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The Italian island of Sardinia is known for its strong Cannonau red wine, and Sicily is the birthplace of the famous cannoli. The fact that the region's top cruise ports are the birthplaces of foodie favorites such as paella, pizza, spaghetti alla carbonara and moules-frites makes a cruise here a delicious indulgence. You can eat your fill of local cuisine in places such as Barcelona and Valencia in Spain, Marseille and Saint-Tropez in France, and Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), Rome and Naples in Italy. Some ships will spend a day in Colon, Panama, which offers access to Chagres National Park and the Gamboa Rainforest Preserve. Both are home to indigenous species such as toucans, coatimundis and monkeys.
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One of the key reasons to cruise Alaska versus taking a land tour is to visit destinations along the Inside Passage that you cannot reach by road. However, if we had our pick, we would suggest either April or October if you need to fly into a cruise port. The generally good weather and low prices combine to make it a cheap and easy time to sail. In this case the ‘shoulder’ months of May and September offer the lowest prices.
Seeing Europe’s Gems by Small Ship
A Great Barrier Reef cruise will take you to many fabulous places, including Port Douglas, where sunbathing, snorkeling, and reef diving await at beautiful Four Mile Beach. Sail through the Inside Passage, dotted with forested islands and rich in marine life, from pods of black-and-white orca to dolphins and humpback whales. Choose between the Outer Loop and Inner Loop itineraries on Flora, or the Northern Loop and Southern Loop on Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration. All of these offer superb snorkeling, hiking, dramatic volcanic scenery, and extraordinary wildlife. Marvel at the intricate lock system and see how the water flow is managed to allow massive ships to pass safely through this cut that divides North and South America.
Longer sailings from the West Coast
Explore cities such as Skagway and Juneau, where you can try dog sledding and join whale-watching tours. In Ketchikan, you can bike through a rainforest, watch bears fishing for salmon, and admire ancient totem poles. Extend your time in South America with a couple of overnights in Quito, Ecuador’s historic, high-altitude capital, or further afield, in Peru. Here, our 16-night touring option takes in Lima, the capital, as well as Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, high in the Andes, and Machu Picchu, the dramatically situated Incan citadel.
Best Winter Cruise Destinations
“The ship will sail more than 1,700 miles from Minnesota down the Ohio River and Upper Mississippi River, calling on more ports and offering more guided tours than ever before,” as T+L reported in August. While itineraries range from seven to 14 nights and the ports visited vary by cruise line, most sailings call on Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn. The Danish capital is a fascinating blend of imperial palaces, photogenic landmarks (including the vibrant waterfront of Nyhavn and the Victorian-era Tivoli Gardens) and modern culinary and design innovations. A highlight for many passengers is scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park. This 3.3-million-acre national park is home to more than 1,000 glaciers, including the accessible and photogenic Margerie Glacier, which extends 21 miles from the mountains to the bay.
Best cruise destination for travelers without a passport: Hawaii
Older kids will love the rock climbing walls, video game stations, sports courts, go-karts and laser tag on Royal Caribbean and NCL ships. The waters before you enter the Inside Passage can be calm, rough or anything in between, depending on when you go. Whether you want to have a summer vacation or a winter getaway, the weather somewhere in the Caribbean is always warm and welcoming. • Antarctica– For the adventurer who wants to travel the paths of the explorers or onewho plans to visit all seven of the continents, Antarctica must be added toyour bucket list. Unfortunately, most cruise lines do not offer free cancellations or changes to take advantage of price drops after you book.
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise - NerdWallet
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:01:35 GMT [source]
Each day on an Alaska cruise reveals more extraordinary beauty as your ship glides through the glassy waters of the Inside Passage or Endicott Arm. The blue-white Hubbard Glacier is more than six miles wide where it meets the ocean. The southern Caribbean’s ABC Islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, are characterized by their dazzlingly white sand and impossibly turquoise seas, as well as distinctive Dutch influences. The best architecture is along the waterfront in Willemstad, the atmospheric capital of Curacao, lined with gabled houses in bright gelato shades.
