28 Best cruise routes and places to cruise

Dazzling in its raw, remote beauty, Alaska is compelling for lovers of wildlife and the outdoors. Visiting by ship gives you access to vast, creaking tidewater glaciers and days on deck marvelling at mile upon mile of pristine forest of spruce and hemlock against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

The marine life is spectacular; sightings of whales and dolphins are almost guaranteed. You’ll also be on the lookout for bears, cute sea otters, seals and majestic bald eagles.

This is an active traveller’s dream, with hiking, kayaking, zip-lining, salmon fishing and mountain biking on offer, but Alaska has a fascinating cultural scene, too, from the ornate totem poles and Russian architecture around Sitka to the colourful Gold Rush history in Skagway.

To many, Antarctica is the ultimate cruise prize, for the wildlife, the incredible scenery and the sheer remoteness. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, some of them 8,000 feet high, their peaks and ridges softened by snow.

On fine days, the sky is an unfiltered cobalt blue. Vast, blue-white icebergs in dramatic shapes are strewn across the freezing sea. Penguins bustle about their business, seals bask on the rocks and whales feed in plankton-rich waters.

Stepping ashore is an incredible feeling, as is kayaking slowly through the ice. Some companies allow camping on the ice and even skiing, while others offer underwater drones and even tethered hot air balloons.

More immersive itineraries also visit South Georgia to see the enormous colonies of king penguins and follow in the footsteps of Shackleton, while others visit the Falklands, for its concentration of wildlife and military history.

A voyage around the Baltic is a cultural odyssey, with long, light-filled summer days to explore elegant capital cities including chic Copenhagen, famed for its galleries, palaces and cutting-edge culinary scene, and enchanting Stockholm, its old town, Gamla Stan, all gabled buildings and skinny alleyways.

Medieval Tallinn is like something out of a fairytale, its walled Old Town a jumble of cobbled squares and church spires, while Helsinki, gazing out over forested islands scattered across the Gulf of Finland, is known for its eclectic architecture and Scandi-chic Design District.

Most cruises spend two or three days in St Petersburg as there’s so much to see, from the Hermitage Museum to Peterhof, St Isaac’s Cathedral and the riotously colourful Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood.

You’d need an interest in city life and culture to join a Baltic cruise – but there’s plenty in each port of call for families, too.

Layers of history, majestic old port cities and above all, glimpses into a world once closed to the outside, are all reasons for the revival of the Black Sea as a culture-packed cruise destination.

You’ll usually embark in Istanbul for the scenic sailing along the narrow Bosphorus to the mouth of the Black Sea. Other highlights include the grand, baroque boulevards of Odessa and pretty Nessebar in Bulgaria, peppered with medieval orthodox churches and clinging to a rocky island connected to the mainland by an isthmus.

The Georgian port of Batumi, with its waterfront of futuristic glass towers, lies against a backdrop of the hazy, green Caucasus mountains. From Sochi, you can visit Stalin’s dacha, the holiday home where the dictator would summer, eerily preserved as it was until his death in 1953.

Some cruises also incorporate the Sea of Marmara, calling at Canakkale for Troy, or Mudanya for trips to Bursa, the original Ottoman capital.

Editor: despite Russia’s illegal and heinous invasion of Ukraine, we’ve left Russian content in our guides. There’s no reason you can’t add Russia to your travel bucket list for future visits. The war, and Putin, won’t last forever, and then we hope you go back. There are many innocent Russian people, whose livelihoods depend on tourism, suffering greatly too from the actions of this evil man and his cronies.

Exploring the coast of Britain and Ireland by ship is a wonderful immersion in history, culture and nature. Even to Brits themselves, the historical contrasts are a delight, from Edinburgh Castle to the Ring of Brodgar on Orkney, the Beatles trail in Liverpool and the literary scene in Dublin.

The coastal scenery is dazzling; white beaches and aquamarine shallows in the Isles of Scilly, or the basalt formations of Fingal’s Cave on Staffa. The sea passage around the north of Scotland and the Irish Sea is extraordinarily rich in wildlife, with excellent chances of spotting whales and porpoises.

While the majority of people attracted to this kind of cruise are more mature, it’s also possible to turn a round-Britain voyage into a family holiday and some of the bigger ships are well geared up to entertain kids and teens on the days at sea.

The Caribbean is the world’s most popular cruise destination, and little wonder. Vibrant cultures, music, gorgeous beaches, watersports galore and tropical sunshine are the ingredients for a dream cruise for many. Because there’s so much to do, the Caribbean suits anyone; families, honeymooners and groups of friends.

