As one of the world’s most popular motor racing events – everyone has heard of the Grand Prix. It’s an unmatched race experience to spectate, offering thrills, adrenaline and world-class drivers as their manoeuvre their way around circuits during the Formula 1.
One of the best ways to watch the Grand Prix is during a cruise, perfectly pairing world-famous events with an unforgettable cruise for the ultimate relaxation and adventure. If you’re keen to experience these two on an extraordinary holiday, consider a Grand Prix cruise for your next getaway at one of the following events.
The Grand Prix occurs around the world, starting with the Australia Grand Prix in March earlier this year to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November. This makes it almost a year-round occasion, meaning you can pick and choose a whole range of destinations to explore during a cruise either before or after you attend the Grand Prix.
Australian Grand Prix
2019: 15-17 March / 2020: TBC
The first event of the Grand Prix circuit and second-oldest surviving motor racing competition in Australia, this Grand Prix has commenced over 80 times since 1928.
The event takes place over three days at Albert Park, Melbourne, meaning it’s an easy event to watch during a cruise. Many cruise lines already sail here including Celebrity Cruises, Cunard and Fred. Olsen Cruises.
The Australian Grand Prix has just passed for 2019, but 2020 will be coming around fast. Though dates are not confirmed for it, it’s likely to be around March so why not take a look at cruises to Melbourne and see if you can catch this event first-hand?
Bahrain Grand Prix
2019: 29-31 March / 2020: TBC
The Bahrain Grand Prix is held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It’s one of the newest additions to the Formula One circuit, having only joined in April 2004 when it made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix in the Middle East.
It’s also one of the safest tracks in the world as the course has giant run-off areas which prevent sand from getting on the track. The event has also been awarded the Best Organised Grand Prix for the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile).
Though cruises don’t sail straight to Bahrain, the alternative port is Doha, Qatar. This port is included on most Arabian Gulf sailings and you can travel from here to Bahrain. We can arrange this for you with our bespoke packages, just let us know your preferences and we will do the rest!
Chinese Grand Prix
2019: 12-14 April / 2020: TBC
Once the most expensive Grand Prix circuit facility, the Shanghai International Circuit in Jiading was valued at $240m when it was built in 2004. It also features one of the trickiest corner combinations in the Formula One events, with a demanding 270° right-hand corner which requires high speed and tightens up at the end.
The 2019 Chinese Grand Prix will be the 1,000th round of the Formula One championship, having participated in the event since 2004. With this being quite close, why not consider the 2020 Chinese Grand Prix if you’re keen to catch this motor-racing event in person?
Spanish Grand Prix
2019: 10-12 May / 2020: TBC
Based in the beautiful city of Barcelona, the Spanish Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. This event is one of the oldest in the world still contested and celebrated its centenary year in 2013.
Many cruises depart or visit Barcelona, meaning it’s an ideal event to pair with a sailing, including popular cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. While there are still many sailings available for May 2019, tickets for the Spanish Grand Prix may very well be sold out. We suggest planning ahead for 2020 and looking out for sailings here next year to catch this sporting event up-close and personal.
Monaco Grand Prix
2019: 23-26 May / 2020: TBC
One of the most iconic Grand Prix events throughout the Formula One calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix is a prestigious and iconic motor-race in the world. The circuit is set deep within the streets of Monaco, with many elevation changes and demanding layouts, as well as along the harbour.
Due to this street circuit layout, there are many temporary grandstands featured around the harbour and circuit area, where you can watch from a yacht or get a fantastic birds-eye-view from a hotel balcony. Cruises here are popular, paired with the warm Mediterranean summer, making it an enjoyable experience for all.
Canadian Grand Prix
2019: 7-9 June / 2020: TBC
The Canadian Grand Prix occurs n the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Notre Dame Island. Many cruises visit here, either as a port of call or disembarking, making it a great place to watch the race before or after sailing.
The event was the most-watched of the Grand Prix in 2005, coming third after the Super Bowl XXXIX and the UEFA Champions League – certainly a popular choice!
There are many sailings here in June, which dock in Montreal – just a 16-minute drive from the circuit. Fancy giving this Grand Prix a go? Let us build you a bespoke package tailored to your preferences for a chance to catch it in person!
French Grand Prix
2019: 21-23 June / 2020: TBC
Situated in the south of France, the French Grand Prix is based at the historic Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet. If you’re a lover of history and motor-racing, this is a bucket-list one to visit. The background of motorsport in France was influential in the early years of Grand Prix racing, and lead the establishment of rules and regulations as well as trends for the evolution of racing.
France is a popular location for cruises, with ports including Toulon and Sanary-Sur-Mer, both well within reach of the circuit. Most cruises which visit one of these ports, will likely visit the other, with Toulon being slightly more popular than Sanary-Sur-Mer.
Belgian Grand Prix
2019: 30 August-1 September / 2020: TBC
The Spa region of Belgium has been associated with motorsport ever since 1925, since the first race at the Circuit de Spa-Franchorchamps. As well as the history, the race is favoured amongst fans and drivers due to its scenic surroundings.
To cruise here, you would need to look at Antwerp as a cruise port. From here you can transfer to the circuit in around two hours, which we can arrange for you with our bespoke packaging abilities. There are many cruise lines which visit Antwerp, including Fred. Olsen and Cruise & Maritime Voyages.
