28 Best cruise routes and places to cruise

Dazzling in its raw, remote beauty, Alaska is compelling for lovers of wildlife and the outdoors. Spend days on deck marvelling at pristine forests set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Wildlife-spotting is a constant thrill, from whales breaching alongside, to bears, sea otters, seals and majestic bald eagles.

Cobalt-blue skies, towering mountains cloaked in sparkling snow and icebergs the size of cathedrals are all part of Antarctica’s unique appeal.

The wildlife at the end of the earth is extraordinary, too, from colonies of thousands of penguins to harems of seals and whales cruising the plankton-rich waters.

A voyage around the Baltic is a full-on cultural immersion in magnificent cities like cool Copenhagen, enchanting Stockholm and the medieval old town of Tallinn, straight out of Grimm’s Fairytales.

The highlight for most is St. Petersburg, where a visit to the State Hermitage Museum alone could occupy days. Come at midsummer, when the sun barely sets, and catch the joyful vibe of the city’s ‘White Nights’ festival.

A glimpse of the architectural treasures of a world once closed to the outside is a compelling reason to cruise the Black Sea.

Istanbul’s palaces, markets and minarets provide a thrilling start to any voyage, with stops along the way to take in ancient Nessebar, the baroque swagger of glorious Odessa and Stalin’s favoured holiday resort, Sochi.

Sailing round Britain and Ireland is a wonderful way to appreciate the incredible diversity of the British Isles.

Scenery varies from the almost Caribbean colour palette of the Isles of Scilly to the wild majesty and snowy peaks of the Scottish Highlands and the soft greens of the Channel Islands, while every port, from Edinburgh to Orkney, Belfast and Liverpool is packed with historical, musical and literary interest.

The world’s most popular cruise destination offers vibrant cultures, white-sand beaches and tropical sunshine.

Sail between idyllic islands on a ‘big ship’ – a luxurious, entertainment-packed floating resort; or try a ‘small ship’ to visit smaller, quieter islands, have more flexibility, or to simply drop anchor in secluded bays.

The sultry Society Islands are sheer honeymoon romance, all aquamarine lagoons, spiky volcanic peaks and jungly cliffs plunging into indigo seas.

A voyage calling at such evocative-sounding spots as Moorea and Bora Bora, or further afield to the remote Marquesas, is an immersion in island culture, from ancient archaeological sites to exquisite, French-influenced cuisine and the gentle rhythms of island music and dance.

There’s something life-changing about travelling in the Galapagos islands, where birds and animals, many of which exist nowhere else on Earth, are as good as oblivious to humans.

Against a setting of ancient volcanoes and beaches where the mineral-rich sand actually sparkles, visitors have to pick their way carefully past seal pups on the sand, basking iguanas on rocky trails and blue-footed boobies immersed in their courtship dances.

Sweeping, melancholy landscapes of massive glacier-carved valleys, ribbons of waterfalls plunging into blue-green fjords and boiling geysers spouting from jagged rocks are just some of the starkly beautiful scenes on brooding, volcanic Iceland.

Activities are as extreme as the setting, including the chance to walk deep inside a glacier, or descend into the crater of a volcano.

Gorgeous beaches, glamour-packed ports, magnificent architecture and a culinary scene reflecting the many powers that have criss-crossed the region over the centuries are just a few reasons to cruise the Med.

There’s always something new to discover, from the perfect, toes-in-the-sand taverna on a Greek beach to the medieval architecture of the Croatian coast, or opera under the stars on a summer’s night in Italy.

A brief window every autumn brings a chance to sail the coastlines of New England and Canada to marvel at the dazzling scarlets, ochres and golds of the turning leaves.

As well as the glorious colours of nature, these voyages take in bucolic countryside, sleepy coastal towns and farmers’ markets rich with seasonal produce from fresh Maine lobster to apple doughnuts, pumpkins and cider.

Endless skies, snow-capped mountains, sheer-sided fjords and green meadows ablaze with wildflowers make this one of the world’s most beautiful and serene cruising routes.

There’s a wealth of outdoor adventure, from kayaking on a fjord to hiking up a mountain for show-stopping views.

Norway’s dramatic 2,400km western coastline is made for cruising, with regular stops at vibrant towns and thrilling outdoor adventures on offer at each port – from snowmobiling to husky-dog sledding and whale-watching.

Soak up mind-boggling landscapes from deck in between by day, and see the Northern Lights by night.

Sailing through the Panama Canal is a lifetime dream for many and never disappoints; it’s an incredible feat of engineering and an experience for which you’ll want to be on deck as much as possible.

Do it by cruise and voyage on up to Costa Rica’s extraordinary rainforests or the Caribbean.

