Destinations Cruise life Caribbean

5 sense-sational holiday experiences

Winter getting you down? Swap lashing rain for sparkling seas and embark on a holiday that awakens all your senses.

4 min 16 Jan 2026

Editorial Team

Author

If grey skies and cold weather are taking their toll, it might be time to brighten up those winter blues. Imagine yourself in the Caribbean: the golden sun warming your skin, a sea-salty breeze on the air and soft sand squishing beneath your feet. Or transport yourself to the Norwegian Fjords in summertime, where the evening sun glistens on calm waters as your ship glides quietly between towering cliffs. Or let your mind wander to the Med: your shoes clicking on cobbled streets, laughter on the breeze and a refreshing glass of sangria in your hand.

Ready to discover more? These five experiences will take your mind to finer climes.

1. See a world of ocean blues

We’ve sailed the world and found that one thing is certain – no sea is the same. The Caribbean Sea is the stuff of tropical daydreams, with gentle, turquoise waves that sparkle in the sun. Its bright hue comes courtesy of its shallower depths, lighter sand, calm waves and the abundance of sunshine streaming into it. All this keeps it delightfully warm, too – the ideal temperature for swimming year-round.

If shallow, warm waters equal light-blue seas, it tracks that deep, cool waters would produce deep greens and cold blues, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in the Norwegian Fjords. The depth of the Fjords mirrors the towering cliffs above them, making you feel like you’re sailing through a slice of the Earth.

Head to the Med and you’ll find crisp, clear, cobalt waters. Destinations along the Ionian and Adriatic (think Croatia and Greece) and Spain’s Balearic Islands enjoy especially clear and warm waters – perfect for paddle-boarding, snorkelling and kayaking.

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2. Listen as your ship glides through the Fjords

Soulful sounds can be found wherever you tune in to them, from the sweet lilting of steel drums in the Caribbean to the melodic bells of the iconic abbey in Mont St Michel. But few can compare to the aural tranquillity of sailing through the Norwegian Fjords. Nothing prepares you for the dramatic views you’ll experience as you sail through these majestic natural wonders, but what really comes as a surprise to many is how quiet it is. Cutting through rolling green hills and rugged cliff faces, listen to the low hum of your ship and the gentle splashing of the wake as you carve through the calm waters; the rush of waterfalls tumbling down cliffs as you sail past them; and the trill of birdsong in the skies above. To really make the most of the experience, why not wake up early, pour yourself a warm cup of tea, find a spot on deck and steal a moment just for you as your ship sails into port?

3. Feel the sand beneath your toes

The sensation of sand under your feet can add to the relaxation you'll experience on a cruise holiday. The way the smooth, sun-warmed grains brush against your skin; the way the beach gives way beneath you ever so slightly with each step you take; and how you can look back and see your footprints washed away by the gentle, lapping waves, all while sunshine and sea breezes warm your skin. The Caribbean’s beaches are renowned for their exquisite sands, ranging from white, powder-soft shores in Barbados to the golden grains of St Lucia.

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4. Smell lavender on the breeze

When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Or any other flower, for that matter? Smell is the sense most associated with memory, but we’re often quick to neglect it when we’re travelling and our other senses are so engaged. In the Mediterranean, you can’t help but be stopped in your tracks by the floral fragrances wafting on the breeze. Provence in summertime is famous for its sprawling, purple fields of lavender. You can visit a field of it for an experience that smells as good as it looks, or enjoy it in soaps, perfumes and even ice cream. Corsica is blanketed with the unique aroma of the maquis, a wild scrubland bursting with aromatic flora such as eucalyptus, mint, juniper, rosemary, sage and yellow immortelle. Over in the Caribbean on the island of Grenada, it’s spice you’ll smell – nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and more sweeten the air and give Grenada its nickname, the Spice Island.

5. Taste a cooling Caribbean cocktail

All that warm Caribbean sun needs a bit of cool to balance it out, and there’s no better tonic than an ice-cold cocktail. The Caribbean is the birthplace of rum, and you can enjoy it across all the islands, anywhere from roadside shacks to beachfront bars and distilleries such as Mount Gay in Barbados or Callwood in Tortola. Curaçao, meanwhile, is famed for its eponymous liqueur, a bright-blue potion that mirrors the island’s cerulean waters. On Caribbean holidays aboard Arvia and Britannia, renowned Barbadian mixologist Shane McClean has devised a cocktail that celebrates the spirit of his homeland. The Bajan Breeze is the ultimate taste of the Caribbean – a smooth, sensory ritual that combines Mount Gay rum, mango, spiced chai, vanilla and chocolate bitters. Want to sip on sunshine while you plan your next escape with us? You can make a Bajan Breeze cocktail at home – simply follow the recipe below.