10 Places Best Experienced on a Luxury Cruise
French Polynesia
Photo courtesy of Paul Gauguin CruisesFrench Polynesia is one of the dreamiest vacation spots imaginable, especially when experienced on a luxury ship that effortlessly transports you between the main island of Tahiti and legendary Moorea and Bora Bora, less-developed isles in the Tuamotus, and even the remote Marquesas. A variety of seven- to 14-night sailings offer romance, adventure, cultural immersion, and superb snorkeling and diving.
If the islands of French Polynesia are on your bucket list, you can cruise year-round with Paul Gauguin Cruises or Windstar Cruises. Many other luxury lines, including Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Scenic, and Oceania, also visit during select South Pacific sailings. And, with a cruise that begins or ends in the capital, Papeete, you can extend your visit and enjoy a stay in a famous Tahitian overwater bungalow.
The Baltic Sea
iStock.com / RihoRCruises that visit the sophisticated capitals of Scandinavia and neighboring Baltic Sea nations are an ideal option for city lovers, especially those who enjoy art, history, and design. You’ll conveniently spend full days (and perhaps even an overnight) enjoying the history and architecture of Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn, although ships can no longer visit St. Petersburg, Russia.
Cruise season in the Baltic lasts from May to September. Between late June and early July, you can experience the region’s Midnight Sun when there’s dusk but no sunset — and festive nighttime celebrations abound. Itineraries are offered by Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Ponant, Oceania, Scenic, and Windstar.
The Greek Isles
iStock / Olga_GavrilovaThe Greek Isles each have a personality (think: romantic Santorini, sociable Mykonos, medieval Rhodes, beguiling Corfu, and antiquity-rich Crete). As you island-hop, you’ll be transported daily into each unique setting by sights that include sublime beaches, whitewashed villages, landmark windmills, and historic old towns. Cruising here, especially on a small luxury ship, is a sun-kissed and carefree experience.
The Greek Islands are a popular cruise destination from May through October, often in combination with coastal ports in Croatia or Italy. Most luxury cruise lines sail here, including Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Viking, Windstar, Oceania, Azamara, Ponant, Explora Journeys, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and SeaDream Yacht Club.
The Arabian Gulf
AndreyPopov/iStockAn increasingly popular luxury itinerary, the Arabian Gulf is rimmed with architecturally dazzling cities — Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE; Muscat, Oman; and Doha, Qatar — all of which offer visitors insight into local cuisine and culture plus dramatic vistas as desert dunes meet teal-hued gulf waters. Cruising eases the transitions between countries and offers extraordinary experiences while ashore.
Cruise season generally occurs between December and March, when temperatures are mild enough for comfortable touring. The region is also often part of multi-month world cruise itineraries. Sailings that call on multiple ports here are offered by Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Oceania, Azamara, Windstar, and Explora Journeys.
The Canary Islands
iStock.com / Khrizmo Celebrated for their spectacular volcanic scenery, colorful colonial architecture, and temperate climate, the Canary Islands are a territory of Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. A luxury cruise is a relaxing and social way to easily explore four or five islands — usually Tenerife, Grand Canaria, La Palma, and La Gomera — and enjoy sunset sail-aways with breathtaking views.
Cruise lines generally schedule Canary Islands itineraries in the fall (October and November) and spring (April and May) as they reposition ships from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and vice-versa. Azamara, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Seabourn, Silversea, Atlas Ocean Voyages, and others offer Canary Islands itineraries.
Alaska
Norwegian Cruise LineWith its 6,640 miles of coastline (33,900 miles if you count islands) and ports offering easy access to wilderness and wildlife, Alaska is best explored via a cruise. On a luxury voyage, not only will you sail the famed Inside Passage in comfort — as you spot humpbacks and orcas and dine on local salmon and halibut — but you'll also venture to less-touristy spots such as Haines and Valdez.
The Alaska cruise season typically lasts from May through September, with its peak from late June to late August. However, some cruise lines, such as Norwegian, are now offering sailings into October, while others, like Royal Caribbean, start cruising in April. Small luxury cruise ships offer an experience that’s totally different from what you'd find on larger vessels. Instead, expect more custom experiences and pre- or post-cruise land excursions plus upscale lodging. Set sail to Alaska with Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Viking, Windstar, Oceania, and Explora Journeys.
Australia
wallix/iStockAustralia is friendly and welcoming, but its massive size makes seeing most of it an itinerary planner’s nightmare filled with multiple flights. However, with a luxury cruise that either circles Australia or visits key ports along its eastern and southern coasts — from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane and Cairns, as well as Tasmania — an adventure Down Under will be much more relaxing.
Most luxury cruise lines position ships in Australia from November to April, during late spring, summer, and early fall in the Southern Hemisphere. However, some expedition ships cruise there year-round. Silversea, Seabourn, Scenic, Oceania, Regent, and Viking offer itineraries ranging from nine to 29 nights.
Indonesia & Bali
iStock / tawatchaiprakobkitBali is on plenty of must-visit lists — and with good reason. As a majority Hindu island in Muslim-majority Indonesia, it exudes a unique spiritual energy rooted in daily offerings and intricately carved temples, as well as the artistry of its handicrafts, music, and dance. Cruises that visit Bali also often call on Komodo Island (home to Komodo dragons), Lombok, and Java (where you'll find the Borobudur Temple).
Located in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is a cruise destination typically visited during spring and fall as luxury cruise ships sail longer itineraries between Japan and Hong Kong or Singapore and Australia. You can cruise to Bali and other Indonesian islands with Seabourn, Regent, Silversea, Viking, Windstar, Azamara, and Scenic.
Antarctica
iStock / travelling-footprintOften billed as the ultimate adventure, a cruise to Antarctica is unlike any other. It offers scenery so astonishing — a frozen black-and-white landscape of glaciers, icebergs, and penguins galore — that, at times, seems surreal. Luxury expedition cruising is the only way to step foot on the Antarctic Peninsula while enjoying onboard pampering and expertly guided excursions.
Cruising to Antarctica has a limited season, from early November to mid-March. Many leading luxury cruise lines offer expedition cruises here from Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, or ports in southern Chile. You can experience Antarctica on a cruise with Viking, Silversea, Seabourn, Scenic, Ponant, Atlas Ocean Voyages, and others.
Japan
iStock/tawatchaiprakobkitAs an island nation with coastal cities offering a myriad of cultural sites — the modern neighborhoods of Tokyo, the scenic beauty of Mt. Fuji (from Shimizu), the temples of Kyoto (accessed via the port of Kobe), the WWII history of Nagasaki, and even the unique tropical culture of Okinawa and Ishigaki in the south — Japan can be conveniently visited on a luxury cruise with guided excursions.
The best times to visit Japan are in the spring (for the Sakura cherry blossom season) and fall (for colorful foliage). It's also when you’ll find the most itineraries offered by luxury cruise lines like Regent, Silversea, Viking, Oceania, Azamara, Windstar, and Scenic.