There are few varieties of holiday more fulfilling than a cruise. With the help of a cruise ship you’ll be able to set sail to a number of exotic ports. You can cram dozens of small breaks into a single trip, which means that your holiday will be bursting with variety. You might spend one day in a remote, scenic island, and another in a bustling, vibrant port city. Best yet, since your accommodation will come with you for the ride, your costs will be managed and predictable – and you won’t have to worry about unpacking.
But even if you’re convinced of the benefits of a cruise holiday, you’ll still need to decide exactly where you’d like to go. Let’s consider a few worthy destinations.
Caribbean Cruises: Sunshine, Sand, and Serenity
If you’re looking for the tropical island experience, then the Caribbean makes a huge amount of sense. You might visit the Cayman Islands, and go boating through the mangroves, or scuba-diving with sea turtles and stingrays. Or, you might pay a visit to Curacao, with its brightly-coloured waterfront townhouses, which resemble a sunnier version of a Dutch port town.
Mediterranean Cruises: Culture, History, and Scenic Views
The Mediterranean offers a charm with which many holidaymakers may already be familiar. There are dozens of bigger ports to consider, many of which are enormously popular with cruise ships, particularly during the height of summer. But then, smaller ships might offer an entirely different kind of experience. For example, a small ship might head up the Guadalquivir and stop in Seville, which would be unthinkable for a large one.
Canary Islands: A Year-Round Cruise Paradise
The Canary Islands offer glorious sunshine throughout the year, which makes them an ideal destination for those looking to escape the winter blues. If you want the best of the weather while avoiding the crowds, you might head over during a ‘shoulder’ season, in spring or early autumn. Tenerife is perfect for mountain vistas and inspiring hikes, as well as the popular beach towns. Gran Canaria offers lively nightlife, and a varied climate. If you’d like a holiday that’s built around nature, on the other hand, you might favour La Palma.
With the right Canary Island cruises, however, you needn’t choose between these islands – you can see them all on a single trip.
Alaskan Cruises: Adventure in the Last Frontier
Cruise holidays in Alaska offer an entirely different kind of experience. You might not be sunning yourself beside the ship’s pool, but you will be spending your time looking out into some of the world’s most impressive wintry terrain, and catching glimpses of some of the amazing wildlife that lives in and around the Alaskan coastline.
Asian Cruises: A Journey Through Diverse Cultures and Landscapes
Southeast Asia offers an entirely different kind of cruise experience to the one you might find elsewhere in the world. There are hundreds of island destinations to explore, and dozens of sprawling, dynamic city destinations, like Singapore, Port Klang, Bangkok and Manila. For those unfamiliar with the region, a cruise makes a perfect introduction. But even if you’ve visited dozens of times before, this is a great way to get reacquainted with some of the most inspiring stretches of sea in the world.
