Fitness

MSC Cruises has announced its commitment this summer and offers for UK passengers

MSC Cruises has issued an update today, Thursday, May 28, with bosses announcing a commitment to UK passengers this summer. The cruise line offers various voyages spanning the globe and currently operates a fleet of 23 cruise ships, with plans for further expansion in the coming years.

On Thursday, MSC Cruises said it is inviting guests to experience the ‘best holiday ever’ over the coming months, with the “peace of mind” of no added fuel surcharge for summer 2026 and low deposits until the end of June. Antonio Paradiso, Vice President of International Sales at MSC Cruises, said: “MSC Cruises ‘Best Holiday Ever’ commitment reinforces our position as the leading choice for UK and Irish holidaymakers seeking an effortless, all-in-one travel experience.

“Backed by dedicated support every step of the way, guests can book with confidence and peace of mind in today’s changing travel environment and relax knowing that their holiday is taken care of. With our low deposit of just £50, no-fly cruises from Southampton, Fly and Cruise packages with the reassurance of no added fuel surcharge for 2026, and the option to change your cruise date or destination if required, we are making it easier than ever for guests to secure their next holiday.”

Guests can book a trip with MSC Cruises with a low deposit of £50 per person, extended until the end of June. This applies to all cruises (excluding World Cruise and MSC Yacht Club cabins).

Passengers have a wide variety of amenities on board. There is full-board dining across the main restaurants and buffets, evening shows, multiple swimming pools with aquaparks, fitness facilities and family entertainment programmes.

There are many cabin types to choose from, including comfortable and economic inside cabins and connecting cabins for larger groups, which combine inside and balcony cabins together. Ocean View cabins offer sunset views, or for that sea breeze, opt for a balcony cabin.

A spokesperson added: “An MSC Cruise offers so much in one transparent price and, despite recent increases in global fuel prices, the cruise line will not be introducing a fuel surcharge this summer, giving guests extra confidence there are no unexpected added costs. The price guests see at the time of booking is the price they will pay, part of the best holiday ever commitment, just peace of mind and a seamless holiday experience this summer.”

MSC Cruises offers a range of Fly and Cruise packages that combine flights, transfers, and a cruise into one holiday. Designed to ‘simplify the journey from start to finish’, the cruise line says these packages are built in partnership with some of the world’s most renowned airlines.

Flights align with cruise schedules, with transfers between the airport and the ship included. Guests can select their preferred cruise itinerary, choose the Fly and Cruise fare, and confirm flights during the booking process. Fly and Cruise holidays in 2026 depart from:

• Belfast to Palma and Tenerife
• Dublin to Barcelona, Rome, Venice and Tenerife
• Edinburgh to Rome, Naples and Tenerife
• Glasgow to Tenerife
• Newcastle to Tenerife
• Manchester to Rome and Tenerife
• Birmingham to Tenerife
• London Heathrow to Seattle and Barbados

MSC Cruises also offers a selection of no‑fly cruises from Southampton year-round. Some standout destinations include the Norwegian Fjords, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. And on selected dates, well-known TV stars and sports legends are on board, giving guests complimentary classes and talks:

• June 6, 2026 – Southampton to Iceland and the Norwegian Fjords (14 nights), with TV personality Anthea Turner onboard.
• August 8, 2026 – Southampton to the Canary Islands (12 nights), with Rugby Legends Ben Cohen, Neil Back and Ben Kayplus dance star Kristina Rhianoff onboard.
• October 19, 2026 – Southampton to the Netherlands, Belgium and France (5 nights), with Football Legend Gianfranco Zola on board.

I was lying on a bed with no trousers on. A young man helped me into some crotch-high boots and zipped them up. He turned the lights down low, put on some music, pressed a button and left the room. Argh! The boots started to slowly inflate from the toes up, like a giant blood-pressure cuff. As they clenched around my upper thighs, I started to panic. What if they just got tighter and tighter until my legs exploded? As I was about to shout for help, the pressure suddenly released, leaving my legs feeling deliciously light. I took a deep breath and submitted to another 19 minutes of this sweet torture.

I was at Siro Boka Place in Montenegro, having compression boot therapy, which is supposed to boost circulation and reduce swelling. “It’s especially effective on women over 35,” my youthful assistant had told me, helpfully. The hotel, which opened last year, is proud of its “state-of-the-art wellness facilities”. In most hotels that means a poky gym. At Siro the facilities are so good the Montenegrin Olympic team is training here ahead of Los Angeles 2028.

