There are so many cruise deals on the market just now it’s hard sometimes to decide where to go. So to make things easier for you here are our top 5 cruise destinations:
Caribbean
The Caribbean is often the first place people think of when taking a cruise because of the warm sunny weather and beautiful sandy beaches. There are a huge choice of islands to choose from with most itineraries taking in either the Eastern or Western islands. Some of the most popular ports include Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua and the Cayman Islands, and some of the cruise lines even have their own private resorts in the Bahamas. The majority of Caribbean cruises involve flying out to Miami or Fort Lauderdale to meet the ship, although there are some longer cruises that do sail from UK ports
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean is popular with first-time cruisers as it is easily reached by either sailing from a UK port or by flying out to meet the ship. Most itineraries will cover either the Western Mediterranean, taking in places like Gibraltar, Barcelona and Rome, or the Eastern Mediterranean, which includes ports like Venice, Dubrovnik, Athens and Istanbul.
Northern Europe
Cruises to Northern Europe are often taken by passengers who have already travelled around the Mediterranean and are looking for more unusual destinations. Most Northern Europe cruises will depart from a UK port, although there are some that depart from Amsterdam and Copenhagen, meaning you fly out to meet the ship and avoid the sometimes rough North Sea crossing. A cruise around the Baltic Sea will usually take in the main cities with historical and cultural interest such as Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn, and will more often than not include an overnight stay on board the ship in St Petersburg.
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is one of man’s greatest engineering feats and is an awesome sight to behold. It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, and typically takes around 9 hours to transit the narrow waterways and many locks. On either side of the canal are lush rainforest’s with an abundant array of wildlife and beautiful scenery to enjoy. You will usually sail from San Francisco or Los Angeles on the Pacific side, taking in the Mexican Riviera on the way, or Miami or Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic side via the Caribbean islands.
Alaska
Although Alaska is not well known for being a popular holiday destination, it is very popular with cruise passengers. The virtually untouched landscape offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, ranging from towering snow-capped mountains and rugged cliffs to ice-blue glaciers and quaint towns steeped in history. There is also no shortage of native wildlife such as sea lions, brown bears and humpback whales. Many people that take an Alaskan cruise will add on an additional stay either before or after the cruise, giving them the opportunity to explore the surrounding national parks by rail or coach.
Images by vsmoothe