You’ll need to choose either a big ship or a small ship – both offer a slightly take.

Aquamarine lagoons, spiky volcanic peaks, vertiginous cliffs plunging into indigo seas and the scent of frangipani in the air are all part of the allure of a voyage through the paradise of French Polynesia.

Typical routes include the Society Islands, which are close to Tahiti and include Moorea, Huahine, Taha’a and Bora Bora, famed for its dazzling lagoon. The diving at the Tuamotos atolls is unparalleled, over dazzling corals, with sharks, rays and turtles easy to spot. Other ships head for the remote Marquesas Islands, which enchanted artist Paul Gauguin, who is buried there.

Wherever you go, everything from snorkelling to stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, hiking, horse riding and 4×4 tours is available. The islands have a rich culture, too, with fascinating archaeological sites and carved stone tikis to explore. This is a cruise for romantics, but also divers, adventurers and anybody intrigued by the gentle people and fascinating history of the South Pacific.

A visit to the Galapagos is a life-changing experience. You’ll see wildlife that exists nowhere else on earth, from prehistoric-looking iguanas to Galapagos penguins, as well as sea lions, blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises and sharks.

What’s incredible is that because the animals have no predators, they have no fear of man. Marine life abounds in the clear, deep water and graceful sea turtles will glide right past you. Penguins may pop up as you’re snorkelling.

These extraordinary wildlife encounters take place against a backdrop of ancient volcanoes, jagged lava rocks, cacti and beaches ranging from powdery white to glittering olive. Visit by ship and you’ll see a real contrast of settings, as a week-long voyage typically stops at around 12 different spots.

Cruises depart from Baltra, Puerto Ayora or Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and follow set ‘loops’, each one taking in different anchorages and all including incredible wildlife encounters.

You’ll spend the whole week out in the wild, usually with just one day in port. Days are spent hiking, kayaking, exploring by skiff and snorkelling, led by highly qualified Ecuadorian guides.

A cruise around Iceland reveals melancholy landscapes of massive U-shaped valleys carved by ancient glaciers, with long ribbons of waterfalls plunging into blue-green fjords.

You’ll see lunar landscapes of spiked rocks, spouting geysers and jauntily coloured fishing villages, tiny against the vast landscapes. Days are spent hiking, whale-watching – especially around Husavik – and venturing inland for unusual excursions, not least a chance to travel deep inside the Langjökull glacier.

There’s colourful folklore everywhere in this stark country, as well as human history dating back 2,000 years. And excitement for Game of Thrones fans, too, with myriad tours of the filming locations on offer, some led by actors who appeared in the series.

Cruising and the Mediterranean are the perfect match, thanks to gorgeous beaches, glamorous ports and cultural thrills galore, all packed into a relatively manageable area.

You could be basking on the beach in Mykonos one day and watching a fiery sunset over Santorini the next. Or cycling round the medieval walls of Lucca, or tucking into sweet cannoli with your cappuccino in Taormina.

Every kind of cruise ship criss-crosses the Mediterranean, from sailing ships around the Greek islands to luxury vessels along the Cote d’Azur or swish yachts exploring the pine-clad islands of the Croatian coastline. Take time to choose the right experience, whether a grand tour or a voyage that focuses in more depth on a smaller area, like the Balearics, or the Peloponnese.

You could opt for a fully-rigged, tall ship, or ‘clipper’. These authentic ships, modelled on the original ‘greyhounds of the sea’ from the early 20th century, fly over the water with no sound but the waves, wind and creak of the lines. There are few seagoing experiences as romantic as this.

The scarlets, ochres and golds of turning leaves provide a vivid backdrop to a cruise along the mellow coastlines of New England and Canada.

You’ll spend days exploring historic port towns and heading out into the countryside to gaze at the glorious colours.

From Bal Harbor, there’s hiking and cycling in glorious Acadia National Park, while in Portland, Maine, you could join a kayak tour along the coast to admire the foliage from the water. Bucolic Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island is endlessly photogenic, thanks to its red-and-white lighthouses and rustic architecture.

As well as appealing to nature lovers, these cruises have great foodie allure, thanks to each region’s seasonal culinary scene, from fresh Maine lobster to oysters and clams, mussels from Nova Scotia, apple doughnuts, pumpkin, cider and cheeses. Poking around local farmers’ markets is all part of the charm of these autumn voyages.

Endless skies, snow-capped mountains, sheer-sided fjords, ribbon-like waterfalls and emerald green meadows ablaze with wildflowers – all combine to make Norway’s Fjordland one of the world’s most beautiful and serene cruising routes. And the water is one of the best vantage points from which to admire the view from.

