CRUISE HOLIDAYS

39

Cruise lines, one place

Compare 39 cruise lines side by side — something no single line’s own website can offer.

50,000

Sailings to explore

Filter nearly 50,000 sailings by destination, date, ship, length and budget.

Live

Pricing & specials

Real fares and the latest offers, regularly updated so you’re seeing current pricing.

Free

No login, no obligation

Browse freely, then talk to us when you’re ready — we’ll handle the booking and the details.

Waking up in a new port each day

Short on time to plan, or simply prefer not to sweat the detail? A cruise is a carefully curated tour of a region by sea or river. Many ships — expedition vessels especially — offer expert talks before each port, and the line arranges shore excursions so you can explore properly. If you’d rather not spend your days by the pool, simply choose an itinerary rich in port days.

Never running out of things to do

An itinerary with plenty of port days answers most worries about boredom. If you like to keep busy, it comes down to the right ship: the largest ships offer endless facilities and entertainment, while small and mid-sized ships — usually in the premium and luxury space — spend more time off the ship, exploring.

A word on seasickness

The starting point is accepting you’ll be at sea or on a river. If you’ve struggled with motion sickness on a boat or ferry before, you may have a similar experience aboard ship. The exceptions: the very largest ocean ships, where you have little sense of movement, and river cruising, which is famously smooth — an ideal way to see Europe.

As social, or as private, as you like

On holiday, some of us love meeting fellow guests and hearing their stories; others treasure their own company. Cruising caters for both — and if you value your privacy, a medium to large ship offers plenty of quiet corners to slip away to.

The freedom of all-inclusive

Like a resort, a ship is a place you settle into for a while. If you usually prefer self-catering and doing your own thing, that can take adjustment — which is exactly why many luxury lines operate all-inclusive: once your fare is paid, there’s nothing more to think about on board, giving you the freedom to simply enjoy yourself.

Travelling solo

Cruises are usually priced per person on a twin-share basis, so solo travellers pay a single supplement — effectively less than booking the suite for two. Many lines release single-supplement specials soon after a sailing opens, so it pays to get in early, before the ship fills and twin-share pricing applies.

Where to, and for how long

For a first cruise, a shorter voyage — no more than seven days — is a gentle way to find your sea legs. If a particular destination is driving your plans, there’s usually a range of shorter itineraries to choose from, and close-to-home options around New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific are ideal. Cruised before? You may be ready for a longer voyage to somewhere new — and that’s exactly where our research and recommendations earn their keep.

Which cruise line suits you

The leading lines enjoy very high repeat rates — much like settling on a favourite airline, once a guest finds the style that suits them, they rarely change. Making that first choice can take a little trial and error, and the onboard styling and each line’s own claims about what sets them apart are good starting points. At Fine Travel we work primarily with the luxury and premium lines, which hold the standard our clients value while still offering plenty of variety.

Luxury & premium vs mainstream

Choosing between a luxury or premium line and a mainstream one is much like choosing a hotel: if you prefer five-star on land, you’ll likely enjoy the same at sea. The next question is the style of luxury — formal, white-glove and black-tie, or relaxed country-club elegance where the quality is exceptional but the mood is easy. Mainstream ships are larger and built around entertainment — think a busy resort with waterslides and endless dining.

Small, medium or large ship

Ship size tends to go hand in hand with your luxury preference. Luxury and premium lines favour small to medium ships (with notable exceptions such as Cunard), while mainstream lines run the large, entertainment-led vessels. Smaller ships — think boutique hotel rather than expansive resort — offer more port-focused itineraries and time ashore soaking up local culture. Larger ships bring more sea days, with the draw being the activities, dining and live entertainment on board.

All-inclusive or pay-as-you-go

To help guests relax into the holiday, many luxury and premium lines price on an all-inclusive basis. What that includes varies — for some it’s everything, tips and shore excursions included; for others those are extra. A final thought worth remembering: once the onboard costs are added up, a luxury or premium itinerary can sometimes prove more affordable than an equivalent mainstream one.

Starting on the same page

Delegating your travel planning is an important decision — holidays are precious and often too short, so they need to be done right. If you’re looking to save time by handing over the research, planning and booking, our commitment is to start on the same page as you, adding value rather than needing to be brought up to speed. As CLIA members, our consultants hold both association and cruise-line accreditations from the likes of Silversea, Seabourn and Viking.

An independent voice

There’s no shortage of information online, but you’ll rarely find a cruise line, airline or hotel that says “actually, we may not be the best fit — consider a competitor.” That’s the independent voice we bring. Our goal is to plan the right itinerary for you, not to push any one supplier’s agenda.

A single, consolidated itinerary

A cruise holiday usually involves moving parts — open-jaw airfares, pre- and post-cruise hotels, transfers — that need careful management. Rather than juggling separate printouts and documents, Fine Travel clients receive a single consolidated itinerary with everything in one place. We’ll send it electronically, and can also provide printed documentation in a traditional ticket wallet with luggage labels.

We handle the changes

One of the most frustrating parts of travel is having to change a carefully planned holiday — usually meaning calls to airline, cruise line and hotel call centres of varying helpfulness. When you need to change an itinerary we’ve prepared, we take that on for you, working directly within airline reservation systems and with trusted wholesale partners to smooth the process.