For many people, the idea of exploring a brand new foreign country is truly exciting. You want to drink in the culture and surroundings by seeing and visiting as many sites as possible. Taking advantage of one of the many brilliant cruise deals available at the minute is a great way to see a number of places without having to move all your belongings every time you hit a new city, beach or heritage site.

Cruises have become more popular than ever in recent years, with a number of operators such as the trusted P&O Cruises offering great deals on cruises to several stunning destinations. With one of the Mediterranean cruise deals available, you could be visiting a different location every day, exploring the decadent south of France, the glorious Italian coast or the fascinating Greek islands, all while staying in the luxurious environment of your chosen ship. There's no hassle involved, just turn up to your ship, settle in and relax knowing that you're in the best possible surroundings, with fine dining and a range of activities available daily to keep you entertained and happy throughout your trip

Cruises cater to everybody's needs, whether you're travelling with children, escaping working life for a romantic break with a loved one, or travelling solo to see the world. Cruising gives so much more choice than many other types of holiday- you can chill out in the sunshine on deck, or make the most of your money by having memorable adventures every day exploring on shore.

For those who don't have much time to spare, there are a great range of increasingly popular mini cruises available, which still take in lots of exciting locations and offer all the great food, activities and luxurious surroundings that you want from a cruise, just in a shorter time period. Once you've decided how long you want to go for, what you want to see and what on-board facilities you'll need to really enjoy yourself, hop online and build your perfect cruise. Cruise holidays are becoming more and more popular and, with so many great deals around at the moment, now is the perfect time to find out why

Guests traveling on Tauck's new "Botswana, South Africa & Zambia" safari next year will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience – the chance to actually walk with and among a pride of juvenile lions as they play, relax and begin to develop the skills they’ll use later to survive in the wild. This unique opportunity comes during a visit to a lion research center near Livingstone, Zambia, where young lion cubs orphaned in the wild are nurtured and ultimately prepared for reintroduction into their natural environment.

The chance to walk among lions is just one of many amazing experiences on the new Tauck safari. Guests on this small-group adventure (featuring a maximum of just 20 travelers) will also travel offshore from Cape Town, South Africa, to nearby Seal Island, with the chance to perhaps witness great white sharks dramatically snatching fur seals from the waters surrounding the island. They’ll also explore a meerkat colony on Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pan, and get to know the colony’s quirky, energetic and entertaining residents. And they’ll view wildlife in a range of other settings, ranging from open-top, six-passenger safari vehicles to a lavishly restored Pullman lounge and dining cars during a private steam train journey (complete with gourmet dinner) through Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. 

The itinerary will also traverse a variety of landscapes, from the dramatic coast of the Cape of Good Hope to deserts and salt plains, and from rainforests and Victoria Falls to marshlands and savannahs. The natural wonders of Botswana, South Africa and Zambia will be complemented by special Tauck “insider” experiences that reveal the countries’ history and culture. For example, in Botswana Tauck travelers will learn about long-held traditions and daily life during a visit to a San Bushmen village. And in South Africa, guests will enjoy a traditional “braai” barbecue dinner at a private home in Cape Town and visit the 17th-century Castle of Good Hope, which dates back to the region’s time as an outpost of the Dutch East India Company.

Price for the 12-day journey is from $8,890 per person, double-occupancy, plus international and on-tour air. Included in the price are all safari excursions, guides, most meals, accommodations in five-star hotels and luxury safari camps, airport transfers, luggage handling and much more. Tauck will operate departures from April through November next year. Those interested can visit their local travel professional, call Tauck at 800 468 2825, or go to www.tauck.com.

More information: Tauck