5 Bucket List Cruise Destinations

Cruising is an incredible way to discover new places or see your favourite destinations in a whole new light. Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean, so it is no wonder some of the most extraordinary travel experiences can be had on an ocean cruise or small ship adventure.

Where will your next voyage take you? Chart a course for one of these top cruise destinations and you’ll be in for an incredible journey.

Alaska

Alaska is an unparalleled cruise destination and the iconic Inside Passage draws nature lovers and those who prefer fewer at sea days and more time exploring their surrounds. Cruising in Alaska graces travellers with breathtaking natural scenery from rivers of ice and calving glaciers to soaring peaks and lush forests. Cruisers can spot wildlife from bears to humpbacks depending on the time of year they set off on their voyage.

Cruise itineraries showcase a blend of nature, history and charming coastal towns and on shore excursions could see you dog sledding one day and soaring over Glacier Bay National Park by float plane or kicking back in a historic saloon the next. Given that you’ll hug the coastline, cruisers can enjoy calm waters – there’s enough excitement in the scenery that you won’t miss it from churning seas. 

Antarctica

An expedition cruise across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula is, for most people, a once in a lifetime experience (if at all). Follow in the footsteps of explorers and adventurers as you set out for the White Continent and get up close to the wildlife that call its waters and icy shores home. Whales breach, penguins huddle and albatross soar overhead. Pristine ice glows. It’s a wonder to behold.

Your expedition team will design each day’s activities based on the conditions to showcase the best this icy wilderness has to offer. You’ll set off by Zodiac to get up close to the fascinating wildlife and weave between icebergs, perhaps kayak your way through the glassy waters, and maybe even camp overnight on the Antarctic Peninsula. Just some of the highlights that earn an Antarctica cruise a place on your bucket list.

Galápagos

Set off on a small ship adventure to the Galápagos and island hop this breathtaking archipelago getting up close to the incredible wildlife that it is known for. Endemic species make up 97% of land mammals and reptiles, 80% of land birds, and 20% of marine species, so here you truly will enjoy animal encounters unlike any elsewhere in the world.

Head ashore to hike the volcanic terrain, get an insight into science and conservation at the Charles Darwin Research Station, meet giant tortoises, watch for frigate birds and blue footed boobies, and discover a whole new underwater world home to sea turtles, sea lions, manta rays and many more captivating creatures.

Kimberley Coast

Cruise along Western Australia’s last frontier dwarfed by soaring ochre escarpments that plunge to meet turquoise sea. Learn about the rich history of the region and uncover incredible Aboriginal art as it complements an already impressive landscape.

Along this coastline you will find islands teeming with wildlife as well as the stunning reef systems and bays that they call home. Enjoy a series of excursions that will take your breath away; shoot through the thundering Horizontal Falls, see Montgomery Reef exposed by the tide, take a helicopter flight over Mitchell Falls, discover the Wandjina art sites of Bigge Island, and toast sensational days on the deck with those incredible West Coast sunsets. A small ship Kimberley Coast cruise is the perfect way to explore this rugged wilderness without sacrificing your creature comforts.

Norwegian Fjords

There are not many places in the world where such dramatic landscapes can be so easily explored. The sheer size of Norway’s spectacular fjords makes them accessible by cruise ship which means you can surround yourself in breathtaking scenery day and night on a Norwegian Fjord cruise.

Sheer cliffs frame the scene unravelling before you and the towering facades are a canvas brushed with tumbling waterfalls and deep green foliage. The colourful fishing villages that pepper the shoreline look right at home, somehow effortlessly contrasting and complementing the landscape all at once. Ink blue water will pen memories that will last a lifetime as you cruise, kayak, hike, and explore one of the world’s most scenic regions.