Strange collection of blokes get on cruises now and then (9)
I believe the answer is:
menagerie
'strange collection' is the definition.
'menagerie' can be an answer for 'collection' (menagerie is a kind of collection). I'm not certain of the 'strange' bit.
'blokes get on cruises now and then' is the wordplay.
'blokes' becomes 'men' (bloke can informally mean a man).
'get on' becomes 'age' (getting on means aging).
'now and then' indicates alternate letters (letters taken on a regular basis, now and then).
The alternating letters of 'cruises' are 'rie'.
'men'+'age'+'rie'='MENAGERIE'
'of' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for menagerie that I've seen before include "lots of animals" , "Beastly lot" , "place to keep animals" , "Wild animal collection" , "A lot of wild animals" .)