RIVERS, LAKES & OCEANS

Cruising is it your cup of tea?

Cruising is no longer restricted to the high seas or island hopping. Today, you can explore Rivers, Lakes & Oceans, there being a ship to suit every budget and you choose where and how much luxury you want to pay for. You can cruise from your very own home port or fly / cruise to those often dreamed about far-flung and exotic destinations.

The choice is overwhelming which is where @Leisure comes in – we love cruising and will help find the perfect cruise holiday for you – be it an Ocean going liner, a Chinese Junk around Halong Bay in Vietnam or perhaps wandering down the waterways of Asia, India or Europe is more your style?

The advantages of cruising are numerous. Here we look at why and what your options are.

 

ALL INCLUSIVE – GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY

Cruising offers great value because everything is included in the one price: accommodation, transportation, entertainment and meals—some packages even include airfare. And the all-inclusive nature of most cruises gives you an unbeatable deal, especially for families. This means peace of mind as you know what your holiday will cost up front. For those looking for a little extra luxury you have the option to upgrade your cabin, eat in fine-dining restaurants and upgrade to deluxe excursions when in port.

BEGIN RELAXING BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Planning holiday itineraries can be stressful. Whereas cruising takes the guesswork out of the planning process—all you have to do is choose a cruise itinerary, type of cabin you want and you’re done! Cruise itineraries have been thoroughly research and put together by experts, meaning you don’t have to spend hours researching what to do and see at each destination. There is one other thing to decide on – what does the ship offer in terms of entertainment, relaxation & activities. Some ships are now targeting the active traveller with Indoor Rock Climbing, Ice Rinks, Surf Simulator Pools & Flying foxes. Themed cruises are popular; there’s the family favourite Disneyland’s Disney Dream or culinary theme hosted by famous chefs (river cruising is good for this) Whatever your preference there is a cruise to suit you.

UNPACK ONCE – SAME BED EVERY NIGHT!

The best part of cruising whether at sea or on a river cruise – you get the same bed every night and you unpack your bags once for your entire holiday. To see several destinations during your holiday Coach tours and even self-drive trips require you to stay and unpack in a different hotel every night—on a cruise your belongings stay in your cabin and all you have to worry about is what to wear. Cruising gives you a chance to truly switch off and relax.

EXOTIC THE EASY WAY

Cruising is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to travel further afield to exotic destinations. It removes obstacles that can often make international vacation planning complicated—you no longer need to worry about visas, customs, transportation, or language barriers.

Cruises also offer seamless transportation from the ship to your destination, and English-speaking tour guides are always available on excursions. Whilst in port you have the benefit of being close to all the action yet your hotel bill will not shock you when you leave.

SEE MORE OF THE WORLD

Cruising allows you to visit several destinations in one trip, yes they will be for shorter periods but you won’t miss out on any of the ‘must see’ places of interest in the limited time you may have to take a vacation.  Cruises today offer something and somewhere for everyone. From Around the World Cruises in 180 days, visiting 44 countries to exploring specific regions – Antarctica, Caribbean, India, Vietnam, Russia, South Africa, European Waterways, The Mediterranean, Alaska, Australia, the Pacific Islands, even the North Pole is waiting for you to visit!

RIVER CRUISING

River cruising is a much more intimate way to see the world, with smaller guest numbers on board, higher staff to guest ratios and larger cabins, everything is handcrafted to make your experience unique and personal.

 All drinks and shore excursions are included and early reward deals often mean that your flights are included too. Once you board your flight you’ve nothing else to spend.

River cruises offer you the maximum time to explore your chosen destination. You dock right in the heart of a city which means no long transfers or waiting times to reach the sights. You can literally stroll off the ship and you’re there.

Again because of the size of your Scenic Ship you won’t have long embarkation and disembarkation times. From arriving at the ship you can be in your cabin within minutes.

There’s no standing in long queues waiting to get on and off the ship. Thanks to the gentle nature of the rivers we traverse, along with the engineering excellence of our ships, sea sickness is not something you need to be worried about on a river cruise.

With a river cruise the scenery is constantly changing as you slowly glide down the river. From villages to castles, beautiful landscapes to temples, there is always something new just around the next river bend.

Where can you River Cruise?

Scenic River Cruises (for luxury, modern ships and all-inclusive cruising) operate in Europe, France, Portugal, Russia, Vietnam & now Myanmar

Pandaw Cruises operate their own luxury small ship river cruises on the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia; the Red River and Halong Bay in Vietnam; Laos, China and Thailand on the Upper Mekong; the Irrawaddy & Chindwin rivers in Burma.

India – @Leisure in conjunction with India Unbound is running an escorted cruise tour to the Bengal region of India. Something completely different and magical, a must do – Aril 2017