: www.silversea.com
Where time doesn’t matter
When on a cruise, you can choose to do two things: everything or nothing. If you are an active vacationer who loves to keep yourself preoccupied during your sojourn in the ocean, Oceania Cruises might have a trick too many up their sleeve. While they do operate their regular luxury cruises , we suggest you check out their Grand Voyages for the 62-day Continental package that will, leisurely and in the extremely comfortable settings of the Oceania Marina, take you from Cape Town, South Africa to Beijing, China. With the next trip set for January 2014, you want to block the days in the calendar, already!
For details: www.oceaniacruises.com
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