Cruises embed multi-day land trips

One of the itineraries combines a five-night rail journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with an Aegean sailing. Before departing on the cruise, guests are treated to three nights in a Simplon Historic Cabin, overnight stays and tours in Budapest and Bucharest, a Danube day cruise and a day of rest in Istanbul. River and sea Following a sold out season in 2026, Uniworld and Seabourn have expanded their combined ultra-luxury river and ocean cruise offerings for 2027. The two lines have combined their most popular small-ship itineraries to offer the very best in luxury river and ocean cruising in one cohesive trip, says Divan Viljoen, Sales & Marketing Manager for Uniworld Boutique Cruises. “These packages give guests the very best of river and ocean cruises combined. Uniworld’s Venice, Veneto and Islands cruise immerses travellers in VIP experiences that include visits to the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica. “Then after a week on the Veneto Lagoon, guests get to relax onboard Seabourn, sailing to stunning small ports across the Mediterranean that larger ships can’t get to. A full unique package with luxury at its heart.” Ice and sea Expedition cruises are now taking travellers into remote territories exploring both North and South Polar regions. “Expedition cruising, particularly in Antarctica, has evolved far beyond traditional ship-based sightseeing, with brands like HX Expedition giving intensive small-group experiences that bring guests closer to the environment than ever before,” says Henuti Purshotam, Marketing & Product Specialist at Whitestar Cruise &Travel. HX Expeditions’ activity programme offers overnight excursions during which guests kayak quietly through ice floes and past towering icebergs, often encountering wildlife such as seals and penguins in a way that feels completely unobtrusive. The overnight camping experience in Antarctica sees the guests step ashore in the evening and settle into a simple camp for the night, surrounded by nothing but snow, ice, and the vast Antarctic silence. A hike is included (weather permitting) in the experience – guided hikes vary from gentle shoreline walks to more advanced explorations, including snowshoeing across untouched terrain. “Where once the focus was on observing from the ship, today’s travellers are seeking deeper, more hands-on experiences and adventures. The journey becomes far more personal and story-driven,” says Purshotam. “It’s not luxury in the traditional sense, but rather the privilege of being present. These journeys highlight how far cruising has come. It’s no longer just about where you go, but how deeply you experience it.”