News that Stelios Haji-Ioannou plans to set up a no-frills cruise line sent shudders of disapproval through the big-ship community. Is Easycruises trying to launch a floating Butlins?
Cruise deals
Stelios won't be launching his big orange boat until 2004, but there are cheap cruise deals to be had. cruises-4less.co.uk is offering a week in the eastern Caribbean for £428, 1st4cruising.com has a week in the Mediterranean for £359 and cheapflights.co.uk/holidays/Cruises/ an eight-night trip to the Norwegian fjords from £499. Cruisedeals.co.uk is a decent, if basic, agent.
Starting points
The best site for researching is ucs.mun.ca/%7Erklein/cruise.html, which links to all the major lines popular ports, and review sites (including the bitter NCL-Sucks.com). Cruisediva.com also proffers advice, while the vast Cruise2.com is best consulted once you have decided where to go. Cruisereviews.com, Cruise-reports.com, and Cruise-addicts.com all give in-depth ship reviews.
Off-beat cruises
RiverBarges (riverbarge.com) organises short cruises along the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers from $780 (£476). Lindblad (lindblad.com) circumnavigates the British Isles in 16 days from $6,990 (£4,629). Windstar Cruises (windstarcruises.com) and Peter Deilmann River Cruises (peter-deilmann-river-cruises.co.uk/) sail down the Po, Rhine, Oder, Moselle, Danube and Elbe.