Singapore Grand Prix
2019: 20-22 September / 2020: TBC
Singapore Grand Prix takes place at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, close to where the cruise ships dock in the city at the Marina South Pier. This event was the first night race and the first street circuit in Asia, which was designed for Formula One races.
There are plenty of cruises which visit Singapore, with many opportunities to explore this diverse city and watch this adrenalin-rushing event unfold. There is still time to plan for the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix, but if you want to take more time then there is also the 2020 event, though the dates have not been confirmed for this as of yet.
Japanese Grand Prix
2019: 11-13 October / 2020: TBC
The Japanese Grand Prix takes place at the Suzuka track, which was initially built to test cars for Honda. It made its first appearance on the Formula One calendar in 1987 and became known for its iconic crossover feature, the only figure-eight track to appear in Formula One. When looking at original drawings for the track, it appears that the track was potentially going to have three crossovers!
Historically, the track is the last to appear on the Formula One calendar, meaning it was often the deciding venue for titles. 13 World Championships have been crowned here out of 30!
Mexican Grand Prix
2019: 25-27 October / 2020: TBC
Although taking place right in the centre of the city, the Mexican Grand Prix is ideally located beside an airport – allowing you to fly right to the event either before or after your cruise! There are a number of ports which are easily accessed in Mexico, including Cabo Sans Lucas, Cozumel, Ensenada, Progreso and Puerto Chiapas – each of which only takes a few hours to commute to.
As for the circuit, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track is 2km above sea level, making the 4.3km lap an experience! The surroundings are vibrant, with the track winding its way through the old Foro Sol baseball stadium, where you get great views of the cockpit and atmosphere of the crowds.
The 2019 Mexican Grand Prix is still quite a way off, meaning there is still time to arrange travel here. If you’re unable to secure tickets for the event or would like a bit longer to plan – then keep your eyes peeled here for confirmation of the 2020 F1 calendar!
United States Grand Prix
2019: 1-3 November / 2020: TBC
As of 2018, the U.S. Grand Prix has been held 48 times and taken place in ten different locations! From 2012, the event became a little more consistent and has been held at the Circuit of Americas in Elroy, Texas – close to Austin. This means that, if this is the Grand Prix you want to see, you can fly in and out of Austin either pre- or post-cruise easily!
As one of the most modern race tracks on the Formula 1 calendar, a visit to this sporting event is not to be missed, with Austin offering great food and nightlife to make your stay that much more enjoyable. The 2019 U.S. Grand Prix isn’t until November, leaving quite a bit of time to plan ahead. The event has also been confirmed for the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, though dates are yet to be confirmed.
Brazil Grand Prix
2019: 15-17 November / 2020: TBC
The Brazilian Grand Prix is held at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, a venue which takes inspiration from three of the main circuits – Brooklands in the UK, Roosevelt Raceway in the USA, and Montlhery in France. The venue is more commonly referred to as the Interlagos and hosted its first Formula 1 event in 1973.
The first races here saw a home win hat trick with locals taking home first place for the first three years! (Fittipaldi – 1973 & 1974 / Carlos Pace – 1975)
Being held in Brazil, the event hosts a great atmosphere in true Brazilian style – meaning its an ideal experience for every Formula One fan. If you’re keen to join in the fun, the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix isn’t until November, so there’s plenty of time to plan your trip. Or, you can always plan ahead for 2020 as the Brazilian GP has been confirmed for next year’s calendar – though dates have not been confirmed for this yet.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2019: 29 November – 1 December / 2020: TBC
The Yas Marina Circuit completed its build in 2009 when it first appeared on the Formula 1 calendar and debuted as that year’s finale. The surrounding for the circuit has grown from a blank canvas to a selection of seven hotels, a Ferrari indoor theme park, shopping mall, waterpark, golf course, beach, concert arena, nightclub – and, to top it all off – stunning weather!
One of the hotels, Yas Hotel, even offers trackside rooms where you can watch the sporting event from your window. Or, you could take a seat aboard a boat in the marina for a whole other view of the race.
The event is a day-night race and is the first Formula 1 race of its kind – starting at 5pm local time, with floodlights being switched on part-way through to allow drivers to continue when evening subsides. The circuit is close to the Abu Dhabi cruise port, so you can easily pair this event with a pre- or post-cruise – just let us know which you prefer and we can arrange it for you!
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix isn’t under later this year, offering plenty of time to arrange your trip. However, if you need more time to plan this exciting sports adventure, then you’ll be pleased to know that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been confirmed for 2020. We will post confirmed dates for the event here soon as we know.
Grand Prix events you can’t cruise to
There are some events on the Formula 1 calendar which are based in countries either difficult to cruise to or cruises simply don’t visit there. These events include:
- Azerbaijan Grand Prix
- Austria Grand Prix
- Silverstone Grand Prix
- German Grand Prix
- Hungarian Grand Prix
- Italian Grand Prix
- Russian Grand Prix
Though it might be harder to visit these events by cruise, you can still fly to most of them and arrange a cruise either before or after. If you really want to visit one of these events first-hand, let us know and we can arrange your travel and flights for you, as well as your cruise, to ensure a seamless holiday.
Book your Grand Prix cruise
If you would like to build your own cruise and stay package, call our Cruise Concierge team on 0808 1234 118 for the chance to create your bespoke getaway and a chance to enjoy a cruise to the Grand Prix!
Have you visited any of the above sporting events before? Which would you like to see during a cruise? Let us know in the comments below.
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