INSIDE
4 NEW TO CRUISE
18 TRAVEL LESS & SEE MORE
34 JOURNEY FURTHER
48 VOYAGES BEYOND EXPECTATIONS
22 Affordable quality with Ambassador Expertly crafted itineraries and a traditional British small ship experience all with no-fly convenience
68 The Nordic Experience Norway’s intriguing landscape begs to be discovered, and Hurtigruten is the perfect choice
6 Life as a performer with P&O Cruises We caught up with Lydia to learn all about her exciting career
14 Set sail onboard Norwegian Aqua Promising exhilarating thrills along with luxurious accommodation in 2025
80 French Rivers and Wine Tasting Cruise along some of the most iconic rivers while sampling delicious wine
66 INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS
Welcome to our latest edition of Best of Cruise
Welcome to the 2025 edition of Best of Cruise, your ultimate guide to the exciting world of cruising. We’ve handpicked a diverse range of cruise holidays with you in mind, featuring inspiring far-flung destinations, departures direct from the UK, carefully curated experiences, immersive expedition cruises and family- friendly getaways.
78 ROAMING RIVERS TO UNRIVALLED LUXURY
We have every type of cruise to help inspire your first, or next, cruise journey. Whether you’ll be weaving past picturesque towns and beautiful landscapes along the Rhine, sampling award-winning wines onboard as you take in panoramic views, or soaking up the Mediterranean sun, stopping off at a new Greek Island hotspot each day, there’s a cruise for every customer. This year, we’ve included an exciting new section, New To Cruise, full of carefully selected itineraries, perfect for anyone looking to step into the world of cruising. Now is the best time to embark on your first voyage, and we believe the itineraries in this section, are the perfect holidays to get you well and truly hooked. Rest assured, we’ve also ensured your favourite sections are returning again this year, including
Inspirational Journeys, for those jaw-dropping, memorable moments, and Roaming Rivers and Unrivalled Luxury, for those looking to discover breathtaking destinations with attentive service and a premium experience. This year, we’ve expanded our Voyages Beyond Expectations portfolio, with an exclusive collection of cruising experiences with fantastic discounts, low deposits, added extras and inclusions. Plus, our Adventure and Expedition section is making its return with some truly remarkable itineraries, such as our Highlights of Antarctica offer where you can witness looming glaciers and dramatic snowy landscapes. We’re so excited for you to browse through this latest edition of Best of Cruise and want to extend our gratitude to our loyal customers and warmly welcome our new customers to the cruising family.
90 ADVENTURE & EXPEDITION
94 Discover the wildlife of the Galapagos Renowned for heavily inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, the Galápagos Islands are an archipelago in the eastern Pacific Ocean
96 SPECIAL OCCASIONS & EVENTS
Catriona Head of Cruise
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Terms and conditions: Advertised offers based on 2 adults sharing the lowest category stateroom/cabin/suite unless otherwise stated. Single supplements may apply. All offers and promotions are correct at the time of print and is subject to change without notice and may go up or down in price. All Vista flight inclusive packages either offer a private or group overseas coach transfers. Advertised prices based on London airports unless otherwise stated. Regional airfares may incur a supplement. Named hotels are subject to current availability and pricing. Select offers may not be combinable with any current Cruise Line promotions or campaigns unless otherwise stated. Itineraries and ports of call are subject to change by the cruise line without prior notice. Alternative travel dates: Ports of call may vary from the advertisement. Some ports of call may be tendered whereas vessels drop anchor a short distance away and use small boats to reach the shore. Offers with included excursions can change or be removed without prior notice and is capacity controlled. Hays Travel reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions in this mailer. Onboard and destination experiences, features, itineraries, and guest conduct rules vary by ship and destination and are subject to change without notice. Any highlighted destination experiences in the written content for each offer or ‘reasons to love’ section(s) are not included as part of the package price. Please check with your cruise line to establish what items are included and excluded from your cruise fare. Further cruise line terms: *Celebrity Cruises (up to 35% off 1st & 2nd Guest): The first two guests sharing a stateroom receives up to 35% off per person on the “No Perks” cruise fare (the “Offer”) on selected cruises. The cruise fare discount excludes any add-ons & amenities including without limitation, All Included supplement, gratuities, air