13 top themed cruises to do
<p>Would you go on a nude cruise? Or does a more conventional option such as a garden, golf or gourmet-themed cruise appeal? Themed, or special-interest cruises are attracting fans of everything from Star Trek to Oprah Winfrey, while boarding a ship to big-ticket events wraps up travel, accommodation and the event itself in one easy holiday package.</p>
<p>A themed cruise can be one that is a full-ship charter, such as the popular Bravo, Cruisin' Country and Rock the Boat cruises, or a special-interest group that joins a regular itinerary. Whatever the theme, enthusiasts can expect expert speakers or performers – with personal meet-and-greet sessions a big drawcard – hands-on classes or workshops, specialist tours and the company of like-minded travellers.</p>
<p>Check out our top themed cruises – there's sure to be something that tickles your fancy.</p>
<p><strong>1. Get your motor running</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> <a href="/cruise-eta.com" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Eta Motorcycle Cruise</strong></span></a></p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Cruising the Caribbean on two wheels has become a regular fixture on select MSC Cruises and Celebrity ships over the past 17 years. Dedicated bikies bring their own motorcycle – trikes are now allowed on board as well – and take off on group rides around idyllic islands. Next June Celebrity Equinox will play host to riders on a seven-day motorcycle cruise from Miami that calls at San Juan, St Thomas and St Maarten. According to the ETA website, all brands of bikes are welcome except "crotch rockets". June 9-16, 2018. From US$2146</p>
<p><strong>2. Fashionistas</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44616/fashionistas_497x280.jpg" alt="Fashionistas"/></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Cunard Transatlantic Fashion Week 2018</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Queen Mary 2 provides the glamorous setting for Cunard's annual fashion fiesta, which is staged between Southampton and New York and arrives in time for New York Fashion Week. There will be an array of fashion shows and exhibitions plus presentations and hosted dinners with special guests such as Hal Rubenstein, a founding editor of In Style magazine, British fashion writer Colin McDowell and photographer to the stars Richard Young. September 2-9, 2018. From $1949; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://cunardline.com.au/" target="_blank">cunardline.com.au</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>3. Stargazers</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise: </strong>Cunard World Space Week 2017</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Queen Mary 2 has the only planetarium at sea so it's the perfect venue for celebrating World Space Week, a global event created by the United Nations. The trans-Atlantic crossing from New York to Southampton will showcase fascinating talks by Dr Jeffrey Hoffman, a former Space Shuttle pilot; Charles Barclay from the Royal Astronomical Society; NASA historian Ken Taggart; and Stephen Attenborough, commercial director of Virgin Galactic. Two new shows will be presented in the planetarium, Asteroid: Mission Extreme and To Space & Back. October 6-13, 2017. From $1900; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://cunardline.com.au/" target="_blank">cunardline.com.au</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>4. Imbibing wine</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> APT Magnificent Europe, Wine Series</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> European wine experts will join guests on two 15-day cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest to add extra depth to tours and tastings in vineyards and cellars along the Danube. Learn about traditional wine-making at the grand Schloss Schonborn near Rudesheim, a family-owned estate that dates back to the 14th century; the Rheingau region is one of only five in the world to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. May 11-25, September 15-29, 2018. From $9095; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://aptouring.com.au/" target="_blank">aptouring.com.au</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>5. Raft beer</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44615/beer1_497x280.jpg" alt="Beer1"/></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> UnCruise Olympic Wilderness and San Juan Islands</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> This Seattle round-trip combines wilderness cruises in America's rugged Pacific Northwest with a thorough immersion in the region's famous craft beers. Author and Seattle-based brewer Robyn Schumacher, a "recovering high school teacher", will lead tastings and beer-themed activities, beer and food pairings and tours of two local breweries, in between orca-spotting, bird-watching and kayaking expeditions. Craft beers are also served on board the Wilderness Explorer, a 76-passenger ship that is fully equipped for adventure. April 14-21, 2018. From $US2495; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://uncruise.com/" target="_blank">uncruise.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>6. European beer</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Avalon Waterways Tulip Time</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Imbibe a historic perspective on the amber fluid in bars and breweries during Avalon's eight-day round-trip cruise from Amsterdam – garden enthusiasts will also appreciate glorious spring flower displays at Keukenhof. A local beer expert will present talks and beer-and-food pairings on board your river ship and medieval cities such as Antwerp, Middleburg, Ghent and Willemstad offer plenty of opportunities for exploring local hostelries. Don't miss the chance to take an interactive tour at Amsterdam's Heineken brewery, where beer was brewed for more than 100 years. April 6-13, 2018. From $3523; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://avalonwaterways.co.nz/" target="_blank">avalonwaterways.co,nz</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>7. Music</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44614/music-1_497x280.jpg" alt="Music 1"/></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> The Strand Classical Music Cruise</p>
