Fred. Olsen Christmas Cruises

For guests whose idea of Christmas involves a lot more sunshine, the Canary Islands offer dependable winter warmth within a few days’ sailing of the UK. Santa Cruz de Tenerife sits beneath Mount Teide and makes an easy day of markets and mountain views, Las Palmas pairs a city beach with the handsome old quarter of Vegueta, and the quieter ports of Santa Cruz de La Palma and San Sebastián de la Gomera reward guests who would rather walk volcanic trails than browse the shops.

Germany does Christmas markets better than almost anywhere, and Hamburg's are among the most enjoyable to explore. Wooden stalls fill the squares with handcrafted ornaments, roasted almonds and lebkuchen, and because Fred. Olsen’s ships are small enough to berth close to the centre, guests can be among the stalls within minutes of stepping ashore.

Northern France offers a gentler take on the season. Honfleur's harbour is lined with wooden chalets selling traditional sweets, artisanal jams and decorations, while Rouen combines its own market with a medieval centre and a cathedral that is worth the walk on its own. Both make comfortable half-day stops for guests who would rather stroll than schedule.

Sailing east brings a run of Northern Europe’s best capitals at their most atmospheric. Tallinn's medieval old town fills with the scent of mulled wine and gingerbread, Riga sets music and dance performances among its stalls, and Copenhagen turns Tivoli Gardens into the kind of winter scene guests photograph once and then simply stand and look at.

Guests with more time can spend the whole of Christmas crossing the Atlantic and exploring the Caribbean. Festive island-hopping voyages can visit St. John's, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados and so much more, with steel pan music, rum punch and spice markets standing in for frost and fairy lights.