9 cruise holidays you must do in your lifetime

Independent

14-03-2025

One of the main benefits of a cruise is that it can take you to a variety of amazing and once-in-a-lifetime destinations.
Locations such as the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Greek islands may be popular for sun seekers or those who want a relaxing cruise, but there are other routes to consider for more bucket list and breathtaking experiences.
A cruise line can get you to parts of the world that are restricted by foot or plane such as in Alaska and the Antarctic, while you can get breathtaking views of culture and history from the comfort of a cruise ship.
You can moor up for excursions in more remote and rare parts of the world and enjoy majestic experiences such as witnessing the northern lights or getting close to nature and wildlife.
The world is at your feet on a cruise and here are nine of the best routes around the world to experience in your lifetime.
Alaska and the Inside Passage
With glaciers to gaze at and wildlife to spot, Alaska is a bucket list destination for many. Cruising the state's Inside Passage helps explore the region and reach places that you simply cannot see by road.
Typically departing from Seattle or Vancouver, Alaska's Inside Passage was carved out by glaciers during the ice age and a cruise will get you close to its thousands of islands, coves and fjords. Stops often include a visit to the gold rush town of Skagway, salmon fishing hotspot Ketchikan and Alaskan capital Juneau.
It is the kind of cruise where an inside cabin could be a waste as you could wake up each morning next to massive glaciers, such as the famous Hubbard Glacier – stretching for 76 miles.
Princess Cruises sails to Alaska and cruises alongside the Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier on the Inside Passage aboard Discovery Princess. Departs 17 August 2025; from £979pp.
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Transatlantic
Why fly across the Atlantic when you can cruise? Sailing from the UK and US may take longer than a flight but a transatlantic cruise provides a more memorable week, plus it can give you time to acclimatise to a new time zone without worrying about jet lag. The sailing typically takes seven or eight days, and destinations include Florida and New York. Some cruise lines may even offer longer round-trips.
You will have more time to explore a ship and immerse yourself in the facilities and entertainment with almost every day being a sea day - plus there will be plenty of sunsets and sunrises to gaze at from the comfort of the deck or your cabin. Some cruise lines may have stops to break-up the sailing while others will just involve consecutive days at sea.
The most well-known itinerary for the transatlantic route is aboard Queen Mary 2 with Cunard. Departing from Southampton, it has seven-night sailings to New York or a 15-night round-trip. A seven-night sailing to New York, departing on 16 May, starts at £899pp.
Set sail for the best light show at sea. A northern lights cruise gives passengers a chance to see the beauty of the northern lights or aurora borealis from the clear skies of a cruise ship deck.
One of the main northern lights hotspots to sail around is Norway, giving passengers the chance to explore the fjords of Bergen and also Alta and Tromso on what is known as the aurora belt - boosting your chances of seeing the dazzling spectacle.
The best time to sail and see the light show is between late September and March. But there is no guarantee of seeing the northern lights as it depends on weather and how clear the skies are; some cruise brands, such as Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages, will offer a refund during peak viewing season if there are no sightings.
Havila Voyages has a 12-day sailing around the northern lights hotpots of Norway, departing from Bergen on 31 October 2025 from £1,313pp. It has a money-back guarantee if they don't appear during sailings between October and March.
Antarctica
A visit to the white continent is another bucket list cruise for many. You could find yourself stepping onto the Antarctic ice on a hike, playing with penguins or stepping into rig or kayak to get closer to wildlife such as leopard seals. The more adventurous could even go polar diving into the icy waters. Onboard, there may be lectures on the landscape and history of the region amid the backdrop of giant glistening icebergs and don't forget to look out for humpback whales swimming by.
Most sailings to Antarctica take place between November and March, due to the cold climate and there are limits on how many cruise ships and visitors can be on the ice at a time to protect the region, making it an even more special place to visit. Departures are typically from South America and often follow the famous Drake Passage, named after explorer Sir Francis Drake.
You can visit Antarctica on Scenic Eclipse. The expedition ship carries 228 passengers, plus two H130 helicopters for excursions. It also has its own submarine that dives to a 1,000 feet down below. Prices for a 13-day Antarctica cruise, departing on 11 November 2025 from Buenos Aries, from £15,487pp.
Galapagos Islands
Follow in the footsteps of Darwin with a visit to the Galapagos Islands. It is an ideal cruise for nature lovers, with its giant tortoises and more than 150 species of birds to see.
While a land visit restricts you to just a few towns and hotels, an expedition cruise can take you to the more remote islands of the archipelago, including Santa Cruz, Isabela, Floreana, Bartolomé, and Genovesa, all accompanied by expert guides. Depending on the time of year, you could see Galapagos penguins on the western route or albatross when heading to the north.
These are typically busy expedition-style cruises, with two excursions a day to explore the variety of nature and wildlife on offer. With the Galapagos National Park restricting visitors to 100 at a time, this isn't a destination for those who just want to sit on a cruise ship.
You can visit the Galapagos Islands with Celebrity Cruises. It has a seven day round-trip, departing from Baltra Island on 27 September, costing from £6,016pp.
Mekong River
A cruise on the Mekong River will take you to the heart of Vietnam and Cambodia, a comfortable way to get close to the various villages and culture of south-east Asia at a gentle pace compared with exploring on land. Both river cruise brands and smaller ocean-going ships have itineraries on this route.
Sailings usually depart from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and visit the floating markets and beautiful landscapes of the Mekong Delta as well as the ancient temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Windstar's newest ship, Star Seeker, has a 10-day Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand cruise that departs on 27 December 2026. It includes overnight stops in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi Halong Bay, with prices starting from $4,599.
A cruise on the River Nile is an ideal way to get immersed in Egyptian history and culture. Typically starting from Cairo, you can gaze at landmarks on the riverbank such as the Luxor Temple and Valley of the Kings from the comfort of your cruise ship.
There are also chances to explore further, often on camel back, on excursions to the pyramids of Giza and the spice markets of Aswan. Many cruises will have Egyptologists on board to keep you informed about the history and culture of your surroundings.
Viking has a Pharaoh and Pyramids river cruise that departs from Cairo on 30 September; from £7,895pp.
African safari
An Africa safari cruise offers a great way to go wildlife watching on land and sea – all without having to worry about choosing the best park to spot the 'Big Five'. Itineraries tend to focus on a mix of land safaris and sea in destinations such as South Africa, where you could climb Table Mountain in Cape Town before visiting penguin colonies in Simon's Town,
In the Western cape or Port Elizabeth, excursions may include a boat trip to see bottlenose dolphins or a visit to parks such as the Shamwari Private Game Reserve or Kariega Game Reserve to go lion and buffalo spotting.
Some South Africa safari cruises may even arrange visits to the country's largest wildlife sanctuary, Kruger National Park. There are other Africa cruises focusing on the east of the continent, including Kenya 's Masai Mara National Reserve or Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater.
Azamara Cruises has a 15-night Africa Cruise that has the option of staying at the Kruger National Park beforehand. It departs on 20 December 2025; from £3,489pp.
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Panama Canal
A Panama Canal cruise is a brilliant opportunity to marvel at the feat of human engineering while sailing on it. Passengers can cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or vice versa, and routes can include stops in the Caribbean, central America and Mexico as well as Panama City.
The 50-mile trip in the canal will take you to Lake Gatun, the Culebra Cut valley and three locks on two seas, Gatun on the Atlantic and Pedro Miguel and Miraflores on the Pacific Ocean,
Holland America Line has a 12-day cruise that visits the Panama Canal as well as Costa Rica and the Greater Antilles. It departs from Fort Lauderdale on 1 March with prices starting from £1,259pp.