A mystery cruise, and the pleasure of not knowing the ports

Most holidays begin long before they start. There is the choosing of the destination, the reading about it, the planning of the days, and by the time you arrive you have often half-seen the place already, in photographs and reviews. A mystery cruise removes all that. You choose when to go, which ship and which port to leave from, and the cruise line chooses the rest. The itinerary is kept secret until you are on board, and sometimes ports are revealed one at a time, the night before the ship arrives.

It sounds like a gimmick, and in a sense it is, but it is one with a long history. Mystery trips by train and coach were a popular outing in Britain for much of the twentieth century, when railway companies ran excursions to unannounced destinations, and the idea has carried over to the sea.

How it works

The ship leaves from a British port on a fixed date for a fixed number of nights, and the cruise line plans a route within the range a ship can comfortably reach in that time. From Southampton or Newcastle, on a short sailing, that usually means ports in northern Europe: the Low Countries, northern France, Germany, Scandinavia or the Channel Islands, or, on a longer voyage, further afield. The route is planned in advance like any other, and the ship carries everything it needs for the ports it will call at, but passengers are not told.

On board, the reveal becomes part of the entertainment. The captain's announcements are listened to with unusual attention, and guessing the next port, from the position of the sun, the direction of the ship or the shape of the coastline, becomes a pastime. When the ship comes alongside, there is a moment of discovery that ordinary holidays rarely offer.

The pleasure of not knowing

Part of the appeal is simply surprise. Arriving in a city you had not planned to see, without expectations, can be a very different experience from arriving somewhere you have read about for months. You notice more, perhaps, because you have not been told what to look for.

Part of it is rest. A mystery cruise takes away the burden of decision. There is nothing to research and nothing to plan, and for people who spend their working lives making choices, that is a relief. The cruise line arranges the excursions, which are usually announced once the port is known, and you can join them or simply walk ashore and see what you find.

And part of it is the company. A mystery cruise tends to attract people who enjoy a bit of adventure and do not mind not getting their own way, which makes for a cheerful ship.

Who it suits

A mystery cruise suits people who are flexible and curious, and who already enjoy cruising for its own sake: the sea days, the food, the evenings on board. It suits those who have been on several cruises and want something different, and it is a good choice for anyone who finds that planning takes the fun out of a holiday.

It is less suited to people with a particular place they want to see, or who need to know in advance where they will be for reasons of health or mobility, since some ports may involve tenders or long walks. And it is worth checking what the cruise line does say in advance, such as whether passports or visas might be needed, which they usually are.

The sailings

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' Europe Mystery Cruise, six nights, sails from Southampton in November.

Fred. Olsen's Five-Night Europe Mystery Cruise sails from Newcastle in February.

Both are short, which makes them a good way to try the idea without committing a fortnight to it. Winter sailings like these suit the format well: the ports are quiet, the coastlines are often dramatic in the low winter light, and whatever the destination, there will be somewhere warm to retreat to on board. Pack for changeable weather, bring an open mind, and resist the temptation to work it out in advance. The point is not to know.