Top 10 cruises in 2009

By Anna Watson

updated 11:09 a.m. ET Feb. 24, 2009

This year, cruise lines are pulling out all the stops to entice customers with smart splurge-worthy, unusual itineraries aboard lavishly refurbished ships. In no particular order, we present our picks.

British Isles Excursion
In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Queen Mary 2, Cunard’s resplendent flagship, will offer an inaugural eight-night Around the British Isles itinerary. Sailing from Southampton, the ship will make stops in Liverpool, England; Glasgow; and Cork, Ireland, with optional excursions to Edinburgh (and a chance to visit the famous royal yacht Brittania) and D-day beaches outside the fortified town of Cherbourg, France. Part of the thrill is the magnificent ship itself: QM2’s 13 decks feature a Canyon Ranch spa, five pools, 10 restaurants (including menus by Todd English), a Veuve Clicquot Champagne bar, and a regal ballroom with the largest dance floor at sea. Plus, there’s a workshop organized by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. This voyage will take you back to the days when sailing was truly grand.

From $1,795/person, includes onboard meals and some beverages.

Eastern Europe via the Danube River
Cruise West, a small-ship line, heads to Europe for the first time with an 11-day trip along the Danube River from Vienna to Bucharest, Romania, on the new 148-guest Amadeus Diamond. With walls of panoramic windows and private balconies in most staterooms, this swank vessel affords fantastic views. Expert guides will lead expeditions into Budapest and Bucharest, plus visits to some of the top vineyards in Croatia and a traditional Hungarian horse farm, where guests will enjoy lunch and a horse show.

Other stops include the Danube Delta in Romania — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 320 species of birds — as well as lesser-known spots, such as the Kalemegdan Fortress and Museum in Belgrade, Serbia and the town of Arbanassi, Bulgaria, known for its medieval architecture. Aboard the ship, musicians will perform traditional Serb and Hungarian music every night.

There are four departure dates: July 16 and 24, and Oct. 13 and 21. From $4,900/person (double occupancy), includes onboard meals and nonalcoholic beverages, guided land excursions, gratuities.

Golf cruise to Asia
This year, Crystal Cruises is launching Experiences of Discovery, a new collection of themed cruises on topics ranging from emerging artists to ancient history. One of our favorites is the first-ever Asia Golf itinerary — an 11-day voyage from Hong Kong to Singapore aboard the 940-guest Crystal Symphony, featuring lectures, putting contests, private clinics and golfing instruction from Bill Stutzer, head PGA golf pro at San Diego’s exclusive Pauma Valley Country Club. Best of all, enthusiasts will play at four world-renowned courses in Vietnam and Thailand (with cocktail and caddy service on the green), including the stunning 18-hole Montgomerie Links overlooking the Marble Mountains and China Beach coast in Da Nang, Vietnam. For nongolfers, the sprawling Symphony is equipped with two pools, a full spa, multiple lounges and restaurants, and a casino.

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From $4,800/ person, includes all onboard meals, nonalcoholic beverages, golf lessons (greens fees and equipment not included).

Cooking lessons on the high seas
This year, after a massive overhaul of two of its ships, Regent will offer a special trip in May on the luxurious Seven Seas Voyager. The 700-guest (all-suite, all-balcony) ship will sail from Ft. Lauderdale to Reykjavik, Iceland, with stops in New York City, New England, and Canada. During those two weeks, there’s definitely no chance of going hungry: The ship boasts a restaurant (Signatures) operated by Paris-based Le Cordon Bleu. The revered culinary-hospitality school also conducts intimate, hands-on workshops (available for an added fee), mainly in classic French techniques with contemporary adaptations. In addition to three two-hour classes, students will partake of two exclusive dinners and a graduation ceremony.

From $6,194/person (double occupancy), includes all onboard meals and beverages, Le Cordon Bleu program, gratuities.

Music festival in Scandinavia
classical music festival on the high seas ... why not? This August, Hapag-Lloyd’s MS Europa is hosting the Ocean Sun Festival, a 13-day floating extravaganza with a roster of internationally acclaimed musicians, including Grammy-winning Austrian mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and celebrated cellist Mischa Maisky (along with his daughter, Lily, a concert pianist).

Departing from Kiel, Germany, and sailing along the Scandinavian coast through breathtaking Norwegian fjords, the ship comes alive every night with concerts and lectures by music critics—all moderated by Holger Wemhoff, director of Germany’s popular Klassikradio. There will also be several exclusive concerts ashore in Norway, including a performance by the Bergen Philharmonic at Grieg Hall in Bergen, a piano recital of Edvard Grieg works in his hometown of Troldhaugen, and a finale concert in Oslo.

From $8,499/person (double occupancy), includes round-trip airfare from NYC to Hamburg, a hotel stay in Hamburg, onboard meals, nonalcoholic beverages, free minibar with drinks and snacks.

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