Bucks &amp; Oxon


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<p>Always thought cruising is for the more mature traveller on huge floating ships the size of a small town? It might be time to think again, as our local travel expert,&nbsp;<a href="https://authenticcruises.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Authentic Cruise Company</a>, has a range of exclusive boutique cruise holidays that&#8217;ll float your boat – even if you&#8217;re a cruising newbie.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AUTHENTICCRUISESBALCONY.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183337" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AUTHENTICCRUISESBALCONY.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AUTHENTICCRUISESBALCONY-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AUTHENTICCRUISESBALCONY-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AUTHENTICCRUISESBALCONY-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The new vibe in cruising puts the focus firmly on luxury, offering personalised, tailored experiences to cater for your every whim (butlers on board!) while you tick off your bucket list in style. Always dreamed of voyaging to emerald glaciers in Canada or browsing the bustling street markets of Hanoi? No problem. The on-board catering has had an upgrade on these all-inclusive cruises too, with Michelin-starred cuisine and fine wines galore, so you&#8217;ll be well fed and watered. Did you know there&#8217;s an outpost of Nobu restaurant floating on the high seas?</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="768" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/RIVIERA.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183306" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/RIVIERA.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/RIVIERA-800x614.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/RIVIERA-400x307.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Well, dig out your best smart casual togs for on-board style creds and prepare for a seafaring treat. If you&#8217;re looking for a personalised all-inclusive travel experience on boutique ships that can boldly go to adventurous destinations the bigger cruise liners can&#8217;t reach, then give&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticcruisecompany/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Authentic Cruise Company</a>&nbsp;a call. These days, small is beautiful. Authentic&#8217;s hand-picked ships each accommodate between 200-900 guests, with a generous staff-to-passenger ratio, and when it comes to bunking up for the night, it&#8217;s typically all-suite accommodation. Here&#8217;s our pick of the sophisticated 2025/26 jaunts around the globe we reckon will float your boat, whether you&#8217;re seeking adventure, culture, relaxation – or all three. Enjoy the luxury travel #inspo and prepare to set sail. All aboard!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-frozen-north">THE FROZEN NORTH</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DECKVIEWPOLAR.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183302" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DECKVIEWPOLAR.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DECKVIEWPOLAR-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DECKVIEWPOLAR-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DECKVIEWPOLAR-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Part of the thrill of booking a holiday is anticipation of setting off on an adventure – and intrepid travellers will be in their element with Authentic Cruises&#8217; trips to the further-flung corners of the globe. If you&#8217;ve ever dreamed of exploring the frozen North, Authentic&#8217;s exclusive cruise partners are ready to whisk you off on a mission with more ice floes, emerald glaciers and frozen fjords than you can shake an ice-pick at.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARSHIP.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183305" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARSHIP.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARSHIP-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARSHIP-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARSHIP-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Hop on board the Crystal Symphony&#8217;s voyage starting in Vancouver, Canada, and ending in Seward, Alaska, to take in epic frozen landscapes, plus a mountainous train ride on the Rocky Mountaineer and three nights in the 5* Fairmont Banff Springs. For on-board creature comforts, the Crystal Symphony has Michelin-inspired cuisine (including the only Nobu at sea), and butlers for seafaring silver service. No freeze-dried pemmican rations here.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="811" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARBEARS.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183304" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARBEARS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARBEARS-800x649.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/POLARBEARS-400x324.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Or channel Queen Elsa and set off on the boutique Ocean Explorer cruise ship for a frozen Polar adventure to the remote island of Spitsbergen in northern Norway. It&#8217;s not called &#8220;the wildlife capital of the Arctic&#8221; for nothing. You&#8217;ll zip off in smaller Zodiac boats on sorties to spot walrus, reindeer and even a polar bear in their natural habitat – all in surreal continuous daylight. To the earth&#8217;s final frontiers – and beyond!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wellness-on-the-water">WELLNESS ON THE WATER</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="701" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AMAYOGA-1.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183308" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AMAYOGA-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AMAYOGA-1-800x561.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/AMAYOGA-1-400x280.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Or for a wellness and culture combo, how perfecting your downward dog on a seven-night river cruise along the Danube? You&#8217;ll float serenely from Budapest to Vilshofen while taking part in a rejuvenating daily wellness programme led by yoga expert Amy-Jo Glover, who&#8217;ll be your guide in everything from power yoga to sound baths, all set against the spectacular landscapes of Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DANUBE_AT_Spitz_cruise-1.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183300" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DANUBE_AT_Spitz_cruise-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DANUBE_AT_Spitz_cruise-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/DANUBE_AT_Spitz_cruise-1-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This restful river retreat, based on board the luxurious AmaMagna river cruiser, offers plenty to enrich your mind and soul too. The curated itinerary is packed with shore-leave recces to soak in the region&#8217;s cultural gems – like the Baroque Schonnbrun Palace in Vienna and the east-meets-west delights of Budapest and Bratislava. Return rejuvenated in body and soul. Namaste.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-on-safari">ON SAFARI</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CRUISESUNBEDS.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183322" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CRUISESUNBEDS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CRUISESUNBEDS-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CRUISESUNBEDS-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CRUISESUNBEDS-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Going on safari is the ultimate bucket list dream – but a cruise AND safari combo? Surely that&#8217;s the (lion) king of holidays? Obviously, The Authentic Cruise Company&#8217;s cruises to the African continent don&#8217;t skimp on the creature comforts. There&#8217;s a roarsomely good 25-night trip on the luxurious Seven Seas Navigator that embarks with a three nights in a luxury tented safari lodge in South Africa and docks in the glitzy United Arab Emirates.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/LEOPARDS.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-183323" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/LEOPARDS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/LEOPARDS-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/LEOPARDS-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/LEOPARDS-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Along the way you&#8217;ll glide along the East African coast, stopping off for an overnighter in the Seychelles, while enjoying world-class dining, on-board entertainment, fabulous excursions (helicopter tour and wine tasting, anyone?), and some serious &#8216;down-time&#8217; in the ship&#8217;s chic spa. There&#8217;s time to take in the sights of Cape Town too, alongside its savannahs, dunes and deserts. The safari cruise also includes a three-night stay at the Mount Nelson hotel, owned by the same Belmond hotel group as Oxfordshire&#8217;s Le Manoir aux Quat&#8217; Saisons. What a home from home!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-magic-of-asia">THE MAGIC OF ASIA</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="703" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CEL_Ko_Samui_Beach_Sunset.jpg" alt="Authentic Cruises" class="wp-image-183283" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CEL_Ko_Samui_Beach_Sunset.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CEL_Ko_Samui_Beach_Sunset-800x562.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/CEL_Ko_Samui_Beach_Sunset-400x281.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Koh Samui, Thailand</figcaption></figure>