fares, hotels, transfers, pre-cruise & onboard purchases which will not be discounted as part of the Offer. Offer ends 3rd March 2025. *Celebrity Cruises (up to £200 off flights): Guests making a new fly cruise booking on selected Europe and Caribbean sailings departing 01 February 2025 to 30 April 2026 shall be eligible to a maximum airfare discount of £100 per person. Airfare’s savings are per person, subject to availability on selected flights, selected airlines, fare types and regional gateways and will be advised at time of booking. Offer ends 3rd March 2025. **Seabourn (extra cost): Some items, such as submarines and other experiences, may come at an extra cost. ^^Norwegian Cruise Line’s More at Sea™: Benefits (premium beverages, Wi-Fi, speciality dining & excursion discounts) – Some selected offers may or may not include NCL’s Free at Sea benefits unless specified. Benefits are applicable to guest 1 & 2 only unless specified. More at Sea supplement upgrade amounts vary per cruise duration - 7-8 day for £249pp; 9-10 day for £299pp; 11-12 day for £349pp; 13-14 for £399pp. Premium beverages (enhanced): Only guests over 21 years of age can consume alcoholic drinks. Speciality dining package (enhanced) based on a per meal basis and visits are based on cruise duration and type of stateroom. Wi-Fi package (enhanced) is based on number of nights and vary depending on sail length. Internet package is per stateroom. Shore excursion discount is applicable to guest 1 in the stateroom. The first guest will receive free shore excursions priced at $50 or less. $50 Shore Excursion Credit will be applied per shore excursion of equal or greater value. ♦ Ambassador Cruise Line (Ambassador Guarantee): Available to guests that have not previously cruised with Ambassador Cruise Line and are booking their first cruise aboard Ambience or Ambition. It is valid for new bookings only, made after 19th Jan
2024 for a duration of 4 nights or more. To take advantage of the Guarantee you must state your intention to leave the cruise, and the reason why, to the Hotel Director within 24 hours of your embarkation. Our onboard team will endeavour to resolve any issues within 24 hours from the time you notify them. If a solution cannot be agreed, Ambassador will cover the cost of transport to your point of embarkation at the next available port. The mode of repatriation will be at Ambassador’s discretion e.g. flights, rail, taxi plus one hotel night if needed. Ambassador is only responsible for the travel / hotel cost and nothing else, all other costs must be covered by you. Further terms apply. Please ask form ore details. ◊(Buy One Get One Free promotion): Available on new bookings on selected cabin grades, numbers and categories. Promotion is available while supplies last. Promotion is structured as first guest paying full Saver Fare and second guest, sharing the same cabin, is free. 20% off the drinks package applies to our top Expedition drinks package when the Ambassador Fare is purchased at time of booking. ♦ Saga: door-to-door travel service is from your home (mainland UK) to your local airport or UK departure point. If not chosen, free parking at any airport or port can be offered. Optional travel insurance is subject to medical screening. #Hurtigruten Northern Lights Promise: If there is no recorded sighting of Northern Lights during your expedition, Hurtigruten will give you a free 6- or 7-day Classic Voyage the year after. Further terms apply. Please ask for details. †Hosted by Hays Travel staff: Offers where ‘hosted’ by Hays Travel are subject to booking numbers and cannot be confirmed until closer to departure date. Hosts will be either (1) available from departure flight throughout or (2) available once in resort. Notifications regarding your hosts travel arrangements will be sent no later than 6 weeks prior to departure. ††Complimentary city experience or tour in (1) New York is up to the value of £50 per person, (2) New Orleans is up to the value of £40 per person, (3) Miami is up to the value of £40 per person. A full selection of experiences/tours will be available to confirm no earlier than 10 months prior to departure and are subject to availability upon confirmation. Any experiences/tours that exceed the credit value you must pay the excess cost. No refunds will be given for any experience/tours that are under the advertised value. ~Complimentary $100 USD currency card: Offer is per person for the first two guests sharing. Value based in US American dollars. Based on the Hays Travel Money Card with Mastercard®. Advertised offer not combinable with any other Hays Travel promotion(s). Should you cancel, no monies will be refunded as this is complimentary from Hays Travel. For further info and terms about the Hays Travel currency card: https://www.haystravel.co.uk/travel-products/travel-money-card/. Further terms and conditions may apply. Please contact your local Hays Travel branch for the most up to date information. E&OE.
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