“Ships are the nearest thing to dreams that hands have ever made.”
~ Robert N. Rose
Big ship? Small ship? Adventure expedition? Luxury yacht? River cruise? What about the best new cruise ships?
We’ve got you covered!
Go straight to all our cruise posts.
Or carry on reading this handy cruise guide. It includes links to dozens of our cruise reviews and cruising articles, all neatly organized, to help you choose the right cruise for you.
Cruise travel guide
Contents: Cruising and Cruise Guide
Cruise writing is one of our specialties, and we’ve sailed on some 60+ voyages now.
So hop aboard and embark on these cruises! Pick up some great cruising tips and explore cool cruise ports along the way too.
Bon voyage!
Gone are the days of one-size-cruising-fits-all
Now there are cruises to suit everyone’s style!
Cruise lines have also gone to great lengths recently to put in place appropriate public health measures to help keep everyone safe.
Start with our latest cruise posts
Holland America Wine Packages, Wine List + Prices
Holland America offers three different “Sommelier Suite” wine packages. They’ll save you up to 25%. HAL also offers decent wines by the glass, as well as 100+ wines by the bottle.
Are the Holland America Drink Packages Worth Buying?
If you like your cocktails and wine (and don’t want to stress about your bill), a Holland America beverage package could save you money on your next HAL cruise.
Best Tahiti Cruises: Windstar vs. Paul Gauguin
Cruising French Polynesia is often the best way to visit these luscious islands. The two main Tahiti cruise lines are Windstar and Paul Gauguin. Which is better? Find out here!
Hop Aboard these 17+ Exciting New Cruise Ships (2023)!
What are the hottest new cruise ships? From the ground-breaking Scenic Eclipse II and the rebellious Scarlet Lady to the lovely Sea Cloud Spirit, these ships are making waves!
Where do you want to go on your cruise?
French Polynesia:
Cruising French Polynesia is a delightful way to explore the 118-island South Pacific nation. Ships are small and usually couples-oriented.
The best Tahiti cruises are offered by Windstar Cruises and on the Paul Gauguin ship.
With its gorgeous turquoise lagoon and necklace of idyllic motus, Bora Bora, in particular, oozes romance.
And there are tons of fun things to do in Bora Bora – from shopping for pearls to snorkeling with sharks.
Maybe combine a cruise with a stay in a dreamy overwater bungalow in Bora Bora? Perfect for a honeymoon or other special occasion…
Northern Europe:
Cruise from Stockholm to Bergen on an epic Viking Homelands cruise in the Baltic. (Fabulous fjords, anyone?)
Morocco:
Snake charmers? Harems? Discover what it’s like to visit Morocco on a cruise.
Alaska:
Go wild on an Alaska UnCruise adventure cruise! (Think kayaking, hiking and SUP boarding.)
Egypt:
A leisurely Nile River cruise is the ultimate way to explore Egypt’s amazing temples and tombs.
Costa Rica and Panama:
This Costa Rica cruise immerses you in all of nature’s awe! Bonus: Squeezing through the Panama Canal.
Canary Islands:
See the secret side of the Canaries on this Canary Island cruise.
Hike UNESCO-listed parks, explore one of the most beautiful villages in Spain and taste sweet Malmsey wine.
Types of cruises
What’s your cruising style?
Ultra-luxury cruises:
Unlimited champagne and caviar? Welcome to Seabourn Cruises!
The so-called “six-star cruises” include all wine, cocktails and other drinks in their rates.
Ships are typically small. The Seabourn Odyssey, for example, carries 462 passengers.
Or go French. Ponant is a lovely French line, where the French touch is uber-classy.
Then there’s Oceania Cruises. It’s known as one of the best cruise lines for great food.
River cruises:
Scenic (an Australian-based company) offers some of the world’s best river cruises.
Want to discover the historic riches of Normandy on a Seine River cruise? The scenes are a kaleidoscope of castles, gardens, artist studios and museums – all explored from a Scenic “space ship” with cool sun-room balconies.
If you’re itching to go bicycling on a river cruise, check out these great cycling cruises.
Sailing cruises:
Feel the wind in your hair when you sail (yes, really sail!) the Caribbean with Star Clippers. The unspoiled islands are a treat too. (Hello Iles des Saintes!)
And have you considered a chartering a yacht? Private yacht charters aren’t just for the rich and famous anymore.
Adventure cruises:
Explore hidden Hawaii on this UnCruise Hawaii adventure.
Family cruises:
Hawaii is very kid-friendly. So family cruises in Hawaii are ideal for a family cruising vacation.
One-of-a-kind cruises:
Beaches, scuba diving and, oh my, Komodo dragons!
You’re sailing Indonesia on a luxurious 10-guest phinisi.
Or you could cruise Fiji on a small barefoot-and-bikini yacht. Maybe try kava, Fiji’s potent traditional beverage?
The Yasawa Islands are totally idyllic.
And there’s nothing like an African river safari on the Zambezi Queen. This boutique houseboat gets you up-close-and-personal with elephants galore.
Practical cruise tips
Check out these nifty tips to spice up your cruise. Like… Take your folding bicycle!
You want the deluxe perks associated with small ship cruising (a suite, fine dining, lovely wines). But also big ship amenities (a range of specialty restaurants, great musical theater shows).
Say hello to the ship-within-a-ship concept – or VIP cruising on a big ship.
Cruise gratuities
How much should you tip on a cruise? Here’s the scoop on cruise gratuities for 20 popular cruise lines.
Cruise drinks packages
Are any of the Holland America drinks packages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) worth getting?
Here’s everything you want to know about the bar menu on Viking Cruises.
What’s the cost of drinks on Star Clippers? And what’s on the bar menu?
Cool ports-of-call
Antarctica:
It doesn’t get any cooler than cruising to Antarctica! The icebergs in Antarctica are bigger than buses (some are even bigger than fallen skyscrapers).
And there are many cute and playful types of Antarctic penguins. (We particularly loved taking photos of the adorable Adelies.)
Berlin:
Is it crazy to spend one day in Berlin? Or not…
Old San Juan:
Check out the top things to do in colorful Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Vancouver:
Rent a bike and go bicycling around Stanley Park.
Philipsburg:
Dock in Philipsburg, and you can spend the day airplane spotting at Maho Beach, racing an America’s Cup sailboat or hanging out at Orient Beach.
Come to think of it, there are oodles of fun things to do in St. Maarten and St. Martin!
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About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!