Even if you are an ardent cruise lover, you sometimes get tired of cookie-cutter cruises that only visit overdeveloped ports. The worst scenario is when you have to cut short your sightseeing when you have just discovered a marvellous part of town, or miss the local nightlife because the ship leaves at 5pm.

If this sounds like you, then you will probably love Azamara Cruises’ 30th July cruise that departs from Venice on board the Azamara Quest. The ship visits four ports of outstanding beauty: Split, Hvar, Korcula and Dubrovnik in Croatia. If that is not enough, you will also see Montenegro, Kotor and Trieste in Italy before the ship returns to Venice.

Unlike some other cruise lines, Azamara allows for sufficient time ashore. The cruise will dock at a different port every day of the seven-day cruise. It will remain in the beautiful port of Hvar until midnight, so you will have ample time to savour the nightlife.

In Dubrovnik and Kotor you will have until 11pm before the ship sets sail again.

Montenegro will be an exciting port of call for both newcomers and those who have already been to this charming city. Once the ship reaches Trieste, many passengers will no doubt use the time to hop into Slovenia – a rare and undiscovered European jewel.

Another highlight of the cruise will be a series of lectures given by Wendy Perrin - Condé Nast Traveller’s award-winning advice columnist. Ms Perrin also wrote Secrets Every Smart Traveller Should Know, so she is the ideal person to give advice about smart cruising.