But more about the hotel later. First I was keen to get outside and explore. Siro is in Porto Montenegro, a swanky development on the edge of Tivat in the beautiful Bay of Kotor. My companions and I escaped the bling on a morning ebike tour around the bay, taking us from designer shops and luxury restaurants to charming old fishing villages. We cycled to the tip of the promontory to peer at the islet Our Lady of the Rocks, then biked right round the other side until we were facing Kotor’s triangular, red-roofed old town across the water. We cut inland to complete the loop via a switchback mountain road, where I was grateful for the electric assistance.

The next day we hit the Vrmac mountain trails on foot, hiking to Gornja Lastva, a half-abandoned village high above Tivat, and then on to tiny St Vid church, which stands alone on the peak. The panoramic views made it the perfect picnic stop. In the afternoon, we explored the calm waters of the bay by kayak. It was blissful just getting out on the sparkling water, but with more time it is possible to kayak round to the famed Blue Cave on the Luštica peninsula.

These trips can be booked through Siro, which has partnered with local activity companies. Guests can go running and rock climbing; canyoning in the Drenoštica or Nevidio canyons; paddleboarding on Skadar Lake; or try a host of watersports in the bay, from funtubing and efoiling to wakeboarding.

Back at the hotel, group classes are on offer in the fitness studios – there are about five sessions a day on weekdays and two at weekends. I tried yoga, pilates and mindful strength, while more high-octane options include run club, Hyrox and full body blitz. The gym – sorry, “fitness lab” – is enormous (1,600 sq m), and divided into cardio, weights and functional training zones. There is a lovely 25-metre outdoor pool on the third floor, with views over the marina.

All this exercise called for some more treatments in the spa, or “recovery lab”. During red light therapy, I had to lie in a coffin-like pod with the lid closed – not one for the claustrophobic. The near-infrared wavelengths are thought to help reduce inflammation, speed up muscle recovery and rejuvenate the skin. If nothing else, the gentle warmth was very relaxing, once I stopped thinking about being buried alive.

I was a little nervous about having a body composition analysis, but it was a simple procedure. You stand on a Seca Tru machine and hold the handles, and the results are sent to an app on your phone in about 30 seconds. It seems like sorcery, but actually uses “bioelectrical impedance analysis” to measure the resistance of electrical currents as they pass through the body, and is highly accurate when compared with an MRI or Dexa (bone density) scan. It was fascinating to pore over the results: muscle and fat mass, water levels, bone mineral content, basal metabolic rate (calories burned at rest) and, a new one on me, phase angle: “an indicator of overall health, metabolic activity and nutritional status”.

When I’d digested my results (88/100, not bad for a woman well over 35), I had a consultation with Hélène Boussiard, a French-trained clinical dietitian and fount of nutritional knowledge. We bonded over our vegan diets, but she was less happy with my late nights and alcohol intake. As I’ve been resolving to go to bed earlier and drink less for the past 25 years, it wasn’t exactly a revelation, but her written report did spur me on to try harder.

I cheered myself up with a massage or three. Two were conducted on a waterbed (well, Rivals has brought the 80s back into fashion), one involved stretching and all were utterly incredible. I could have tried cupping, dry needling, EMS therapy and percussive therapy as well, but there are only so many hours in the day.

Guests with any energy left can work out in their rooms, too – they are equipped with a Swedish ladder for pull-ups and dead hangs, a wellness ball to work the core even while sitting, plus weights, resistance bands and a yoga mat. A restful night’s sleep is aided by meditation playlists, temperature-controlled mattresses and sunrise alarm clocks.

As you might expect, the restaurant, Siro Table, serves healthy food. The breakfast buffet features ferments, nuts and seeds, with à la carte options such as avocado toast with poached eggs. At lunch and dinner, there are lots of vegetable-based dishes with protein add-ons “to achieve your desired macros” – I added chickpeas and tofu to courgette spaghetti, for example. But it’s not too abstemious: chips, desserts and wine are all on the menu too. The ground floor Refuel Bar serves smoothies and protein shakes, but there is an actual bar on the roof, with cocktails and Friday-night DJs.

After three days at Siro, I felt like an Olympic athlete myself. Now all I have to do is keep it up back home. I wonder how much a pair of compression boots would set me back?