Dozens of ships sail here in summer, visiting a selection of fjords, each one different. On a typical cruise, you might visit the Sognefjord, which twists and turns deep into the mountains, dotted with tiny villages, while the narrow Geirangerfjord is one of the most dramatic. At each stop, there’s an enticing menu of bucket list adventures on offer (see recommendations below) – like the long hike from Stavanger to the high granite block of Pulpit Rock, soaring nearly 2,000 feet over Lysefjord. In the autumn and spring, you may get to see the Northern Lights.

Any lover of the outdoors would appreciate the beauty and serenity of a Norwegian fjords voyage. The joy is that you can be as active as you like – or simply enjoy the scenery from the ship.

The 2,400km coastline between Bergen and Kirkenes is one of the world’s most dramatic – studded with astonishing fjords of geological grandeur, alpine mountains, and picturesque rural settlements. Days at sea take on a dreamy quality as you drift past snow-covered mountains and fjords.

But while the fjord-indented west coast appeals for its tranquility and scenery, there’s a vibrant cultural scene in the towns you’ll visit along the way. There’s also a host of thrilling bucket list outdoor pursuits on offer, from snowmobiling to husky dog sledding, kayaking on a fjord to hiking up a mountain for show-stopping views

Go from October to March for the opportunity to see the magnificent Northern Lights.

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.

A transit of the canal could be part of any number of itineraries and on any size of ship. But one way to get deeper into the culture and contrasts of Panama is to join a cruise that includes the canal combined with a voyage along either the country’s Pacific or Caribbean coasts, as well as neighbouring Costa Rica.

This route combines the excitement of the canal with the rainforests and islands of the Pacific coast of both countries, with further contrast in Panama’s atmospheric Casco Viejo, the old heart of what’s now an ultra-modern city.

On the Pacific coast, you’ll snorkel off pristine islands among tropical fish and sea turtles, trek through dense rainforest, monkeys in the trees and scarlet macaws flying overhead, and on the most adventurous voyages, venture into Panama’s Darien rainforest to visit the Embera tribe.

On the Caribbean side of the canal, the San Blas islands, or Guna Yala, offer incredible snorkelling and diving off tiny, uninhabited sand spits – a true desert island setting.

Most travellers headed for the tip of South America are bound for Antarctica, but there’s a world of creaking glaciers, forests, snowy mountains and windswept towns to explore in Patagonia itself.

Short cruises between Ushuaia in Argentina and Punta Arenas in Chile pack in challenging hikes, waterfalls, glacier viewing, beachcombing and if wind conditions permit, a visit to Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of continental South America, blasted by winds and guarded by a solitary lighthouse. You’ll see thousands of Magellanic penguins, too, on Magdalena Island, near Punta Arenas.

Alternatively, expedition ships positioning to Antarctica for the austral summer often weave their way south via the Chilean fjords, a landscape of glittering blue lakes, narrow sea channels and towering, snow-capped volcanoes. Pick a longer voyage, say, from Valpariaiso, and you can take in the fjords, some of Patagonia and Antarctica in one bucket list trip.

The archipelago of Raja Ampat lies at the heart of Indonesia’s Coral Triangle, off the coast of Western Papua. Some 1,500 sugarloaf limestone islands, draped in bottle-green rainforest, are scattered across an aquamarine sea that’s home to two-thirds of the world’s coral species and more than 1,600 species of reef fish.

Unsurprisingly, Raja Ampat is a dream for divers and snorkellers, who come to discover a world of underwater canyons and dazzling coral gardens where you can swim among sea turtles, black-tipped sharks and graceful manta rays.

Don’t expect to find shops and museums; the charm of Raja Ampat is that it’s mainly uninhabited. This is authentic expedition cruising, offering rainforest treks in search of the rare bird of paradise, kayaking, twice-daily snorkel or dive trips and impromptu sundowners on deserted, bone-white beaches, scattered with fallen coconuts and pieces of broken coral.

Travel deep into the humid rainforest on a small expedition boat to explore the headwaters of the Peruvian Amazon, one of the most inaccessible areas on the planet.

Most expeditions start in Iquitos and take you to the wildlife-rich Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, sailing along broad, muddy rivers, the bottle-green forest stretching in every direction, scarlet macaws flying overhead and occasionally, pink river dolphins swimming alongside the ship.

Expert guides lead forays ashore in search of three-toed sloths, howler and capuchin monkeys, while flat-bottomed skiffs take you along the skinny, snaking waterways of this flooded landscape to look for caiman, turtles and piranhas.

There are frequent encounters with indigenous tribes, offering a fascinating cultural insight. Kayaking, piranha fishing and swimming in freshwater river pools are all on offer.

