No-fly and air-cruise deals are becoming increasingly popular with British holidaymakers. Around 20 cruise lines sail from British ports each year, on top of which there are the numerous fly/cruise options – the cheap, fast-track way to enjoy cruising the Caribbean.

The best cruise deals are those combining a high level of customer service with value for money, but beyond this every cruise line is different. Some companies place the emphasis on visiting as many ports as possible, while others focus more on the at-sea experience – take a look at the P&O cruises 2012 brochure to see what we mean.

Whether leisurely or not, the ship should have a wide choice of on-board activities and entertainment, coupled with an interesting, well planned itinerary. There should be plenty of variety in the ports-of-call, with options to explore alone or book shore excursions. Royal Caribbean International operates a fleet of huge “floating resort” ships, which offer everything in the way of on-board excitement from zip wires to ice skating, coupled with visits to numerous interesting destinations including Barcelona and the Canary Islands. A great choice for families with teens, a plus point is that RCI offer year-round cruise deals from Southampton on the huge Independence of the Seas – so there’s no need to fly.

Another thing that marks a good cruise is high quality food – and you won’t find a better level of cuisine than that on board P&O cruises. 2012 marks P & O’s 175th anniversary, and in July all seven ships will sail from Southampton at exactly the same time – an epic event. P & O offer a totally British cruising experience, with cruise deals to destinations around the world, catering for every age group. Some vessels, such as the Adonia, are child-free, while others like the Oceana are very much family orientated, but all have an excellent record of customer satisfaction.

Have a browse on our website for our range of cruise deals and destinations.