Olden destination guide with P&O Cruises

Spring Cruises

It’s been a long winter and it’s definitely time to shake off the cold weather and the warm clothes and get ready for summer with a cruise holiday to an exciting spring destination. So, where are some of the best areas to cruise to this spring…

Australia

As those of us in the northern hemisphere approach summer, those in Australia and the rest of the southern hemisphere are heading into winter. If you visit in spring you’ll enjoy the Australian autumn, which still has warm temperatures, without being too warm for walking around and sightseeing.

There are cruise ports in many of Australia’s great cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and the smaller Whitsunday Islands. In Melbourne you can explore The Great Ocean Road in a day, in Sydney you can admire the impressive Opera House and climb the Harbour Bridge, there’s something in Australia to suit everyone.

Repositioning Cruises

As the seasons change many cruise ships move from the Caribbean or South America to Europe and repositioning cruises can often be fantastic value. They usually have a large number of days and nights at sea, due to the fact they have a long distance to cover. This is perfect if you really just want to enjoy the features on board your cruise ship and really relax and unwind. It can be great for those who have hectic lives and really want to completely unplug and recharge their batteries during their holiday time.

The Netherlands

Spring is the perfect time to take a river or canal cruise through The Netherlands. After a cool winter The Netherlands begins to thaw out and enjoy comfortable spring temperatures and longer, sunnier days.

Spring is also the time when the flowers, particularly the tulips, bloom in The Netherlands and the country becomes awash with colour. The world’s largest floral display takes place in Keukenhof Gardens around 40 minutes from the vibrant city of Amsterdam. It’s a wonderful sight to see hundreds of acres of fields covered in all the different colours of the rainbow. There are over 7 million tulip, hyacinth and moreThe tulips are in bloom in Keukenhof Gardens from the end of March until the middle of May and are definitely worth the trip.

So, now you know the best cruises and areas to travel to this spring, what’s stopping you from booking that perfect spring getaway?

Stunning Stockholm

Sweden’s exciting capital city Stockholm is undoubtedly one of the highlights of a cruise of the Baltic. The city is surrounded by water and has a fantastic position within a beautiful archipelago. Stockholm’s archipelago is vastly expansive and has more than 30,000 islands and islets.

The islands are all different shapes and sizes. Many have homes built on them of which the majority are holiday homes for the people of Stockholm to escape to in the warm summer months. Some of the islands are large and have miniature communities living on them, almost like little villages. Others are small and have only one house on them. Do you think you’d want to live in a house on an isolated island? I think it would be quite cool to have to take a boat everywhere although perhaps I might think differently during the long winter months that Stockholm has where temperatures are low and much of the archipelago freezes.

There are many different companies that offer small boat trips around the archipelago and it’s actually a really great way to get around. Most companies offer hop-on hop-off services which allow you to stop and explore different islands and areas of the city. You can even get to Gröna Lund Amusement Park, which is on one of the islands, by boat. Perfect if you’re travelling with children!

Another great place you can get to by boat or otherwise in Stockholm is the Vasa Museum which displays the only almost completely intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged. It’s said to be the most visited museum in Scandanavia and for good reason. It’s pretty fascinating to learn about the Vasa ship, the people who sailed on it and their life on board.

My favourite part of Stockholm is the Gamla Stan, the most well preserved medieval city centres in the world. In this area you’ll find The Royal Palace, where you can watch the parade of the soldier as part of the daily changing of the guards. Get there early though as it’s quite popular and gets crowded.

There’s lots to do in Stockholm for people of all ages and of all interests. It’s a great city for people interested in museums and culture, for those interested in shopping (and window shopping!), and for those who simply want to explore as much as they can on foot.

One of the best parts of visiting Stockholm on a cruise holiday is sailing into or away from port through the beautiful, natural archipelago. It’s a really enjoyable sail with some wonderful scenery that you’ll love.

The Charming City of Edinburgh

If your cruise ship is scheduled to dock in the Scottish port of Leith it is only a very short bus or taxi ride from here into the charming city of Edinburgh. Scotland’s capital city is picturesque and has charm and history in abundance. The city is overlooked by the imposing structure of Edinburgh Castle which sits atop an extinct volcano. If it is your first visit to the city then Edinburgh Castle is a must see attraction.

The road leading up to the castle is appropriately titled The Royal Mile (which at 1.1 miles is actually a Scots mile!). The Royal Mile is peppered with many mysterious looking closes, many of which have interesting tales to tell. For example, Mary King’s Close is the entrance to a collection of streets that run underneath the city. Rumour has it that after a breakout of the plague here in 1600s the streets were bricked up and the people left inside to die. As a result there are many ghosts said to be wandering the underground streets!

Just off The Royal Mile is an area called The Grassmarket where visitors to the city will find an abundance of cute shops and colourful cafés. The area is full of independent retailers so it’s the perfect spot to get a real flavour of the city, rather than visiting shops and cafes owned by the same international brands that can be found all over the world.

At the heart of Edinburgh visitors will find Princes Street and Gardens. The perfectly manicured gardens are a great place to walk through on a rare sunny day in the city in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. Princes Street itself is lined with shops if you’re looking for treats for yourself or friends at home.

If you enjoy a spot of walking, or just want to burn off some of the extra calories you’ve no doubt indulged on during your cruise, then walking up Arthur’s Seat is a great idea. It’s an easy, comfortable walk that gives visitors some spectacular views of the city on the way up and from the top. Even on a hillside overlooking the city visitors can still experience some of the history which makes Edinburgh so intriguing. The remains of St. Anthony’s Chapel, which dates all the way back to the 15^th century can be found on the hill.

Edinburgh is a city which has something to offer everyone. From charm and history to chic shops, bars and restaurants, there’s something to please any visitors to the city. 

Family Friendly Cruise Ships

In a world where cruise holidays are becoming increasingly family friendly it’s important to know which cruise companies and ships have features that will appeal to you and your children and keep everyone happy throughout your holiday. Whilst there are many ships that don’t have too many features that will appeal to your children, there are some that build the holiday experience around the children’s enjoyment.  

Disney Cruise Ships

Disney Cruises Line has four different cruise ships, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. Disney is definitely regarded as the pioneering cruise line for family cruises, and for good reason. Each of Disney’s cruise ships is extremely family friendly with so many activities and experiences to keep kids and adults entertained for the duration of their cruise.

Disney ships have different Disney characters on board that your children will surely love to meet and interact with. There are Broadway style shows and sing and dance along experiences which feature Disney characters and are sure to capture your children’s interest.

Disney cruise ships also have a whole host of adventurous activities for your children to get involved with. From water slides to lazy rivers to children’s only discos and arcades, there’s bound to be something to keep children of all ages entertained whilst on board.

Royal Caribbean Oasis Class Ships

Oasis Class ships are the newest and most modern of Royal Caribbean’s fleet and have a whole host of exciting and innovative features that are sure to keep your children busy from the beginning to the end of your cruise.

Both Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have revolutionary amphitheatre style Aqua Theatres with exciting shows on throughout your holiday, ziplines where you can zip through the centre of the ship, rock climbing walls, H2O Zones, carousels, surf simulators and much much more. There’s definitely something to keep children (and adults!) entertained every single hour of the day. 

Both Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas also have the DreamWorks Experience on board which means children can meet and hang out with some of their favourite movie characters during their trip.

There are so many different things for children to do during a family cruise holiday. On each of the cruise ships listed above there’s adult only options, supervised children’s clubs and on certain ones there’s even babysitting services which mean the adults can enjoy some peaceful, luxurious and probably much needed child free time- it’s the best of both worlds!