Anna Selby checks into a cruise liner to sample honeymoon cruises.
When I went on the Radisson's 6-star cruise ship 'Mariner', I was a virgin. A cruise virgin, that is, eager to sample the delights of the world's first all-suite, all-balcony cruise ship. I discovered that cruises can be an ideal honeymoon trip, which versions to fit every budget.
Life on a luxury liner
If luxury is what you'd like on your honeymoon, the top end of the cruise market is hard to beat. Luxury is, in fact, everywhere from the moment you are given your welcome glass of champagne and shown to your suite. The 'Mariner' doesn't have any ordinary cabins and all the suites have a sitting room, bedroom, a gleaming marble bathroom with bath and shower and, best of all, a private balcony. This sold it for me. I soon discovered the joys of sitting on my lounger watching the sea and the sky and the birds go by and watching my stresses float away - the perfect antidote to the stress and excitement of the Big Day.
But there's more to life on a liner than lying around relaxing. For a start, there's the food. There are four restaurants on the 'Mariner', including the only floating Cordon Bleu - Signature - and, my favourite, Latitudes, with contemporary Eastern-fusion cooking. There are numerous bars and lounges, a casino, a night club and a theatre with a different show every night. If all this high living makes you feel guilty, there's a fitness centre and a jogging track around the top deck, where you'll also find the swimming pool and three jacuzzis. On the other hand, if you've decided the sybaritic life is for you, you can try out a range of health and beauty therapies in the Judith Jackson Spa.
What the cruise experience is like
Days at sea have a different rhythm: instead of you travelling through the world, the world moves around you. You go to sleep in the middle of an empty ocean and wake surrounded by islands. The ship does the work, moving the scenery for you. You just watch.
Days in port are different again. We stopped off at two destinations, Bordeaux and St Malo. There were plenty of organised excursions for each, but I preferred to take the launch into port and explore. This could be laziness (excursions often start very early), but my justification is that the DIY approach gives you the freedom to stop and shop, choose a restaurant for lunch or just wander.
If you spend two weeks on a cruise you cover a lot of ground - or water. This is one of the great bonuses of a cruise honeymoon as you get to visit not just one place but several, all quite different. So, if you think a cruise could be the honeymoon for you, how do you choose the right one? There are three main considerations: the type of cabin, your preferred destinations and, inevitably, the cost.
Your cabin is your home for the first weeks of your married life and you really should go for the best you can afford. It really does make a difference having a spacious, bright room - inside (no window) cabins are a definite no-no. Get one of these and the meaning of cabin fever becomes all too obvious
Where to cruise
Cruises can take you just about anywhere, so your destination is a matter of personal preference and affordability. The coast and islands of Scotland or the Norwegian fjords can be magic in June, while the Caribbean or the South Pacific are ideal winter destinations.
The cost of cruises may seem prohibitively expensive when compared with some other honeymoon destinations. Remember, though, that the price usually includes all meals and wine, on-board facilities such as theatres and night clubs - and of course transport. However, always check with your travel agent, as what is included in the cost can differ slightly between different companies. They all offer honeymoon packages but these will differ, too - again, check with your travel agent. But, to give you a few ideas, here is our guide to some of the top cruise companies:
- Radisson: 6-star luxury with worldwide trips from Scotland to Polynesia
Tel: 023 8068 2280
www.rssc.co.uk - Abercrombie & Kent: super-exclusive private motor yacht cruising in the Med with your own chef
0845 0700620
www.abercrombiekent.co.uk - Fred Olsen: mid-price worldwide cruises
Tel: 01473 742424
www.fredolsencruises.co.uk - Ocean Village: budget cruises for the active with parasailing and mountain biking in the Med and the Caribbean
Tel: 0845 358 5000
www.oceanvillageholidays.co.uk - Orient Lines: budget cruises in the Med, Scandinavia and worldwide
Tel: 0845 658 8050
www.orientlines.com - P&O: long-established company with worldwide and even world cruises
Tel: 0845 3555 333
- MSC: budget cruises with big discounts for early booking
Tel: 020 7637 2525
www.msccruises.com
Get more ideas on where to go on honeymoon, read about a romantic Jamaican honeymoon, plus get tips and advice on throwing the perfect wedding with the Wedding Planner.