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1 - Watch fireworks
Pyrotechnics aren’t just for ship launches. Sail with Disney and every voyage features a fireworks display at sea – the only cruise line which does this. Theme nights include Disney characters and pirates.
Who does it? Disney Cruise Line
2 - See a West End show
Theatres on many of the newer cruise ships are bigger and better than those in the West End. The problem is many of the performances are of amateur dramatics standard. The exception is on Royal Caribbean’s new ships. Hairspray: The Musical features on Oasis of the Seas, Chicago on Allure of the Seas and Saturday Night Fever on Liberty of the Seas.
Who does it? Royal Caribbean International
3 Go star-gazing
With many cabins now featuring flat-screen TVs, cruise companies are finding imaginative new uses for their half-empty cinemas. On Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 you can take a virtual journey into space, viewing the stars and planets up close in a full-scale planetarium. Royal Caribbean has 3D films, while MSC and Carnival have gone even further with “4D” and “5D” performances – adding moving seats and other special effects.
Who does it? Cunard and MSC Cruises
4 - Get cooking
Want to improve your skills in the kitchen? You can watch a cookery demonstration on Holland America’s ships, where visiting chefs join crew from the galley. On Oceania’s new Marina and Riviera liners they take things a step further with a cookery learning centre in association with US foodie magazine Bon Appetit. Classes include The Art of the Tart and A Passion for Pasta.
Who does it? Holland America Line and Oceania Cruises
5 - Private tours
You can avoid the crowds at some of the world’s most popular tourist sites by taking the private after-hours tours on some cruises. The chance to stroll unhindered through the galleries at The Hermitage in St Petersburg is on offer with Saga Sapphire. And a private tour of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice on Voyages to Antiquity’s Aegean Odyssey provides a rare opportunity to descend into the crypt.
Who does it? Saga Cruises and Voyages to Antiquity
6 - Thrills, spills and grills
The Lawn Club Grill restaurants on Celebrity Cruises’ Silhouette and Reflection are outdoor barbecues where you do your own cooking. For £20 a head you choose your steaks, chops and fish, season them then slap them over the heat. On Carnival Breeze, Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ has the best pulled-pork sandwiches at sea.
Who does it? Celebrity Cruises and Carnival Cruise Lines
7 - Take a weight off your mind
With all that unlimited food around it might sound unlikely but a cruise ship can be one of the best places to lose weight. Alongside the steaks and lobsters, the restaurants have a huge range of salads. Add in a couple of sessions with a personal trainer in the gym and you could lose a pound a day – as I did on Celebrity Silhouette this year.
Who does it? Celebrity Cruises
8 - Become well-read
Books aren’t just for bagging a sunbed or a table in a self-service restaurant. Libraries have become a popular hangout on some cruises, with wood-panelled affairs on Cunard ships. Queen Mary 2 has 8,000 titles... but the world-beater is Swan Hellenic’s tiny Minerva, which has 5,000 books – 14 for each of its 350 passengers.
Who does it? Cunard and Swan Hellenic
9 - Brush up on painting
Rather than postcards or photos of your cruise, why not remember it with a painting? Cruises with Fred Olsen and Saga’s Quest For Adventure have regular watercolour classes. It’s free, though there may be a small charge for paints.
Who does it? Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Saga Cruises
10 - Learn powers of flowers
Paula Pryke, flower arranger to the stars, doesn’t just advise Crystal Cruises on floral decorations. She also travels on their ships, joining passengers on excursions to gardens and organising demonstrations on board. Next April she will be on Crystal Serenity for La Dolce Vita cruise from Barcelona to Venice, and in May she joins Crystal Symphony for its voyage from Los Angeles to New York.
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