Glancing up from my chilli-prawn-laden pizza, I spot Declan Donnelly and his wife strolling into KOKO, our lunch spot in Portugal’s Quinta do Lago Resort.

It seems I’ve stumbled across people-watching heaven – this place is a playground for the rich and famous, with celebs including Niall Horan and Holly Willoughby also known to holiday here.

The setting is 15 minutes’ drive from Faro airport, where the landscape quickly transforms from rustic farmland to manicured streets, luxurious villas and luscious, green golf courses.

Designer-clad joggers take to the flower-lined paths, and sports cars meander down to the ocean.

If you didn’t know better, you could be driving through Palm Springs, not the Algarve.

My husband Grant and I have picked one of the more affordable stays – The Magnolia Hotel, a white villa designed like a ’50s motel, complete with illuminated sign and a kitsch, pastel interior.

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Our favourite spot here soon becomes the sparkling pool, surrounded by bird of paradise plants, and boasting cabanas and a Balearic beats soundtrack.

Each morning, we find an abundant buffet, including top-notch ingredients for a full English, plus fruit, yoghurts, pastries and cheeses.

But the pièce de résistance are the cooked-to-order banana and toffee pancakes. Double rooms here cost from £124 B&B (Themagnoliahotelqdl.com).

Quinta do Lago itself is more like a town, so we hop on the hotel’s complimentary bikes to The Campus, a 15-minute ride away, to meet Luke, our calm and collected padel coach.

By the end of our hour’s lesson, £70, we’ve mastered both a rebound backhand and a volley (Thecampusqdl.com).

The next morning, we hire mountain bikes from The Bike Shed, £45 per day, to explore the boardwalks lining the beautiful Ria Formosa Natural Reserve, and spy a purple heron and Eurasian oystercatchers on our ride down to the white-sand beaches.

Quinto do Lago Lake sits nearby with seafood eatery Casa do Lago and trendy tiki bar The Shack either side of the crystal-clear water.

After paddling around in kayaks, lapping up views of the mansions lining the lake, £18 for 30 minutes (Arturwatersports academy.pt), we head to the latter and gorge on zesty prawn tacos, £17.50, washed down with frozen margaritas, £12.

All of the resort’s restaurants are overseen by British executive chef Gareth Billington.

At Casa Velha, we share beef pica pau, a traditional Portuguese dish served in garlic gravy, £16.50, while the delicate sole at Casa do Lago, £37, paired with tomato salad and roasted potatoes, both £4.50, is a real treat and prepared at our table.

I head back to The Campus to work off some of our feasts at a Q Reformer Pilates 1-1 session, £48 for one hour, where instructor Pedro really challenges my strength and agility, before I’m tempted again at boutique cafe Pure.

Sipping on prosecco in the sun, with an afternoon tea spread of coronation chicken wraps, smoked salmon on toast, quiche and an array of home-made cakes, £33, I resolve to book a Reformer class back home.

Still, what’s life without a little cake?

Travel expert Simon Calder has explored the latest challenges facing UK airlines and passengers amid jet fuel shortages caused by the Iran war

Travel expert Simon Calder has released an update on his podcast about what to do should your flight be suddenly cancelled amid worldwide jet fuel shortages. The highly regarded travel journalist – well known for his frequent TV appearances and contributions to the Independent – has spoken with a prominent industry figure after seeing ‘so many people getting in touch feeling anxious about their holidays.’

He noted that many people were even contemplating whether to stay in England for their holidays. His remarks come as the Iran war continues to rumble on. The conflict, which began on February 28, has restricted the flow of oil and gas across the globe, placing pressure on markets and driving up the cost of jet fuel for airlines, reports the Liverpool Echo.

This week, jet fuel shortages have emerged as a significant concern, as statements from senior industry figures have sparked worry amongst ordinary travellers about the potential impact on their holidays this year. Dan Jorgensen, the EU energy commissioner, this week said: “Unfortunately, it’s very likely that many people’s holidays will be affected, either by flight cancellations or very, very expensive tickets. Even if we do everything we can do, if the jet fuel is not there, then it’s not there.”

Speaking on his podcast on Thursday, April 23, Simon began by saying: “You might be more inclined to stay in England because of all the headlines we’ve been seeing over the past couple of days. For example, Lufthansa of Germany said they were cancelling 20,000 flights.

