12 Night Cruise sailing from Southampton roundtrip aboard Ventura.

Join Ventura and stars from the hit BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing for this 12-night cruise of the Canary Islands.
Once you've slipped off your dancing shoes you can discover just why Madeira is called the Garden Island when Ventura calls at Funchal. Then you'll visit the 'Fair Isle' of La Palma, which will welcome you with its beautiful scenery and one of the prettiest harbours among all the islands - Santa Cruz. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and offers plenty of contrasts from museums, galleries and shopping to beautiful beaches, verdant valleys and the volcanic `moonscape' of Mount Teide National Park. You'll then head to the beautiful beaches of Lanzarote where you could opt to explore further afield and catch 'the valley of a thousand palms' and the oddly-shaped Jameos el Agua cave overlooking a saltwater lagoon.
A leisurely few days at sea, perhaps perfecting your dance moves, will set you up for a slice of city life experiencing the cosmopolitan charms of Portugal's small but perfectly formed capital, Lisbon whose streets boast a heady mix of medieval and Moorish influences. After strolling, shopping and sightseeing through its fascinating streets, you'll no doubt be ready for the chance to relax - and dance - your way back to Southampton.

About Madeira
When you embark on one of our Madeira cruises it will become clear why this destination is known as the Garden Island - it is simply awash with colour from a breathtaking display of sub-tropical plants and flowers. So it is hardly surprising that large and colourful flower markets are one of the most arresting features of Funchal, Madeiras capital. Cruise visitors here will discover that the market town is easily walkable although, the further inland you explore, the steeper and narrower some of the streets become. Locally made wicker furniture, lacework and tapestries all make good buys along with the ubiquitous Madeira wine.

Funchal is also the base for tours to the islands botanical gardens; the fishing village of Camara de Lobos where Churchill went to paint; Camacha, the wicker centre; the levada walks, part of an ancient irrigation system; and to Reids Hotel for traditional afternoon tea, making cruises to Madeira a must see.

About La Palma
Canary Island La Palma is called 'the fair isle because of its fabulous landscape and you will soon see why. Santa Cruz is one of the prettiest harbours among the islands and is easily explored on foot.

Make the best of your La Palma cruise and stroll along the Avenida Maritime promenade which will take you to the lovely old quarter around Plaza de Espana, Here you will find a 16th century fountain and town hall, a magnificent Renaissance church and a handicrafts market where you can pick up distinctive pottery and snack on local delicacies.

As you will discover on our cruises to La Palma, the island's most spectacular volcanic crater, Caldera de Taburiente, is crammed with rare animal and plant life and has been designated a national park. Its night skies are so clear that a major astrophysical observatory has been built at Roque de los Muchachos. With such a variety of destinations to explore, La Palma cruises offer visitors here a memorable day.

About Tenerife
Visiting the largest of the Canary Islands, our Tenerife cruises bring you close to one of the world's most dramatic and varied landscapes, ranging from verdant valleys and lush plantations to glorious beaches, vast pinewoods and the volcanic `moonscape' of Mount Teide National Park.

Tenerife's cruise port Santa Cruz has grown from a fishing village to a splendid city with classy bars and restaurants, varied shops, fine architecture and interesting museums.

With our cruises to Tenerife the action begins right outside the port gates, where you will find a cafe-lined boulevard leading to the Plaza de Espana, at the heart of the port's main shopping area. Look out for bargain electrical goods and cut-price CDs, Tenerife's speciality.

Prefer museums and galleries? Try the Museo de Bellas Artes, which contains works by Bruegel, or discover the island's history, topography, flora and fauna at the Museo de la Naturaleza y El Hombre.

About Lisbon
Some of the best views of the Portuguese capital come as your ship cruises along the Tagus River. You pass the Belem Tower and the impressive Monument to the Discoveries with its statue of Henry the Navigator before arriving at the Lisbon cruise terminal.

Although small for a European capital, this city does sprawl a little so you would do best to concentrate on three districts - Baixa, Bairro Alto and Alfama, each with its own distinctive style, making Lisbon cruises a must see.

Baixa has busy streets of inviting shops, cafes and restaurants while Alfama is the atmospheric old town with narrow cobblestone streets, medieval and Moorish-style buildings, wrought-iron balconies with trailing flowers and a mix of small shops and bars. Bairro Alto is another historic district with narrow streets and is a steep climb from Baixa so look out for the 100-year-old lift (Elevador do Carmo) near Rossio Square. With such a variety of destinations to explore, cruises to Lisbon bring to your holiday a balance of both modern and historical grounds.