A World of Cruise | September 8, 2019

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY | September 8 • 2019 When I asked writer SARAH OLIVER if she’d like to go on a cruise with her family, she hesitated. Clearly she envisaged disco glitter balls, buffet queues and lurid carpets. Not this one, I explained. It was the perfect cruise for her family of nature-mad boys. Read about their Indonesian adventure cruise on page 20, where they slept on deck, snorkelled and swam in unbelievably clear water. I’m a cruise novice, too, and was a little unsure of what to expect from an invitation to Saga’s new boutique ship – Spirit of Discovery – naming ceremony. What a sensational ship. The experience sawme return to the newsroomwaving a brochure, preaching to whoever would listen about her sheer fabulousness (page 9). It’s just this sort of misconception about cruises that prompted expert CAROLINE HENDRIE to match personalities to cruises, so whether you’re an incurable romantic, a bookish sort or wowed by wildlife, there’s a trip for you on page 4. That’s why I felt jealous dispatching CLAUDIA JOSEPH for one I coveted – a historically immersive cruise where she discovered the decadent history of Catherine the Great, powerful empress, prolific art collector and serious gambler, on a cruise fromMoscow to St Petersburg (page 28). Elsewhere catch ALEX JAMES humbled by the Northern Lights, enjoy a gentle river trip in beautiful Bordeaux with FRANK BARRETT and read about the most glorious way to see Japan with small children by KATE CROCKETT. If you’re still cruise-curious, join DAVE MONK who asks those in the profession where their dream voyage would take them. Australia? Chile? You bet. While a staggering 28.5million cruises were enjoyed last year, here’s hoping we can tempt a few more of you to see the world with a cruise. from russia with love: The incredible treasures of Moscow the newwave: Go surfing on the FlowRider without leaving your ship CONTRIBUTORS Caroline Hendrie, Claudia Joseph, Robert Powell, Sara Macefield, Frank Barrett, Kate Crockett, Sarah Oliver, Alex James, Bridget McGrouther, Lewis Nunn, Esther Shaw, Dave Monk EDITOR Sarah Hartley ART DIRECTOR Zoe Attwell SUB EDITOR Gary Edwards PICTURE EDITOR Clare Rand Cover photo: Kelly Cheng/Getty Images. Inside: Steve Dunlop, Kevin Hogan, Marc Katzman, Eric Laignel, Alamy, Frank Heuer/Laif/Camera Press, 4Corners Images, Getty Images, Nature Picture Library, Shutterstock 4 28 the glorious galapagos: See the blue-footed booby on an exclusive expedition 26 EDITOR’S LETTER