Cruise Lines

Fellow blogger Gene Sloan carried a story last week saying prices for cruises are rising, but fear not as there are still some great deals around.

Ultra-luxury line Crystal Cruises is offering free return flights on an 11-night New England and Canada cruise to Montreal the refurbished Crystal Symphony on October 22.

Prices start from £2,729 per person for an oceanview stateroom including gratuities and the flights, and you'll also get up to $500 per person on-board credit that can be spent as you wish - on shore excursions, on spa treatments, drinks, whatever.

Call 020 7287 9040 or click here.

I don't often get deals from Thomson Cruises but seems they have some spaces to fill in September once the schools have gone back.

There's a seven-night Mediterranean cruise from Palma on Thomson Destiny on September 11 from £809 per person. That includes flights and transfers.

If you're fed up with the Med, there's a seven-night Egypt and the Holy Land cruise from Marmaris in Turkey on Thomson Celebration on September 13 that visits Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt, Ashdod in Israel, Larnaca in Cyprus and Antalya in Turkey. Prices from £879 per person including flights and transfers.

Call 0871 231 3243 or click here.

Iglucruise is already thinking of Christmas with its deals this week.

For those who want to escape the pre-Xmas madness, there's an 11-night Canary Islands cruise from Southampton with Royal Caribbean on November 29 from £649 per person for an inside cabin, down from £979.

However, if you want to get in the Christmas spirit, there's an eight-night cruise from Southampton on Fred Olsen's Balmoral on November 29 that visits Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Hamburg and Amsterdam, so you can pop in on the Xmas markets. Prices from £679 per person and they'll also throw in £50 onboard credit, car parking and an upgrade to an outside cabin.

Call 020 8544 6447 or click here.

Cruise Thomas Cook has a winter sun deal with Princess Cruises for anyone in Scotland - 15 nights' cruising from Barbados on Sea Princess on November 15 from £1,479 per person for an inside cabin including flights from Edinburgh and $350 onboard spending money.

See your local Thomas Cook or Going Places travel agent, call 0800 916 6070 or click here.