The 20 best cruises for 2022

The 20 best cruises for 2022

Nothing can match the feeling of unalloyed joy at being at sea, or the excitement as your cruise ship slowly eases away from the dock. Even after more than a decade of writing about cruises, I still get that same thrill and sense of anticipation as I linger on deck to relish the romance of sailaway. I’ll never forget sailing out of New York on Cunard’s ocean liner Queen Mary 2 as the band struck up the Rod Stewart classic Sailing. Knowing we wouldn’t see land for another seven days lent an extra resonance to our departure on one of the world’s great crossings. It’s these experiences that lure devoted cruisers like me back to the water time and time again. A fact that is being borne out by a rising tide of cruise bookings, which have gathered pace since the start of the year. Many operators have reported heightened levels of interest, with people treating themselves to extravagant voyages. James Cole, managing director of Panache Cruises, said: “The further ahead it is, the more people are booking longer trips to faraway places and spending more money as they make up for two years of not cruising.” Here’s our pick