Mast admirer?
When it launched in 1902, the magnificent German ship the Preussen was the largest and fastest sailing boat in the world. The Royal Clipper, built in 2000, was inspired by the Preussen and is only the second fully rigged five-masted ship ever to have been created. Its 42 sails pay homage to its heritage, but the Clipper remains very state of the art: modern improvements include luxury accommodation - and a navigation system.
The ship can accommodate up to 228 guests, and during the summer it glides around the Mediterranean providing passengers with spectacular and romantic reminders of the past. Destinations include Italy, Sicily, the Balearics and Corsica, and there are trips throughout July to October.
Royal Clipper cruise prices start from £1255 per person. Call 01473 292229, or visit the Star Clippers website for more information.
Royal stationary
These days it never leaves Edinburgh's port of Leith, but in its day the Royal Yacht Britannia has crossed and re-crossed the world's oceans on its many voyages. Once the seabound residence of the Queen and Charles and Diana's floating honeymoon destination, the yacht was decommissioned in 1997 and made over into a fascinating floating museum: over a million people have trooped over the decks with the aid of detailed audio tour. You can see the royal bedrooms and state dining rooms in all their sumptuous glory, contrasting with the basic crew quarters below deck.
Admission £7.75. Call 0131 555 5566, or visit the Royal Yacht Britannia website for more information.
All at sea?
Get to grips with the sheets and sails and discover the difference between starboard and port - while taking it easy in the Greek sun. Activity Holidays has just added a new eight-berth, 35ft yacht to its fleet of yachts and day boats. Tuition follows the MCA (Mediterranean Cruising Association) syllabus. After a week's sailing, you could qualify for their Competent Crew certificate, or a Day Skipper certificate, which enables you to charter a boat in non-tidal waters. The learn-to-sail programmes have between four and six students per instructor.
Snacks, refreshments and a light lunch are provided on-board.
Prices, including flights, accommodation and tuition, start at £395. 01932 867418, www.activity-holidays.co.uk.
Barge in
Traverse the north of Scotland from Fort William to Inverness on a barge, through the rolling scenery, locks and waterways of the Caledonian canal. The Fingal of Caledonia is 128ft long and was converted from a cargo boat seven years ago. On board, the crew of five look after the eight mountain bikes, three windsurfers, various wetsuits, 16ft dinghy and of course, the passengers. The cabins are twin berthed and include a wash basin, lockers, central heating and curtains.
Prices from £185 for a three day cruise, including meals and use of bikes and wet gear.
Caledonian Discovery Limited, The Slipway, Fort William, Scotland. 01397 772167, Fingal-cruising.co.uk or Scottishcanals.co.uk.
Aye, aye, skipper
What's the best way to sail? Have someone else do it for you. Hire one of Toad Hall Caribbean's privately skippered yachts, and let a professional take the helm. They specialise in boats sleeping up to eight people, which come complete with crew and cook. All you have to do is lie back and watch as you weave in and around Grenadine, the British Virgin, Windward and Leeward Islands, sailing from beach to beach with the minimum effort, then dropping anchor and diving in.
Charters for two people start from around £400. Flights not included.
01548 852407, letsgocaribbean.com.
World away
See the whole world - or at least a large chunk of it - from the water, aboard the 940-passenger Crystal Symphony liner. The liner takes in 37 ports and 15 countries, and the entire trip lasts for 106 nights and costs a cool £34,380 per person. For that, you can expect 12 decks complete with staterooms, two pools, a gym, a Caesars Palace and a spa.
The cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and sails round South America via the tip of Antarctica, onto New Zealand and Australia, before heading back to Los Angeles. The journey is split into five legs and passengers can choose individual sections of the journey from £6,135 per person.
020 7287 9040, crystalcruises.com.
Land lover?
Love the sight of a boat but find the thought of being on water makes you go weak at the knees? Fear not. Cowes Week on the Isle Of Wight, (August 3 to August 10) plays host to a thousand boats, live bands, firework displays, gastronomic delights, marquees and celebrity spotting. It began in 1826 and is now the second largest sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon.
There's a sailing academy (01983 294941, www.uk-sail.org.uk) if you are determined to tackle the calm waters of the Solent and join the 8,000 competitors. Otherwise, if you just want to sample the carnival atmosphere, log on to cowesweek.co.uk.
For accommodation and travel arrangements call 01983 813800 or visit islandbreaks.co.uk.
Shannon shores
Don a peaked cap, peer under the rim and you could almost be Humphrey Bogart on the African Queen. Well, maybe not. But you can let your imagination go wild in the Emerald Isle while sailing along the 170 miles of the River Shannon past Celtic settlements and monastic ruins. All the moorings are free, and there are plenty of pubs and restaurants for eating and drinking if you want to stop and sample some traditional music. However, for those who prefer to stay on board, the cruisers all come with a cooker, fridge, shower and loo.
July prices start from £673 for a twin berthed 50hp cruiser, and include return crossings for car and passengers.
01892 677788, www.motours.com
Shelling out
The craggy headlands of Brest in Brittany are subject to nautical overload, home as it is to one of France's finest harbours and some very extravagant shell fish restaurants. Practically bombed out of existence during the second world war, most of the buildings are bleakly modern; however, the calm waters around the seven ports provide perfect practice grounds for would-be and experienced sailors. Kayaking, canoes, windsurfing, yachting, catamarans and scuba diving are all available for hire with or without lessons (www.eridan.org or www.reseauppp.com).
The area is currently enjoying some serious investment with the expansion of Oceanopolis - a superbly designed marine aquarium with separate tropical, polar and temperate zones - and Buzz has recently opened up a regular route to Brest from Stansted, making it inexpensive and accessible in under an hour for around £80.
Just like in the adverts
Can't resist beautiful beaches, beautiful people and dodgy adverts? A seven-day catamaran cruise of the Seychelles features a trip to La Digue - the setting for the both the Bacardi and Bounty ads. The area is blessed with marvellous natural beauty and sealife, including a giant tortoise colony and the wild mountainous island of Silhouette. The cruise also takes in Praslin - a Unesco World Heritage Site, known for its rare flora and fauna.
Prices start from £2,406, including flights, transfers and full-board accommodation on the cruise.
020 8864 4431, www.elite-vacations.co.uk
