Discovery cruising holidays

You are assured a truly remarkable voyage with Spirit of Adventure discovery cruising holidays, as the emphasis is firmly on providing an in–depth experience of each port of call.

Expert guest speakers

During every cruise we invite guest speakers on board to bring the destinations to life with their own stories and knowledge. Focusing on an array of topics such as archaeology, history, local traditions, food and wine, the lecturers will share their enthusiasm in an accessible and friendly way.

A rewarding adventure

Our cruises allow you the freedom to choose exactly what you want to see and do — there will be a host of included and optional excursions, as well as an exciting range of activities both on-board and ashore.

Included excursions

At the vast majority of ports there is a choice of carefully planned included excursions designed to show you the main attractions and landmarks of the places you visit. They encompass a broad range of interests and will give you a greater insight into the local history and culture.

They will be either full or half–day in duration and all are led by a local guide who will provide fascinating information on the places that you visit. Wherever possible, you will be accompanied by one of our expert guest speakers too.

Please note: A good degree of physical fitness is required to fully enjoy most of these tours.

Optional excursions

In addition, a selection of optional excursions are usually available for a supplement. These have been designed for smaller groups and often feature a more specialist activity such as mountain hiking or the chance to try your hand at cooking a local speciality.

Please note: All of the excursions mentioned on the cruise pages are subject to change and availability. Some may coincide and cannot be taken together.

Explore at your own pace

MV Spirit of Adventure can often sail right into the centre of towns and cities, which will make it easy for you to explore independently if you wish. You can either walk, or if it is more than 500 yards to the centre there will be a complimentary shuttle bus (wherever possible).

When the ships have to anchor offshore, passengers are taken to land by tender.

A wide range of activities

There will be a selection of activities available at the port in addition to the included and optional excursions. Bicycles are available to borrow from the ships at no extra charge, so you can explore independently if you wish. Other activities such as snorkelling in Egypt and sailing in Turkey will also be available for an additional cost.

There is a dedicated member of staff on board who will organise guided cycling and hiking tours, and offer qualified instruction for snorkelling classes (at no extra charge).

Extend your adventure and see even more

Hotel stays: We offer great value hotel stays before and after many of our cruises, so you can spend more time in a particular region, town or city or perhaps explore further afield. Our extensions offer a good degree of flexibility and you are often able to choose how many nights you would like to stay.

Overland tours: On selected cruises we also offer overland tours to extend your holiday. For example, prior to embarking MV Spirit of Adventure for her Colours of India cruise you could spend six nights exploring the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, or after the Australian Odyssey cruise you could explore Ayers Rock and Sydney.

For more details about our inspirational choice of holiday extensions, please call our Travel Consultants.

An important note on physical fitness: Our excursions usually involve a walk of at least half a mile and can include steep ascents and descents. A certain degree of physical fitness is therefore required to fully participate in the included and optional tours offered on Spirit of Adventure cruises. If you have mobility difficulties and are uncertain as to whether these cruises are right for you, our Travel Consultants will be happy to offer you advice.