Never been on a cruise? CityBreakCruises offers 100s of starter cruise options – 2 to 4 night cruises that offer the perfect opportunity to try out a cruise holiday without breaking the bank. Many short cruises leave from a UK port, with no flights or airport hassle involved. All meals and entertainment onboard are included in the price, so a short cruise offers great value too.

Kill two birds with one stone – enjoy a relaxing break and finish off your Christmas shopping with a 3 night Fred Olsen cruise sailing to Antwerp, leaving Portsmouth December 17th, for great shopping in Belgium’s Christmas markets (without airline luggage restrictions) from £326 per person, including all meals and onboard entertainment. Or try the 2 night Cruise & Maritime cruise from London (Tilbury) to Antwerp for just £129 per person for some Chritmas shopping, departing December 11th. Step foot into the Belgian Christmas fairytale. Buy hand crafted gifts and famous Belgian chocolates from the open-air Christmas stalls, take a spin on the ice skating rink next to the fountain of Brabo, join in a festive evening Christmas concerts or simply try a ‘jenver’ while warming by a cosy open fire.

If you want to venture further a field, there’s a 5 night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, sailing from Barcelona on May 28th 2012, with ports of call at Cannes / Monte Carlo, Liverno (for Florence and Pisa), and Rome, from £331 per person (excluding flights) – a perfect opportunity during half term to introduce the whole family to cruising as the ship has plenty of facilities for all ages, including a 9-hole mini golf course, kids club, Flowrider, ice skating rink, rock climbing and swimming pool. During the school holidays most cruise liners put on extra kids clubs and entertainment to occupy little ones. Some even offer a babysitting service for parents wanting an evening to themselves.

Cruise aficionados will testify that cruising is a little like golf – once you try it you can’t get enough of it. A starter cruise is a great way of working out whether a longer cruise holiday is for you! A www.citybreakcruise.co.uk taster cruise could be the start of your holiday revolution.