Oceania Cruises is offering a 10-day Glamorous Riviera cruise round-trip from Rome on Oceania Riviera in June 2017. The cruise visits the Amalfi Coast, Ibiza, Barcelona, Marseilles, St Tropez, Monte Carlo, Portofino and Florence. The ship's hands-on Culinary Centre will provide passengers with the chance to learn local cooking techniques and recipes inspired by the itinerary's French and Italian destinations, and culinary tours will delve into the region's culinary heritage. It's just one of 32 cruises in Europe over the northern summer 2017 for Oceania.

Phone 1300 355 200. See oceaniacruises.com

HYBRID CRUISES

Azamara Club Cruises is taking advantage of its nimble smaller ships, the recently refurbished Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey, to explore not just the world's oceans but rivers too. At the end of November this year a cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong will sail the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok and dock overnight. Other itineraries sail part of the Liffey River in Ireland, the Guadalquivir River in Spain, the Thames as far as Tower Bridge in London, the Garonne to Bordeaux (normally a river-cruise destination), and the Mississippi River to New Orleans.

Phone 1800 754 500. See azamaraclubcruises.com

EPIC JOURNEYS

Crystal Cruises has been rolling out new river ships and small yachts of late (not to mention airplanes), but hasn't forgotten its original ocean-cruise focus. Its 2017-18 ocean cruises on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity cover 109 itineraries in 116 countries and 469 ports, nearly 60 of which the company is visiting for the first time. Novelties include more Alaska departures, maiden voyages to Papua New Guinea and a comprehensive 94-day cruise around South America. Another epic cruise, the 99-day Grand Pacific Explorer, takes in 14 Pacific Rim countries, including Australia.

Phone 1800 251 174. See crystalcruises.com

AYE AYE CAPTAIN

Captain's Choice has released 10 small-group, handcrafted tours in Asia, Africa and Latin America for 2017, one of which has an interesting river-cruise component. The 22-day Upper Mekong and Golden Triangle cruise-tour in October 2017 takes guests through south-east Asia, with an exclusive charter of RV Yunnan Pandaw for a cruise along the Mekong from China to Myanmar and Laos, visiting temples, tribal villages and a botanical research centre along the way. Cruises on the Upper Mekong are still relatively unusual. Five-star accommodation, sightseeing and accompanying host and doctor are among Captain's Choice high-end inclusions.

Phone 1300 176 681. See captainschoice.com.au

ROLLING ALONG

Sea Cloud Cruises is offering a cycling option for its more active passengers on an August 2017 sailing on Sea Cloud II along the Atlantic coast of Europe between Hamburg in Germany and Bilbao in Spain. Among the five cycling tours is a 26-kilometre pedal between Ostend and Bruges in Belgium and another 36-kilometre cycle along the scenic Brittany coastline. In the French port of La Rochelle, guests cycle across a long bridge to Ile de Re and through port villages, marshland and forest. The optional cycle package includes bikes, guided tours and a support van.

Phone 1300 583 572. See seacloud.com