Africa is a vast continent offering a wealth of cruising options. Cruises embarking or disembarking in Cape Town can be combined with a Garden Route tour, a trip on the Blue Train or Rovos Rail, a safari in Kruger National Park, or a visit to Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta, while voyages commencing in Mombasa can be paired with a Kenyan or Tanzanian safari.

The gateway of Dubai is an easy starting point for exploring the Persian Gulf on a Middle East cruise, with calls at modern cities such as Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. Guaranteed sunshine, good shopping and fascinating trips into the desert add to the appeal, but there is also the opportunity to see the contrasts of ancient and modern trade in this region, juxtaposing the nomad peoples of the Arabian deserts with the lavish wealth of the oil-producing nations.

The area to the east of Africa features intermittently within cruise line programmes, with itineraries that follow the old trading routes between Europe, Africa, India and Arabia. The paradise islands of the Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives offer stunning natural beauty, amazing wildlife and an intoxicating cultural mix whilst Madagascar provides an opportunity to see some unique flora and fauna.

Repositioning sailings, often from the Mediterranean or Asia, will explore Arabia or travel Africa's more remote areas before most ships spend some time operating Cape Town round trips. Although the season runs from October to April some cruise lines will only offer a handful of sailings in this area, so if you're keen it's worth booking early.