The sub-Antarctic islands of Australia and New Zealand are among the least-visited destinations in the cruise world, but a January 2017 expedition cruise with Ponant will take you there in considerable style and luxury. The 15-night cruise on L'Austral suits adventurers, bird-watchers and keen photographers alike. The expedition team is headed by marine biologist and wildlife photographer Mick Fogg. The islands are crucial breeding grounds for penguins, and also home to seals, sea lions and killer whales. The cruise runs between Milford Sound (with transfers from Queenstown airport) and Lyttelton on the South Island's east coast.

Phone 1300 737 178. See ponant.com.

Eastern promise

Talking of L'Austral, Abercrombie & Kent has exclusively chartered the luxe Ponant ship for a new expedition-style cruise from Osaka which island-hops through the East China Sea to the rarely visited Ryukyu Islands and on to Taiwan before finishing in Hong Kong. The 16-day expedition takes in seven World Heritage sites, wilderness only accessible to small ships, coral reefs and volcanic islands, and will be accompanied by an expedition team and enrichment specialists. The cruise departs on May 28, 2017, with savings promised on certain cabin categories for bookings before the end of August.

Phone 1300 851 800. See abercrombiekent.com.au.

The great race

Special-events cruising continues to gather pace, and pace is certainly what you'll be expecting at the Monaco Grand Prix. Lovers of motor racing and the high life can set sail next May with SeaDream Yacht Club on a five-day return voyage from Nice that takes in a visit to the final of the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix. The cruise on SeaDream I also visits St Tropez, Cannes and San Remo. You don't have to be a sports spectator either: the ship has an on-board golf simulator and mountain bikes, and offers sail sports in ports of call.

Phone 02 9958 4444. See seadream.com.

Wine, cycling and song

Small sailing-cruise company Sea Cloud Cruises has rolled out its new program for the 2017 season and, among many other itineraries, is tempting passengers with themed cruises, including a culinary offering between Barcelona and Porto (Portugal) in May and June and a biking cruise between Hamburg and Bilbao in Spain in August that offers the chance to pedal along some of France's Atlantic coastline. And in October, SeaCloud II sails from Valletta in Malta to Valencia in Spain via Sicily on a music cruise with on-board concerts and visits to opera houses.

Phone 1300 583 572. See seacloud.com.

Green with envy

Keen golfers can tackle famous courses such as Gleneagles in Scotland and attend the finale of the British Open Golf Championship as part of a new cruise-tour around the British Isles with Cruise Express in July 2017. The 17-night cruise-tour from Australia includes a two-night stay in London before guests board Azamara Journey in Southampton for a 13-night cruise to Edinburgh, visiting 10 ports and offering the chance for a round of golf at six destinations in Ireland and Scotland, such as Castle Stuart Golf Links and Trump Turnberry Golf Resort. Golf course fees and transfers are included.

Phone 1300 764 509. See cruiseexpress.com.au.