<p>The lowdown Musicians from the acclaimed Orchestre de Paris are returning to Myanmar for a four-day Irrawaddy cruise next February. They will present a series of intimate concerts on board the elegant river ship and at unusual locations such as a sandbank on shore. Classical pieces will take on a new meaning when played against a backdrop of thousands of pagodas and starlit night skies. Spending time with the musicians when they're off duty is another drawcard. February 12-16, 2018. From $2639; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://thestrandcruise.com/" target="_blank">thestrandcruise.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Holland America Line's Rijksmuseum at Sea</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> The newly refurbished Westerdam is the first ship in HAL's fleet to feature Rijksmuseum at Sea, a studio space showcasing reproductions of the Amsterdam museum's collection of Dutch masters. Guests can join workshops, where instructors will help them produce their own works of art; a new masterpiece is discussed each day and sketchpads, pencils and encouragement are provided. Enrichment programs and presentations by Rijksmuseum staff will be available on select cruises. Westerdam cruises in the Mediterranean, Panama and Alaska. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://hollandamerica.com/" target="_blank">hollandamerica.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>8. War and peace</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> APT Western Front With Anzac Day Dawn Service</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> APT is running a series of cruises taking in the Western Front Battlefields to mark 100 years since the end of World War I. The 15-day round-trip from Amsterdam takes in visits to such significant sites as the Battlefields of Fromelles and the Somme, with an emphasis on Australian connections. Guests can attend the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Villers-Bretonneux; April 25, 2018 also commemorates the centenary of the Anzac victory at the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. April 14-28, 2018. From $11,195; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://aptouring.com.au/" target="_blank">aptouring.com.au</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>9. Dancing on water</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Silversea Ballet with Soloists from Opera de Paris</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Cruise from Montreal to New York during the beautiful fall foliage season while enjoying exclusive ballet shows with dancers from the world-renowned Opera de Paris. Jean-Sebastien Colau and his partner will perform two shows from his classical and contemporary repertoire as well as giving lectures and hosting group discussions. Guests can also mix and mingle with the dancers over cocktails during the 10-day voyage aboard boutique-sized Silver Whisper. October 23-November 2, 2017. From $7400; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://silversea.com/" target="_blank">silversea.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>10. Hiking</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44613/hiking-1_497x280.jpg" alt="Hiking 1"/></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Backroads Douro River Cruise Walking and Hiking Tour</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> This eight-day journey begins in Salamanca with a walk through the Spanish highlands down to Portugal's Douro Valley, where you board the ship AmaVida. From there, hiking off the beaten track among terraced vineyards, picturesque stone villages and dramatic gorges is interspersed with the leisurely cruise towards Porto and wine-tasting en route. Hikes are graded for varying levels of fitness. A private guided walking tour of medieval Porto provides a fitting finale. May 22–29, 2018. From $US6198; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://backroads.com/" target="_blank">backroads.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>11. Voyage to wellness</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Seabourn Spa and Wellness with Dr Andrew Weil</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Embark on a personal wellness journey at sea with Seabourn's mindful living program, which integrates physical, social, environmental and spiritual well-being. A wellness guide leads the seven-day program; daily yoga and meditation classes are complemented by seminars that have been designed by US holistic guru Andrew Weil. Topics include healthy ageing, "spontaneous happiness and healing", and anti-inflammatory foods. Treatments at the fabulous Spa at Seabourn are designed for the ultimate in mind and body relaxation. Available on all Seabourn ships; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://seabourn.com/" target="_blank">seabourn.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong> 12. Spokes and saddles </strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Travelrite Cycle and Cruise Australia and New Zealand</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> Experience some of our region's most spectacular scenery and cities by bike as you sail from Sydney to Auckland on board Princess Cruises' popular Diamond Princess. Most of the rides are on rail trails and range from 30 to 60 kilometres; the tour manager is available to pick you up if your energy flags. Over the 16-night cruise there are eight rides, from Melbourne, Hobart, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier, Bay of Islands and Auckland. A non-cycling highlight is cruising New Zealand's Fiordland National Park. February 6–22, 2018. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://travelrite.com.au/" target="_blank">travelrite.com.au</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>13. Through the lens</strong></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Lindblad Expeditions Big Picture Alaska</p>
<p>The lowdown A team of top photographers will be on board National Geographic Sea Bird for this photo-expedition cruise, which focuses on Alaska's Inside Passage. Kayaking, hiking and cruising offer boundless opportunities to capture memorable images of wildlife and stunning icescapes, and then workshop them with the experts on board. Guests will benefit from the knowledge and enthusiasm of award-winning photographer and filmmaker Rich Reid, who has specialised in environmental and adventure photography for more than 20 years. July 18-28, 2018. From $11,240; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://au.expeditions.com/" target="_blank">au.expeditions.com</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>The cruise:</strong> Aurora Expeditions In Shackleton's Footsteps</p>
<p><strong>The lowdown:</strong> In 1915, explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance was trapped and crushed in Antarctic ice and his heroic journey to save his crew is the stuff of legend. Next March, the 54-passenger Polar Pioneer will retrace the route Shackleton took from Elephant Island to South Georgia, with acclaimed photographer Scott Portelli on board to help amateur and professional snappers document their own icy adventures. Expect sightings of blue, sei and fin whales and, in South Georgia, enthralling encounters with king penguins. March 7-24, 2018. From US$14,300; <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://auroraexpeditions.com.au/" target="_blank">auroraexpeditions.com.au</a></strong></span></p>
<p><em>Written by Sally Macmillan. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>
