Turkey is a vast country. If you were driving along the coast from the tip of the Datca Peninsula to the point east of Adana where the coastline soon heads south on out of Turkey you will have driven over 1200 kms. It is a stunning coastline with warm, crystal blue seas for most of the year, and an equally impressive climate. The spring and autumn are both pleasant while the main weeks of summer and hot and cloudless when a refreshing swim in the sea is ideal to cool off. Suntans are guaranteed but the memories of cruising in a yacht or gulet will remain long after the suntan fades.

The airports of Dalaman and Antalya are geared to handle the huge number of tourists to the area and those flying into Antalya are only an hour from a town that has expanded with the increase in tourists and which has an impressive marina that welcomes boats on a daily basis. Kemer.

Kemer

There was a time when Kemer was certainly best accessed from the sea and sailors will say it is still the case even though there is a modern road linking this expanding town to Antalya to the east. Kemer sits below the mountains that rise as high as 2,200 metres. The setting is as stunning as the coastline itself. A Kemer port cruise offers the chance to sail east or west to visit existing settlements, the ruins of historical cities that date back to the Lycians, in the years before Christ, and the Romans.

Kemer used to be just a small fishing village and the daily catch is still welcomed by restaurants serving typical Turkish cuisine including the freshest fruit and vegetables and by captains who intend to feed passengers on board. There is nothing to stop tourists actually catching their own fish and putting it straight on to the BBQ.

Antalya

The next port of call heading east is the city of Antalya. It has a population of well over a million but that does not mean that it holds no attractions for those wanting a genuine Turkish experience. Antalya’s origins date back to the time when its small harbour was of strategic and trading importance. Kaleici, the Old Town, is still a charming cobbled street district that was important to the Romans. The district is filled with old Ottoman style houses, pensions and shops selling carpets and typical crafts and souvenirs. The Hadrian Gate and impressive wall separate Kaleici from the modern shopping areas of Antalya.

The City was important to the Byzantines subsequently and obviously to the Ottomans whose Empire lasted centuries until finally collapsing completely with the First World War.

An Alaturka Cruise Kemer takes in places such as Antalya but there is the alternative of heading west as well. The road actually heads inland for periods but boats never leave the stunning seas.

Demre

This modern town is the ancient site of the Lycian City of Myra and the home of the Church of Saint Nicholas, the person the modern world regards as the fictional figure, Santa Claus (don’t tell your children!). It is a delight because even though visitors come to see Saint Nicholas’ tomb, it is never overcrowded. It is a fertile region growing a wide range of produce year round, with pomegranates being one of the popular fruits though the crop is picked late autumn.

The sunken city of Kekova and Simena Castle are two interesting sites to visit, mixing a little history and culture with the simple pleasures of relaxation.

Some people travel to Turkey and select a private villa, apartment or hotel and stay in a single place. Perhaps they do an occasional day trip but the main aim of the holiday is to relax, get a suntan and enjoy good bars and restaurants by night? Sailing the Turquoise Coast deprives no one of any of these pleasures but offers so much more.  The sea is just a dive off the boat and a suntan certain. The small towns along any of the available routes mean that an evening at a local restaurant is no problem at all. Think of the extra pleasures sailing provides with the calm waters comfortable for even nervous sailors.

Deciding quite what amounts to the perfect cruise holiday package is a tough challenge indeed. For parents the idea of an ideal cruise is likely to involve the right balance between spending time with the children and spending time away from them. For couples, the aim might be to strike a more romantic note and we all have our favourite regions of the world that capture our imaginations like nowhere else. But the beauty of cruise holidays these days is that there really ought to be something for everyone and every reason to expect that somewhere there will be an ideal escape for you and your travelling party.

A key issue to decide upon as you plan and look around for cruise deals is whether you intend to stay on-board your chosen ship for just a short time or for as long as you can manage. There are packages that keep holidaymakers sailing for close to a month but the most common offers are on deals for a week, 10 days or close to a fortnight. Some ships are rather more family friendly than others, which you might well want to look into, and some ships are famed more for their food than for their evening entertainment and vice versa. The choice of course is entirely up to individuals but there is a lot to be said for doing some basic research online and finding out what experienced cruise-holidaymakers have to say about certain cruise ships and particular packages.

