Top Cruise Vacations For Your Next Holiday

For many of us travelers, gazing at the beautiful ocean from the balcony of a cruise ship would be a dream come true. While veteran cruisers will tell you the ship is the destination and ports of call are just things to keep you busy, we beg to differ. In my humble opinion, while the ship is a crucial part of an overall cruise experience, the ports of call are also an extremely important part of your cruise. So here’s a bit about the different cruise itineraries.

Mediterranean Cruises

When people think of a European vacation they tend to think of rail and bus travel, yet cruising the Med to see the great cities of Europe have become extremely popular. Mediterranean Cruises can be roughly divided into Western Med and Eastern Med itineraries. Western Med Cruises may include Barcelona, Majorca, Cannes, Florence, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Naples. Eastern Med cruises may originate in Rome (Civitavecchia) and cruise to Messina, Malta, Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes and Crete.

French Polynesia Cruises

French Polynesia Cruises are a popular way to see the South Pacific with it’s turquoise ocean water and heavenly beaches. There are over 100 islands in French Polynesia to discover. Tahiti’s Moorea Island is once of the most eye-catching ports of call in this area. It is a heart-shaped beautiful island. You can visit the South Pacific anytime in the year to experience incredible snorkeling, scuba diving and many other water sports.

Norwegian Fjords for Cruising

The Norwegian fjords offer another world having long, narrow gorges with deep water channels. The scenery is incredible with beautiful mountains and dramatic views. Cruising here is a so calming and peaceful for travelers to experience the natural beauty and wildlife in a setting of old style rural Norway life. A couple really popular cruises in this area are Sognefjord and Geiranger Fjords.
 
If you really want to experience the beauty of Norway, you can ask your Travel Agent to compliment your cruise with a 3 or 4-day land package to explore the country’s inland territory. The ideal time to visit this northern country are the typical warmer months of May to September. Naturally, the three summer months have the most predictable weather for roaming around the countryside or cruising in the Norwegian Fjords.

Cruise the Inside Passage in Alaska

Alaska is truly a gem on earth. This U.S. state is one of the last great wildernesses. The Inside Passage offers incredible views of glaciers as mammoth chunks of ice tumble into the ocean. The ocean in this area is home to Humpback Whales, Dolphins, Orca Killer Whales and sea lions and many other ocean animals. Just image yourself sitting on deck, covered with the warm blanket, taking sips of hot coffee and gazing the heavenly sights around. You may experience these all by booking your cruise in the months of May to September. No trip to Alaska would be complete without a 3 to 5 night land package to the Demnali Forest where you will incredible wildlife in their natural habitat.

Antarctica Cruises

Do you know that Antarctica is ten percent of the total land of the earth, but with the fewest amount of visitors? Well, the cold weather may have something to do with that, but Antarctica offers an amazing array of wildlife. You will see dramatic ice bergs, seals, whales, penguins and water birds in Antarctica. Once interesting fact is that there is no specific port in Antarctica. You must also be aware that the weather can be very uncertain with abrupt changes. The cool thing about Antarctica Cruises with all the weather changes and abundant wildlife, no two cruises ever seem the same. As the Southern Hemisphere seasons are opposite ours in the north, the ideal time for you to venture to Antarctica is during the summer months of November to March.

Cruise The French Riviera

This has been the home for the artists since so long. Its captivating blue seas, gorgeous scenery are the reason of attraction for vacationers to France. While cruising in the French Riviera, you will stop at the very famous Nice area which may also include Cannes and Monte Carlo. You may also wish to take the excursion tour to the small town Villefranche. This beautiful village type town retains the 14^th century feel, you will literally enjoy the time there. To be honest, I wished I had another 4-days to spend sightseeing and enjoying this area of Southern France. The best time for you to have all the slices of entertainment and enjoyment in Riviera is during the April and October.

Cruise Doubtful Sound Fjords in New Zealand

Many people really enjoy making New Zealand their vacation destination. So naturally, cruises have also made this a priority port of call and “Doubtful Sound” is a Fjord which offers a deep water opportunity to see the beautiful New Zealand from the comfort of your cruise ship. You will see beautiful mountains and the abundant wildlife. To experience the wonderful sights of the the Doubtful Sound is one of the great and preferable way. The Summer season is the ideal period of the year to visit this area. Another benefit of visiting in the summers is that you can enjoy a temperate climate and also swim in the warm waters. New Zealand summers are the months December to March.

Cruise The Caribbean

No article about cruising would be complete without listing the Caribbean as one of the most popular cruise itineraries. Each of the Caribbean Islands have a different vibe and personality somewhat remnant of the early European Explores. Western Caribbean Cruises tend to include Cancun, Cozumel, Grand Caymen and Jamaica. Longer 10-day Western Caribbean Cruises may include Belize, Roatan or Costa Maya. Eastern Caribbean Cruises generally include the Bahamas, St. Thomas, Tortola, St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Southern Caribbean Cruises generally include Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Kitts.