Winter cruise holidays: The wisdom of a winter escape

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This was published 8 years ago

Winter cruise holidays: The wisdom of a winter escape

By Sally Macmillan
The MSC Preziosa off Lisbon.

The MSC Preziosa off Lisbon.

Just as river cruising in Europe to visit the Christmas markets in November and December is becoming more popular, ocean cruising in the Mediterranean during winter is also on the rise. It might seem an odd choice when summer is in full swing in the southern hemisphere but there are several advantages of cruising "out of season" in Europe.

One major bonus of visiting European cities when the weather is colder is that there are fewer tourists, so you get to see major attractions without feeling suffocated by crowds or spending hours in a queue. Although many winter cruises operate in the eastern Mediterranean – Italy, Croatia, Malta, Greece, Turkey, and further south – Madeira, the Canary Islands – there are still several sailings that take in France and Spain in the western Mediterranean.

Lynne Clarke, the managing director of MSC Cruises Australasia, says the line has experienced a marked increase in demand for winter cruising in the Med. "MSC Cruises keeps two ships in the Mediterranean for the entire winter season to meet these high demands. We can attribute this rise in popularity to the diversity of our itineraries, especially our longer cruises; for example, an 11-night cruise aboard MSC Fantasia visits Italy and Greece, as well as Israel, while there are a myriad of options in both the east and west Mediterranean."

The spectacular Royal Clipper is packed with modern comforts.

The spectacular Royal Clipper is packed with modern comforts.

So, you might find yourself in the centre of Barcelona with space to move freely along Las Ramblas, or wandering through the narrow streets of Monaco's old city without having to queue to visit Princess Grace's grave in the imposing cathedral. A cold-weather Christmas is very appealing to those who enjoy all the traditional trimmings, and several major festivals, including Venice's famous carnival, take place in winter.

Another incentive is that fares are considerably cheaper than in the height of summer. You can cruise on MSC Preziosa or MSC Fantasia from just $45 a person, a day. Other lines operating winter cruises in the Mediterranean include Azamara Club Cruises, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Princess, Swan Hellenic Cruises and the new Viking Ocean Cruise line.

Celebrating Christmas at sea is also becoming a popular option – you can enjoy all the fun without doing the hard yards in the supermarket and kitchen. Viking Star will be cruising from Barcelona to Rome from December 22 to 30, so why not stay on for a couple of days and enjoy New Year's Eve, or La Festa di San Silvestro, as it's called, in the Eternal City?

Voyager of the Seas in Sydney Harbour, one of Geoffrey Ryan's favourite ports.

Voyager of the Seas in Sydney Harbour, one of Geoffrey Ryan's favourite ports. Credit: John McRae

MEET THE CREW

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NAME Geoffrey Ryan, from Australia

POSITION Hotel Maintenance Manager, Voyager of the Seas

Geoff Ryan is hotel maintenance manager on Voyager of the Seas.

Geoff Ryan is hotel maintenance manager on Voyager of the Seas.

MY JOB I'm responsible for the ship's overall appearance and oversee the maintenance of furnishings and fixtures in all the public areas and staterooms; I check that all the food and beverage areas, including the galleys, are functional so there are no problems catering for nearly 20,000 meals every day; and ensure all recreational water facilities are maintained to public health requirements.

MY TYPICAL DAY Starts each morning when I organise the day's schedule for the maintenance teams, and review any issues not resolved from the previous day. This is especially important for guest-related issues. I then co-ordinate the ship's maintenance call centre to arrange daily repairs.

FAVOURITE CRUISE MOMENT The first time I cruised the Inside Passage in Alaska. I got to witness the amazing natural scenery and wildlife up close – it was truly amazing.

FAVOURITE CRUISE PORTS Villefranche-sur-Mer in the French Riviera, for Monte Carlo and Nice; San Francisco for its awesome atmosphere; San Juan, Puerto Rico for its Spanish Caribbean culture; and Sydney, undisputedly the most spectacular harbour in the world to arrive or depart by ship.

INSIDER TIP Travel as light as possible – use the ship's laundry facilities and then you will have more space to take home all the goodies purchased on your adventure.

Tip

If you've got a baby on the way, it's worth bearing in mind that most cruise lines don't accept passengers who are 24 weeks pregnant by the end of the cruise. Check before you book and be prepared to supply a doctor's "fit to travel" note if you are expecting.

News

Tall Tales

How romantic … Star Clippers' Royal Clipper, the world's largest square-rigger, will cruise around the Greek Islands and Turkey for the first time over seven nights in September 2016. The inaugural Eastern Mediterranean sailing from Athens to Istanbul includes visits to Mykonos, Patmos, Camlimani, Dikili and Bergama. Royal Clipper accommodates 227 passengers who are looked after by 106 crew and while the magnificent ship looks like an apparition from a bygone age it has all the creature comforts a modern cruiser craves. These include an onboard sports marina – and a couch in the crow's nest, should you feel like climbing one of the five masts. See starclippers.com.

Crafted by Curtis

TV star, cookbook author, restaurant owner and all-round super-chef Curtis Stone has now added a partnership with Princess Cruises to his impressive portfolio. His "Crafted by Curtis" menus will make their debut in the main dining room on Golden Princess when the ship arrives in Australia this October. Following that, Curtis' specialty restaurants will be rolled out across the Princess fleet and he is also creating a Chef's Table menu. He said just the word cruise puts him in his favourite mood – "relaxed".

The first Australia-based ship to feature Curtis' Chef's Table will be Sun Princess, next year. Can't wait!

White Bay connection

Captain Cook Cruises has started operating a much-needed ferry service between the White Bay Cruise Terminal and the city, using a mobile passenger pontoon that's been christened "Beatrice Bush". The 15-minute ferry ride costs $7 one way and provides a quick, efficient service for visiting passengers and crew. The 16-metre-long pontoon is the first of its kind on Sydney Harbour and was designed and built in Australia. It can be used to provide access anywhere in the harbour where there is no passenger wharf – where will it go when it's not busy servicing cruise ships, we wonder?

Deal of the week

Sail from Sydney to Singapore on Royal Caribbean's new Ovation of the Seas with ecruising's 16-night Royal Ovation package. Departing on January 23, 2017, prices start from $4729 for a balcony stateroom and include two nights post-cruise accommodation at Singapore's Raffles Hotel, sightseeing and airfares. Phone 1300-369 848, see ecruising.travel.

MORE DEALS

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE Book a cruise from January 2016 to April 2017 with the Explore 4 promotion and enjoy specials such as a drinks package worth up to $3200 and 50 per cent off deposits. Valid for most of HAL's global destinations when booked by October 30. Phone 1300 987 322, see hollandamerica.com.au.

CRUISECO is offering savings for solo travellers on Myanmar river cruises onboard Cruiseco Explorer this year. Fares for the 11-night itinerary departing September 27 start at $5498 (more dates available); and from $7998 for the 17-night trip on August 31 and September 13. Air fares and accommodation included. Phone 02 9492 852, see cruising.com.au.

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