“I’ve had so many people getting in touch feeling anxious about their holidays when I would hope they would be looking forward to them with great anticipation.” To tackle this, he spoke with Ted Wake, managing director of Kirker Holidays.

Simon put the question to him: “So just suppose I have booked a Kirker holiday. I’m maybe going to some of the great cities in Germany. Amazing cultural treasures to be found. And I’m flying maybe from Birmingham, from Edinburgh, from Glasgow, and suddenly Lufthansa cancels my flight. What do you do then as a tour operator?”

Ted responded: “We would find the nearest flight which would provide a sensible, practical alternative. We would liaise with the client about whether or not it was convenient for them and, if they’re in agreement, Kirker would pick up the tab for any logistical costs that have been incurred.

“There are occasions where tour operators like us might extend the client’s stay by an additional night and we might pick up the tab for that. But if you have booked through an ATOL-protected tour operator and the tour operator is mindful to nurture long-term relationships, it is in our interest to iron out the creases in that way.

“And you have mentioned some regional services there and it may be the case that Lufthansa cancel 1 or 2 of those but there will often be alternative flights, perhaps with a different carrier, and Kirker would pick up the tab for that as well as manage the logistical research in terms of what alternative flight could be suitable to ensure that people have a fabulous holiday.”

Ted’s remarks come just days after EU official Mr Jorgensen cautioned: “[Currently] it is primarily a crisis of prices and not yet a crisis of supply, but unfortunately we cannot be sure to prevent a crisis of supply, especially on jet fuel in the future, if the crisis continues.”

The International Energy Agency has similarly advised that severe supply disruptions could materialise within the next five or six weeks. It was against this backdrop that Simon addressed passenger concerns here in the UK.

Jet fuel flight cancellations and the EES

Ted highlighted that airlines are currently grappling with two distinct challenges – the jet fuel shortage and the new EES system. This system – the Entry/Exit System (EES) – is a new digital border arrangement that introduces additional checks for British travellers heading to numerous European destinations.

It launched this month. On your first visit following the change to a country within the so-called Schengen area (which encompasses many EU nations), you may be required to create a digital record upon arrival at an airport. You may be required to submit your fingerprints and have your photograph taken. The system has resulted in significant delays for some UK travellers since its introduction.

Ted discussed the jet fuel challenges confronting airlines and what this means for everyday passengers across the UK. He said: “I think Lufthansa has got a very comprehensive schedule. Twenty thousand flights isn’t a drop in the ocean but it’s a relatively small number if you look at the overall picture.

“I think other airlines within the UK market will be doing something similar. You might argue that it is a sensible logistical profit management exercise as well as a jet fuel situation, but I don’t see it having a major impact on consumers and if you book through a tour operator – of course, Simon, you tell your readers all the time and indeed your listeners for that matter – if you book through a tour operator, it’s a tour operator’s responsility to iron out all the creases so the consumer is not adversely impacted by the change.”

You can tune in to the podcast here.

Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham Hotspur and Ghana)

Kudus is awaiting further assessment on a quad injury that could require surgery. Ghana risk losing their key creative figure if recovery takes longer than expected. His availability remains uncertain as crucial decisions loom. The Ghana international has been out for more than three months after limping out of Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Sunderland on 4 January.

Eder Militao (Real Madrid and Brazil)

Militao has been ruled out for the rest of Real Madrid’s season after suffering a hamstring tear. The 28-year-old centre-back is targeting a return for the World Cup, but Brazil’s medical staff are cautious given his recent history of muscle injuries.

Reece James (Chelsea and England)

England defender James is once again dealing with hamstring issues while sidelined at Chelsea. Having missed the past two major tournaments, his hopes depend on avoiding further setbacks. The 26-year-old sustained the injury in a 1-0 Premier League defeat by Newcastle in March. Any delay in recovery would put his place in serious doubt.

Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich and Canada)

Canada’s talisman is once again struggling with the recurring muscle issues that have plagued his recent seasons at Bayern Munich. His explosive pace is central to Canada’s threat, but his body seems to be pushing back at the worst possible moment. If he is not fully fit, Canada’s chances take a massive hit.

Dr Xand van Tulleken told viewers ‘it can be like a heart attack for your legs’

A BBC doctor has given a worrying update for anyone who has woken up in the morning with a pain in the leg. Appearing on BBC Morning Live, Dr Xand van Tulleken told viewers they should ‘never’ just write symptoms off as what happens due to ageing.

