As the pace of life becomes ever more frantic, many people complain that they never have time to pursue hobbies and interests outside of work. Television and magazines on antique collecting, gardening and arts and crafts have never been so popular - yet until we retire, few of us have the leisure to expand our lives by developing new interests.

But there is an answer - we could use holiday time to learn new skills, or brush up on existing ones. Special Interest, or themed, cruises are growing in popularity and the range of subjects you can explore during a holiday at sea is immense.

Learning new skills while on a cruise holiday is easy as the ships often have specialists on board, including TV and radio personalities, to train beginners, lectures to attend and facilities to practise by yourself. So it really is possible to learn about areas as diverse as ballroom dancing, gardening, music, theatre, and even computers, on board a cruise ship.

Memories of your stay will linger long after your cruise, as you put skills into practice, meet up with other passengers post cruise or just come away with a sense of achievement. All aspects adding value to a well earned holiday.