Another day, another country

Gilly Pickup explores the magic of a mini cruise.

CRUISING doesn’t have to mean spending endless days on the ocean waves. Mini cruises, usually lasting between two and five nights, are ideal for those who prefer a short break. They also offer a ‘dip-your-toe-in’ sample of cruising, so you can decide if this type of holiday would suit you. You often get more for your money than you do with a land-based holiday too as you usually visit two or three destinations in that time.

A couple of hours after leaving home amid leaden skies and heavy rain, our plane landed in Malaga on Spain’s southern tip. The full wattage sunshine cheered us immediately and we couldn’t wait to join Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas for our four-night mini cruise.

Until you see one of these behemoths of the ocean, it is quite impossible to convey how large and elegant these cruise ships are. The 14-deck Navigator is one of Royal Caribbean’s flagship vessels and holds just over 3000 passengers.

In a way, it’s more like a small town, with a 1400 seat theatre with nightly shows — we went to a Beatles tribute show which had the audience up on their feet, whooping and singing along. There are umpteen bars and lounges, innumerable eateries, an ice skating rink, inline skating track, 200 ft high rock climbing wall, nine-hole miniature golf course, spacious gym and Jacuzzis protruding from the ship’s side so while you relax you can look at the waves.

When you take into consideration the glittery casino with over 300 slot machines, library and daily activity programme — cookery, dancing, yoga, painting, photography — it’s plain to see you could never be bored. In the day spa besides regular beauty treatments, you can have those wrinkles zapped, have your teeth whitened, try acupuncture for weight loss — or simply chill out on the flotation bed.

The four-deck high Royal Promenade, described as a ‘shopping, dining and entertainment boulevard’, is where to find Vintages wine bar, the Two Poets pub, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream parlour, boutiques and speciality shops.

Though it was tempting to stay on board and take advantage of the ship’s facilities, it would have been a shame to miss the chance to see what our first port of call had to offer. Villefranche on the French Riviera is a charming coastal town peeking across the bay between Nice and Monte Carlo. Unlike its flashy neighbours, the pace here is treacle slow and laid back.

We explored the area independently and went to the open-air market to rummage among the stalls before lingering over coffee and croissants in a feet-in-the-sand café. When we saw a bus going to Nice, we hopped onboard and a few minutes later were in the chic town centre. We strolled through the Old Town, a web of blossomy squares and alleyways set out like a game of snakes and ladders, poked our noses in a variety of quirky shops and saw the famous flower market.

A stone’s throw further along the coast from Nice is Monaco. This tiny tax haven, playground of the rich and ruled by Prince Rainier, is a swish place that laughs in the face of cheaper competition. Although we arrived too late to see the Changing of the Guard at 11.55 am outside the Palace, we went to the Place de Casino, Monaco’s heart. This square never stops being impressive, from the ornate Grand Casino which pops up in James Bond movies, to the art deco Café de Paris and the casino gardens with their modern sculpture displays.

Then it was time for us to make tracks back to our floating hotel, all ready and waiting with palate-pleasing food. For those who declare children and cruising don’t mix, this ship is the ultimate playground for kids. The fully supervised Adventure Ocean club means parents can do their own thing knowing that their offspring are having the time of their lives in a safe environment. Children have their own dedicated spaces onboard too, including their own diner, disco and video arcade.

But time doesn’t stand still and before we knew it, it was another day, another country. Corsica this time, where unfortunately it was raining though that didn’t spoil our visit to the European Tortoises Protection Centre, which is home to turtles too. More than 180 species live here, from giant land-based specimens to babies measuring just a few centimetres as well as underwater monsters like the omnivorous crocodile turtle.

After our visit, we toured the capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and brimful of pretty patisseries, fashionable shops and a lively market with stalls piled high with fat figs, spicy sausages, cheeses, herbs smelling of sunny hillsides and soaps hand made from local honeysuckle and broom.

One more night on board, then all too soon our mini cruise was over. To me, these ships are fabulous floating hotels stuffed with more treats and surprises, more delights and luxurious experiences than most holidays offer. What’s more, you only have to pack and unpack once.

Pictures by Gilly and Mike Pickup.

For details about Navigator of the Seas 2010 itineraries see www.royalcaribbean.co.uk or call 0844 493 2061.
Cruise news Those who dislike flying can depart from and return to British ports. Cruise lines are increasing their round trip (from the UK) cruises every year to meet growing demand. Here are some no-fly cruise ideas:
Fred Olsen Cruises offer two, three, and four night no-fly mini cruises departing Southampton, Greenock, Rosyth and Dover from £169 per person. www.fredolsencruises.com or call 01473 742424. P&O Cruises are rolling out 128 ex-Southampton cruises in 2010 and offer customers coach transfers from 50 pick-up points across the country. www.pocruises.com or call 08453 555 333.	Royal Caribbean International offer no-fly cruises of 3 to 14 nights duration from Southampton or Harwich. Prices from £299 per person. www.royalcaribbean.co.uk or call 0844 493 2061. Holland America Line’s ms Eurodam operates round trip cruises from Dover in May and June 2010 www.hollandamerica.com or call 0845 351 0557.	NCL offer round trip cruises from Dover. www.ncl.co.uk or call 0845 201 8900. Noble Caledonia operate cruises from Scotland for destinations throughout the UK. www.noble-caledonia.co.uk or call 0207 752 0000.