17 Cruise Destinations Around The Globe You Should Put In Your List (Or Not)

Let’s face it, some people absolutely love to cruise. They love that they can pretty much pay one price and have all their accommodations, their meals and drinks, and all their entertainment paid for. They love that they can visit more than one destination without having to move all of their belongings. They love making new friends on board the ships… Whether you’re in this group or you’ve never been on a cruise, but would like to give this type of travel a try, continue reading to uncover some of the best cruise destinations around the globe.

1. The Caribbean

When people think of cruising, their first thought is probably the Caribbean.

In the Caribbean, you are going to find a lot of beach attractions and water sports. You are going to also be able to tour the different islands, and maybe explore the cultures of these places.

This is a great place to take a cruise when you just want to relax and enjoy being with your family or a close circle of friends.

A cruise is going to be a great way to explore several of the Caribbean’s beautiful islands at the same time. You can always go back to your favorite island on another trip. Plus wonderful weather all year round makes it really easy to hop on one. Finally, keep in mind that Caribbean cruises often split the destination into two, the Eastern and Western regions.

2. The Bahamas

Another simple cruise option would be the Bahamas. This is a great place if you are just looking for a quick getaway. The Bahamas is simply a skip and a jump from Florida. Do you have a pirate enthusiast in your family? Nassau has a great pirate tour. Or your family might fall in love with the water park at Atlantis.

3. Castaway Cay

Of course, if you are going to cruise as a family, one cruise I have heard nothing but praise for is Disney’s cruise line. The destination here would be Castaway Cay. Disney has a lot to offer families, in fact, they were among the first to take the concept of family cruising and run with it. Disney will go to a lot of the destinations we cover in this article.

4. Hawaii

Hawaii is another place you might want to consider taking a cruise to. Again you are going to have access to a lot of water sports and activities. Some cruise lines allow you to visit all the major islands of Hawaii on just one cruise. There is also a lot of rich history and culture to explore here.

Most cruises are going to allow you to experience some type of luau if that is something you are interested in. There are shorter and longer cruises to Hawaii, so you can pick what works best for you and your schedule.

5. Alaska

But you might be more into watching glaciers and wildlife instead of the sun and the beach. Alaska is an excellent place to visit by cruise ship. You will get to see a lot of wildlife in this beautiful state.  

Alaska is one state that is pretty hard to get to logistically. Why not let the cruise crew handle all the details for you while you just relax and enjoy your vacation. But it is more than just the wildlife, see the gigantic glaciers, explore Alaska on a kayak, take a look at their volcanoes.

6. Canada

And what about our neighbor Canada? Here you are going to find some stunning views. You will also be able to enjoy whale watching. You may get to tour places like Prince Edward Island.

This is an excellent place to visit if you want to see beautiful fall foliage. You will also probably get to tour some quaint villages. And don’t forget, you will be eating some of the best seafood ever.

7. Mexico

Or what about cruising in Mexico? This country has a sure something for everyone. It has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches in the world, so you are going to be able to do a lot of water sports.

You’ll also have access to a lot of nice shopping excursions. There is the Mayan culture to soak in. You should have fun here whether you’re just looking to relax on this vacation, or if you are looking for some true adventure.

8. Europe

If you’re looking to do something longer, perhaps something more refined, you might want to try a cruise in Europe. These are great for those who love history. These cruises also work well for those who love food and wine and want to learn more about either or both.

One of the best ways to cruise Europe is by doing river cruises. These are a newer type of cruise that is becoming more and more popular as time goes on.

9. Russia

Okay, saying Europe is a great place to cruise is pretty broad. Let’s take a look at some more specific places inside of Europe, and let’s start with Russia. That might not be your first thought when it comes to cruising, but this is an interesting place.

Most cruises are going to allow you to see Moscow and St. Petersburg at the very least. Here you’ll get to see beautiful castles as well as some fantastic artwork. You might also want to experience some Russian ballet or take in a play while you’re in this beautiful country.

Time your trip right, and you’ll be able to enjoy their famous “White Nights”.

10. France

If you consider yourself a foodie, think about cruising in France. This place has some of the best bakeries on earth, full of bread and pastries. This country is also known to have some of the greatest restaurants and chefs in the world.

They also have some of the best chocolates and wines. But France is about than just a place to enjoy fine food and wine.

Have you ever heard of Napoleon?

Have you dreamed of seeing the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame?

Would you like to explore some of their castles?

11. The Mediterranean

Or you might want to see the Mediterranean.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, you are going to visit places like Turkey and Greece. On the Western side, you will be touring places like Italy and Spain. This would be another great place for food and wine lovers.

History buffs will find these places to be fascinating if they want to learn more about ancient Greece or Rome. You might want to tour the Catacombs of Rome or see some of their beautiful vineyards. There are also some sets from classic movies you might want to see as well.

12. Norway

Whether you have some family living there or not, you might want to consider taking a cruise to Norway. This is a place that would be an excellent destination to do a river cruise.

Another advantage of exploring Norway by cruise is that this is one of the most expensive places in the world, so it’s best to have all your lodging and meals already covered. Have you ever wondered about Viking culture? This is the place to learn about that.

13. Britain

History lovers might also want to see the places where a lot of US founders came from.

Here I’m talking about England. Usually, you will get a cruise of not only England but the surrounding countries as well, places like Scotland and Ireland as well. You will get to tour some beautiful castles as well as some ancient Roman ruins. These countries also have some beautiful natural scenery as well.

14. Cuba

Let’s move on from Europe, people from other countries have been able to visit Cuba, but this is a place that is just starting to open up for us Americans. And again, Cuba is a somewhat awkward place to get around, so best to let the cruise people handle all the details while you relax and enjoy their ship and all of their activities.

This is another pretty expensive place well, which is another good reason to explore by cruise. And you might be interested in doing a cruise where everything is not all about your needs and desires, you might want to give back to society.

Cuba is one place where you can do volunteer cruises. Yes, you can help them build, but you can also help them learn English. One of the nice things about doing a volunteer cruise is that you will have somewhere nice to return to in the evenings. And of course, you will also have a couple of days to relax before and after your work in a foreign country.

15. Antarctica

Have you ever dreamed of going to Antarctica? Lodging is only opened to those scientists who want to learn more about this unusual place. So cruising this place is just about us regular folks’ only option. Most of the cruises to this place will allow you to see many different kinds of wildlife, as well as some other beautiful aspects of nature.

However, before picking this one, consider the huge impact of Antarctica cruises.

16. The Amazon

Another cruise many people will like is cruising the Amazon River. How else would you be able to get a feel for how enormous this river is. And again, you are going to see a lot of wildlife, but instead of cold-weather animals, you are going to see tropical animals, including some beautiful birds.

Going on a cruise will help make sure you have luxurious surroundings when many places on the Amazon are anything but luxurious.

17. Egypt / Middle East

Cruising can take you to all kinds of places you’d not likely get to otherwise, and this could be for any number of reasons. And one of these reasons could be political unrest. Take Egypt.

If your dream is sailing along the Nile River and take a look at its famous pyramids, a cruise is probably going to be your best option. The cruise lines will know the best way to handle anything that should come up. The same thing applies to the Middle East.

Here you will be seeing some of the most significant religious sites in the world. There are also some absolutely beautiful bodies of water and beaches around!

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2021 update: Please note this is an old post that does not necessarily reflect our views regarding sustainable tourism anymore. Thanks for your understanding.