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Cruises to nowhere: What is a cruise to nowhere and which are the best ones?

Author: Susan Johnson

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A cruise to nowhere – what can that mean? It is often said that travel is all about the journey rather than just the destination, so why are these trips a good idea?

Cruise to nowhere sounds like the portrayal of the old adage, “the journey matters more than the destination.” Lasting between one to three days, a cruise to nowhere UK offers passengers a quick, affordable, and fuss-free way to get their cruise holiday fix.

Though they are shorter in duration than a standard cruise holiday, there is still plenty of luxurious entertainment and scrumptious cuisine for you to enjoy.

But why would anyone consider jumping onboard a cruise to nowhere? The reasons are plenty. To begin with, it is a great opportunity for first-timers to get a taste of the cruising life without investing extra time or money.

What’s more, even seasoned cruise travellers consider cruise holidays to nowhere just to try out a newly launched or upgraded cruise ship or just because they have limited time on hand. The lower cost is an additional motivating factor.

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Cruise to nowhere: The concept

The concept of a short cruise to nowhere for which the ship itself is the destination first appeared in the 1980s.

Back then, it was more about vessels embarking and departing from the same port of country without any international stops, allowing guests to enjoy a short time onboard to manage expenses or to test the waters. These voyages featured the same entertainment and experience as a typical cruise voyage.

Generally, cruise lines offer a limited number of ‘cruise to nowhere’ trips, often scheduled between longer voyages.

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In fact, short cruises to nowhere have never been a priority of major operators. Fred. Olsen cruises to nowhere feature a small number of itineraries, particularly when they are relocating one of their ships to another port.

However, that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, nearly 50 countries completely closed their ports to international visitors, with 91 limiting entries depending on conditions like the point of origin and citizenship.

This scenario forced cruise lines to turn to the cruise to nowhere as a way to keep their business running.

Cruises to nowhere are often scheduled between the ship's longer voyages. Credit: Shutterstock

Why choose a cruise to nowhere?

Find your new favourite ship

Want to be one of few privileged to be onboard the newest cruise ships?

With several luxurious vessels being launched every year, it becomes quite challenging to choose the one to enjoy your cruise holiday on.

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By jumping onboard a cruise to nowhere, you get to experience the new facilities of a vessel and thereby figure out which vessel is truly the one for you.

As the cruise to nowhere comes at a lower price point than the standard cruise for a long duration, you can easily splash on multiple launches every year.

Find your perfect cruise around the UK

Relax and embrace your time onboard as you save money and experience the sea. Credit: Shutterstock

Cruise on a budget

When getting on a cruise to nowhere, you are bagging fantastic value. There are no flights to worry about and departures leave from a wide array of ports across the UK. Hence, these voyages are affordable, even if you are booking at the last minute.

If you are looking for a luxurious weekend getaway with fine dining and relaxation, look no further than a cruise to nowhere.

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Get a taste of cruising life

If you have never been on a cruise before and feel you aren’t ready to take the plunge on a full two-week sailing, a one-day cruise to nowhere can be a great way to dip your toes into the water.

You will get to experience everything from show-stopping entertainment to delicious cuisines and other activities included in your cruise fare. Furthermore, people concerned about motion sickness should give a cruise to nowhere a try to gently find their sea legs.

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