<p>For ancient temples, bustling street markets and all the dim sum you can manage, Southeast Asia should be your port of call. Fancy ringing in 2026 in Hong Kong? Hop aboard the Celebrity Solstice for a cracking start to the New Year. This cruise takes in the sweeping beauty of Vietnam&#8217;s Halong Bay, the enchanting temples, pagodas, palaces and tombs of Danang, and the historical treasures of Ho Chi Minh City before steaming on to Thailand and then Singapore. There&#8217;s plenty of time for decompressing too, of course &#8211; soak up the sun at The Lawn Club – yup, that&#8217;s a real grass lawn of half an acre to sunbathe on or play outdoor games while at sea (a world cruise line first!). The Celebrity Solstice is, as its name suggests, no stranger to the finer things in life too. Expect menus created by top-flight chefs and the most-awarded wine collection on the high seas. We&#8217;ll drink to that. </p>



<p><em>Tempted? All these 2025/26 cruise holidays are available exclusively through <a href="https://authenticcruises.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Authentic Cruise Company</a>, based in Henley-on-Thames. Give them a call on 01491 378453 or email <a>info@authenticcruises.co.uk</a> to get in touch with the team.</em></p>



<p><em>There&#8217;s an exclusive booking incentive for all Muddy Stilettos readers too. Book by the end of Feb and you&#8217;ll receive either a free UK airport transfer to a London airport, or £100 credit to spend on board your flight. Once you book, you&#8217;ll also become a Silver member of the Horizon Loyalty Club. Silver members will receive a luxury welcome gift, plus 10% off everything at <a href="https://ceciliaquinn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cecilia Quinn</a> shoe boutique (in-store or online) and access to the VIP apartment at Bicester Village.</em></p>


All aboard! The chic cruise holidays that float our boat

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