Selecting the best cruise destinations for your vacation

Deciding the best cruise destinations is not easy.

You may think of your last cruise and are wondering next vacation. Or it could be your first cruise.

One of the great things about cruising is that you can unplug all the hassles and bustles of everyday lives. Once you put a foot on the cruise ship, you enter into a totally different world.

But before such a dream vacation, there is something you need to do.

As soon as you know when you can have a holiday, the next thing you need to decide is a cruise destination.

But then how can you find the best cruise destinations for you?

There is much information about destinations and itineraries out there. The amount of information you receive online is overwhelming indeed.

Here is the deal.

In this article, one of the best and most popular 8 cruise destinations around the world will be outlined.

Find the best cruise destinations in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mediterranean, Baltic, Asia, Oceania or the Middle East. These cruise destinations are actually I experienced cruising and can highly recommend to anyone!

Find out your inspiration, and create your next cruise vacation something special and unique. Save your money and time by reading this article.

Plan ahead your vacation and organise it. Make your vacation unforgettable. Have a fantastic vacation at one of the greatest places in the world!

Introduction

Once you get some ideas about your next holiday, expectations and priorities, you can easily find which is the best cruise destination for you.

Before you get started finding the best cruise destinations for your next cruise, I have a few questions for you:

1. When can you have a holiday? Which months?

2. What kind of vacation would you like to have? Relaxing on a beach or more culturally inspiring cruises?

3. What do you expect to see and feel on a vacation? Do you plan to strength a family bond or being romantic as a couple during a cruise?

Now, you are ready to read through some of the best cruise destinations around the world. Once you get some ideas about the 3 questions above. Then it is easy for you to find out the best cruise destination for your next vacation.

Caribbean Cruises

The Caribbean is the most popular cruise destinations in North America. The fleets for Caribbean Cruises are literarily packed by the cruisers from America in the high season! This is not surprising because the Caribbean Cruises offer us great tropical weather and sunshine.

The Caribbean is also the best cruise destinations from Miami, Florida because it is geographically close to the Caribbean.

A cruise is made at best when you can see several different islands in a single trip. Caribbean Cruises make you possible to arrive at a new port and a new island almost every morning due to the Caribbean’s geographical setting.

Best cruise destinations in Caribbean
Cozumel, Amber Cove, the Dominican Republic, Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Honduras Grand Turk Island, the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Belize, Havana, Half Moon Cay, George Town, Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Princess Cays, St. Thomas and St. Maarten

Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

Please find departure port transfer information and port accommodation guide to saving your money and time as below.

What to expect in Caribbean Cruises?

Caribbean Cruises are the best when you cannot take a long off from work. It is the best cruise destination when you can have weekends or less than a week off. If your budget is tight, you can also easily find inexpensive cruises.

The Caribbean is a place to have great fun and to explore. At the same time, it is the place to heal our bodies and minds by engaging with the surrounding nature. The Caribbean is one of the most breathtaking cruise destinations in the world.

Caribbean cruise destinations are always beautiful during the best seasons. You can expect stunning beaches, delicious food and a lot of drinking. Sparkling sunshine and awesome beaches will certainly uplift your spirit and make you feel fully refreshing.

Caribbean Cruises are the perfect cruise destination for family cruisers with children and young couples. Have water slides, surf simulators, rock-climbing walls and multiple dining choices, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, will keep kids very busy on board. There are also a lot of groups and elder couples.

Best time to cruise the Caribbean

The best time to cruise the Caribbean is when it is the coldest winter season in Northern Hemisphere. Imagine when people have the winter blues, you can immediately cast them away once you land on a beach in the Caribbean.

The best time to cruise the Caribbean is from December to mid-April. December and early January are expensive for Christmas and New Year holidays. Late June and August are fully packed by family cruisers because the schools are off. The cruise rates for Caribbean Cruises get cheaper in the late August, September and early October with a risk for hurricane attacks.

Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean

Cruise with Royal Caribbean International and Disney Cruise Line for family cruisers in the Caribbean. For a luxury cruise, Seabourn Cruise Line comes at the top.

Cruise Ships in the Caribbean

Alaska Cruises

Alaska offers spectacular landscapes and full of adventure more than any other destinations in America. This is the very reasons why any cruisers around the world would love to visit Alaska.

Have you experienced Alaska Cruises? What have you discovered? I admit that Alaska is the only destination I haven’t experienced any cruise in this article.

