The number of people booking solo travel is increasing every year; in fact in 2015 we arranged almost 20% more solo cruise bookings than we had in the previous year. Cruising is the perfect way to tick off those much yearned-for destinations on your bucket list, in the most luxurious of surroundings, where you can select from a range of social activities and entertainment to suit.
Laura Lamb, Head of Product & Media at Reader Offers Limited, has gathered five alluring travel itineraries for you to consider this year.
1. Rome to Athens
This 11-night cruise aboard the Aegean Odyssey has no single supplement and provides the height of traditional elegance with all of the modern conveniences of a first class ship in the most relaxing of atmospheres with the highest quality personal service.
The Aegean Odyssey carries around 350 passengers making it perfectly suited to cruising the small inlets inaccessible to larger ships. Beginning in captivating Rome this cruise follows the Italian coastline south taking in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, then two stops in Sicily before heading east for an exciting Grecian tour, which includes Corfu, Nafplio on the Peloponnese, the breathtaking island of Santorini, and Mykonos, before the final stop in Athens.
Accommodation is full board with complimentary drinks and there are 12 full escorted shore excursions included. On board, you can enjoy expert lectures and guest speakers on the wonderful destinations you will be exploring.
2. Rhine Treasures
This seven-day all-inclusive voyage along the Rhine aboard the ocean yacht inspired, boutique size, MS AmaVenita enables superior access to small riverside towns and villages, presenting a truly intimate cruising experience – and all with with a special solo offer price. MS AmaVenita is part of APT’s Concerto River Ships, which are considered the grandest ships on Europe’s rivers and you can expect exclusive facilities, spacious suites and incredible standards of service.
All sightseeing, shore excursions and onboard entertainment are included on this tour which sets off from Basel, Switzerland. The first stop is Breisach in Germany where you have two choices: a visit to Triberg, home of Black Forest Gateau inventor, Josef Keller, or a trip to the medieval city of Colmar located along the Alsatian Wine Route. Next up is the town of Speyer and then the Rhineland-Palatinate capital of Mainz, onto Cochem before arriving in one of Germany’s oldest cities, Bonn.
Your cruise ends in the colourful cosmopolitan capital of Amsterdam.
Scheduled flights and home to airport transfers are included. This particular cruise is departing in April and guests are asked to enquire directly regarding availability.
3. Greek Isles & Adriatic
An 11-day cruise aboard the Azamara Journey is perfect for the most discerning of travellers. With a capacity of just 686 guests, this is a luxury cruise that takes you away from the crowds and can be enjoyed at your own pace while taking advantage of two speciality restaurants, a spa and a full itinerary of live entertainment. This cruise is not free of single supplements but there are some fantastic rates for singles paying just 125% of the double occupancy fares.
The voyage begins in the exotic city of Istanbul before heading to Kepez; the gateway to the settings of major battles in two wars: Troy in the Trojan War and Gallipoli during World War I. Next is Kusadasi which provides access to the ancient civilization of Ephesus, second only in size to Rome during the Roman Empire. The voyage then takes in the Greek Islands of Paros and Santorini before heading for the Adriatic to include the beautiful bay of Kotor in Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Croatia’s centre of culture, Hvar, and then Opatija in Western Croatia. The last two days of your cruise are spent in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Venice; home to the 900-year-old Basilica of St Mark and a city that is probably best explorred by gondola.
4. Athens to Venice featuring the Orient Express
Aboard the newest of Seabourn’s Six-Star ships, the Encore, you will embark on a 13-night trip on its maiden Mediterranean Season which begins in Athens. It culminates in Venice with a once in a lifetime journey on the unforgettable Orient Express. Amidst the height of luxury, this all-inclusive cruise offers spacious accommodation, exquisite menus and impeccable service.
Starting with a five-star hotel stay in Athens you will transfer to the Port of Piraeus to meet your ship where you will head for the Island of Monemvasia, Greece. Further stops include Katakolon and Syvota before you make your way to Brindisi in Italy, set on a peninsula between two arms of the Adriatic Sea.
It’s then onto Dubrovnik and Primosten in Croatia before the cruising element of your voyage ends in awe-inspiring Venice. Here you will spend four nights in a five-star star hotel enjoying all that this wonderful city has to offer. It will then be time to make your way to the railway station for one of the most memorable departures of your life. Once aboard the Orient Express all you need do is sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery interspersed with the finest of dining until you arrive in London.
5. Far East & Australia
For solo travellers, this 24-night cruise of the Far East and Australia takes place aboard Silverseas’ Silver Shadow; a ship that outshines many others to offer passengers a personalised and sophisticated cruising experience.
Silver Shadow maintains the Silverseas reputation of all-suite luxury, while still being wonderfully intimate making you feel as though you are on your own personal yacht. While on-board, you can take advantage of the incredible amenities including 24-hour complimentary butler service, inspirational dining, designer boutiques and a health spa.
The cruise begins after a one night, five-star hotel stay in Singapore. You then transfer to the ship and once aboard head for Indonesia for stops in Jakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Bali and Komodo, home to the world famed Komodo Dragon. It’s then time to head for Austrailia’s Northern Territories and the city of Darwin. The cruise then follows the Austrailian coastline with stops in Cooktown, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane before ending in the iconic city of Sydney where you will have two nights to experience the sights before heading back to London.
Reader Offers Ltd is the UK’s number one cruise specialist and has spent the past 20 years’ working with the world’s most exclusive cruise lines to create tailor-made luxurious and inspiring cruise holidays.
For more information on the itineraries and destinations mentioned or for details regarding exclusive offers, telephone 0845 604 7479. Alternatively, search to find your cruise at readeroffers.travel/info
