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Couple that with excellent service, and you'll be visiting the Our Lady of Loretto statue in Primosten, touring the Cesme Castle and lounging on stunning Greek beaches from a home base that puts you squarely in the lap of luxury. Royal Caribbean calls these cruises “Culturally Enriching Cruises'' because they immerse guests into the local culture of a specific country or region. Whereas the majority of guests on a cruise from Florida tend to be from the United States or Canada, for example, the majority of guests on a cruise from Singapore or China are from those regions. It takes around 8-10 hours for ships to traverse the canal as they pass through a series of locks which lift ships 85 feet above sea level and back down again. This is a highlight of all Panama Canal itineraries, and you’ll find hoards of passengers on the outside decks watching this process take place.
Canary Islands and Dakar with Hurtigruten
Another consideration for future travel is Silversea Cruises, which is featuring its first full-summer season in French Polynesia in 2026. Silver Whisper will offer two immersive itineraries, including overnights, across 17 voyages between April and September. Passengers will visit the usual Alaska ports, such as Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau, with scenic sailing through the Inside Passage, past Hubbard Glacier and to Glacier Bay. But they can also expect less-common stops at places like Nome, Kodiak, Anchorage (with an overnight) and Homer. Plus, about halfway through, this cruise crosses the Arctic Circle — a rite of passage for many travelers.
Best Destination for Families Runner-Up: The Western Caribbean
You'll also find activities like a Nassau pirate tour and access to the all-inclusive water park at Atlantis resort on your itinerary. Passengers can choose seven-night sailings that visit idyllic favorites like Tahiti, Moorea and Huahine and which also include overnights in Bora Bora. Or, they can cruise for twice as long by selecting a 14-night voyage that calls on the same ports as the seven-night option but with Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Fatu Hiva, Atuona and Tahuata added. What's notable about the offerings is that they will aim to immerse passengers further into the destinations by including overnights in a total of 11 ports across all itineraries.
Repositioning itineraries with Virgin Voyages
Although foreign ports are still limited for North Americans at the start of 2022, it looks like this will be the first year since the start of the pandemic where we see far-flung itineraries picking up steam. Resilient Lady, the yet-to-debut ship from adults-only line Virgin Voyages, is scheduled to be repositioned next year in Australia. On its way Down Under, the ship will be offering three unique itineraries throughout Europe, the Middle East, and the South Pacific. The first repositioning voyage will sail in October 2023 out of Athens with stops in Santorini and Rhodes in Greece, through the Suez Canal to Port Said (Cairo) and Safaga in Egypt and on to Dubai. Other offerings include Dubai to Singapore by way of Mumbai, Phuket, and Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore to Sydney with calls in Bali, as well as Cairns and Queensland in Australia.
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So if a voyage through Alaska is on your list for 2023, you’ll want to lock it in now. Sailing round-trip from Vancouver, the itinerary heads to Juneau, where travelers can partake in shore activities like an Alaskan salmon bake, sea kayaking, or tours of the Mendenhall Glacier. The next stop is Ketchikan, where highlights include Misty Fjords National Monument and the Alaska Rainforest Reserve, home to seals, bald eagles, and black bears. There’s no doubt that all 750 passengers on board Regent’s latest decadent ship Seven Seas Grandeur will be pampered, with all staterooms being suites that feature verandas and vast marble bathrooms.
An Expedition Cruise to Australia’s Remote Kimberley Coast
Look for itineraries that sail south to Israel to make this a bucket-list history cruise. When it comes to delicious local specialties and copas with class, it's hard to beat the ports found on a Western Mediterranean itinerary. All the walking you'll do at museums means you can indulge guilt-free, with a glass of local bubbly to buoy your spirits.
Along with vineyards and city tours, cruise passengers will have access to landmarks like Giverny, home to Monet’s studio, the Palace of Versailles, and Normandy’s beaches where the D-Day landings took place. Disney Cruise Line's new Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, a private destination on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera, is set to open in June with a three-night preview sailing on June 6 aboard Disney Magic. Following the initial voyage, the line will run regular three- to seven-night voyages to Lighthouse Point on Disney Magic, Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream. Fares start from $10,450 per person ($747 per person, per night) for ocean-view accommodations. The number of voyages in Asia was trending upward notably prior to 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought cruising in the region to an extended halt. Following that curve, Celebrity Cruises will be running new 11- to 13-night Asia sailings in 2024 on two ships — Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Solstice — that bring stops in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand.
Bermuda's cruise season might not be as long as the one in the Caribbean, but the beaches are still top-notch. From the famous pink sands of Horseshoe Beach to snorkeling off Elbow Beach, there are enough places on the island for you to spend a full three days splashing around. There's a reason that nearly every single cruise line runs cruises to the sunny Eastern Caribbean Islands, including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten/St. It's there you'll find that glorious turquoise-blue water and white-sand beaches -- like a postcard come to life.