Explore lichen-draped forests, blue-white glaciers and towering, snow-capped volcanoes on a voyage through Chile’s fjords and the pristine channels of Patagonia.

Short cruises between Ushuaia in Argentina and Punta Arenas in Chile pack in challenging hikes up glaciers, kayaking by waterfalls and exceptional wildlife-spotting.

Some 1,500 islands, draped in bottle-green rainforest and mostly uninhabited, make up this little-known archipelago, off the coast of West Papua.

A dream trip for divers and snorkellers, and those wanting lush rainforest and white-sand beaches with barely another person in sight.

An expedition through the wildlife-rich wilderness is a chance to explore this extraordinary rainforest on foot, along jungle trails, looking out for monkeys and sloths, and on the water, skimming the flooded landscape in search of caiman, turtles and piranhas.

Encounters with indigenous tribes along the way adds to the cultural richness of travel in this remote region.

Cruises on Europe’s second-longest river take in seven countries and a wide variety of cultures and cuisines.

Taste wines in the Wachau, see an opera in Vienna, take a day trip to Salzburg, clamber up to the ruins of Durnstein Castle and check out the edgy nightlife and thermal baths of Budapest.

A slow boat along the Ganges is a chance to absorb the beguiling colours and scenes of rural India. Crumbling palaces, mosques and temples add historic interest but the real enchantment of this voyage is life on the river, from sunrise yoga to strolls through lush farmland and villages where tourists are still a curiosity.

Adding a stay in magical Varanasi, the spiritual heart of Hinduism, completes the picture.

A voyage through Cambodia and Vietnam is a riot of bustling markets, jewelled palaces, Buddhist temple festivals and the sizzle of street food, interspersed with dreamy days gliding along the river, mist hanging low over the water at dawn.

The architectural riches of Cambodia’s atmospheric Angkor temples, some subsumed by the jungle, and the high-octane buzz of Ho Chi Minh City are the perfect frame to any voyage.

A voyage down the papyrus-lined Nile is still a uniquely evocative experience, through a landscape largely unchanged in 4,000 years.

7-day trips start at Luxor (Karnak Temple, Valley of Kings), end in Aswan (Abu Simbel, Philae Temple), and stop off at other magnificent ancient temples at Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo.

Vertiginous vineyards, craggy castles and medieval villages of half-timbered houses form a bucolic backdrop to a Rhine river cruise.

Cultural and culinary highlights come thick and fast, too, from the glorious old city of Strasbourg to Roman Koblenz, the magnificent cathedral of Cologne and the canals and museums of enchanting Amsterdam.

Europe’s most scenic river cruise floats its way through the countryside of the Rhone-Alpes and Provence regions.

Medieval villages and craggy castles cling to the hillsides, while vineyards and swathes of purple lavender stretch away into the distance. Historic Avignon and Arles serve up a feast of culture, gourmet Lyon is the start.

Sail along the Caledonian Canal, taking in spectacular Highland landscapes, ruined clan castles, whisky distilleries and glassy lochs, as well as the islands and waterways of the Inner Hebrides.

Some itineraries include a trip on the West Highland Railway, regarded as one of the most scenic in the world.

Shimmering between the arid mountains of the Mexican coast and the skinny finger of Baja California, the Sea of Cortez is astonishingly rich in marine life and a thrilling area to explore on an expedition cruise.

Super-pods of hundreds of dolphins, blue whales and mobula rays are common sights, while adventures ashore include mule rides, desert hikes and starlit bonfires on deserted beaches.

Tantalisingly close to the North Pole, Norway’s Svalbard archipelago is the domain of the polar bear; miles of snow-draped mountains, vast glaciers, fjords, tundra and ice.

Leave human habitation behind at the hardy settlement of Longyearbyen, on the island of Spitsbergen and head out into the wild, with no fixed itinerary, in search of arctic foxes, reindeer, walrus and puffins, as well as the ultimate prize, a sighting of polar bears.

Evoke the glamour of the golden age of ocean travel on the world’s most famous liner, Queen Mary 2, plying a regular schedule between Southampton and New York across 3,565 miles of the wild north Atlantic.

This is an escape into a world of elegant lounges, sweeping staircases, cocktail bars and ballrooms, with seven days to indulge in fine dining, glittering parties and cultural enrichment – and to stroll on deck, contemplating the majesty of the ocean.

Diving off the boat into the cool, aquamarine depths for a pre-breakfast dip is just one of the joys of a gulet holiday on Turkey’s pine-clad Turquoise Coast.

These traditional, wooden boats drop anchor in deserted bays as they ply the coastline, with forays ashore to explore archaeological sites and occasional evenings in port to tuck into a fine Turkish meze.