For another, there's a range of activities for adults and kids of all ages on several islands. The best of the bunch might be Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island with a chic beach club and incredibly tall waterslides to entertain both adults and children. You'll also find activities like a Nassau pirate tour and access to the all-inclusive water park at Atlantis resort on your itinerary. If you don’t want to do the whole cold Christmas market ‘thing’ and if you’re based in Europe, there are winter cruises which go down to the Canary Islands – a lot of them sailing out of the UK or parts of Europe. It’s not going to be massively warm in the Canary Islands, but you might get temperatures in the day between around 18 degrees Celsius up to the early 20’s. And, of course, if you are more US-based, you might want to look in the direction of the Caribbean.
Alaska cruise weather can be chilly (in the 40s to 50s) first thing in the morning and at night. However, if it's a sunny summer day, temperatures can shoot into the 70s and even low 80s. It also rains a lot in Alaska; it's drier in the spring than in the summer. Restaurant prices in Alaska can be high, but a cruise bundles meals, accommodations and transportation into one price that, with sales, can be cheaper than you'd think. As well, if you’re headed to the Caribbean, March can be warm — but not too warm compared to the heat of the summer months. Sometimes, but not always, the cheapest cruise deal is a Last Minute Cruise.
You’ll need those cooling refreshment stops for decadent scoops of homemade gelato in flavors of pistachio, lemon, and peach. Port Douglas, Queensland is the gateway to dense rainforest; why not take a cruise on the Daintree River and see if you can spot lurking crocs? Or for the ultimate snorkel trip, join a Great Barrier Reef cruise and drift over the rainbow-colored corals, observing the intricacies of life on the reef. Travel + Leisure hand-selected 16 different types of on-the-water adventures to consider in the year ahead. Even Darwin was transfixed by the unusual birds and critters that make this South American archipelago their home.
And suddenly, that’s one of the cruises that really sticks in my mind as a very beautiful place. Alaska's capital city is interesting because no road leads from here to the rest of the state. It's located at the base of Mount Juneau, and you can only get there via boat or small plane — even residents have to bring their cars to Juneau via ferry.
You could sail round-trip from Vancouver to the breathtaking Hubbard Glacier, a vast wall of ice that calves off chunks with a mighty rumble as you watch from the deck of your ship. Thanks to its majestic wildlife, wild terrain, and breathtaking glaciers, Alaska is one of the best cruise destinations in the world. Celebrity Cruises offers some imaginative itineraries in Asia, sailing from Bali, Indonesia and Mumbai, India, as well as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Yokohama, the port for Tokyo.
The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more. A land of rugged mountains, coastal forests and diverse wildlife, Alaska is the ultimate cruise destination for intrepid explorers. Whether you're watching whales splash in the Pacific Ocean or gazing up at Hubbard Glacier, Alaska cruises are all about wild natural wonder. From coast to coast, Mexico is packed with incredible landscapes, flavorful food, and rich, vibrant history. Head west to the Mexican Riviera to explore deserts, go wine tasting and kayak through epic rock formations.
Active travelers can explore Alaska by sea kayak or canoe, hike on glaciers and through rainforests, zip line, bike, ride an ATV and even snorkel (you'll need a dry suit). If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. For these itineraries, you'll need to fly into or out of Anchorage and take a train or bus to/from the cruise departure ports, which can take an hour or two. If you book a weeklong Gulf of Alaska voyage, you'll also enjoy exploring parts of the Inside Passage and its ports that could include a mix of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Icy Strait Point. Additionally, you'll have one day spent cruising the Inside Passage and one focused on "scenic cruising," where you can enjoy the landscapes but won't go ashore.
North Island highlights include the vibrant cities of Auckland and Wellington. The graceful Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the surf scene on Bondi Beach are all top attractions for first-time visitors Down Under—but there’s far more to cruising Australia’s 22,000 miles of coastline. Slated to launch in the spring, the 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse II will visit ports from Dublin to Lisbon, as well as both polar regions, in 2023 and 2024.
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