Cruising from the UK is in many ways the perfect stress-free way to travel - in fact it can be so relaxed that some of our clients joke that they leave their brains in the boot of the car when they park to board the ship!

There are downsides of course - the seas around the UK are notoriously lumpy, whether you are crossing the Bay of Biscay, the North Sea or the Atlantic, and whatever the time of year, the weather can be disappointing, as we Brits know all too well.

But, convenience aside, there are hidden advantages as well. For instance, it's often easier to get travel insurance on round Britain cruises, a great consideration if your health is poor.

Certain cruise lines cruise regularly out of the UK with an excellent range of cruise choices, both close to home and further afield. Luxury cruise lines, it has to be said, tend to have fewer ex UK choices.

Top itineraries for ex UK cruises are the Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands, or into the Mediterranean. But even a less glamorous round Britain cruise can be fabulously eye-opening and enjoyable. There are also occasional opportunities, during the winter months, to join longer cruises such as World Cruises and Grand Voyages.