Cruises

Cruising has become a popular way to explore some of the world's most stunning destinations, offering travellers the opportunity to experience multiple locations in one holiday. With luxurious amenities, varied entertainment options, and breathtaking views, cruises provide a unique and immersive travel experience. Southampton, a bustling port city on the south coast of England, serves as a primary departure point for many cruise itineraries, connecting intrepid explorers with exotic destinations.

The Mediterranean is a favourite among cruise enthusiasts, boasting picturesque coastlines and rich cultural experiences. Ports of call such as Barcelona, Rome, and Athens allow travellers to step off the ship and delve into vibrant cities filled with history, art, and delectable cuisine. A Mediterranean cruise not only showcases the stunning beauty of the region but also offers the convenience of visiting multiple countries without the hassle of constant packing and unpacking.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the Caribbean beckons with its warm sunshine, turquoise waters, and idyllic islands. Cruises in this region provide the perfect opportunity to hop between stunning destinations like the Bahamas, Jamaica, and St. Lucia. Each island has its own unique charm, from white sandy beaches to lush hiking trails, ensuring that there's something for everyone on a Caribbean cruise.

Cruising is particularly appealing for those seeking a stress-free holiday, as everything from meals to entertainment is often included in the package. Modern cruise ships are equipped with a myriad of facilities, including pools, spas, and diverse dining options that cater to every palate. This comfort and variety make cruising an attractive choice for both seasoned travellers and those new to the world of cruising.

Whether setting sail from Southampton to the Mediterranean for a cultural adventure or embarking on a tropical journey through the Caribbean, cruising offers a unique blend of relaxation and discovery. With the ability to visit multiple destinations in one trip, it continues to be a fantastic choice for wanderlust-filled travellers looking to create lasting memories on the high seas.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean International has the biggest and boldest ships at sea and is a world leader in innovation bringing what land holidays offer to the seas. With 29 ships sailing from destinations all around the world calling at over 250 ports, there is a cruise for everyone. Royal Caribbean takes pride introducing "first at sea" to their ships and is a family favourite for all age groups.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises are the largest privately owned cruise line in the World and have some of the largest, newest and most glamorous ships in the World. The family focused cruise line offers fun for the whole family and offers a huge choice of cruises from Europe. They also cruise in the Caribbean from ports in North America, as well as in the Middle East and South America. In 2026, MSC will make its debut in Alaska.

P&O Cruises

Britains favourite cruise line with 7 ships and over 180 years experience. From family friendly to adult only ships, P & O Cruises sail to over 70 destinations over the world. UK sailings embark from Southampton all year round on certain ships, and they also offer Caribbean fly-cruises in the winter months and have a ship dedicated to fly-cruises in the Canaries (winter) and Mediterranean (summer).

Ambassador Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line is the UK's newest cruise line and the only one that offers exclusive no-fly cruises. Sailing from eight regional UK ports, the two ships are aimed at the over 50's market and Ambassador offers the warmest welcome at sea. There are some multi-generational cruises available at various times of the year for the whole family can enjoy. There are varied cruise itineraries taking guests to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Norway.

Norwegian Cruise Line

With a fleet of 19 ships, there is a wide selection of itineraries available with Norwegian Cruise line embarking and calling at ports all over the world. The American cruise line is a firm favourite for families with their innovative new ships featuring some "first at sea" onboard entertainment venues. With Go-Kart tracks, waterslides, zip lines and climbing walls, the Norwegian have fun activities for all ages. Their newest ship will also feature a first at sea hybrid waterslide and rollercoaster the "Aqua Slidecoaster"

Disney Cruise Line

Where the Disney Magic meets the Ocean, Disney Cruises offer fun and relaxation for the whole family. With all the popular Disney Characters onboard, kids get the chance to meet their favourite characters at sea. Original award winning productions are performed during the evenings as well as amazing fireworks at sea. Disney's current fleet of 6 ships also offer guests of all ages an amazing holiday sailing from destinations including Europe, North America, Austalia and Asia

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises offer guests a premium cruising experience on its fleet of 15 stylish ships. With Michelin-star chefs curating globally inspired menus and spectacular Broadway inspired shows. Celebrity Cruises is and ideal holiday for couples who want to relax as well as visiting over 70 countries and almost 300 destinations all over the world. From the UK, Celebrity Apex will be departing Southampton from April to October 2025 as well as during the summer season in 2026.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruise Line has 16 ships in its fleet and is a great option for families and couples wanting to experience a premium cruise. Princess sails to some of the best locations in the world with over 300 destinations on 7 continents. There are dedicated spaces on their ships for children and teenagers as well as kids clubs of all age ranges which allows the adults the time and space to relax while onboard. Emerald Princess, Regal Princess and Sky Princess will all be sailing from Southampton from March to September 2025

Marella Cruises

Marella Cruises are a favourite for guests from the UK on fly-cruises from the Mediterranean during the summer months and the Caribbean and Canary Islands during the winter months. The fare is all inclusive which includes flights, luggage, airport transfers, cruise fare, meals, drinks and gratuities. There are five ships in the fleet of which four are family friendly, and the other is an adults only ship.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise lines are part of the largest cruise company in the world and are known as America's Cruise Line. There ships are typically family orientated and offer fun at sea. The ships mostly sail out of ports in North America, although they do have itineraries from the UK (Dover) and Europe (Barcelona & Rome) in the summer months. There are 27 ships in the fleet since the arrival of 2 ships from Costa Cruises (Firenze & Venezia) that offer "Fun Italian Style", with embarkations in Los Angeles, New York and Port Canaveral.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages currently have three ships in the fleet with a fourth ship coming in 2025. The line offers adult only cruises with food, entertainment and activities catered just for that market with the minimum sailing age being 18. As standard, the cruise fare allows access to 20 plus eating venues with menu's designed by Michelin stared chefs, WiFi, gratuities, soft drinks and water, group fitness classes along with award winning entertainment. There ships sail in the Caribbean and Europe with embarkations taking place in Portsmouth, Barcelona and Athens.

Explora Journeys

Explora Journeys are a fairly new luxury cruise line founded in 2021 by MSC Cruises. There are currently two ships in the fleet with a third coming in 2026 with three further ships planned for 2027 & 2028. In line with MSC's family approach, Explora Journeys cater for multi-generational cruisers so the whole family can enjyoy the experience. Infants between 6 and 23 months sail for free and children between 2 and 17 years can receive additional savings of up to 50% off the adult fare. The Explora ships sail in the Mediterranean (summer) and Caribbean (winter).