When it’s time for a vacation, almost every member in your group will have very strong ideas on what constitutes the perfect holiday. Given the rather mind-boggling range of choices, deciding upon the best destination will be far from easy.

A cruise holiday offers distinct advantages over traditional forms of travel, and allows you to avoid all the stress and hassle of planning a memorable vacation.

Advantages of Cruising

• Cruises allow you to visit many ports of call. Depending on your preference, you can visit many different destinations or spend time on-board.
• Most cruise ships afford a variety of on-board entertainment facilities, allowing you to interact with people from different cultures and catering to the tastes of each member in your group.
• A cruise saves you time. Also, since everything will be taken care of by the cruise-liner, you can spare yourself the agony of having to make travel arrangements, pack suitcases or plan meals.
• Most cruise holidays offer great value for money and are inclusive of food and on-board activities. Some services could cost extra, but since you’ll know this beforehand, you’re in control of your budget.

The Biggest Cruise Ships

There are a large number of cruise liners with state-of-the-art facilities. According to the Travel+Lesiure Magazine, the most enviable cruises to be on this year are:

A Mexican Riviera cruise on the Splendor with the Carnival Line.

The Caribbean, Mediterranean, and a journey from Southampton, England to Rome on the Solstice or the Equinox with the Celebrity Line.

Northern Europe, Mediterranean from December, Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Oman on the Costa Luminosa;

Rome, Savona, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tunis, Malta and Palermo on the Costa Pacifica, with the Costa Cruises Line;  and

The Baltic region, Canada, New England and the Caribbean on the Eurodam with the Holland America Line.

Most Popular Cruise Destinations

Some of the tried and tested cruises include:

• Caribbean Cruise
• South Pacific or Hawaiian Island Cruise
• Alaskan Cruise
• Polar Cruises
• Transatlantic Ocean Cruise
• River Cruises (the Danube in Europe, the fjords in Norway, the Mississippi in United States, the Nile in Egypt)
• Galapagos Island Cruises
• European Cruises: Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Baltic, Greek and Canary Islands
• Mexican Riviera Cruise
• South African Cruises

 Best Times for a Cruise

While the following months offer the most favourable weather conditions, prices could prove to be steep. If you want cheaper options, travel during the off-season months. Peak season itineraries are as follows:

• Alaskan Cruise: June to August
• Bermuda Cruise: April through Mid-November
• Caribbean Cruise: Year round; December through April are particularly good.
• Mediterranean Cruise: April through November.
• Northern Europe and Baltic cruises: May to October.
• Greek and Canary Islands: March to December.
• Hawaiian Islands: November through February.
• Mexican Cruise: Year round.

 Cruises in South Africa
South Africa is becoming a popular cruising destination and is also a departure point for some lovely cruises. Some of the more popular South African cruises are:

• The Barra Lodge Cruise: Spend time on one of Mozambique's most unspoiled beaches. The Indian Ocean offers great bathing possibilities all year round.

• The Christmas Cruise: Enjoy delicious seafood, bask on the sun-kissed beaches, bathe in the turquoise blue waters and consort with the seagulls! Barra Lodge, Maputo and Portuguese Island are covered on this exciting cruise.

• Island Discovery Cruise: Stops at Durban, Pointe des Galets, Port Louis, Mayotte Is, Nosy Be, Maputo and Portuguese Island.

• Other popular ports are Richards Bay, Cape Town and/or Port Elizabeth.