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The giant waterslide aboard the Carnival Spirit
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Best cruises for 2012
Cruising is not just for retirees splashing out with their super.
There’s something for everyone, writes Leah McLennan
Cruising is like dating: for it to be a success
your personalities need to match, the
venue must provide the right atmosphere
and you must be able to pay the bill. There are
cruises on offer in 2012 to suit everyone – from big
ships pumping with noise and children, to intimate,
quieter vessels with champagne on tap. There
are giant vessels plying the popular routes, while
others are heading off the beaten track, cruising
around icebergs or visiting far-off lands in West
Africa. For those who want to learn along the way
there are ships that offer on-board talks by academic
experts, while other ships are all about entertaining
the masses with flashy musicals and magic shows.
Australian cruise passengers will be spoilt for
choice with more ships than ever visiting our waters
next year. And cruising is no longer for the “nearly
dead”; there’s a cruise ship to suit just about
everyone.
In 2012, an estimated 20.3 million passengers
worldwide will take a cruise – the equivalent of
the population of Australia. Nearly half a million
of those passengers will be Australian. So are you
ready for your date with a cruise ship? But how do
you choose the cruise that’s right for you? Here are
some options for 2012:
Best for singles
P&O’s Azura is one of the few big ships with
dedicated single cabins which cruises mainly
Europe from Southampton. An indication of just
how popular they are is that the single rooms are
booked out for 2012 so planning ahead is crucial
to securing a berth. An alternative is P&O’s
Pacific Dawn which has a Salt Grill on board
serving up Aussie super chef Luke Mangan’s
specialties. The Week Fantastique cruise sails to
New Caledonia and Vanuatu from Brisbane over
seven nights. Prices vary with departure dates.
See www.pocruises.com.
Best for couples
Many ships are appropriate for couples but
Princess Cruises – the company that was made
famous by The Love Boat TV series – is especially
serious about its romantic offerings. It’s one of the
few cruise lines with captains licensed to perform
weddings at sea. Its ships also have a “romance
department” and offer classes, such as
rediscovering intimacy in your relationship.
Perhaps that’s why balcony rooms aboard the
Australian-based Dawn Princess, the ship
christened by the original Love Boat crew, already
are selling out for 2012. But there’s a Northern
Australia Explorer cruise departing Brisbane for
Fremantle via Indonesia and Broome from 30 May
from $3097.50 per person. See www.princess.com.
Best for seniors
Many seniors might prefer to stay away from the
noise and chaos of children, so they should
opt for a ship with minimal children’s facilities.
Cunard Lines’ legendary ships – Queen Mary
2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria are
especially popular with seniors and those
wanting to reminisce about the good old days of