Cruising Long-Haul
Beccy Miller
Taking a long-haul cruise provides some of the best options to take you to far-flung places, with great value and often minimal packing! Here are some of the ways you can see the world...
Multi-Centre
By their very nature, cruises are always multi-centre as you get to visit more than one place. If you're flying long-haul to start that journey, then pairing a couple of ground elements on your trip, makes great use of your time away.
You might choose to combine a holiday with a non-coastal town or tick off a bucket list destination that wouldn't be accessible otherwise. Our product team work hard to put together itineraries that do just this, but we can also tailor make any holiday to your own personal requirements, often with scenic rail journeys on land to get you from A to B.
Repositioning
Repositioning cruises are another fantastic way to visit long-haul destinations, as often you can start or end your journey back in the UK. They can include ports that wouldn't normally feature together on an itinerary and are fantastic value too.
If you love relaxing sea days, repositioning cruises often feature plenty of these. When new ships are launched, repositioning cruises between different seasons to new home ports are always popular, as they give cruisers the time sea-days provide, to get acquainted with all amenities onboard.
Exotic, off-the-beaten-track ports
On a cruise, you can sail furthest reaches of the world and visit places that don't have the infrastructure to support travellers by land or air.
Not only that, but the time spent sailing from place to place is still quality holiday time. Whilst on a cruise ship, you can still enjoy dinner and a show, or relax by a pool - something you just can't do on an aeroplane or coach.
And you don't need to fly to get there...
If you prefer not to fly, a cruise can still get you to long-haul destinations. Cruise from the UK and as long as you have the time to dedicate to the trip, you can circumnavigate the globe, all without ever seeing a "fasten seatbelt" sign.
The Caribbean is a popular long-haul destination from the UK. Take a leisurely cruise across the Atlantic, stopping at the Azores or the Canaries on the way to the incredible Caribbean islands on offer.
We asked our team what their top long-haul tip was and this is what they said...
Beccy: I try to do as many destinations as possible when I go long-haul to make the most of the trip. The ones I love the most I can then extend my stay the next time I travel.
Mark: If you're flying to the US from the UK, take a later flight in the day if possible so you can head to bed when you arrive and get used to the time difference. On the return, consider early-morning departures from the US, so you can do the same when you land and come home
Shell: Long-haul often needs more planning, so book early to ensure not only do you get the best prices, but you have time to plan for things you might need like visas or medications.
