Ocean, river, expedition, and luxury small ships
Cruising covers a wider range of travel than most people realise — from large ocean liners carrying thousands of passengers to expedition ships with fewer than a hundred. Richard has arranged cruises across all seven continents and knows which lines, ships and itineraries are worth booking. He will match you to the right cruise for the way you want to travel, not just the one that is easiest to sell.
Plan your cruise30 years of cruise experience
Cruise lines each have a distinct character — the age profile of their passengers, the atmosphere on board, the quality of the food, the style of entertainment. What works brilliantly for one traveller is completely wrong for another. Richard has been arranging cruises long enough to know the differences, and he will ask you the right questions before he makes any recommendations.
He also knows the practical details that brochures gloss over — which cabin grades are genuinely worth the upgrade, which shore excursions are better booked independently, which itineraries are rushed and which give you enough time in each port. That kind of knowledge comes from experience, not from reading a website.
Talk to Richard about cruising
Types of cruise
The classic cruise experience — large ships, multiple ports, a wide range of onboard facilities and entertainment. Lines like P&O, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian and MSC each have a distinct character. Richard knows the differences and will steer you towards the right one for your or your group.
Smaller ships, slower pace, and destinations that larger vessels cannot reach. European river cruises — the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Douro — are popular for good reason: you dock in the heart of towns and cities, and the scenery is constantly changing. Lines like Viking, Scenic, Emerald and AmaWaterways each offer a different experience.
Purpose-built ships for remote destinations — Antarctica, the Arctic, the Galápagos, Patagonia, the Norwegian fjords in winter. Small groups, expert guides and a very different kind of travel. Lines like Hurtigruten, Quark, Lindblad and Ponant specialise in this.
High staff-to-guest ratios, bespoke itineraries and access to ports that larger ships cannot reach. Lines like Seabourn, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas and Azamara offer a fundamentally different experience from mainstream ocean cruising.
When cruise lines move ships between seasonal regions — from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean in autumn, or from the Caribbean back to Europe in spring — they offer one-way sailings that can represent exceptional value for money. Itineraries are often longer and more distinctive than standard round trips, with a mix of ports and sea days that suits travellers who enjoy the voyage itself. The main consideration is the return journey: flights, transfers and any overnight stays need to be factored into the overall cost. Richard will help you work out whether a repositioning cruise makes sense for your plans.
From time to time, Richard hosts selected cruise departures, where Carry On Travelling clients travel alongside Richard, one another and the wider group of guests on board. It is a welcoming way to travel — particularly for people travelling on their own — with the chance to share the experience and enjoy the social side of the journey. These are hosted departures within wider cruises, not exclusive small-group trips.
Worth considering
Repositioning sailings happen when cruise lines move their ships between seasonal regions — typically from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean in autumn, and back again in spring. Because these are one-way voyages, they often include a broader mix of ports and more sea days than a standard round trip, which suits travellers who enjoy the journey as much as the destinations.
Prices can be significantly lower than comparable round-trip sailings, but the full cost of the trip — including flights home, transfers and any overnight stays at either end — should be considered before booking. Richard will help you assess whether a repositioning cruise makes sense for your plans and budget.
Hosted group departures
From time to time, Richard hosts groups of varying sizes on selected cruise departures, choosing ships and itineraries he particularly recommends. Places are limited.
Current hosted departures include MSC Fantasia (January 2027), MSC Virtuosa — Mediterranean (June 2027) and MSC Euribia — Canary Islands (November 2027). See below for full details.
MSC Cruises
Balcony cabin
£855 pp
Per person, based on two adults sharing a Balcony cabin
Inside cabin
£738 pp
Per person, based on two adults sharing an Inside cabin
Need flights? Contact Richard to ask about flight options.
Ask Richard about this cruise Full details on the departures pageMSC Cruises
Inside cabin
£1,185 pp
Per person, based on standard double occupancy. Flyer price — please enquire for current availability and inclusions.
These are flyer prices. Availability, inclusions and current pricing require confirmation before booking. Enquire with Richard for the latest details.
Need flights? Contact Richard to ask about flight options.
Ask Richard about this cruise Full details on the departures pageMSC Cruises
Inside cabin
£790 pp
Per person, based on standard double occupancy. Flyer price — please enquire for current availability and inclusions.
These are flyer prices. Availability, inclusions and current pricing require confirmation before booking. Enquire with Richard for the latest details.
Need flights? Contact Richard to ask about flight options.
Ask Richard about this cruise Full details on the departures page
A favourite itinerary
Explore Norway’s dramatic fjords with a cruise planned by Richard. Summer offers long daylight hours, while winter may bring snowy scenery and, on routes into northern Norway, opportunities to see the Northern Lights. Conditions and sightings vary. Richard helps you choose the right ship, itinerary and season for your interests.
Summer (May to August) for the midnight sun and long days. Winter (November to February) for the northern lights — but check the itinerary carefully, as not all winter sailings go far enough north.
Smaller ships get into the narrower fjords that larger vessels cannot reach. Hurtigruten and Havila sail the coastal route year-round; expedition lines like Ponant and Hurtigruten Expeditions go further.
P&O, Fred Olsen and others sail directly from Southampton, which avoids the airport entirely. Fly-cruise options give more flexibility on dates and can be better value.
Bergen, Flam, Geiranger, Alesund and Stavanger each offer something different. Richard will advise on which shore excursions are worth booking and which are better done independently.
Everything around the cruise
Fly-cruise packages or independently arranged flights — Richard advises on the best option for your dates and budget.
A night or two before embarkation or after disembarkation can make a significant difference to the trip. Richard arranges these as part of the overall booking.
Inside, outside, balcony or suite — Richard explains what each grade actually means on the specific ship you are considering, not just in general terms.
Richard advises on which excursions are worth booking through the cruise line and which are better arranged independently. He will also flag what is and is not included in the headline price.
Lines Richard works with
Richard has relationships with all the major cruise lines and can advise on which suits your budget, travel style and preferred destinations.
Where Richard arranges cruises
Greece, Italy, Croatia, Spain and Turkey. Summer sailings from Southampton, Barcelona and Venice.
One of the most dramatic cruise itineraries in the world. Best in summer for the midnight sun; winter for the northern lights.
Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries. Year-round sunshine, a huge range of ships and price points.
Expedition cruises departing from Ushuaia in Argentina. The most remote and extraordinary destination Richard arranges.
Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Tallinn and St Petersburg. Best in summer when the days are long.
Winter sun sailings from Southampton. MSC, P&O and others run regular itineraries to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Madeira.
Useful to know
Each line has a distinct character — age profile, onboard atmosphere, food quality, entertainment style. Richard will ask you the right questions and steer you towards the right fit.
Cabin choice makes a significant difference to the experience. Richard will explain the options clearly — inside, outside, balcony, suite — and what each one actually means on the ship you are considering.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Richard will advise on whether to book a fly-cruise package or arrange flights independently, based on price, flexibility and ATOL protection.
Drinks packages, gratuities, shore excursions and speciality dining are often sold separately. Richard will make sure you understand exactly what you are paying for before you book.
A rough idea is enough — the destination, the type of ship, who is travelling, when. He will come back with options.
Enquire about a cruise