Top 10 cruises tipped by expert

Holidaymakers thinking about setting sail have been advised of the best ten autumn cruises this week.

Travel expert at the Daily Telegraph newspaper Jane Archer said that autumn is the perfect time to go on holiday as the summer prices have eased and some last minute deals are on offer.

She added: "Not only are there some great deals around but this is also one of the best times to sail. In Europe and the Med, the blistering summer heat has dissipated and crowds have gone, making sightseeing a much more pleasant experience in the autumn sunshine."

Furthermore, the Caribbean's hurricane season is over by November when the islands become drenched in sunshine, much to visitors' delight.

Top of Ms Archer's cruise list was a Black Sea adventure, which departs on October 2nd for two weeks. The trip, which is operated by the Spirit of Adventure, takes holidaymakers to Istanbul and has an educational element.

Guest lecturers will hop on at most of the ports the cruise ship stops at and deliver insightful lectures. Places the cruise will dock in include Volos, Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta.

However, for those who consider holidays a time to relax their brains then Peter Deilman's week-long trip down the River Elbe in mid October might be just the ticket.

Second on the journalist's list, the trip departs from Potsdam and finishes in Prague, travelling through the Germany and Czech Republic countryside. Cities the cruise will visit include Dresden, Magdeburg and Meissen.

In third place came a ten-night cruise designed to charm holidaymakers' taste buds. The trip to from Montreal to New York will see Dorchester Hotel, London chef Henri Brosi reveal the secrets of his cooking techniques to holidaymakers and prepare signature meals.

Furthermore, there will be tasting sessions and one of the world's youngest Master Sommeliers Keith Goldston will also be whipping up some delightful dishes.

Cruises that did not make it into the top ten but were on Ms Archer's hit list include a trip down Panama Canal for those fed up with the Med, an Atlantic crossing for the cost-conscious and an African adventure from the Seychelles to South Africa.

Recently, it has been claimed that cruises are better value now than they were a decade ago.

A study conducted by P&O Cruises found that while a two-week cruise this year would cost a holidaymaker £1,570, ten years ago it would have set them back £2,520.

Nigel Esdale, P&O Cruises' managing director, said: "In actual fact, this year's prices are more than £900 cheaper per person, almost £2,000 cheaper for a couple than ten years ago."