Friday night is party night on P&O Ferries' (08705 202020) biggest ship, the Pride of Bilbao, which leaves Portsmouth in the early evening for a night of cross-channel partying, including tribute nights to the likes of Abba and Madness. Spend the morning shopping in Cherbourg, then be home in time for tea. Prices are from £29 per person based on two people sharing a cabin on the way out. Meals and drinks are extra.
Nothing much happens in Berlin before midnight so the new, low-cost flights from Stansted, one of which departs at 8.15pm and arrives at 22.55pm, will get clubbers there in time to head for eastern districts of Mitte, Frieddrichshain and Prenzlauerberg for the best clubs. Stagger back to the airport for the 6.15am flight home. Fares are between £60 and £120 return with Air Berlin (0870 738 8880).
Sleep if you must but what a waste of a night in Madrid, when everyone leaves the restaurants for the bars and clubs at 1am. Refuel for the return journey with a cafe con leche and churros, or breakfast at your hotel. Kirker Holidays' (020 7231 3333) overnight deal costs £279 per person based on two people sharing in a central three-star hotel. This includes any return scheduled flight from Heathrow with BA and a car with driver for transfers.
You can fly to Dublin for as little as £9 on a Saturday night with Ryanair, head for the pubs and bars, many of which stay open until midnight, and then go clubbing, although most clubs shut at 3am so you might need somewhere to crash before flying home on Sunday morning - earliest flight back is the 6.30am to Stansted. Alternatively, try the 24-hour Merrion Casino in Merrion Square which lets you join on the spot. 'Early house' pubs open again at 7.30am. The best is the spit-and-sawdust Cobblestone in North King Street. Inbound Sunday flights are at least £30.
Fly out of Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic (01293 747747) on one of three early evening flights and arrive in New York in time for a night out in the city that never sleeps. Hipsters should head for the Meatpackers District for the most interesting clubs and bars. Catch the 8.20am flight back, or shop till you drop and leave early evening - but that would be cheating. For departures until 18 December an economy return flight is £208.
Staying up all night makes sense in Reykjavik as hotel rooms are so expensive. Booze isn't cheap either. So most people save themselves for Friday and Saturday nights, when many venues - which include Daman Albarn's Kaffibarrinn - are open till dawn. Fly out on Saturday from Heathrow at 1pm or 8.50pm (arriving for midnight when the clubs open) and return at 7.45am or 4.30pm on Sunday for £303. You can also fly from Glasgow but you'd have to make a weekend of it, although flights are cheaper at £251 return. Icelandair is the only carrier and also does packages (020 7874 1019).