The 7 Best Cruise Lines for Families of 2024 - PureWow
The 7 Best Cruise Lines for Families of 2024.
Posted: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
We particularly love the best beach in St. Thomas, Magen's Bay Beach, and Grace Bay Beach in Turks & Caicos. This itinerary might very well define the beaten path, but if you're seeking a tan, this is exactly where you belong. Beginning in May of 2025, Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Venezia will sail a series of eight four- and five-night cruises to Bermuda from New York. These itineraries are notable because the line is aiming to increase its presence there but also because the style of the ship is new to even most of the brand's most dedicated passengers. SeaDream's small ships, each of which carries just 112 people, are able to reach locales about which passengers on megaships can only fantasize.
Flights are also not included, and since these trips don't end in the same port where they begin, airfare will be another considerable expense. Lindblad Expeditions brings impressive itineraries to the table, but along with those come eye-popping cruise fares. If the sky's the limit when it comes to your budget, however, consider Lindblad's sailing to (or from) the islands of Indonesia in fall 2022. Departing from Bali, National Geographic Orion will take you to Solomon Island via Komodo Island, Raja Ampat, Samarai Island and more.
Hurtigruten Expeditions' new itineraries are so impressive, we're including a second one as a recommendation. This time, the line's Spitsbergen will spend 17 days cruising the White Sea, featuring Norway and Russia. Highlights of the trip are the Norwegian fjords, Norway's Lofoten Islands and North Cape, as well as Murmansk and the Slovetsky Islands in Russia.
We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. And if all that wasn’t enough, it’s hard to beat the thrill of sailing on a river that humans have masterfully navigated as early as 3,000 B.C.E. “Central and South America are roped into this itinerary seamlessly, hitting hot spots like Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, Lima in Peru, and both Cape Horn and Buenos Aires in Argentina. Pleasant under-the-radar ports of call are woven into this journey as well, like Puerto Madryn, Argentina; Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands; and even Chile's Amalia Glacier. Vibrant cities, several unique cultures, winery tours, stunning nature, and even penguins in their natural habitat -- this itinerary really has it all.
3-night weekend cruises tend to have a higher party atmosphere onboard than longer sailings. This means your bachelor/bachelorette party will fit right in with the ship’s vibe, and you’ll find that the bars and clubs onboard are busy late into the night. With Australia and New Zealand finally picking up steam again post-shutdown, it's not surprising that some cruise lines are sending ships to the region for the first time in 2023. For one thing, the island nation is a quick sail from Florida ports like Port Canaveral and Miami. For another, there's a range of activities for adults and kids of all ages on several islands. The best of the bunch might be Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island with a chic beach club and incredibly tall waterslides to entertain both adults and children.
After nearly three years of shutdowns and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan finally reopened to travelers in November 2022. That includes cruise passengers, and several lines — including Holland America Line and Celebrity Cruises (which is offering special "Spice Route" voyages that include Japan) — are returning. Jenna DeLaurentis enjoys exploring new ports of call around the world on a cruise ship, learning about new cultures, discovering beautiful landscapes, and trying diverse cuisine.
She loves to get active while at port, whether cycling through mountains in the Caribbean or scuba diving under the sea. If you book through the American Express Cruise Privileges Program and pay with The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can get an onboard credit of up to $300 per room and added amenities, which vary by cruise line. Even if you don't book through the program or sail with one of the member cruise lines, you'll still earn one point per dollar spent if you use your Amex Platinum for payment via a different booking platform. If you're going to put a huge purchase — like one of these cruises — on a credit card, be sure to use one that will give you points or cash back. A great option is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which allows you to apply the miles you earn at a 1 cent per mile ratio to statement charges that code as travel.
When you set sail, you’ll forget all about any project deadlines, schoolwork, or chores at home. Nothing but adventure lies ahead, and the best place to enjoy a stress-free getaway is at Perfect Day at CocoCay. If you find yourself fascinated by great marvels in engineering, whether the Pyramids of Giza or Hoover Dam, book a cruise traversing the Panama Canal. If you’d like to upgrade your day at the island, however, feel free to treat yourself to a day at the Coco Beach Club or Thrill Waterpark for more fun in the sun. The coastal mountains and fjords of Norway do have the majesty of scale that you'll find in Alaska, though the snowcapped peaks that form the background of all of your Alaska photos might be missing. However, Norway's coast and fjords have their own special magic, including lush valleys, dramatic waterfalls, picturesque towns and -- for a little imaginary scenery -- folklore abundant with trolls and other mythic creatures.
