Here are five of the best winter cruise destinations for 2016

The Chilean fjords

You may have seen Norway’s fjords and been impressed with their dignified majesty, but Chile’s waterways are like something from a Tolkien novel: epic.

Excursions into the countryside will take you to spectacular waterfalls, and unspoilt countryside as far as they eye can see.

But there are also major cities to see, such as Valparaiso – Chile’s biggest city – with a mix of high rise and colourful traditional houses over the 45 hills that make up this fascinating city.

The Amazon

You may have to fly to the Caribbean to start your cruise holiday before sailing off to Brazil and the world’s most monumental river.

It is a mecca for wildlife lovers – particularly birdwatchers – with macaws, toucans and hummingbirds among the 1,300-plus species of birds in the Amazonian rainforest.

There is a rich culture there, too, in Manaus for instance – the region’s capital – which has well-preserved Portuguese colonial buildings and plenty of markets close to the water’s edge.