The little-known hack that experts swear by to save you hundreds when booking a cruise holiday

COMBINING a cruise with a land-based break is a great way of adding variety to your travels.

And it can save you up to 30 per cent on booking the elements separately.

Mike Graham is a cruise specialist with online tour operator Destination2.

He says: “Ready-made multi-centre packages offer a smart way to save.

“Bundled discounts on flights, accommodation and transfers make them significantly more cost-effective than booking separate trips.”;

Lisa Minot suggests great cruise-and-stay packages 

MAJORCA, BARCELONA & THE MED

13 nights from £759pp

THIS package kicks off with flights to Majorca and a five-night all- inclusive stay at 4* Hotel Mariant Park, a family-friendly place with a huge pool complex, just a short stroll from S’illot beach.

After your beach break, you will then fly to Barcelona for a night’s stay at Hotel Vilamari, in the heart of the city close to the bustling Plaza d’Espana.

And there’s more fun to come — the next day you will board the MSC Magnifica for a seven-night full-board Mediterranean cruise with calls at Marseille, La Spezia for Florence, Naples for Pompeii, Palermo in Sicily, and Malta.

Then you will return to Barcelona to fly home.

Find out more at destination2cruise.co.uk.

NEW YORK, MIAMI & THE CARIBBEAN

11 nights from £1,549pp

THE bright lights beckon for the first part of your trip, with flights to New York and a three-night stay at the 4* The Manhattan at Times Square Hotel.

There’s plenty of time to see all the city sights before, on day four, flying south to sun-soaked Miami in Florida for a night’s pre-cruise stay at a 4* hotel — and time to relax before your cruise.

On day five, you will embark on a seven-night, full-board sailing with MSC Cruises’ latest flagship, MSC World America.

Relax on the brand-new ship as it sails to the Caribbean, with calls at the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, as well as lazy days at sea and a visit to Ocean Cay in the Bahamas, MSC’s marine reserve.

You will then fly home from Miami.

See destination2cruise.co.uk.

CROATIA & THE MED

14 nights from £759pp

WITH this package, you will get busy exploring five fascinating Mediterranean ports on a seven-night all-inclusive cruise before return to Dubrovnik for a seven-night stay relaxing poolside.

Flying out to Dubrovnik, you will board the Marella Explorer 2 for its Sail Three Seas itinerary.

You will enjoy days in Valletta, Malta; Catania, Sicily; Argostoli, Kefalonia; Corfu; and Kotor, Montenegro.

By both day and night, you can indulge in wine with dinner and cocktails on deck — all included in the price.

Returning to Dubrovnik, the fun isn’t over yet, with a seven-night B&B stay at the 3* Astarea Hotel.

It’s in a tranquil seaside village ten minutes’ drive from Dubrovnik, where you can relax on the peace-ful beach or enjoy views of the Adriatic Sea from the hotel pools.

Price based on May 15 departure and includes flights, 20kg luggage, transfers, tips and service charges.

See tui.co.uk/cruise.

SPAIN, FRANCE & PORTUGAL

7 nights from £719

FLYING in to Portuguese capital Lisbon, you will have two nights to explore all the sights from your base at the Evolution Lisboa Hotel.

Just ten minutes from the airport, this modern hotel has an indoor pool, sauna and lounge, bar and restaurant, and great transport options on the doorstep — but be sure to hop aboard Tram 28 for a classic way to tour the city.

On day three, you will head to the city’s port to board the MSC Virtuosa with its onboard water-park, pools and Broadway-style shows and live music.

Sailing back to Southampton over five days, you will have plenty of time to enjoy the ship’s facilities and full-board dining as well as stops in La Coruna in Spain and Le Havre in France.

Price based on departures on April 14.

See iglucruise.com.

INDIA’S GOLDEN TRIANGLE, SRI LANKA & THAILAND

29 nights from £4,999pp

THIS is the ultimate tour of India and South East Asia.

After flying to Indian capital Delhi, you will spend a night at a 5* hotel and tour the city before heading by first-class train to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas.

You will board the Himalayan Queen Toy Train to trundle through the Shivalik Hills before arriving in Shimla for a three-night 5* hotel stay and tours before returning to Delhi for two nights with tours.

Then it’s on to Agra for a one- night stay and a chance to visit the Taj Mahal.

Next up, you will travel to Ran-thambore for two nights, with stops en route at the red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri and the Laxmi Vilas Palace.

The next two days will be spent exploring the Ran-thambore National Park with an expert naturist guide — hopefully spotting the Bengal tigers, sloth bears, leopards and wild boar in the protected reserve.

Up next is a two-night stay in Jaipur with tours of the famed pink city and Amber Fort before returning to Delhi for one night. You will then fly to Mumbai for a two-night stay with tours.

Finally, you board the Celebrity Millennium for a 13-night voyage, all-inclusive, calling at Goa and Kochi in India, Colombo and Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Phuket in Thailand, and Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, before your flight home from Singapore.

Price based on departures on November 11, 2025.

Call 0808 239 4989 or see rolcruise.co.uk.