Sail away or head for the hills

Their cruise journey began on 16 June, 2022, aboard the Coral Princess by Princess Cruises, and they’ve already spent over 450 days at sea. Marty explained: “I said to my agent, ‘Book whatever is available,’ and that’s how our cruise turned into such a long-term adventure.”

While you may not want to spend quite as much time (or money) cruising as the Ansens, there are some great options available if you fancy sailing away to foreign climes.

Shandon Travel are currently offering ‘no fly cruises’ that set sail from Belfast. A JMG ‘Ambition’ 11 night cruise starts on 24 June and takes in the spectacular Norwegian Fjords and the Shetland Isles. It costs from €1,130 per person.

If you’d prefer a little more sunshine there is an alternative ‘Ambition’ cruise which departs on 16 July from Belfast and heads to Portugal, Spain and France and starts at €1,550 per person.

Fancy something a little more active? Look no further than the ever-popular camino. Barter Travel offer a 7 night, self-guided package tour of the final stretch of the Portuguese camino. Hike through wooded trails, shaded glades and rolling farmlands and finally arrive in the beautiful Santiago de Compostela, where you can soak up the cultural and spiritual atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hiking distance comes in at 120km for the week and prices start at €795.