Where the Dickens should you cruise to next?

where-the-dickens-should-you-cruise-to-next

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.

It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair . . . In short, it was time for another cruise.

If my opening words sound familiar, it’s only because they’re taken from the start of Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities. Besides being a fine work of literature, I believe this novel has a special message for cruisers.

Which itinerary?

One of the great delights of cruising is the chance it gives you to venture into several different places during a single holiday. The challenge, however, is knowing which itinerary to plump for, given there are so many cruise packages available.

To help you make that decision there are various strategies you can follow.

You may want to look for places that are rich in history and culture or full to the brim with entertainment and shopping opportunities. At the same time you may wish to throw into the mix a much-loved haunt or a few unfamiliar, even untouristy, destinations.

Iconic

But here’s something else you might like to try. Sometimes a simple, but effective strategy is to choose a holiday that delivers – in keeping with my Dickensian theme – two great cities.

Unlike the novel, they don’t have to be Paris and London, but they should be a couple of major destinations with lots to offer.

I’m sure your preferences will be different from mine, but for the record here are my top choices for cruises that will allow you to set foot in at least two iconic cities.

Hong Kong to Singapore

If you’re thinking about a trip to the Far East, then these two destinations must surely be high up your wish list. As someone who’s been lucky enough to sail to both, I can confirm their cruiser appeal.

If you’ve only got a week and a bit to spare, then you might want to consider this 7 Night Far East Cruise on Legend of the Seas.

Setting out from Hong Kong on 12 November 2011, you’ll reach Singapore a week later, having called in at three Vietnamese ports along the way.

New York to Quebec

I’m often amazed at what you can achieve in just one cruise.

Take this East Canada cruise on Queen Mary 2. In 11 nights you get to explore seven different ports including the above two cities, each a major cultural centre for the English-speaking and French-speaking worlds, respectively.

Your holiday begins in New York on 21 September 2012. From there you sail to Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine, not forgetting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, before enjoying a two-day stay in Quebec. Then it’s straight back for a big finish at the Big Apple.

Athens to Rome

If you have a strong sense of history, then visiting these two cities in the same cruise has to be a dream proposition.

Well there are many ways to realise that dream, including taking this Mediterranean cruise on Wind Star. In just seven days you’ll be transported from the birth place of one ancient civilisation to the birth place of another.

Your holiday begins on 5 November 2011 when you sail from Athens. A week later, you’ll arrive in Rome by way of Civitavecchia, having visited five other locations including Messina in Sicily.

No disapproving looks

While my ‘two cities’ strategy might have a Dickensian ring to it, I can assure you
there’s nothing Dickensian about the lifestyle you’ll enjoy on a modern cruise liner.

On the contrary, you’ll find the food and living conditions to be of a high standard. And should you ask for more during a meal, you’ll not be met with disapproving looks of the kind visited upon Oliver Twist.

But there is perhaps one last Dickens connection worth mentioning. If you’ve just returned from your first ever cruise I’m confident you’ll be looking forward to your next one . . . with Great Expectations.

Bruce Beckett

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Posted in Cruising

05 Oct 2011

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