Cruise Destinations Information
From LoveToKnow Cruises
Cruise destinations can be all over the world, from the Caribbean to Europe, from Mexico to Southeast Asia. When most people dream of cruise travel, they conjure images of smooth, quiet beaches ringed with palm trees, luxurious and dramatic ocean sunsets, and vibrantly-colored exotic marketplaces teeming with friendly merchants offering native wares. While many cruise destinations do embody these images, there a dozens of possible itineraries that lead to any number of amazing ports of call.
Cruise Destinations: Regions
Popular Cruises
The most popular cruise destinations are in the Caribbean, specifically along western routes that visit Key West, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Rarer but still frequented Caribbean cruise destinations include Aruba and Curacao along southern routes and Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands along eastern voyages.
The Bahamas is a popular cruise destination in the western Atlantic, often included in Caribbean voyages. The nation’s capital, Nassau, is one of the most frequently visited cruise ports and is home to the world-renowned Atlantis Resort on nearby Paradise Island. Many cruise lines also offer private islands in the Bahamas as more exclusive destinations.
Other cruise destinations include the Mexican Riviera with voyages departing principally from California cruise ship ports to call on Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and Catalina. Both Alaskan Cruises and Hawaiian voyages are specialized itineraries that focus on several ports of call within those destinations. Bermuda Cruises are a favorite for departure ports in the northeastern United States, and New England and Canadian cruises are seasonal variations that explore magnificent autumn foliage.
Exotic Destinations and Longer Voyages
The most exotic cruise destinations are available on longer voyages and include fascinating itineraries and ports of call such as the Panama Canal and Antarctica. European cruises are popular and have several distinct regions such as the Mediterranean, the British Isles, and northern Europe. Around the world cruises are the ultimate getaway, often lasting several months and calling on dozens of different ports.
Explore Destinations with Shore Tours and Excursions
Many cruise passengers initially fear that visiting several cruise destinations on a single voyage will be repetitive – after all, many Caribbean nations in particular have similar cultural roots. While those initial settlement histories may be closely related, travelers soon discover that each Caribbean cruise port of call schedule offers a look at a distinctive history and multitudes of unique opportunities for visitors to savor. Each cruise port schedule may be different and provide new and different aspects for cruise passengers to enjoy.
For example, the island of Jamaica offers terraced waterfalls to climb and exotic jungle foliage to explore, while the nearby island nation of Grand Cayman lacks the elevation differences but offers unique above-ground coral formations and the world’s only breeding farm for endangered sea turtles. The best way to explore the distinctive histories of different cruise destinations is to take advantage of cultural and historical shore tours and various shore excursions that often stop at multiple significant sites while knowledgeable guides offer colorful anecdotes and insights to their culture.
Choosing Cruise Destinations
One of the best features of a cruise vacation is that passengers do not need to settle on a single destination. By selecting a cruise for a specific region, it is easy to find a ship that visits multiple fascinating ports of call, offering travelers opportunities to experience many nations on a single vacation without the hassles of constant packing and travel. To select the best destinations, passengers should consult a travel agent about major regions as well as seasonal travel variations due to climate and popularity. With that expert help, passengers will always find the most enjoyable cruise destinations to be part of their memorable vacation plans.
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