Ports include Mykonos, Patmos, Santorini and Crete where you can visit ancient Knossos Palace or delve into the rural interior for vineyards and tavernas. The ship returns to Athens on Monday morning.

Stay longer to see the Acropolis Museum or extend your holiday on the nearby beaches.

Mid-size ships Aquamarine and Aegean Pearl are simple and comfortable with air conditioning, two dining rooms, entertainment lounge and casino, as well as gyms, swimming pools and plenty of sunbathing decks.

A three-night Greek Islands cruise from £199 per adult (two sharing), under-12s cruise free when sharing a cabin with parents. easyJet (0870 600 0000/www.easyjet.com) offers return flights from Gatwick to Athens from £87.

Departs Athens every Friday in August, 2010.

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EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN FROM £70 A NIGHT
Big and modern enough to deliver everything you need for a week away from home, life on MSC Cruises' (0844 561 1955/ www.msccruises.co.uk) ship Armonia will be very different from the quaint old ports you'll visit in the Eastern Med.

You'll find three restaurants, a kids' club as well as mini-golf and evening entertainment as you cruise around the Greek and Italian coasts and visit Kotor in Montenegro.

A seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise from £489 per adult (two sharing), under-18s cruise free when sharing with parents. Return flights with BA from Heathrow to Venice from £210 per adult, £80 per child. Departs Venice, June 14, 2010.

FJORDS FROM £74 A NIGHT
Avoid the holiday crowds this summer by heading north instead of south. Cruise and Maritime (0845 430 0274/ www.cruiseandmaritime.com) operates from Greenock on Scotland's west coast to Norway, with its majestic mountains and silent waterways.

Newly refitted ship Ocean Countess is small enough to explore the nooks and crannies of the Norwegian coast without sacrificing comfort. There's a heated pool, bars and lounges and traditional fixed dining.

An eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise from £599 per adult (two sharing), £149 per child. Departs Greenock, August 14, 2010.

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WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN FROM £86 A NIGHT
If you spent your two-week cruise eating at the six all-inclusive restaurants, playing in the waterpark, surfing, rock-climbing, working-out, playing mini-golf, volleyball and basketball, you'd not only be exhausted but realise what great value a Royal Caribbean (0844 493 4005/www.royalcaribbean.co.uk) holiday is. On superliner Independence Of The Seas all these activities are included in the cruise price.

With Southampton departures there's no expensive flight and to keep costs down even further there's nothing stopping you from exploring Gibraltar, Corsica, Cannes, Barcelona, Lisbon or any of the other ports of call.

A 14-night Western Mediterranean cruise from £1,199 per adult (two sharing), £399 per child. Departs Southampton, June 5, 2010.

FRANCE, BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS FROM £87 A NIGHT
For city breaks consider this holiday with Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines (01473 742424/ www.fredolsencruises.com) and wake up in a new one each day.

The canals and museums of Amsterdam, the chocolate shops of Bruges, the tea rooms of St Peter Port on Guernsey and St Malo, where nearby Mont Saint-Michel is a mustsee, can all be explored.

The Braemar also calls at Antwerp, where tours to nearby Waterloo can be booked.

The ship has a five-storey atrium, pool, two restaurants and a comfortable show lounge.

An eight-night northern Europe cruise from £699 per adult (two sharing), £210 per child. Departs Dover, July 21.