Casting Off: cruise news for the year ahead

After a quiet winter with virtually no Caribbean cruises, the small-ship specialist Windstar Cruises is planning a low-key return on May 15. The newly refitted 312-passenger Star Breeze will sail from St Maarten and visit some of the quieter spots in the British Virgin Islands, including Norman Island, Prickly Pear Beach on Virgin Gorda and Soper’s Hole on Tortola. Swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking off the ship plus snorkelling and a private beach barbecue are on the agenda for passengers. The emphasis is on quiet, off-the-beaten-track places. Seven nights’ full board from £1,470pp (windstarcruises.com). Fly to St Maarten.

Craving a post-lockdown adventure? Abercrombie Kent is offering one of the most challenging sailings in the world this summer — across the top of