One of my favourite senior videographer from America once said that her best favourite cruise destination is Alaska. She is a visual expert and has experienced countless cruises around the world. Alaska must be one of the best cruise destinations in the world!

Alaska cruise destinations
Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Tracy Arm Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, Seward

What to expect in Alaska Cruises?

Alaska Cruises are the best recommended for any active cruisers. Alaska is a very special cruise destination because of the extensive wildlife, nature and scenic landscapes.

Why Alaska is a great destination for a cruise vacation? Wildlife and nature are so dynamic. In addition to that, nature is close to humans. You can easily access them. Imagine the scenery of a whale watching. See parent-child bears and the caribou, climbing the mountain. I saw countless selfie photos of cruisers who took a train and climbed to the top of the mountain.

Best time to cruise Alaska

The Alaska cruise season is very short. The cruise ships run from May to September. Early May can be little too early and is still chilly. June through August is the best and most popular times to cruise. It is the warmest weather.

Although it is little early, May is the driest month of Alaska, so you’re less likely have rainy days on a flightseeing, a glacier walk or other shore excursions. Northbound glacier routes are cheaper than southbound. Find weekdays cruises cheaper than departing in the weekend.

Best Cruise Lines in Alaska

Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises are popular for Alaska Cruises.

Mediterranean Cruises

The highlight of Mediterranean Cruises is to visit the world’s most glorious and historic places in just one cruise. When you wake up, you arrive at different countries every morning, including Portugues, France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Croatia. Imagine you will experience totally different colours, smells and feels in Europe’s most glorious countries within a short period of time. Find out further details on the best Mediterranean cruise destinations.

One day, you ride on gondolas in Venice. The other days you visit Sagrada Familia of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona or can admire the Grandmasters’ artwork at the Vatican from Civitavecchia. The Mediterranean cruise will make you feel special at a reasonable price. Learn the rich history, culture and traditions in Europe’s most attractive countries.

Ports of Calls in Mediterranean Cruises

You can find detailed information for airport and city transfers to the cruise terminals in my article “Port Transport Guide” for Mediterranean Cruises.

Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

Please find departure port transfer information and port accommodation guide to saving your money and time as below.

What to expect in Mediterranean Cruises?

If you have a curious mind to learn and explore history, culture and traditions, the Mediterranean can be the best cruise destinations for you. You can expect that both Western and Eastern Mediterranean cruises can be more than just relaxing but to be intensive at ports. You will be busy with shore excursions.

In Venice and Barcelona, you can easily explore the cities by yourself as the ship docks just nearby the city centres. You can find more details at Barcelona Guide and Venice Guide.

Please note, if your cruise includes Venice, book a stateroom with a balcony. You can have a breathtaking landscape from your private balcony and celebrate it with a glass of wine.

Rome is one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean cruises. The closest cruise port is Civitavecchia. It takes about one and a half to two hours by train from Civitavecchia to Rome city centre.

Best time to cruise the Mediterranean

From June to August is the high season in the Mediterranean. It rarely rains and keeps sunny days. But ports are very busy with tourists, especially in August. It is also extremely hot. The heat can be hard for some cruisers. The cruise rate is also the highest because the schools are off on August.

My favourite season is Mid-April to May and late September to mid-October. It is uncrowded, and the cruise rates get much more reasonable. Late-May to early-June is less competition for bookings. Comfortable temperatures. Find out further details on the best time for the Mediterranean cruises.

Popular cruise ships for Mediterranean Cruises

Baltic Cruises

Cruise Europe and immerse the majestic history and culture in Baltic countries. Amsterdam, Southampton, Stockholm and Copenhagen are the major departure ports for Baltic Cruises. 10 to 14-night cruises are more common. You can visit Oslo, Helsinki, Riga, Gdansk, St. Petersburg and Tallinn.

The most popular destinations for Baltic Cruises is Norwegian Fjords. Other than that, find Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s most famous attraction, known as the inspiration for Disneyland. In Denmark, there is Legoland, another amusement park in Northern Europe. Visit the Hermitage at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, the second-largest art museum in the world, and Empress Catherine the Great’s extraordinary art collection.