An intrepid spirit is essential for these adventurous expeditions, which tend to attract a well-travelled crowd.

Europe’s second longest river, the Danube flows from a tiny spring in Germany’s Black Forest through the wooded hills of Bavaria, across Austria’s Wachau Valley, and, beyond Vienna, onto the edge of the Hungarian steppes. It clips the southern spur of the Carpathian mountain range, forcing its way through the rock to create the dramatic Iron Gates Gorge on the border between Serbia and Romania. Eventually, it broadens out, forking into three arms that make up its vast, marshy delta. A cruise, then, takes in seven countries and a wide variety of cultures and cuisines.

Along the way, you’ll taste wines in the Wachau, explore the galleries of Vienna, take a day trip to Salzburg, clamber up to the ruins of Durnstein Castle and check out the edgy nightlife of Budapest, as well as sailing through the city at sunset, the various bridges festooned with lights.

There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, kayaking and cycling, making this a great option for fitness alongside the obvious cultural charms of the region.

A slow boat along the Ganges is a chance to experience rural India at the same time as touring temples, mosques and battlefields.

Voyages usually start and finish in Kolkata, sailing the Hooghly, a tributary of ‘Mother Ganges’. Trips ashore take place in horse-drawn carts, trishaws and on foot. You’ll need a sense of curiosity – and also a degree of preparation for sights of extreme poverty among the chaos and vibrancy of India. Tourists are objects of interest and large, friendly crowds often gather when the boat ties up alongside a village.

At Murshidabad, you’ll visit the enormous Hazarduari Palace Museum, while the village of Baranagar is dotted with extraordinary, overgrown 18th-century temples. At Mayapur, there’s a chance to see the headquarters of the Hare Krishna movement.

To many, though, the real joy is sunrise yoga on deck, watching the dazzling birdlife, or taking a stroll through rural fields, absorbing the slow pace of daily life.

A cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam on the Mekong and its tributary, the Tonle Sap, is a voyage that appeals to all the senses.

The bustle of floating markets, dazzling Buddhist temple festivals, the sizzle and aroma of street food and mist hanging over the water at dawn, are all part of the experience. Mekong cruise ships provide a cool, soothing antidote to the humidity and bustle of excursions.

Mekong cruises are bookended by hotel stays in hipster Siem Reap, gateway to the magnificent temples of Angkor, and Vietnam’s dynamic Ho Chi Minh City.

Excursions along the river include visits to temples, craft workshops and rural villages, with most boats overnighting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s riverside capital. Here, the sights are poignant as you learn about Cambodia’s tragic history and visit the chilling scenes of the Killing Fields.

Until the late 19th century, travelling in Egypt meant taking a boat on the Nile, as the roads were bad and there were no hotels. A trip on the Nile is still a defining experience, revealing a tapestry of astonishing ancient monuments, beautiful papyrus-dotted river banks, and a landscape that has remained largely unchanged in 4,000 years.

Cruises usually include visits to the magnificent temples at Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo. All cruises end in Aswan, with a visit to Temple of Isis at Philae and an optional excursion to the Temples of Abu Simbel (strongly recommended).

There is, of course, the luxury riverboat option. The Sanctuary MS Nile Adventurer, formerly owned by Abercrombie and Kent, is a 5-star ship with 32 luxurious cabins and excellent food on board.

You could alternatively opt for a cruise on a charismatic dahabiya (a local sailing ship with 4-10 cabins). They can moor in more places than the large cruise ships, visit smaller sights on the way and get you closer to the Nile.

For the most authentic (and cheapest) cruise, feluccas sail between Aswan and Edfu or Esna, just south of Luxor. These single-mast boats have no cabins, so passengers sleep on benches or on the shore.

The Rhine is Europe’s busiest river, although there is little sense of this as you drift effortlessly past steep vineyards guarded by craggy castles of the Rhine Gorge, sleepy riverside towns basking on the banks.

There are many highlights of a Rhine voyage; the rolling hills of the Black Forest, the half-timbered houses and market squares of Strasbourg and the Roman legacy of Koblenz and Boppard, as well as the gorge itself.

Further north, boats moor in the heart of Cologne, dominated by the magnificent cathedral, with some continuing to Amsterdam. The Rhine is ideal as a first river cruise. There’s plenty of choice of activity, from hiking and cycling to castles and museums, and most of the docks are conveniently close to town centres, making it easy to explore independently.

A voyage along the Rhone has to be one of the most scenic river journeys in Europe, as the river carves its way through the countryside of the Rhone-Alpes and Provence regions to the Camargue and its marshy delta.

