Traveling by plane is exciting – airports, queues, cramped up seating. Sounds like a perfectly comfortable start to your vacation, doesn’t it? Well, if you’re over airports and looking for an alternative means of travel, a cruise ship vacation is your answer.
The landscape may look stunning from your airplane window, but it really doesn’t compare from the deck of a cruise ship. After all, cruise ships are able to reach into areas that jumbo jets just can’t.
So if you’re considering a cruise ship vacation, here are 8 of the best cruise destinations you just have to experience by water!
The Best Cruise Destinations to Visit in Your Lifetime
The world is a wide, beautiful and eclectic place. While there are thousands of stunning cruise destinations to see, some just stand out more than others.
Whether it’s a mixture of natural beauty, culture, history, or food, here are 8 of the best travel destinations to visit by cruise ship:
1. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
The Glacier Bay National Park is a key highlight of any cruise around the Alaskan wilderness. Access to the park is limited, so the best way to see it in all its glory is via cruise ship.
As you glide through the glacial fjords, get up close and personal with towering tidewater glaciers, nearby snowcapped mountains, and towering walls of ice. Glacier Bay is well-known for its active calving glaciers, so you can also experience the thunderous tumble of ice splitting off into the sea.
The fjord waters are abundant with humpback whales and white-sided dolphins which happily breach right in front of you. You can also expect to see orcas, grizzly brown bears, sea otters, and bald eagles.
2. Moorea Island, French Polynesia
French Polynesia is downright dreamy, akin to a true piece of heaven on earth for many who visit its shores. But it’s most scenic port-of-call has to be Moorea Island.
While other popular ports include Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Huahine, Moorea is truly spectacular. It’s a smaller, heart-shaped island lapped by impossibly blue waters, featuring both powder white and black sand beaches.
The island is shaped by its volcanic peaks and cliffs, covered by a thick, luscious blanket of jungle, dotted with waterfalls.
During your visit to the island, you can spend time scuba diving, snorkeling, jungle trekking, swimming with stingrays, and more.
3. The Antarctic Peninsula
Did you know that Antarctica actually covers a tenth of the earth’s surface? That’s a ton of land for so few visitors each year!
Departing from a number of different ports in South America, a voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula is like setting off to find a whole new world.
Along the 1,000-mile peninsula, you can expect to encounter an abundance of wildlife and untouched, snowy landscapes as far as the eye can see.
While you won’t be able to disembark the ship, you can expect to see huge colonies of penguins, whales, seals, and numerous sea birds.
Most itineraries vary, but an Antarctic cruise will generally take you to the South Shetland Islands, Deception Island, Half Moon Island, and Lemaire Channel.
Upon your return to South America, why not consider a cruise of the Amazon River? Learn more about these cruises, here.
4. The Côte d’Azur, France
Experience the romance and glamorous flourish of The Côte d’Azur, located on the southern coast of France.
Well-known for its stunning natural scenery, shimmery blue seas, fashion, food, and all things fine, The Côte d’Azur is a must-see. Most Mediterranean cruises of The Côte d’Azur call in at popular ports such as Nice, Monaco, and Villefranche.
Once anchored, you can catch a smaller vessel to land and meander picturesque villages, visit ancient churches, art museums, wine, dine, and more.
5. Doubtful Sound, New Zealand
New Zealand may be located on the far end of the world, but its home to some truly spectacular natural beauty, including Doubtful Sound.
Found on the country’s south island, Fiordland National Park and Doubtful Sound is viewed as a national treasure, and for good reason. It’s also featured as the backdrop for many a popular film, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In order to reach Doubtful Sound you’ll need to cross Lake Manapouri and Wilmot Pass, before reaching the waters of the sound. From here you can catch a smaller vessel and cruise the open waters.
This untouched wilderness is home to a plethora of wildlife, not-to-mention breathtaking scenery of the surrounding mountain passes. You can expect to see bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, and the Fiordland Crested Penguin.
6. St. Petersburg, Russia
If you’re a history fanatic, St. Petersburg is a magical cruise destination packed with a bucket load of fascinations. You’ll be able to experience St. Petersburg on a Baltic Sea cruise ship or smaller river cruise.
On land, you can experience the colorful city, exploring iconic sights such as Peterhof Palace and Hermitage Museum. Further afield in the Russian countryside experience opulent country palaces and impressive Czarist memorials.
7. Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai is an outdoor lover’s dream destination. It’s well-known for its expansive coastline and sheer volcanic cliff faces- straight out of a Jurassic Park blockbuster (quite literally).
Kauai also has more beaches per mile of coastline than any of the other Hawaiian islands. To add to this, only 3% of the island is commercially developed, leaving it mostly untouched, rugged and exceptionally beautiful.
On land, you can explore Kauai with jungle treks to towering waterfalls, hiking the coastline, surfing, kayaking, relaxing on the beach and more.
8. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Visiting the port of Dubrovnik is akin to stepping back in time to a well-preserved medieval village, complete with its own towering fortress.
Set against a hillside and characterized by its orange roofs and high city walls, Dubrovnik is a fascinating cruise destination.
It’s also the film location for television series, Games of Thrones, so you’ll get a chance to explore where key scenes have been filmed.
On land, experience stunning beaches, warm ocean waters for swimming as well as a buzzing restaurant and bar scene.
Travel Inspiration You’re Looking For
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