Best destinations for the Baltic Sea Cruises
London (Southampton) Helsinki, Finland  St. Petersburg, Russia
Tallinn, Estonia Riga, Latvia Helsingborg, Sweden
Copenhagen, Denmark Skagen, Denmark Klaipeda, Lithuania
Visby, Sweden Stockholm, Sweden Flåm, Norway
Geiranger, Norway Reykjavik, Iceland

Departure Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

Departure Port Hotels
19 Hotels in London, the UK in the Best Areas
Hotels in Southampton near Cruise Terminals
Where to Stay in Amsterdam: Best Areas and Hotels
16 Best Hotels in Copenhagen near Cruise Terminal

Departure Port Transport
Stockholm Cruise Port Transfers for Baltic Cruises
Stockholm Airport Transfers
Amsterdam Airport Transfers
London Transport: Heathrow Airport Transfers
Southampton Cruise Port Transfer
Copenhagen Port Transfers

What to expect in Baltic Cruises?

Cruise to Northern Europe offers you everything from breathtaking Norway’s majestic fjords to Finland’s famous glacial lakes. The attraction of Baltic Cruises is a combination of stunning natural landscapes, glorious history and culture of Europe’s most beautiful Baltic countries. Expect Baltic Cruises to be intensive at ports.

If your cruise includes Norwegian fjord, book a stateroom with a balcony for the scenic landscapes.

Best time to cruise the Baltic Sea

The best season for Baltic Cruises is from June to August. You will enjoy long summer days. For Baltic countries, the days are longer in the summer than the winter. Baltic Cruises are popular for this reason. The cruise rates are highest from June to August. During this high season, Europe is packed with tourist anywhere at ports and cities, especially in August.

My best favourite times for Northern Europe are late May and early September. The ship, towns and ports are more relaxed and not crowded. The cruise rates are lower than the high season. Please note that March and November can be rainy.

Popular Cruise Lines for Baltic Cruises

Mainstream Cruise Lines in Baltic Sea Cruises:
Celebrity Cruises
Princess Cruises
Royal Carribean International Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises
Norwegian Cruises Line
Holland America Line
Costa Cruises
MSC Cruises

Luxury cruise lines in Baltic Sea:
Regent Seven Seas
Seabourn
Azamara
Crystal Cruises
Silversea Cruises
Cunard

Mexico Cruises

Mexico is a real heaven on earth. Cruise to Mexico and experience it. Mexico Cruises have 2 sides. Mexican Riviera and the Gulf of Mexico offer you charming coastal towns and miles of sandy beaches. The Atlantic coast, on the opposite side of Mexico, is filled with music, tequila and unexploited nature in Cancun and Cozumel. That’s a great fun.

What a greatness both Mexican Riviera and the Gulf of Mexico can offer is exceptional scuba diving experiences. In Cozumel, you can see 30 m straight ahead in the sea. The degree of transparency at sea is outstanding in the world standard. Fish is fat and big because of rich plankton. Since the sea itself is a national park, it is not allowed to catch fish. That is why fish is not afraid of humans, coming so close to scuba divers!

Best destinations for Mexico Cruises
Cabo San Lucas, Cozmel, Cancun, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, Cancun, Grand Cayman, Acapulco

What to expect Mexico Cruises?

What can you imagine when the term ‘Mexican Riviera’ is pronounced? You may invoke the images of colourful oceanfront villas and long golden coastlines.

Mexican Riviera has many short cruises. Cruise lines offer 3-night cruises from California. If you can have a few days off out of work, Mexico Cruises are the best. The cruise rates tend to be cheaper.

However, if you would like to experience the real greatness of Mexico Cruises, expect to have a longer cruise. Spend days at beaches of Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. Soak yourself into translucent aquamarine colours at sea. Or in the other side of Mexico, enjoy beautiful beaches and seas at Cozumel and Cancun.

Best time to cruise Mexico

Mexico has all year-round season for a Western Caribbean itinerary or Mexican Riviera because Mexico is tropical weather. The best time to cruise Mexico is during its dry season from November to May. In the early spring, it is also less raining.

Summer is a rainy season but is still popular for Mexico Cruises. The fleets are fully packed by family cruisers. From August to September, the cruise rates drop down due to a hurricane season. On January after the New Year holiday, the fleets are much less crowded and more adult atmosphere.

Best Cruise Ships for Mexico Cruises

Asia Cruises

Discover Asia. Asia can be still a mystery and new world for many cruisers outside Asia. Visit Japan’s hidden gems, the Golden Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto from Osaka port. Explore Tokyo and visit Meiji Jingu Shrine from Yokohama. Go up to the top of Victoria Peak, where Hong Kong’s richest people hold spectacular estates.

