Salute the Great British cruise

JOIN THE PARTY

Cunard (0843 374 2224/ cunard.co.uk), that most starched and elegant of all cruise lines, is celebrating its 175th anniversary.

On May 25 all three iconic ships – Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – meet in Cunard’s original home port, Liverpool.

It may be too late to get on board join the party but there is always an air of celebration when a Cunard ship appears on the Mersey and you can experience that on a summer mini-cruise.

Queen Mary 2, the grandest ship sailing the oceans today, sets out from Southampton and rounds Wales before sailing into Liverpool the following morning.

Make sure you’re on deck as you dock outside the famous Royal Liver Building.

A two-day Southampton to Liverpool cruise, from £579pp (two sharing), full board. Departs July 2.

MEET THE PRINCESS

Royal Princess (0843 374 2401/princess.com) was launched in 2013 by the Duchess of Cambridge and even though she was joined by almost identical twin Regal Princess in the autumn, she’s still the more elegant of the two.

With 21st-century features, Royal Princess offers the Sanctuary, an adults-only deck and pool area, Lotus Spa.

There are also speciality restaurants such as the Crown Grill for steak and seafood. She shows off her style with this round-Britain trip.

It largely steers clear of English ports and votes for Scotland with an overnight stay at South Queensferry for Edinburgh, plus Greenock for Glasgow, and Invergordon for a trip to Loch Ness.

There are also stops in Belfast, Dublin and Cork as well as detours to Guernsey and Le Havre.

A 12-night British Isles trip from £1,099pp (two sharing), full board. Departs Southampton August 1.

DISCOVER THE ISLES

Cruises from Voyages of Discovery (0844 273 5964/ voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk) celebrate the history of a region and this sailing island hops through time, circling Britain, concentrating on the rugged north and the sun-drenched south.

You head up the east coast for five of Scotland’s fi nest, the Orkneys, Shetlands, Mull, Lewis – and a rare cruise calling in little Portree on the Isle of Skye.

Down the other coast and you find yourself in the Scillies and on Guernsey.

Speakers include Dr Sandy Primrose MBE, a microbiologist and garden enthusiast. Voyager, for 540 passengers, is a classic small cruise ship with evening entertainment, open-air pool, bars and a choice of restaurants.

A 12-day Britain’s Beautiful Isles cruise from £1,277pp (two sharing), full board. Departs Harwich June 9, 2016.