Festive cruising continues to gain momentum with many cruise lovers seeking a tonic before, during or in between Christmas and the New Year to immerse themselves in the season’s vibrancy and bonhomie.

The Danube, a majestic waterway which Napoleon called the ‘Queen of European Rivers’, is the only river in the world to border ten countries. Flowing 1,770 miles from Germany’s Black Forest to the mouth of the Black Sea, its rich, cultural diversity spanning Imperial cities, fairytale castles, vineyards, and wildlife make it an increasingly popular destination.

“I know loads of people on this cruise,” said solo traveller Sheila from Cornwall, “so I never feel alone, even though I have been a widow for 14 years.” And in that one breakfast conversation our unsolicited table-share guest had single handedly summed up Fred Olsen’s unspoken philosophy: there are no passengers on the line’s three ships, just extended members of the Olsen family!

Norway is a land of contrasts, from the historic and bustling city of Bergen to its famed lakes and mountain vistas. Norway's majestic fjords serve as its crowning feature. Here wild and wonderful glaciers and powerful waterfalls nestle side by side with picture postcard villages and fruit-growing orchards. No matter how many times you visit Norway, there’s always something new to be seen.

Jet lag can be the downside of flying high, particularly on long-haul, and is an inevitable consequence of international air travel: the further you fly, the worse it gets. It can impair cognitive functions, interfere with metabolic cycles, and ruin sleep patterns. However, while there is no silver bullet to zap jet jag, there is a lot you can do to diminish its effects.

River cruises can be a ‘gentler’ option for those keen to float their way to the next holiday destination, however, lack of information often leads to misconceptions and myths regarding river cruising. That’s the view of Will Sarson, Product Director at Riviera Travel who is setting out to put the record straight.

If the thought of being parted from your trusty mutt for more than a moment is painful, but the desire to go cruising is still in your blood, then panic ye not, cruising could be the answer! Google Trends data shows a 133% increase in “dog-friendly holidays” compared to 10 years ago.

Europe’s largest online travel agent for cruise holidays has listed its top five North West England sailings. Iglu Cruise’s offers include departures from Liverpool as well as fly/cruises from Manchester Airport.

Thanks to the rise of embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) technology, travellers no longer need to factor expensive international roaming charges into their holiday budgets. Unlike physical SIM cards, eSIMs are built into mobile devices and offer users multiple lines that can be switched at their convenience.

Fancy a summer cruise with a difference………abroad the world’s only luxury icebreaker. PONANT is offering a range of itineraries for Summer 2024 including, for the adventurous, time on board Le Commandant Charcot and the opportunity to explore some of Greenland’s more remote, frozen waters.

Sea sickness is a major concern for first-time cruise passengers and some people are event reluctant to take to the high seas for fear of feeling ill. However, there are many ways to combat this debilitating condition.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is the first cruise operator to have departed from Newcastle this year, offering a variety of sailings to warmer climes. Smaller ship Balmoral set sail on her first cruise of the season from the Port of Tyne, taking guests on a nine-night ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’ cruise.

Group Travel Editor for the P.ublished.com Media Titles, Phil Hopkins, takes a brief look back at 2023 and overviews where he’ll be visiting in the first quarter of 2024.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will soon welcome new CEO Samantha Stimpson, who has more than 25 years of commercial, operational and executive experience in the travel and hospitality industry. She joins the company from FTI Touristik, where currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering guests a free drinks package on a selection of 2024 itineraries. Running until 31st October, the drinks package will be available free of charge on cruises ranging from five to 32 nights on board Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral.

P&O Cruises has announced double on board spending money on applicable new Select Price holidays departing before December 31, 2024 when booked by October 2, 2023. It can be used for a variety of experiences including dining in the speciality restaurants, spa treatments, shore experiences or retail outlets.

A new P&O Cruises shore experience will allow travellers to rub shoulders with a Michelin star inspired chef, whilst shopping for and preparing the food they will eat the same afternoon in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon.

The Chief Operating Officer for the Ambassador Cruise Line, Nick Hughes, has issued the following statement to anyone travelling on one of the company ships: “All COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements have now been lifted! "We are pleased to advise that from Thursday 22nd June 2023, we lifted all COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements.

Havila Voyages has launched its first ever sustainability and human rights report highlighting the company’s ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2028 and for an emission-free coastal route by 2030. All ambitions, it says, can be achieved with its current fleet.

Savvy holidaymakers hoping to avoid hefty fees for overweight baggage charges are being offered top hacks before they head off on their travels. Low-cost airlines are notorious for stinging passengers exceeding suitcase or hand luggage allowances, with large fees. To some, they have become a key revenue earner, even trumping the actual flight cost.

The war in Ukraine has led to a boom in tourism to eastern European sea ports as cruise ships find alternative destinations rather than visiting Russian ports. It means as much as £100m could have been lost from the Russian economy in 2022 with tourists spending their money in Estonia and Latvia instead according to an analysis by luxury cruise retailer Panache Cruises.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled its Cruise Sale, with sailings from Newcastle starting from £749 per person, plus a choice of a free all-inclusive drinks package or on board spending credit, when booked by 31st January inclusive. The offer features 25 sailings, with durations ranging from five to 23 nights, with each cruise including Fred.

Thousands of Britons are going to the ends of the earth in search of a ‘digital detox’ and a return to those times when phones didn’t haunt every moment of your life! Luxury cruise experts Panache Cruises are reporting an increase in demand from those seeking to escape to locations beyond the reach of mobile phone signals and the internet.

Ambassador Cruise Line is helping travellers tick off bucket list destinations with a variety of new offers, valid for bookings made from now up to 31st January 2023.

Havila Voyages’ two ‘electric’ cruise liners have sailed into the World Heritage fjord of Geirangerfjord, using battery power almost four years ahead of Norway’s tough CO2 deadline.

An outing to the Titanic Belfast visitor experience may not be the most auspicious way to begin a journey to the Arctic Circle, however, it does serve to demonstrate how far cruising has come since that fateful day in April 1912.