Explore Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay and see how the nation has brilliantly blended technology and horticulture together. Hire a tukutuku and explore the towns in Malaysia. Ride on an elephant and climb the mountain in Thailand. Try authentic dim sum with the locals in Taiwan. Explore the towns with tuku tuku in Malaysia.

Asia Cruises can be encountering much newness as well as rich culture and history. Include visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your shore excursions!

Best destinations for Asia Cruises
Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hongkong, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, South Korea, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.

You can find more detailed information about port transport in Asia at my article Cruise Port Guide.

Departure Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

Find further practical details at my articles:
Departure Port Hotels
Where to Stay in Osaka: Quick and Easy Way for Finding Best Hotels
Where to Stay in Singapore: Quick and Easy Way for Finding Best Hotels

Departure Port Transport
Osaka Transport: Explore Shinsaibashi and Umeda before Japan Cruise
Singapore Transport for Changi Airport Transfers and Singapore Cruise Terminal

What to expect in Asia Cruises?

If you are curious and openminded, Asia is the best cruise destination for you. Culture, history, traditions as well as technology, high-paced city life are somehow strangely blended together. New and Old are mixed together. Skyscrapers and traditional local districts co-exist. All the different facets and dimensions create a dynamic atmosphere in Asia. The advantage of Asia Cruises is less costly. Fellow cruisers are well blended and are all from different corners around the world.

Best time to cruise Asia

The best time to cruise Asia is from late October to March. From late June to August, it rains and is humid. Typhoons hit from August to September, and the heat is enormous and harsh. During the school’s offseason on June and August, the flees are crowded, fully packed by family cruisers.

Japan Cruises are a little different. The best seasons to cruise Japan is on April for the famous cherry blossoms and October for the best tourist month in terms of weather. Late April and early May, as well as the mid-August, are high priced due to national holidays. Typhoon would hit Japan in August and September.

Best Cruise Lines for Asia Cruises

Australia and New Zealand Cruises

Cruising Australia and New Zealand means you are going to experience real adventure and excitement. New Zealand is a place of unspoilt scenic landscapes and has a rich Polynesian history.

Expect something different and dynamic experience in the cities of Australia. Dive into the Great Barrier Reef, a sky diving, parasailing and a jet sky. Or charter a private boat. Australia and New Zealand cruises are a fantastic way for a real vacation and to be away from something ordinary.

Best cruise destinations for Australia and New Zealand Cruises
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Tasmania, Wellington, Tauranga, Akaroa, Darwin, Port Hedland, Pers and Mystery Island.

Departure Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

Find further practical details at my articles:
Departure Port Hotels
Where to Stay in Melbourne, Australia: Find Best Hotels in the Best Areas
Hotels in Auckland, New Zealand: Find the Best Hotels in the Best Areas

Departure Port Transport
Melbourne Airport Transfers to the City Centre and Port Melbourne
Auckland Transport: Explore Auckland City Centre and Get Ferry Terminal

What to expect in Australia and New Zealand Cruises?

The fleet is packed by the cruisers from Australian and New Zealand. The ship is filled with cheerful and fun air. I have found that they are open, friendly and outspoken, offering some help or joining you for conversation at dinner. A lot of drinking is going too. I love cruising with Australians and New Zealanders!

You can expect something magical feelings in Oceania. Your spirit is uplifted, and you become cheerful and smiling. That’s true! You can definitely realise such wonderful feelings in Tasmania. After exploring Australia’s magnificent culture and urban life, you will encounter stunning scenic landscape you never imagined. You can be relieved by knowing such unspoiled nature is still well preserved in the Southern Hemisphere.

Best time to cruise Australia and New Zealand

The best time to cruise Australia and New Zealand is from late November to March. While a majority of residents in Northern Hemisphere are experiencing winter blues, Australia and New Zealand are having the best season for cruises. Winter in North America and Europe is summer in Australia and New Zealand.

In December and January, Australians and New Zealanders are having the best weather, meaning the fleets are crowded. The cruise price is also the highest. From December to March, Tasmania is having the best season. It is an amazing place anyone must visit once in a lifetime. Tasmania Cruises tend to be rocky.

Find useful articles for Australia and New Zealand Cruises:

Best Cruise fleets for Australia and New Zealand Cruises

South Pacific Cruises

The South Pacific islands are real and existing paradise on the earth. In Vanuatu and New Caledonia, natures are unspoilt and well preserved by the locals. You will find dolphins from your private balcony on the cruise ship, walk around tropical forests and relax at beaches. A stunning tarquoil colour of the sea is unforgettable. South Pacific is the place you become one with nature. You will appreciate the importance of the simple life.