P&O has long been among the most popular providers of cruise adventures among UK consumers and the Azura is perhaps the most impressive ship in the company’s spectacular fleet. The good news is that there are P&O Azura deals available on package tours to a variety of stunning locations during the final few months of 2012 and right throughout 2013.

If you’re searching for more from your holiday than the sea, sun, sand and sunbathing then it’s worth considering a cruise as an alternative. Whilst you may associate cruises with cheesy cabaret, crystal chandeliers and casinos, these trips are becoming far more adventurous and the number of UK passengers cruising this year is expected to rise by another eight per cent to a record, 1.77 million. This is partly due to the popularity of adventure cruises such as the Arctic cruise. Here winter temperatures can be as low as −40 °C, so forget swimsuits and dressing for dinner and pack thermals and waterproofs to prepare for sailing the world’s most remote coastlines and viewing an incredible array of wildlife and amazing scenery. What can you see on an Arctic cruise?

Arctic Foxes

Arctic foxes have stunning coats which tend either to be white or a beautiful blue-grey. As well as being attractive, these coats act as very effective winter camouflage and are the warmest fur of any mammal – even warmer than that of the polar bear. The foxes also have furry soles, short ears and a short muzzle, all of which are important in helping them survive the chilly climate. They are amazing creatures to observe, as the basic social unit is a breeding pair who will remain together in the same territory and den for up to five years.

Polar Bears

The main highlight of an Arctic cruise is often spotting the iconic polar bear. Only in the Arctic can you see this amazing creature in its natural habitat and view their full personality. You’ll be impressed by their amazing adaptations to life in the harsh Arctic environment and dependence on sea ice. However, while they look cute and friendly they’re actually incredibly strong and ferocious, measuring up to 3.1 metres long and weighing up to 1,200 pounds. Sadly, these giant beasts are becoming highly vulnerable, threatened with the increasing effects of global warming, which is melting their habitat.

Svalbard Reindeer

Svalbard has a unique subspecies of reindeer, the Svalbard reindeer which is the smallest species within the deer family. The deer have characteristically short legs but still carry impressive antlers. They spend their days concentrating on eating as much as possible creating large fat reserves to survive the long Arctic winter. These reindeer are not shy and can be more commonly spotted than the polar bear.

Ice Seals

The Arctic is home to several unique and extraordinary, beautiful seal species, such as: ribbon seals, bearded seals, ringed seals, spotted seals, harp seals, and hooded seals. These seals are often called ice seals because they spend the bulk of their lives either on or near sea ice. They can be spotted along with walrus on ice floes or off-shore islands and so make perfect photographic subjects.

Whales

Whilst some whales may migrate over the severe winters, the bowhead, beluga and narwhal can be seen in the Arctic all year round. The bowhead feeds by swimming with its huge mouth open, taking in enormous amounts of water and trapping copepods and other drifting crustaceans. This is because it is a baleen whale and so instead of teeth, it has several hundred fringed plates, called baleen, that hang down from its upper jaw and filter small prey from the water.

The beluga is a very beautiful creature which is also known as the white whale due to its distinctive white colouring. Belugas are a sociable bunch, often gathering in large numbers so once you spot one, look out for others nearby. You may only need to listen out for them as belugas are quite loud and can often be heard whistling, clicking, and grunting.

What distinguishes the narwhal from the beluga is its magnificent spearing tusk which can extend up to half of the whale’s body weight. Nicknamed ‘unicorn of the sea’, the tusk is actually a long, twisted tooth that is projected up to three metres in front of the whale.

Arctic Birds

There is also a variety of birds which can be seen in the Arctic. If you cruise during the summer months you may spot the Arctic tern which is famous for its migration, flying from its breeding grounds in the Arctic 44,000-miles to the opposite pole the Antarctic. Here it will spend September to May before flying back again for summer in the Arctic. This is by far the furthest migration by any known animal and ensures that this bird sees two summers per year and more daylight than any other creature on the planet.

Other birds you may spot are puffins, eider ducks, skuas, sandpipers and auks. The birds in the Arctic are also feeling the effects of climate change; from difficulties in flying in foggy weather to avalanches and new threats such as mosquitoes.

Unspoiled Wilderness

In addition to unique wildlife, an Arctic cruise enables you to sail round some one of the world’s last great wildernesses. The dramatic scenery ranges from ice covered seas, fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery, rarely visited bays and inlets and glaciers flowing into the sea around you.