Many people get aches and pains, but specific discomfort in the legs should be investigated, he said. Host Helen Skelton said: “We’re looking at protecting our health now, though. And if you started this morning with a pain in your leg, you’re not alone.

“It’s thought that one in five people over the age of 60 is living with a blood vessel disorder.“ Dr Xand said “It’s really important that no one should ever regard any symptoms they have as just part of getting older. If you have a symptom and you don’t know why you have it, you need to get an explanation.

“Whether it’s shortness of breath or pain in your legs. There are lots of different causes for pain in your legs, but this morning we’re talking about peripheral arterial disease, which is a sort of intimidating medical term, but really we mean just peripheral, meaning it’s at the outside of your body. It’s in your legs rather than being in your heart or your brain.”

Arterial disease might be the cause – and that’s a condition which can mean there are serious health issues at stake beyond just aching legs. Dr Xand said “Arterial disease is the same problems that gives us heart attacks and strokes. Your blood vessels narrow over time. They can calcify, they harden, they clog up with cholesterol, and you are left with a narrower space for blood to flow through and that means that you’re not getting a sufficient blood supply to your legs and that can give you leg pain.

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“And you can think of it a little bit like in the same way that some people get angina, they get heart pain when they exercise, when they move around. This is a bit like angina for your legs. And sometimes if those blood vessels completely clog off, it can be like a heart attack for your legs.”

The NHS says many people with PAD have no symptoms. However, some develop a painful ache in their legs when they walk, which usually disappears after a few minutes’ rest. The medical term for this is “intermittent claudication”.

The pain can affect 1 or both legs, range from mild to severe, and usually goes away after a few minutes when the person rests their legs.

Other symptoms of PAD can include:

• hair loss on your legs and feet
• numbness or weakness in the legs
• brittle, slow-growing toenails
• ulcers (open sores) on your feet and legs, which do not heal
• changing skin colour on your legs, such as turning paler than usual or blue – this may be harder to see on brown and black skin
• shiny skin
• in men, erectile dysfunction
• the muscles in your legs shrinking (wasting)

The NHS adds: “The symptoms of PAD often develop slowly, over time. If your symptoms develop quickly, or get suddenly worse, it could be a sign of a serious problem requiring immediate treatment.”

Dr Xand added: “The quality of the pain is quite specific. I mean, the way that people describe it and it typically wouldn’t be a pain that you’d get when you’re just sitting still, much like angina. It’s the pain that comes from not getting enough oxygen to your muscles. Those blood vessels aren’t working. And so, people tend to describe a kind of deep, heavy ache, like they’re just not, and you can almost feel that thing of just not getting enough.

“It’s a bit like if you’re lifting weights at the gym, if you go beyond your limits, you know, your muscles really start to hurt. It’s a similar thing. The pain is called claudication, but it’s that kind of pain. And typically, if you rest, it’ll go away again. So, that’s the that’s the kind of pain, but there are other changes that you can look for as well.”

He said people might see changes in their legs which could indicate the problem. Dr Xand said: “If you do look at your legs, you may see some changes if you don’t have a good enough blood supply. So, things like loss of hair on your legs would be an examples. The hair the hair can’t grow anymore because you’re not getting enough nutrients to your leg.

“Cold feet, the warm blood from the middle of your body is no longer reaching your feet. Ulcers or cuts are not healing because your immune system carried in your bloodstream is not reaching those and so you’re getting skin breakdown. You’re not getting antibodies and white blood cells and things like that. Changes in skin tone. So, your skin may look kind of mottled and gray as if it’s not getting enough blood. And then your toenails, you may think, I haven’t cut my toenails in a while. Well, are they just simply growing because they’re not getting the nutrients from the bloodstream that they need. So, those are things that might be a clue.”

Tackling the problem

A main cause is smoking, Dr Xand said, and also making sure people get cholesterol, blood pressure measured and check if you have diabetes. He said exercise is a good way of trying to improve the situation: “This may sound a bit a bit paradoxical, may sound like it’s hard to exercise, you’re getting pain when you exercise, but doing some exercise can stimulate the growth of new blood vessels. It can help those blood vessels open up.

“It will lower your cholesterol. It will lower your blood pressure. It will lower your stress. It will improve your blood sugar. You get so many wins from doing a bit of exercise.”

More information from the NHS here.