Best destinations for South Pacific Cruises
Tahiti, Vanuatsu, New Caredonia, Moorea, Papua Newguinia, Borabora and Fiji.

Departure Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

For South Pacific Cruises, most of the ships depart from either New Zealand or Australia. You can find further practical details at my articles:

Departure Port Hotels
Where to Stay in Melbourne, Australia: Find Best Hotels in the Best Areas
Hotels in Auckland, New Zealand: Find the Best Hotels in the Best Areas

Departure Port Transport
Melbourne Airport Transfers to the City Centre and Port Melbourne
Auckland Transport: Explore Auckland City Centre and Get Ferry Terminal

What to expect in South Pacific Cruises?

If you are looking for beaches and tropical forests to relax but something different to Caribbean and Mexican Riviera, South Pacific Cruises can be the best for you.

Fellow passengers are well mixed. Cruisers are those who are coming from Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America. It is the ideal place for both young and elder couples for relaxation and new discovery. South Pacific is the best cruise destination to heal the bodies and minds.

Best time to cruise South Pacific

The season to cruise South Pacific is from May to October. South Pacific is tropical weather so all the season can be the best season but you need to be careful about the possibility of tropical cyclones and rainy season.

It is a wet season from November to April. The cruise rates drop off. It rains and wet but I had a great experience. The humidity rate is high. Raining days gradually get less on March and April.

Best Cruise Lines for Mediterranean Cruises

Middle East Cruises

Visiting Dubai will totally change your views on the Middle East. Once you arrive at the Dubai Cruise Terminal, you will be impressed by a clean and modern atmosphere. Passengers can easily get a taxi which is properly metered and is safe.

Dubai is a highly technologically advanced modern and mega-rich city. The city is safe and super clean. There is plenty to see and explore!

Having a repositioning cruise, my cruise started from cruising European countries to the Middle East through the Suez Canal. Then my ship docked at Dubai some occasions.

I went out with crews and passengers days and nights every single day in Dubai. Sometimes I went out by myself. I carry a lot of camera gear. It is visible that I am a female alone carrying valuable stuff, but I never encountered any dangerous situation.

Ports of calls for the Middle East Cruises
Aquaba (Jordan), Dubai (the United Arab Emirates, UAE), Abu Dabi (UAE), Muscat (Oman), Bahrain or Doha (Qatar) and Bahrain.

Departure Port Hotels and Port Transport Information

Find further practical details at my articles:
Departure Port Hotels
Dubai Transports in the United Arab Emirates

Departure Port Transport
Where to stay in Dubai: 4 Best Places for Dubai Hotels

What to expect in Middle East Cruises?

Majority of passengers are Europeans. Probably my ship was cruising the Mediterranean Sea before the Middle East Cruises. The Middle East is the best cruise destination for European cruisers during a chilly winter season.

There are a lot of young family cruisers and couples from Europe. Something similar to American cruisers who have Caribbean Cruises when it is cold weather.

American cruisers could be a minority, but that is what you can maximise in the cruise. Enjoy something different, new discovery and adventure. Feel that you are far away from your country.

You can expect multiple different facets at once. Delicious meals, dry weather, culture, history, camels and dessert and beaches are all well blended together beautifully. You can enjoy them at once in one cruise. It is a cruise to discover something new, something you never seen and experienced before or even imagined!

Best time to cruise the Middle East

The Arabian Gulf sailing season starts December to March. A lot of cruise ships are repositioning to the Middle East after cruising Europe before the winter. In the Middle East, when the weather is milder, you can enjoy sunny days from December to March.

In December and early January, it could be slightly chilly at the beach yet. Repositioning cruises are the best after the New Year holiday. The cruise rates will be much reasonable. The ship is also empty and is more relaxed. The cruise rates are significantly low.

Best Cruise Lines for Middle East Cruises

Major cruise lines in the Middle East for luxury cruises are Silversea, Seabourne, Oceania, Crystal Cruises, Azamara, Cunard and Regent Seven Seas. Mainstream cruise lines are Holland America, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and P&0.

If you are looking for lower prices in the Middle East Cruises, MSC and Costa are the best. I saw their fleets at ports on many occasions.

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