Medieval villages and craggy castles cling to the hillsides, while vineyards and swathes of purple lavender stretch away into the distance. Cultural attractions are plentiful; the Romans have left their mark here in the magnificent amphitheatre at Arles and the stunning Pont du Gard. This is a river cruise for adventurers, too, with hiking, cycling and kayaking on offer.

All Rhone cruises call at magnificent Avignon, famous for its bridge and for the 700-year-old Palace of the Popes, epicentre of the medieval Christian world. Another highlight is the Roman city of Arles, gateway to the wild, marshy Camargue, famed for its cowboys, its bulls and white horses. The light here inspired Van Gogh to create more than 200 paintings and it’s easy to see why.

The ‘Great Glen’ is a geological gash that slices across the Scottish Highlands from the west coast to the east; the 60-mile, 19th-century Caledonian Canal follows its course, linking a string of lochs and canals to form a convenient watery highway – brilliant for cruising.

A voyage along this extraordinary waterway takes in some of Scotland’s most dramatic Highland scenery, from dun-coloured mountains to dense pine forest and shimmering lochs.

There are atmospheric sights like the dark, brooding waters of Loch Ness and the craggy ruin of Urquhart Castle; and there are opportunities along the way for hiking, cycling, kayaking and, of course, gin and whisky tasting.

Most Caledonian Canal cruises start from the West Coast port of Oban, the jumping-off point for the Hebrides, taking in Duart Castle and quirky, colourful Tobermory on the island of Mull, then sailing the length of Loch Linnhe before entering the canal at Fort William. Others head further north still to the Isle of Skye, combining the sea lochs of the West Coast with the canal transit.

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

Dubbed ‘the world’s aquarium’ by Jacques Cousteau, the Sea of Cortez, shimmering between the arid mountains of the Mexican coast and the long, skinny finger of Baja California, is a wildlife haven like nowhere else.

You’ll swim with boisterous sea lion pups and snorkel among colourful reef fish. Watch out for super-pods of hundreds of dolphins, or rays flipping across the sparkling surface like pancakes. Kayak into caves, or watch red- and blue-footed boobies courting.

Days are spent kayaking, hiking and snorkelling, with a chance to leave the ship for a day and drive across the peninsula to Magdalena Bay, to get close to surprisingly relaxed grey whales and their calves. Also expect guided desert hikes, a mule trek into the arroyos, and beach bonfires under a glittering sky.

There are no busy ports along the way, just rustic villages, so these expeditions tend to attract lovers of the outdoors and wildlife enthusiasts.

Just 650 miles from the North Pole, Norway’s Svalbard archipelago is a true wilderness. There are no roads, no infrastructure, no hiking trails and just a few hardy settlements, as well as mountains, vast glaciers, fjords, tundra and ice. And up to 3,000 polar bears.

There’s no real itinerary for expedition cruises; ice and wildlife sightings dictate where you go once you’ve left the mining town of Longyearbyen, on the island of Spitsbergen.

As well as polar bears, you’ll be on the lookout for white-coated arctic foxes, reindeer, walrus and puffins. There are daily hikes, always with an expedition leader, as well as exploration by inflatable Zodiac craft and, for the brave, a chance to take a dip: the ‘polar plunge’.

Crossing the Atlantic on Cunard’s grand ocean liner is an adventure that evokes the thrill and glamour of the golden age of travel.

You’ll have seven days to contemplate the majesty of 3,565 miles of open ocean, stepping up the gangway in either New York or Southampton into a refined world of elegant lounges, sweeping staircases and hatted bellboys in scarlet uniforms.

During the crossing, there’s all-day entertainment from drama classes to yoga, spinning and wine tasting. Or you could just lounge by the pool, try out the spa or stroll around the deck, taking in the sea air.

At night, the ship buzzes with everything from glittering black tie balls to big-name performers in the theatre and riotous quizzes and karaoke in the Golden Lion pub.

Deserted, aquamarine bays, steep cliffs dense with bottle-green pines and the constant hum of cicadas creates a blissful backdrop to a typical week cruising Turkey’s southwestern ‘Turquoise’ coast. This absorbing stretch of coastline runs from Cesme to Anamur, including the towns of Kusadasi, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, and Antalya.

These small-boat sailing holidays are the perfect detox from everyday life, with days falling into a routine of swimming before breakfast, lazing on deck, more swimming, forays ashore and dinner under the stars, at anchor.

Book either as a single, a couple or a family and meet like-minded people, or charter your own gulet and choose our route. Boats come fully crewed and you don’t have to lift a finger.