Top 10 Cruise Destinations Revealed

LONDON, March 2, 2010 - Alaska has been selected as the world's greatest cruise destination by a
jury of the UK's leading cruise writers and industry experts.

Alaska's incredible bays, dazzling glaciers and exotic wildlife make it
the ultimate cruise destination, just ahead of other nature lovers' paradises
The Galapagos Islands, The Arctic and Antarctic Peninsula.

All four were selected by a panel of 13 experts when asked to nominate
their favourite cruise destinations by The CRUISE Show, the UK's only
exhibition dedicated to cruise travel.

Russia was hotly tipped, with The Black Sea taking fifth place on the
list and St Petersburg sixth.

Venice, a more traditional cruise destination, was highly rated by the
panel, featuring at number seven, just ahead of the Mediterranean generally.
The Middle East, an up-and-coming cruise destination, completed the top 10.

Cruise expert Jane Archer said: "One of the best things about cruising is
the diversity of places you can visit on a cruise ship. There are all the
iconic cities in the Mediterranean and Baltic, which attract huge numbers of
cruisers, but then you can also get way off the beaten track, discovering
remote and exotic places and seeing sights that non-cruisers can only dream
about."

"The cruise lines that visit all these places and many more will be at
The Cruise Show, so visiting the show is a very easy way to hear more from
the experts about the fabulous places you could be going on your next holiday
at sea."

The CRUISE Show takes place at London Olympia on 27 and 28 March.

NOTE FOR EDITOR

The panel comprised: Wendy Atkin Smith(Managing Director Viking River
Cruises UK); Jane Archer (Telegraph Travel cruise correspondent); Gary
Buchanan (travel writer); Andrew Cochrane (Managing Director, Noble
Caledonia); William Gibbons (Director, Passenger Shipping Association); Andy
Harmer (The Cruise Portfolio); Lol Nichols (General Sales Manager, Fred.
Olsen Cruise Lines); Stephen Park (General manager, NCL UK); Jo Rzymowska
(Associate Vice President and General Manager Royal Caribbean Cruise Line UK
and Ireland); Steve Read (Sky Travel cruise correspondent); Carolyn Spencer
Brown (Editor in Chief, Cruise Critic); Colin Stone (Managing Director, Swan
Hellenic); Douglas Ward (author, Berlitz Guide to Cruising).

Top 10 cruise destinations

1 Alaska: "Watching black bears in their natural habitat, catching salmon
as they made their way up river, is a moment I'm unlikely to capture again."
William Gibbons

2 The Galapagos: "These sequestered islands are unlike any other cruise
destination anywhere on earth and you leave knowing you've visited a very
special corner of our planet." Gary Buchanan

3 Arctic: "Before the cruise, circumnavigating Spitsbergen, all I wanted
was to see a Polar bear. We saw the first on day one. At 15 I gave up
counting. It's desolate, dangerous, but a true once-in a lifetime
experience." Jane Archer

4 Antarctic Peninsula: "There's something awe-inspiring as icebergs the
size of Belgium go by. And then there's the noise of whole regiments of
penguins and seals, and the spectacle of nature at its most unpredictable."
Douglas Ward

5 The Black Sea: "The Black Sea has seen civilisations come and go over
the millennia and today the intriguing mix of Turkish, Ukrainian and Russian
cultures make for an endlessly fascinating travel experience." Andrew
Cochrane

6 St Petersburg: "The magnificent Hermitage Museum and stunning art
galleries must be seen to be believed. Peterhof with the amazing gravity-fed
cascading fountains, and Catherine's palaces are simply breathtaking." Lol
Nichols

7 Venice: "The Venetian Festa del Redentore, dating back to 1577, is a
stunning time to stay. On July 17, hundreds of decorated boats line up to
view fireworks light up the domes and bell towers of the city, all set
against the beautiful backdrop of Saint Mark's Basin." Stephen Park

8 The Mediterranean: "The best cruise destination is right on our
doorstep. You're set to do a whole holiday brochure in one go as you tour the
greatest cities in the world such as Barcelona, Venice, Rome and Nice." Steve
Read

9 The Corinth Canal: "At first sight it is hard to see the narrow
entrance to the canal, then - guided by a tug - Minerva enters the narrow,
steep-sided canal, with just a metre clearance on each side of the ship."
Colin Stone

10 Middle East: Offering a blend of countries of varying customs,
cruising in the Middle East is a terrific and relatively hassle-free way to
visit cities as disparate as Dubai, Muscat and Aqaba. The fact that the sun
nearly always shines is another plus! Carolyn Spencer Brown

EDITOR'S NOTES

The CRUISE Show takes place at London's Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London
W14, on Saturday, March 27, from 10am-5pm and on Sunday, March 28, from
10am-4pm. All the major and specialist cruise lines will be at the show,
offering inspiration, information and practical advice to help you find your
ideal holiday at sea.

Tickets cost GBP6 purchased in advance and GBP10 on the door. Under 16s
free.

For full details and to book tickets call visit
www.cruisingshow.co.uk or call +44(0)871-230-7158

For further information please contact Emma Dowson on +44(0)208-543-7436/
+44(0)7726-321622 or emma@escapeevents.com or Sue Penfold on
+44(0)1795-844400

For further information please contact Emma Dowson on +44(0)208-543-7436/ +44(0)7726-321622 or emma at escapeevents.com or Sue Penfold on +44(0)1795-844400